Get the newsletter online and stay connected through social media! OLLIE GARRETT President of Tabor 100 School Board Candidate Forum 5 Inslee — “Disparity Study Needed.” 4 September General Meeting Highlights 3 2015 Gala Photos 2 October 2015 The Tabor 100 Gala was an absolute SUCCESS! Former Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl; forty-year community advocate, Lyle Quasim; Mayor Ed Murray; City of Seattle superstar Lance Randall and Minority Education Advocate Erin Jones were recognized for their huge community contributions. On the corporate side, Shaunta Hyde of Alaska Airlines, Calvin Saunders of CWS Awards and Lydig Construction for their work on behalf of businesses owned by people of color. And, we surprised Nate Miles, whose tireless advocacy has changed many lives. Our panel of leaders was outstanding. Susan Walsh-Long of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; David Campbell, CEO of Horizon Air and Blair Taylor, Starbucks Chief Community Officer inspired us. Phil Bussey, Senior VP for Puget Sound Energy and moderator, performed in his usual outstanding fashion. Our $20,000+ in scholarships were awarded by another Superstar and UW Regent, Joanne Harrell. Of course I must acknowledge Bruce Harrell, who, with humor and fundraising prowess, helped Tabor 100 raise more money through the dinner auction than ever before. Bruce’s commitment to Tabor 100 is only rivaled by his work for inclusion and diversity in his City Council position. A special “shout out” to Aundrea Jackson and the Gala Committee for putting it all together! Her deep-seated support of Tabor makes me work harder. Tabor 100 is about more than the Gala, at our last meeting we had just about all of the Seattle City Council candidates. We asked tough questions and got commitments to Tabor and our goals. Several weeks ago, we met with the Governor, who we pushed and prodded to improve his record of providing for minority business opportunities. In Governor Inslee commitment he said, “I have decided it is in the best interest of the state and our MBEs that we move forward with a statewide disparity study.” You can read his full quote and learn more about the meeting on page 4. We as a community have worked tirelessly for this commitment! Let’s celebrate this success!
Transcript
Get the newsletter online and stay connected through social media!
OLLIE GARRETTPresident of Tabor 100
School Board Candidate Forum
5
Inslee — “Disparity Study Needed.”
4
September General Meeting Highlights
32015 Gala Photos
2
October 2015
The Tabor 100 Gala was an absolute SUCCESS!
Former Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl; forty-year community
advocate, Lyle Quasim; Mayor Ed Murray; City of Seattle
superstar Lance Randall and Minority Education Advocate
Erin Jones were recognized for their huge community
contributions. On the corporate side, Shaunta Hyde of
Alaska Airlines, Calvin Saunders of CWS Awards and Lydig
Construction for their work on behalf of businesses owned
by people of color. And, we surprised Nate Miles, whose
tireless advocacy has changed many lives.
Our panel of leaders was outstanding. Susan Walsh-Long
of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; David Campbell,
CEO of Horizon Air and Blair Taylor, Starbucks Chief
Community Officer inspired us. Phil Bussey, Senior VP
for Puget Sound Energy and moderator, performed in his
usual outstanding fashion.
Our $20,000+ in scholarships were awarded by another
Superstar and UW Regent, Joanne Harrell. Of course I
must acknowledge Bruce Harrell, who, with humor and
fundraising prowess, helped Tabor 100 raise more money
through the dinner auction than ever before. Bruce’s
commitment to Tabor 100 is only rivaled by his work for
inclusion and diversity in his City Council position.
A special “shout out” to Aundrea Jackson and the Gala
Committee for putting it all together! Her deep-seated
support of Tabor makes me work harder.
Tabor 100 is about more than the Gala, at our last meeting
we had just about all of the Seattle City Council candidates.
We asked tough questions and got commitments to
Tabor and our goals. Several weeks ago, we met with the
Governor, who we pushed and prodded to improve his
record of providing for minority business opportunities.
In Governor Inslee commitment he said, “I have decided it is in the best interest of the state and our MBEs that we move forward with a statewide disparity study.” You can read his full quote and learn more about the meeting on page 4.
We as a community have worked tirelessly for this commitment! Let’s celebrate this success!
We want to thank the Tabor Members for your support and hope that you enjoyed the 16th Annual Captains of Industry Gala! This was an exciting night and the panel presentation was excellent.
The 2015 Gala Committee is in the wrap-up stages of this year’s Gala and compiling thoughts, lessons learned and feedback that will be provided to the 2016 Gala Committee. In a few weeks, the Gala Committee will launch a random survey to members and attendees to seek your feedback for 2016. We hope that you will consider joining the Gala Committee and being a part of the 2016 planning!
