Seattle Forward

Preschool for All Plan Passes Committee

The following article was sent out in my City View Newsletter, which you can sign up to receive here. You can also read this email from a kindergarten teacher in support of this plan.

Earlier today, my City Council committee took a bold step for Seattle’s children and for our entire city’s future. We approved legislation establishing a new City Council goal and work plan to make voluntary, high-quality preschool available and affordable to all 3- and 4-year-old children in Seattle.

Preschool for all of Seattle’s children will enable them to flourish and create a safer city, a smarter workforce, and a brighter future for everyone. And, there are compelling reasons why we cannot afford to wait.

Gender Pay Equity: Digging Deeper in the Data

This morning Crosscut posted an article about gender pay equity that Councilmember Jean Godden and I wrote after digging deeper into the compensation data for City employees. You can read the article here.

A link to the data charts we developed that includes explanatory notes is available here.

Larger versions of the charts (without explanatory notes) are available here.

Customer Service in the City Retirement Office

As I wrote last month, the Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System (SCERS) is undergoing a significant period of transformation. SCERS leadership has embarked on a number of improvements to the way the office conducts its business and serves its members.

This morning, the SCERS Board of Administration heard from a consultant about how the office can provide better communication and customer service. The consultant conducted a thorough review, highlighted current strengths and recommended some changes.

The recommendations were very specific. To name a few: begin tracking customer service metrics like contact volume, contact topic, response time and time to case closure; organize content on the website by audience group (member of the public, active employee, retired member, beneficiary, etc.); and simplify the language of written communications.

The actions highlighted in this audit, when implemented by staff, will greatly improve the interaction between SCERS staff and City employees, retirees and beneficiaries.

The study and recommendations also provide a strong example for other City departments to follow. Those of us in public service must always be asking ourselves: who are our direct customers and how can we better serve them?