Political Brief: Sept. 30, 2012

By Michael Sarko
- The Capitol Hill Times -

The office of Mayor McGinn has announced the full extent of the fees leveled against Waste Management for missed recycling and garbage collection services during this past summer’s strike. For allowing the strike to go on longer than seven days, Waste Management is contractually obligated to pay fines to the city, which will then be distributed in the form of credits to businesses and residences inconvenienced by the lack of service. Waste Management will pay $1.24 million to cover up the stink of a strike gone on too long.

The city will announce the winners of the Evergreen Apps Challenge on Monday, Oct. 1, at City Hall. The event, beginning at 5:30 p.m., will distribute $75,000 in prizes to mobile application developers who submitted designs for civic-focused apps. It is free to attend with registration via EventBrite and those in attendance will have the opportunity to vote for two People’s Choice awards. Conrad Saam, vice president of Urbanspoon, will be the night’s keynote speaker.

The conversation about Referendum 74 continues next week with a Seattle Speaks event on October 2 at Town Hall on 8th Avenue. The discussion will include Joseph Backholm, director of anti-74 group Preserve Marriage Washington, Anne Levinson of pro-74 effort Washington United for Marriage, Former King County Executive Ron Sims, and Republican Senator Dan Swecker. Seattle Speaks is broadcast live on the Seattle Channel as well as online at SeattleChannel.org. Those who want to attend the event can do so for free, though attendees under the age of 18 who wish to participate in the interactive portion of Seattle Speaks must have a release form signed by a parent or guardian.