Thank you to the volunteers and all those that worked to make the 2105 Tabor 100 Gala a success! We could not have done it without you!
All Gala photos were taken by Flyright Productions.
SIXTEENTH ANNUAL“Stay focused on the goal”
CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY GALA
3
SEPTEMBER GENERAL MEETING
○ This is the largest panel of candidates for the upcoming election that Tabor has ever hosted! Because there were so many, each candidate was given a mini dry-erase paddle and marker to answer the questions. Jamila Johnson, our Government Affairs Chair organized and facilitated the panel asking them questions that ranged from “Have you attended a Tabor meeting within the last six months?” to “What percentage of black population live in King County?” Henry Yates, our Public Affairs Chair facilitated the audience questions portion of the panel.After the game-like start to the panel, the panelists were asked various questions that are relevant to you, the Tabor community to help you begin to understand what is important to each of the officials. Each candidate was encouraged to answer these questions as it relates to their particular region. Here are some of the questions that were addressed:
• Technical assistance is essential for small businesses to be able to implement the regulations imposed by council’s legislative activities. Would your office ensure the proper technical assistance is made available for ordinances that you introduce? How would you do so?
• What have you done to promote economic growth in the African American community?
• Have you been in a position to hire employees or direct business to subcontractors or consultants? How have you made these opportunities open and accessible for African Americans or minority-owned businesses?
You can learn more about the candidates, the regions they are running for, and their views by visiting their website. If you have any questions you are encouraged to contact them. As we get closer to the election, we will continue to hold panel discussions to help you be as informed as possible so you can leverage the power of your vote and make a difference.
All photos were taken by Flyright Productions.
4
►Governor calls for Statewide Disparity Study after Tabor Meeting
HENRY YATESPublic Affairs Chair
Governor Inslee recently met with the Tabor 100 Board and Tabor members Leslie Jones, Nancy Locke and Dr. William Bradford, to discuss state government contracting with minority firms.
The Governor listened as Tabor President Ollie Garrett and contracting subject matter experts Jones, Locke and Bradford offered suggestions about how the Governor can increase the numbers of minority firms working with state government. Inslee listened intently and asked numerous questions as well as making a commitment to “improve our record in this area.” Tabor 100 Government Affairs Chair Jamila Johnson, emphasized the importance of state government conducting a disparity study to identify
“the availability of minority firms and how they are being used.” The Governor committed to look into a state government disparity study.
The group discussed other issues with the Governor including cultural training and how it can improve minority contracting, working to make changes to I-200 and how the state can learn how to offer more opportunity from the city of Seattle and Sound Transit. Nancy Locke emphasized that while many use I-200 as a a barrier, it in fact allows for outreach, recruitment, training, technical assistance and as a government agency, there can be a requirement for
“good faith efforts.”
Tabor Board member, John Berdes talked about the slide in the number and success of African American
firms can be tied directly to an inability to access capital. Dr. Bradford explained the income disparity for African Americans and Hispanics. He noted that the median income for African Americans is 13 times less than that of the majority population and for Hispanics it is ten times.
The meeting ended with the Governor committing to follow-up and thanking the group for their insight.
►“I appreciate all of the work that Tabor 100 has done in the community. Because of discussions that I have had with leaders of Tabor 100 and the Civil Rights Coalition, I have decided it is in the best interest of the state and our MBEs that we move forward with a statewide disparity study,” Governor Inslee said. “The last study of this nature was conducted in 2000 and it’s time that we have current information on how our state agencies are performing in relation to contracting with MBEs. I hope that you will support Chris Liu, Director of DES, as we move forward with the study because it is important that your voices are part of the planning process.”
5
Eight candidates are seeking your vote for four director positions on the Seattle School Board.
The hopefuls faced off against one another and answered tough questions at a Candidates Forum on September 24th. Tabor 100 / Excellent Schools Now joined forces with the Seattle Association of Black School Educators, the League of Education Voters, and the Seattle Chapter of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute to sponsor the event.
This election will seat three, or perhaps four new directors on the Seattle School Board. In the primary, the candidates were chosen in their districts. But in November, they are running city wide.
Some of the responsibilities of the Board of Directors include hiring and evaluating the Superinten-dent, setting policies to govern the school district, dealing with finances and balancing the budget, and choosing instructional materials.
This election has garnered attention from the State since legislators have expressed concern over several of the local issues. Both Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D-37) and Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-37) support attempts to reform the district’s board and size. Both Santos and Pettigrew have serious concerns about the widening achievement gap and its effect on students of color in the district.
