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Richard Conlin Records, 1993-2013

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Conlin, Richard
Title
Richard Conlin Records
Dates
1993-2013 (inclusive)
Quantity
28.8 cubic feet
13,815 digital files, (3.68 GB)
Collection Number
4621
Summary
Records of Seattle City Council Member Richard Colin, dating 1993-2013, including Electronic Correspondence and Subject Files.
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
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Content Description

Record Group 4621 documents Richard Conlin's tenure on the Seattle City Council and reflects his activities in various Council committees. The record group consists of nine records series:

Records contained in Series I, Electronic Correspondence, include includes general correspondence from councilmember Richard Colin and his Legislative Assistants. It contains internal and external correspondence revolving around the business of the city council.

Records contained in Series II, Subject Files, include correspondence, memoranda, reports, studies, and other materials relating primarily to neighborhood planning, zoning, and sustainability issues.

Records contained in Series III,Neighborhoods, Sustainability, and Community Development Committee Records, include correspondence, memoranda, staff reports, draft legislation, and other materials related to the work of the Neighborhoods Committee during Conlin's tenure as chair

Records contained in Series IV,Transportation Committee Records, include agendas, draft legislation, staff reports, correspondence, memoranda, and testimony regarding traffic and transportation issues during Conlin's tenure as Committee chair.

Records contained in Series V,Environment, Emergency Management, and Utilities Committee Records, include agendas, draft legislation, staff reports, correspondence, memoranda, and testimony related to the work of the committee during Conlin's tenure as Committee chair.

Records contained in Series VI,Regional Development and Sustainability Committee Records, include agendas, correspondence, reports, and draft legislation related to topics before the committee during Conlin's tenure as chair.

Records contained in Series VIII, Special Committee on the SR 520 Project Records, include records created to review development of plans, financing, and design alternatives for replacing the SR 520 Bridge and other related corridor improvements.

Records contained in Series IX, Open Government Committee, include records documenting the work of a committee created to refine rules for implementation of the state's Public Records Act as well as additional efforts to support transparent city government and increased citizen engagement.

Records contained in Series X, Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee Records, include agendas, correspondence, reports, and draft legislation concerning the committee during Conlin's tenure as chair.

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Biographical Note

Richard Conlin served on Seattle City Council for 16 years, from 1998 to 2013. He defeated Sherry Harris in the election of November 1997; Harris was attempting to regain a seat on Council after being defeated in 1995. Conlin was elected by his colleagues to serve as Council President for the terms 2008-2009 and 2010-2011, joining Sam Smith and David Levine as the only Council members to serve consecutive terms in that capacity since adoption of the 1946 City Charter. During his four terms on Council, Conlin chaired the following regular committees:

Neighborhoods, Growth Planning, and Civic Engagement (1998-1999)

Neighborhoods, Sustainability, and Community Development (2000-2001)

Transportation (2002-2005)

Environment, Emergency Management, and Utilities (2006-2009)

Regional Development and Sustainability (2010-2011)

Planning,Land Use, and Sustainability (2012-2013).

In addition, Conlin chaired several long-term and short-term special committees including:

Special Committee for the Retreat (2010) •City Clerk Selection Evaluation Committee (2010)

Special Committee on Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment, and Stalking in the Workplace Training (2010)

Special Committee on the SR520 Project (2010-2013)

Special Committee on Yesler Terrace (2011)

Special Committee on Legislative Department Planning (2011)

Special Committee on the Library Levy (2011-2012)

Special Committee on South Lake Union (2013)

