Dolores Sibonga Subject Files

Dolores Sibonga Subject Files, 1979-1990

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Sibonga, Dolores
Title: Dolores Sibonga Subject Files
Dates: 1979-1990 (inclusive)
19791990
Quantity: 4.4 cubic ft., (11 boxes)
Collection Number: 4681-02
Summary: Correspondence, memoranda, draft legislation, reports, testimony, and notes regarding important issues in the City Council work of Dolores Sibonga, 1979-1990.
Repository: Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions: Records are open to the public.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Born in 1931, Dolores Sibonga grew up in Seattle's International District. She received her B.A. in journalism in 1952 and a law degree in 1973, both from the University of Washington. She was the first Filipina-American admitted to the Bar Association in Washington State. Prior to attending law school, Sibonga worked in radio and television in Spokane and Seattle, including producing documentaries, and publishing a community newspaper. After receiving her law degree, Sibonga served as a public defender and later was Deputy Director of the Washington State Human Rights Commission.

Sibonga was appointed in 1978 to fill Phyllis Lamphere's seat until a special election was held. She did not run in the special election, but was subsequently elected to Council for the term beginning in 1980. She chose not to stand for reelection in 1992. While on Council she chaired four committees: Personnel and Property Management (1978, 1980-1981), Parks and Community Resources (1982-1983, 1988-1989), Finance (1984-1987, 1990-1991), and Labor (1986-1987). During her tenure on the City Council, Sibonga championed minority hiring by the City, increased expenditures for parks, Japanese-American reparations, and maintaining the local character of Seattle Center during a proposed redesign of the facility by the Disney Corporation.

After her Council term expired, Sibonga resumed her law practice and served on the Horse Racing Commission and Human Rights Commission.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Correspondence, memoranda, draft legislation, reports, testimony, and notes concerning issues before City Council while Sibonga was a council member. The collection contains a significant volume of materials relating to the Pro Parks levy. This $188 million bond issue would have financed park improvements and acquisitions of land for new parks. The levy appeared on the ballot in 1982 and was defeated. Also documented in Sibonga's files are discussions about the site of the Martha Washington School. When the school closed, the city purchased the property and eventually turned it into a park. Other materials in the collection cover the planning for the new downtown Seattle Art Museum, which opened in 1991, funded by a 1986 levy.

Additionally, the materials document Sibonga's work on issues relating to Seattle Center, including redevelopment of the Fun Forest amusement area, as well as the Walt Disney Company's 1988 proposal to revitalize the Center, which was rejected after citizens protested Disney's plans to commercialize the campus and demolish the International Fountain, Center House, and other structures. Other topics covered in the collection include the Seattle Mariners, Japanese-American reparations, the proposed Ackerley Arena, and the Nuclear Freeze Resolution.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Dolores Sibonga Subject Files, Record Series 4681-02. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