Other issues include disproportionate discipline and suspension rates, graduation rates, early childhood education, and involving business owners in the schools.
All the candidates advocated for more internships, more vocational education opportunities, and more opportunities for small businesses to get involved in education.
As you may know, Tabor 100 has a grant to encourage small and minority business organizations to get involved in education advocacy. That involvement means a group of young employees more
prepared for the world of work. We would value your participation in our grant work leveraging small and minority-owned businesses.
LINDA KENNEDY
►Tabor 100 Joins Others to Hold School Board Candidate Forum
Lara Gramer Scott Pinkham
Jill Geary Rick Burke District 2
Marty McLaren(Incumbent) Lauren McGuire District 3
Michael Christophersen District 1 Leslie Harris District 6
Creating Opportunitities for YOU!
Together, Tabor 100 and the Minority Business Advisory Council will be:
Learn more about MBAC by visiting www.MBAC-WA.org.
• Creating opportunities for minority-owned businesses
• Promoting initiatives that impact economic development
• Building a stronger minority community with more opportunities
“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.” Lyndon B. Johnson, signing Voting Rights Act of 1965.
November 3, 2015 is Election Day. This month the government affairs committee wants to share some frequently asked questions about voting in King County. If you live outside of King County, please consult your county’s elections office.
When were ballots mailed? Washington State votes by mail. Ballots are mailed 20 days prior to the election and earlier to military and overseas voters. If you do not have your ballot yet, there is a problem and you can take steps to address the issue.
What if I did not get my ballot? To get a replacement ballot, fill out the form at www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/replacement-ballot.aspx or call King County Elections at 206-296-VOTE (8683).
What if I have my ballot but lost or destroyed the envelope? The return envelope has the signature verification portion which is required to verify and accept your ballot. Download an envelope replacement packet at www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/replacement-envelope.aspx.
What if I am not a registered voter? You can register in person until October 26, 2015 if you have never been registered in Washington before. To register to vote in the state of Washington, you must be: a citizen of the United States; A legal resident of Washington state for at least 30 days prior to election day; At least 18 years old by election day; Not under the authority of the Department of Corrections; Not disqualified from voting due to a court order.
What should I do if my ballot return envelope is sealed shut? From time to time, due to moisture, the return envelope may arrive partly sealed shut. You can still use the envelope to return your ballot. Carefully open the envelope or, if needed, slit the envelope open on the top. Use a small amount of tape to reseal the envelope. If your envelope is too damaged, you can download a replacement envelope.
What if I want to drop my ballot off instead? There are a number of ballot boxes available for you to drop you ballot off before 8 p.m. on Election Day. You should check out locations at www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/ballot-return/location-list.aspx, as locations may have changed since the last election.
JAMILA JOHNSONGovernment Affairs Chair
► Exercising Your Right To Vote
WELCOME NEW TABOR MEMBERS!• William Ayers II, Seattle Goodwill Industries• Aaron Barfield, Emerald Haze• Talecia Garrett, Garrett ECI. IV, LLC• Greg Ritke, Graham Contracting Ltd.• Michelle Shepard, Loomis Consulting Inc.• John Welch, Harbor Pacific Contractors, Inc.
Sharlene has over 25 years of Software Development experience, which includes Project Management and Software Lead over the entire Software Development Life Cycle. She has worked with
companies like Rockwell International B-1 Bomber Division, Satellite Business Systems, Hughes Aircraft Satellite Communication Division, and AT&T Bell Labs/Lucent Technology/Avaya. She was awarded a United States patent for “System for Processing Incoming Calls Based on Call Priority for Telephone Stations Having Multiple Lines” from Avaya Bell Labs in 2002.
Sharlene currently works as a Communication Systems Design Consultant at Triunity Engineering & Management, Inc. (Triunity) a company co-founded by her husband, Jonnie Thomas. Triunity provides Professional Services in electrical, communications, project controls and construction management.
Triunity’s Northwest projects include, Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Pre-engineering, North link, East link, Central link, and Seattle Trestle. Seattle Public Utilities’ North Transfer Station. Washington State DOT I-90 PLC Change-Out.
Sharlene received her MS degree in Computer Science from the University of Denver, and a BS degree in Computer Science from the University of Redlands, in California.
She actively promotes education and workforce opportunity, and she has also served for a number of years as a volunteer instructor in the JETS (Junior Engineers Tomorrow Scientists) program sponsored by the Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers & Scientists (CABPES). Sharlene also holds Career and Technical Education (CTE) Authorizations in Information Technology and STEM in Colorado and is a certified Cisco Networking Academy Instructor to teach Network Technician for Colorado Futuretek.