Conlin's committee work reflected his primary interests on Council, especially related to sustainable development, neighborhoods, environmentalism, and transportation concerns. Elected as an environmentalist and neighborhood advocate, he championed zero waste strategies, salmon population enhancement, the local food action initiative, and has been touted at a leader of Seattle’s green revolution. Although elected as a progressive thinker and even being identified with the Green Party, Conlin was later criticized as a moderate—some even tarred him as a conservative—particularly for three positions he took late in his tenure. He supported the deep-bore tunnel to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct in opposition to Mayor Mike McGinn; in 2010 he voted for an ordinance to curb aggressive panhandling; and his was the only vote on the Council against a paid sick-leave ordinance (he agreed with the principle, but not the way the ordinance set it up). Late in his tenure, Conlin cast a controversial vote opposing the financing plan for a new sports arena in Seattle’s Sodo neighborhood backed by venture capitalist Chris Hansen. The King County Council backed the plan unanimously; the City Council voted 7-2 in favor of the plan with only Conlin and Nick Licata opposing it. Conlin’s support for the deep-bore tunnel led to a citizen effort to recall him. The 2011 recall effort cited Conlin for three alleged violations of law: signing the draft environmental-impact statement of the proposed Seattle waterfront tunnel in lieu of Mayor Mike McGinn, colluding with City Attorney Peter Holmes, and failing to place a certified initiative on the ballot. On July 22, 2011, King County Superior Court Judge Carol Schapira dismissed the recall petition, ruling that it could not go forward because there was no proof of malfeasance nor had Conlin committed an illegal act. Conlin was narrowly defeated for reelection in 2013 by Socialist Alternative candidate Kshama Sawant, a Seattle Central Community College and Seattle University economics professor. Sawant won by 1.7 percent of the vote. Conlin was born on May 1, 1948, in Washington DC. He received a B.A. in History from Michigan State University in 1968, as well as a Master's degree in Political Science in 1971. He was elected to two terms (1973–1976) as an Ingham County Commissioner, representing part of the City of East Lansing. He later taught public administration at the University of Botswana and University of Swaziland. Prior to being elected to Seattle City Council, Conlin directed the Community and Environment Division at Metrocenter YMCA from 1985 to 1996, where he established the Earth Service Corps, expanded the Master Home Environmentalist certification (aimed at household waste and pollution), and co-founded the policy group Sustainable Seattle. After leaving City Council, he founded Richard Conlin & Associates, a consulting firm that works with citizens and local governments to create resilient, sustainable communities for all. He also is affiliate faculty at both the Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington; and Antioch University Seattle.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

This material is available for use onsite in the SMA reading room.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Records are arranged in nine series:

4621-01: Electronic Correspondence, 1998-2013

4621-02: Subject Files, 1993-2013

4621-03: Neighborhoods, Sustainability, and Community Development Committee Records

4621-04: Transportation Committee Records

4621-05: Environment, Emergency Management, and Utilities Committee Records

4621-06: Regional Development and Sustainability Committee Records

4621-08: Special Committee on the SR 520 Project Records

4621-09: Open Government Committee

4621-10: Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee Records

Processing Note

According to legacy practice, files were burned on a compact disc from network storage for transfer to archives. Disc images were then captured and files moved to network storage with regular fixity checks. Spider2008 PII Scan and DtSearch were used to screen for sensitive information. DROID was used to identify file formats, extract metadata, and facilitate processing decisions. Files were then logged and transferred using Robocopy to preservation storage.

Digital files have been combined into the pdf/a format for accessibility. Original functionality such as hyperlinks may not be available.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Alaskan Way
  • Alaskan Way Viaduct (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Business Improvement Areas
  • City Council
  • City Council
  • Comprehensive Plan
  • Convention Center
  • Enterprise zones--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Environmental Protection
  • Environmental Protection
  • Environmental policy--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Environmental protection--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Exotic Animals
  • Express highways--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Gay rights--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Highways
  • Housing
  • Hunger--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Light Rail Transit
  • Local Government
  • Municipal government--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Neighborhood Plans
  • Neighborhood planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Parks
  • Parks--Planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Public records--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Regional Planning
  • Regional planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Road construction--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Sexual minorities--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Solid Waste
  • Traffic
  • Transparency in government--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Transportation--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Trees
  • Trees in cities--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Urban agriculture--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Waterfronts--planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Zoning

Personal Names

  • Conlin, Richard

Corporate Names

  • Greens/Green Party USA.
  • Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk.
  • Seattle (Wash.). City Council.
  • Seattle (Wash.). City Council.
  • Seattle (Wash.). City Council. Neighborhoods, Growth Planning and Civic Engagement Committee.
  • Seattle (Wash.). City Council. Neighborhoods, Sustainability and Community Development Committee.
  • Seattle (Wash.). City Council. Transportation Committee.

Geographical Names

  • Northgate (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Seattle
  • Seattle (Wash.)
  • South Lake Union (Seattle, Wash.)

Finding aid prepared by SMA Archives. Revised by Sarah Shipley.
2015

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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