Seattle City Council members were well aware that Mayor Greg Nickels lobbied hard against Council President Peter Steinbrueck's January 28 ordinance to put $800,000 toward a homeless hygiene center. But it took a carelessly placed Post-It note to enlighten the council on Nickels' ultimate intentions: Unbeknownst to council members who voted for the bill, Nickels had resorted to courting a veto. Indeed, after council passed the measure 5-3 last January, Nickels placed calls to nay votes like Richard Conlin--trying to drum up the three votes to sustain a veto. Nickels failed.

"We do not have the votes to sustain the veto. Conlin, a 'No,'" revealed the errant Post-It, stuck to a copy of the signed bill. JOSH FEIT

De Facto Veto

While the council is furious at Mayor Greg Nickels' February 15 warning to the city's Human Services Department not to spend the half a million bucks that the council earmarked for a variety of nonprofit human services groups (a de facto veto)--the council is getting its deserved comeuppance.

By failing to take any action during last November's budget process (when they had the chance), the council let the $563,038 fall into a sort of reserve limbo. ["Pie Fight," Josh Feit, Nov 28, 2001.] The council finally earmarked the money at its February 13 human services committee meeting last week.

With Nickels' office projecting $6 million less in city revenue than anticipated and telling all city departments to find up to three percent in cuts, the council lost its chance to talk about spending dough.

"This $563,000 doesn't exist," Nickels' spokesperson Marianne Bischsel says. JOSH FEIT

New Job

Yes for Seattle, the liberal political pressure and initiative group that forced the city council to adopt some progressive water conservation standards last year (remember I-63?), has hired an executive director: former city council candidate Grant Cogswell. Cogswell, 34, famous for battling the city over the monorail initiative that he spearheaded in 1997, will be lobbying city council members on behalf of Yes for Seattle's wish list, which includes: using impact fees and parking taxes to fund green transportation options, revitalizing the waterfront park, and forcing developers to set aside low-income housing.

"We have a very progressive electorate, yet we don't see its wishes reflected in city hall," says Cogswell, who will also run Yes for Seattle's initiative campaigns when the council isn't responsive to his lobbying. JOSH FEIT

Old Job

Two years ago, the Seattle City Council fired Donna Cousins, its administrative specialist. Cousins, a 53-year-old black woman, sensed racial discrimination in her termination and appealed [Five to Four, Josh Feit, Jan 24]. On February 12, the Seattle Civil Service Commission found that Cousins "must be reinstated with back pay and benefits." While Cousins' appeal didn't focus on race, the commission did find that the council had violated the city's personnel rules. The commission also found that Council Member Margaret Pageler violated the city charter by not stating the reasons for Cousins' termination. BRYAN BINGOLD

A Man's Job

Former Seattle Weekly guy James Bush landed a new gig, as a press secretary. Bush will be working for a client of women-centered political consultant Cathy Allen. Allen's client is a guy named Kelly Haney, who's running for governor of Oklahoma. JOSH FEIT

Sad Job

A day after two Seattle police officers shot and killed a black man in the University District, Chief Gil Kerlikowske and other SPD officials pulled out all the stops to show exactly what happened, in an effort to quell any community outcry.

They played a dramatic and convincing 911 tape; claimed the man urged police to shoot him; and displayed the victim's long black sword. Officials also outlined how the officers used non-lethal Taser guns on the man twice, after he ran away from a traffic stop on 12th Avenue NE before Officers Brett Rogers and Stanley Streubel shot him on Monday, February 18. "We're all very sad that this happened," Kerlikowske said at the February 19 press conference. AMY JENNIGES