Item Number:  _____7a___ 
Meeting Date:  April 1, 2020 

1                                                    MOTION 2020-07: 
2                                     A MOTION OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION 
3 
4                           To provide immediate relief and support to Port employees
5                           and Port tenants and concessionaires. 
6 
7                                                         PROPOSED 
8                                                       APRIL 1, 2020 
9 
10                                                INTRODUCTION 
11 
12    The Port of Seattle and its employees, tenants and concessionaires face extraordinary
13    challenges from the global pandemic caused by COVID 19. Every aspect of Port operations  
14    including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the marine cargo terminals, cruise terminals,
15    and fishing marinas  have been impacted. These facilities are assets of statewide significance,
16    and the continued operation of these facilities are critical to the state's economy. 
17 
18    The Port of Seattle has an essential role to play during this difficult time by providing limited,
19    short-term relief to help maintain continuity of Port-affiliated businesses. In particular,
20    prioritizing the health and economic well-being of the Port's tenants, concessionaires and their
21    employees returns a public benefit, facilitating continued services necessary to support the 
22    Port's functions and furthering the Port's financial interests and the region's economic 
23    recovery. 
24 
25                                             TEXT OF THE MOTION 
26    The Commission directs the Executive Director to take steps to implement economic relief during
27    the COVID-19 crisis using the following guidance: 
28 
29    Port Employees 
30    The health, safety and well-being of employees is the Port's highest priority. The Commission
31    hereby provides the following direction for the Executive Director's actions to review and enact
32    workplace policies that enhance the ability of employees to care for themselves and their
33    families while continuing to provide the work essential to Port operations. Priority shall be
34    given to maintaining employment and benefits to the greatest extent possible. 
35 
36    To further the Executive Director's efforts to support employees, the Commission hereby
37    expands the Executive Director's authority through June 30, 2020 to expend up to $1,000,000
38    without Commission approval, as needed, to advance these efforts. 
39 
40    Port Tenants and Concessionaires 
41    The Commission hereby supports the Executive Director's ongoing efforts to evaluate the
42    impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic on the Port, and authorizes the Executive Director to
43    implement immediate financial relief to Port tenants and concessionaires in a manner that is 

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Item Number:  _____7a___ 
Meeting Date:  April 1, 2020 

44    legally consistent with advancing the Port's financial interests and thereby creating ongoing
45    benefit to the resident of King County. 
46 
47    The Port depends on these tenants and concessionaires to provide services to Port customers
48    and generate revenue for Port operations. Maintaining its base of tenants and concessionaires
49    is critical to the Ports financial strategy to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, 
50    and also to the tens of thousands of workers whose livelihood are dependent on Port
51    operations. 
52 
53    Just as important to supporting the tenants themselves is supporting their employees. The
54    economic success of the airport and its concessionaires post-COVID-19 is inexorably tied to the
55    ability of these businesses to bring back their employees once customer demand returns. To
56    ensure that these employees are available, healthy and open to returning, the best way to
57    support them during the immediate crisis is providing continuing payments and/or benefits.
58    The Commission is grateful to the large majority of its concessionaires who are already doing
59    so, and urges these efforts to continue; the provision of economic relief is a key way for the
60    Port to facilitate the provision of that support. 
61 
62    Port-initiated short-term economic relief shall complement the evolving state and federal
63    assistance programs and prioritize Port tenants and concessionaires that: 
64          Are directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that have been
65             implemented to address it; 
66          Can reasonably commit to continued operations within current public health directives 
67             or can reasonably commit to resuming full operations as demand recovers; or 
68          Provide services essential to the Port operations. 
69 
70    Protection of Tenants and Residents: 
71    The Commission hereby directs the Executive Director that tenants and residents at Port of
72    Seattle facilities shall not be evicted for inability to pay rent through June 30, 2020, including
73    live-aboard residents and other moorage customers, and authorizes the Executive Director to
74    provide financial relief to these residents and customers consistent with this motion. 
75 
76                                     STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION 
77 
78    The purpose of this motion is to authorize the Executive Director, within these guidelines, to
79    provide immediate relief to Port tenants. These efforts shall also follow the Port's principles of
80    supporting regional economic vitality, environmental stewardship, equity and inclusion. In
81    addition to any short-term relief that is explicitly directed by the Port Commission, the
82    Executive Director is authorized to implement other short-term relief that falls within the
83    criteria of this motion. 


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