►Meet Tabor 100’s new Membership Chair, Sharlene Spencer
Nov 4: Department of Enterprise Services Training Conference and Trade Show at Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center.
Nov 6: North Puget Sound Supplier Summit at Xfinity Arena, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Nov 12: Champion of Inclusion Awards at Bell Harbor International Conference Center, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Education Committee meets after the Tabor General Meeting, the last Saturday of the month from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at The Central.
Government Affairs Committee meets on the last Saturday of the month from 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., preceding the Tabor General Meeting. The meetings are held at the G.R.E.A.N. House Coffee & Café shop, across the street from New Hope Baptist Church.
Membership Committee meets every second Wednesday at The Central from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Please contact any of the Chair’s for more information about their committee.
Worker Diversity The City adopted, by ordinance, a community workforce agreement (CWA) on most construction projects at or above $5 million. The CWA has workforce utilization requirements for workers living in economically distressed ZIP codes and apprentices, and goals for women and people of color. WMBE utilization goals remain on CWA projects. Two projects are currently covered by the CWA: the Elliot Bay Seawall Replacement and the Maple Leaf and Myrtle Buried Reservoirs. The workforce performance exceeds past performance, with workers living in Seattle and King County economically distressed ZIP codes earning over $5.2 million in wages through the end of August 2015. Additionally, through Oct. 9, 2015, 17.1 percent of payments went to WMBEs on the CWA-covered projects.
Priority Hire Performance 11/18/13 – 8/31/15
Past performance
on similar jobs Project to date
Workers living in local distressed ZIP codes of Seattle and King County 20% 21.4%
Hours performed by apprentices 13% 14.8%
Hours performed by women 4% 12.8%
Hours performed by people of color 23% 25.2%
*Past performance is based on hours from Priority Hire Baseline Goals Past Performance – Projects 2012-2014
Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance The City’s Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance went into effect Sept. 1, 2012. During 2016, we will be teaching our bidders and contractors more about what is expected of you under this new law, as part of our contract compliance requirements. Interestingly, this is above and beyond prevailing wage packages. This law requires companies provide for their employees who work within the Seattle city limits for a minimum number of hours each year to accrue paid sick and paid safe time (PSST) for use when an employee needs to take time off from work due to family or personal illness or a safety issue. The ordinance applies to all companies with more than four full-time employees. All employees of the company are to receive the benefit, whether full-time, part-time or temporary. Employees will be able to use their accrued PSST as paid time off:
• To deal with their own illness, injury or health condition. • To take care of a family member (including domestic partners) with an illness, injury or medical
appointment. • When their place of business has been closed by order of a public official for health reasons. • For reasons related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking
For more information, please go to http://www.seattle.gov/civilrights/labor-standards/paid-sick-and-safe-time.
Construction Opportunities with Seattle Public Utilities Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) shared upcoming public works opportunities at the Construction CIP Expo on Friday, Oct. 9. Jeff Fowler, SPU’s Construction Management Division Director, discussed upcoming projects in water and drainage, as well as sewer relining and spot sewer rehabilitation work. For more information, please see the project list on the City Purchasing and Contracting’s Construction Contracting page at http://www.seattle.gov/city-purchasing-and-contracting/construction-contracting.
Additionally, SPU would like to encourage contractors that specialize in drainage and wastewater work to apply for the City of Seattle’s Drainage and Wastewater Collection System Small Works Roster. SPU uses a Small Works Roster of responsible contractors for drainage and wastewater collection work, including drainage and wastewater system construction, rehabilitation and repair work for SPU Such as collection system/piping systems and sewerage pump station improvements.
For more information on either of these items please contact SPU’s WMBE Coordinator Jean Bailey at 206-733-9155 or [email protected].
