Council Town Hall to focus on economic development and worker training

July 9, 2009

Summary

Members to receive briefing on regional economy, discuss stimulus funds and training programs

Story

The health of our regional economy, and steps being taken to encourage economic recovery and development, will be the focus of the next Town Hall Meeting with the King County Council. The Town Hall will feature a regional economic update, and include discussions on worker training, economic development efforts, and stimulus funding.

The Town Hall, a special meeting of the Council’s Committee of the Whole, will be held on Wednesday, July 22 at the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue N, Seattle. The public is invited to meet with Councilmembers at an informal reception starting at 6:00 p.m. The Town Hall will begin at 6:30 p.m.

“We’re all feeling the effects of this recession, so this is an opportunity to connect the people of King County with efforts underway to provide relief through economic development actions and job training programs,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, Host of the Town Hall. “I look forward to bringing citizens, experts, and councilmembers together for a productive dialogue on moving our region forward for a brighter economic future.”

“This town hall will inform citizens about the economic health of our region and the work being done by regional partners to address economic development in King County,” said Council Vice Chair Bob Ferguson, Chair of the Committee of the Whole.

The Council will receive a briefing from Dr. Arun Raha, Chief Economist and Executive Director of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, on current economic conditions and trends in the Puget Sound region. There will also be a panel discussion on regional economic development efforts and workforce training. Panel members will include:

• Tom Flavin – CEO, enterpriseSeattle, who will focus on the implementation of a Regional Economic Strategy;
• Marlena Sessions - Chief Executive Officer, Workforce Development Council, who will discuss how people can get the training and skills they need to succeed in these challenging times;
• Stacy Noland – CEO, Moontown Foundation, who will tell members how the Foundation is preparing young adults for family wage careers in the clean and renewable energy industry sectors.

Presenters will take questions from the audience and Councilmembers will take public testimony on any issue at the end of the program.

More about Town Halls
Town Halls are part of Councilmembers’ initiative to “get out of the courthouse” and into the communities they serve. In 2009, the Council has been in Carnation to hear from the public on the County’s response to the winter weather emergencies; in Renton to discuss the services provided by Public Health; in Shoreline to review the services available for King County veterans; in Bellevue to learn more about the Mountains to Sound Greenway; and in Auburn to focus on several innovative criminal justice programs taking proactive steps to reduce crime.

Each Town Hall is a special meeting of the Council’s Committee of the Whole, the only standing committee on which all nine members serve. It considers legislation and policy issues of interest to the entire Council.