4681-02-02: Dolores Sibonga Subject Files, 1979-1990Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1	Ackerley Arena	1990
1/2	Ackerley Arena: Ackerley Communications of the Northwest, Inc.	1990
1/3	Ackerley Arena: Central Staff	1990
1/4	Ackerley Arena: Correspondence, Middle of the Road	1990
1/5	Ackerley Arena: Correspondence, Opposition	1990
1/6	Ackerley Arena: Correspondence, Opposition	1990
1/7	Ackerley Arena: Correspondence, Positive	1990
1/8	Ackerley Arena: Correspondence, Positive	1990
1/9	Ackerley Arena: Executive Proposal	1990
1/10	Ackerley Arena: Initiative CF-297827	1990
1/11	Ackerley Arena: Mailing List	1990
1/12	Ackerley Arena: New Seattle Arena Presentation	1990
1/13	Ackerley Arena: News Clippings	1990
1/14	Ackerley Arena: News Releases	1990
2/1	Ackerley Arena: Ordinance and Agreement	1990
2/2	Ackerley Arena: Public Hearing, April 24	1990
2/3	Ackerley Arena: Resolution	1990
2/4	Ackerley Arena: Save Seattle Center Downsizing Coliseum Petitions	1990
2/5	Ackerley Arena: Sibonga Form Letters	1990
2/6	Ackerley Arena: Tobacco/Liquor Advertising in Ackerley Dome	1990
2/7	Japanese-American Reparations: Japanese-American Community	1983-1984
2/8	Japanese-American Reparations: News Clippings	1982-1984
2/9	Japanese-American Reparations: Redress for City	1983-1984
2/10	Japanese-American Reparations: Redress for City	1983-1984
2/11	Mariners	1985
2/12	Mariners	1985
2/13	Mariners	1985
3/1	Mariners: Chamber Promo Material	1981-1985
3/2	Mariners: Chronological Note File	1985
3/3	Mariners: Conlon Study (Masters Thesis)	1982
3/4	Mariners: County/Mariner Original Agreement	1976-1985
3/5	Mariners: Financial Statement	1983-1985
3/6	Mariners: Issues Analysis, Major League Baseball Commission	1985
3/7	Mariners: Kingdome Impact Study	1979
3/8	Mariners: Major League Baseball Commission, Report	1985
3/9	Mariners: News Clippings	1985
3/10	Mariners: Original Material	1985
3/11	Mariners: Outline of Questions	1985
4/1	Mariners: Proposal Working Papers	1985
4/2	Mariners: Special Review Panel Mailing List	1979-1990
4/3	Mariners: Support of ML Baseball in Seattle, Summary Report	1985
4/4	Mariners: Testimony	1985
4/5	Martha Washington Site	1978-1986
4/6	Martha Washington Site	1978-1988
4/7	Martha Washington Site	1978-1989
4/8	Martha Washington Site	1980-1984
4/9	Martha Washington Site	1982-1988
4/10	Martha Washington Site	1982-1988
5/1	Martha Washington Site	1983
5/2	Martha Washington Site	1983-1984
5/3	Martha Washington Site	1984
5/4	Martha Washington Site	1984-1987
5/5	Martha Washington Site	1984-1987
5/6	Martha Washington Site	1988
5/7	Martha Washington Site: Adaptive Reuse Project	1983-1984
5/8	Martha Washington Site: City Attorney Opinions	1984-1987
6/1	Martha Washington Site: Demolish Buildings Support	1988
6/2	Martha Washington Site: Kubota Gardens, Correspondence Between Parties	1986-1987
6/3	Martha Washington Site: Kubota Gardens, Exchange Agreement	1986
6/4	Martha Washington Site: Kubota Gardens, Legislation	1982-1987
6/5	Martha Washington Site: Kubota Gardens, Staff Memos	1986-1987
6/6	Martha Washington Site: Lorig Proposal, Support Letters	1988
6/7	Martha Washington Site: Newspaper Clippings	1982-1987
6/8	Martha Washington Site: Proposed Park, PPG Com Meeting & Site Study Final Report	1980-1988
6/9	Martha Washington Site: Public Comments/Hearings/Articles	1985-1987
6/10	Nuclear Freeze	1981-1982
7/1	Nuclear Freeze: Issue Binder	1980-1982
7/2	Nuclear Freeze: News Clippings	1981-1982
7/3	Nuclear Freeze: Nuclear Arms Control Material	1982
7/4	Nuclear Freeze: Nuclear Technology	1979-1982
7/5	Nuclear Freeze: Nuclear Weapons Issues Handbook	1982
7/6	Nuclear Freeze: Physicians for Social Responsibility	1980-1982
7/7	Nuclear Freeze: Resolution	1982-1983
7/8	Nuclear Freeze: Resolutions	1982
7/9	Nuclear Freeze: Roundtable Discussion Materials	1982
8/1	Nuclear Freeze: Roundtable Project	1982
8/2	Pro Parks Levy: Capital Improvement Program Environmental Impact Statement	1982
8/3	Pro Parks Levy: City Council Memoranda	1982
8/4	Pro Parks Levy: Correspondence	1982
8/5	Pro Parks Levy: Correspondence, King County Council	1982
8/6	Pro Parks Levy: Correspondence, Parks Board	1982
8/7	Pro Parks Levy: Correspondence, Public	1982
8/8	Pro Parks Levy: Correspondence, Walter Hundley	1982
8/9	Pro Parks Levy: Issue Binder	1981-1982
8/10	Pro Parks Levy: King County Legislation	1982
8/11	Pro Parks Levy: News Clippings	1979-1982
8/12	Pro Parks Levy: Notes, Alan Osaki	1982
8/13	Pro Parks Levy: Notes, Dolores Sibonga	1982
9/1	Pro Parks Levy: Notes, Memoranda, Reports	1981-1982
9/2	Pro Parks Levy: Official File	1982
9/3	Pro Parks Levy: Ordinance Drafts	1982
9/4	Pro Parks Levy: Parks and Community Resources Committee Meetings	1982
9/5	Pro Parks Levy: Preliminary Report (July)	1981
9/6	Pro Parks Levy: Public Hearing (May)	1982
9/7	Pro Parks Levy: Public Hearing, Sign-up Sheets (May)	1982
9/8	Pro Parks Levy: Reference File	1981-1982
10/1	Pro Parks Levy: Working File	1979-1982
10/2	Seattle Art Museum: Chamber of Commerce	1986
10/3	Seattle Art Museum: Debt Financing	1986
10/4	Seattle Art Museum: Executive Branch Correspondence	1986
10/5	Seattle Art Museum: Kreielsheimer Foundation	1986
10/6	Seattle Art Museum: Law	1986
10/7	Seattle Art Museum: Mayor's Proposal	1986
10/8	Seattle Art Museum: Museum Development Authority	1986
10/9	Seattle Art Museum: Museum Development Authority, Museum Cooperation Agreement	1986
10/10	Seattle Art Museum: News Clippings	1986
10/11	Seattle Art Museum: News Releases	1986
10/12	Seattle Art Museum: Public Hearing Sign-Ups	1986
10/13	Seattle Art Museum: Sam Smith Proposal	1986
10/14	Seattle Art Museum: Seattle Times Poll	1986
10/15	Seattle Center: Disney Plan	1988
10/16	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Citizen Correspondence	1988
10/17	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Correspondence	1988
10/18	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Council Decision Schedule	1988
10/19	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Disney Study Advisory Group	1979-1990
11/1	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Mailing List Advisory	1988
11/2	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Memoranda	1988
11/3	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Newspaper Articles	1988
11/4	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Public Hearings	1988
11/5	Seattle Center: Disney Plan, Seattle Center Coalition	1985-1988
11/6	Seattle Center: Fun Forest, Lawsuit	1982-1983
11/7	Seattle Center: Fun Forest, Request for Proposal	1983
11/8	Seattle Center: Fun Forest, Request for Proposal	1983
11/9	Seattle Center: Fun Forest, Request for Proposal	1983
11/10	Seattle Center: Long Range Master Plan Approaches, Phase II Report	1988
11/11	Seattle Center: Northwest Plan	1988

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Antinuclear movement--Washington (State)--Seattle
Japanese Americans--Washington (State)--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
Parks--Washington (State)--Seattle

Corporate Names

Fun Forest (Seattle, Wash.)
Martha Washington School for Girls (Seattle, Wash.)
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Center (Seattle, Wash.)
Seattle Mariners (Baseball team)

Geographical Names

Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government

Occupations

Women city council members--Washington (State)--Seattle

Other Creators

Corporate Names
- Seattle (Wash.)--City Council (creator)

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