Upcoming Events Nov. 5 or Nov. 12, 2015 – OMWBE Certification Classes Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave., Room 4090, 2-4 p.m. The City encourages WMBE firms to certify through the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises. This FREE workshop is for firms ready to certify. Bring your business paperwork and begin the process at this event. Email [email protected] to reserve a spot for one of the dates. Nov. 6, 2015 – North Puget Sound Small Business Summit Xfinity Arena Hansen Conference Center, 2000 Hewitt Ave., Everett, WA, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The summit provides Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms with a forum to learn about and discuss available resources, enabling them to compete for public and private procurement opportunities. Participants include small businesses, minority businesses, DBEs, trade organizations, prime contractors, USDOT leadership, political leaders and industry experts. The participants will partner on various projects in the north Puget Sound area. This is a FREE event. For more information, go to http://bit.ly/1Ew8VRf. Nov. 19, 2015 – Puget Sound Sage 2015 Cocktail Reception The Westin Hotel, 1900 Fifth Ave., Seattle, WA, 99101, 6 p.m. Puget Sound Sage will host its 2015 Annual Cocktail Reception at the Westin Seattle. The event is an opportunity for over 250 of the Sage community to come together to celebrate recent successes and honor visionary progressive leaders, including Sage’s very own Rebecca Saldana, in her first year as Sage’s Executive Director. Sage’s Annual Cocktail Reception is filled with friends and allies: elected officials, community, labor, government and business sector, and supporters from across the Northwest. Proceeds go directly to Sage’s programs and capacity. For more information and to register, go to https://pugetsoundsage.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=182. Nov. 21, 2015 – Women in Trades Dinner and Awards Ceremony The Ballard Elks Club, 6411 Seaview Ave. NW, 6 p.m. Join us for the 9th Annual “Dream Big Dinner Registration.” For information about tickets, please go to http://www.wawomenintrades.com/. Dec. 2, 2015 – Urban League Annual Breakfast: “Join. Give. Celebrate.” The Annual Breakfast is a celebration of the impact of donors, constituents, volunteers, friends, and stakeholders, corporate and institutional partners on the Urban League mission. A Seattle tradition, more than 800 attendees and corporate sponsors join each year to reaffirm the shared commitment of addressing priorities that are vital to our community. For additional information about sponsorships, please contact Cornelius Mason II, Chief Operating Officer at [email protected], or call 206-461-3792, Ext 3028. Dec. 3, 2015 – UW Consulting & Business Development Center’s 20th Anniversary Celebration Washington State Convention Center, Ballroom 4C, Seattle, WA, 5:30-8:30 p.m. The Foster School of Business Consulting & Business Development Center invites you to join its 20th Anniversary Celebration! Help celebrate as stories are shared of the lives that have been changed by the Center over the past 20 years. For more information about buying tickets and sponsorships, go to https://fostersobae.hobsonsradius.com/ssc/aform/C7SA75zG003m0x6702fo.ssc.
City of Seattle Your City WMBE Team Escalating issues or special needs Nancy Locke at 206-684-8903 WMBE Manager Miguel Beltran at 206-684-4525 WMBE Advisor Forrest Gillette at 206-684-3081 Construction Contracting Aleanna Kondelis at 206-684-4542 City Purchasing Pam Tokunaga at 206-233-7114 Special Assistant to the Mayor Javier Valdez at 206-684-5584 Department WMBE Contacts Office of Arts and Culture Sheila Moss at 206-233-7016 Office of City Auditor Melissa Alderson at 206-386-4168 Seattle Civil Service Commission Jennifer Greenlee at 206-233-7118 Seattle Community Police Commission Fe’ Lopez at 206-684-5175 Department of Education and Early Learning Donnie Grabowski at 206-233-2603 Department of Information Technology Ann Kelson at 206-684-0539 Department of Neighborhoods Grace Dygico at 206-684-0466 Department of Planning and Development Denise Campbell at 206-386-4035 Seattle Employees Retirement System Deontrae Sherrard at 206-615-1431 Finance and Administrative Services Forrest Gillette at 206-684-3081 Seattle Department of Human Resources Solomon Alemayehu at 206-733-9175 Human Services Department Abdiwali Mohamed at 206-684-4167 Law Department Dana Anderson at 206-684-7761 Legislative Department Eric Ishino at 206-684-8141 Seattle Public Library Jay Donahue at 206-684-7410 Municipal Court John Kerr at 206-684-8274 Office of Economic Development Amanda Allen at 206-684-8894 Office of Hearing Examiner Patricia Cole at 206-615-1570 Office of Housing Kara Williams at 206-733-9977 Office of Intergovernmental Relations Jasmin Weaver at 206-684-8208 Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Linh Huynh at 206-727-8515 Office of Sustainability and Environment Jeanie Boawn at 206-615-0817 Seattle Parks and Recreation Sue Goodwin at 206-615-0374 Seattle Police Department Valarie Anderson at 206-733-9315 Seattle Police Pension Fund Dan Oliver at 206-386-1289 Seattle City Light John Trausch at 206-233-1559 Seattle Department of Transportation Edson Zavala at 206-684-7949 Seattle Center Ned Dunn at 206-684-7212 Seattle Fire Department Travis Taylor at 206-733-9458 Seattle Firefighters Pension Board Steven Brown at 206-625-4355 Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission Wayne Barnett at 206-684-8577 Seattle Office for Civil Rights Brenda Anibarro at 206-684-4514 Seattle Public Utilities Jean Bailey at 206-733-9155
