1. Transmittal Letter from Mayor McGinn
2. Notice of Appointment
3. Oath of Office
4. Resume of Marco Lowe
5. Press Release
6. Background Check
7. Confirmation Questions and Responses
8. City Council Expectations for OIR Director

1. Transmittal Letter from Mayor McGinn

February 2, 2010

The Honorable Richard Conlin President, Seattle City Council Seattle City Hall, 2nd Floor Seattle, WA 98104

Dear President Conlin:

I am pleased to transmit to the City Council the following confirmation packet for my appointment of Marco Lowe as the Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations. The materials in this packet are divided into two sections:

A. Marco Lowe This section contains Mr. Lowe's appointment and oath of office forms, his resume, and the press release announcing his appointment.

B. Background Check This section contains the Mayor's Office report on Mr. Lowe's background check.

Mr. Lowe is an active and proven leader, with solid local and national experience. He has a clear insight for the intricate challenges we face regionally, nationally, and internationally. He began his public service career in 1996, as an aide to then Governor Gary Locke. Since then he has held numerous positions, most recently, he served as the Chief of Staff for the New York City Department of Small Business Services. He successfully managed a team of 300 and a budget of $200 million. In addition, he has built solid working relationships with both public and private interests, having served as the Director of Community Development for Triad Development and as the Director of Community Relations for the Seattle Mayor's Office. He holds a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Washington.

Mr. Lowe is a forward thinking leader, who is knowledgeable about the challenges and opportunities facing Seattle. He will be an asset to the City Council, the Mayor, and the City of Seattle.

If you have any questions about the attached materials or need additional information, please contact Carl Marquardt, Counsel to the Mayor at 6840962.

Sincerely,

Michael McGinn Mayor of Seattle

Copy: Honorable Members of the Seattle City Council

2. Notice of Appointment

City of Seattle

Appointment

Notice of Appointment

Name:Marco Lowe

X Executive

Legislative

Position: Director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations Date of Appointment: January 4, 2010 Authority (Ord., Res.):

Term of Office From: Confirmation To: Mayor's discretion Comments:

Authorizing Signature: Michael McGinn, Mayor

Confirmed by the Following Vote at City Council

In Favor: Against: Date: By:

3. Oath of Office

STATE OF WASHINGTON

County of King,

I , Marco Lowe confirm that I am the person appointed on January 4, 2010 to the position of Director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations, City of Seattle, in the State of Washington, and that I possess all the qualifications prescribed for said position by the Charter of the City of Seattle; that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Washington; and the Charter and Ordinances of the City of Seattle; and that I will faithfully conduct myself as Director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations.

_____________________________ (Signed)

Subscribed and sworn to before me this _______ day of ____________, 2010

__________________________________ Catherine Moore, City Clerk

4. Resume of Marco Lowe

Marco Matthew Lowe

Education

HARVARD UNIVERSITY, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA

Master in Public Administration, June 2007

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, College of Arts & Sciences, Seattle, WA

Bachelor of Arts in History, 1995, Dean's List Spring 1995

Summary of Qualifications

* Demonstrated management expertise focusing on public sector organizations

* Proven communications leadership in both public and private employment

* Broad experience creating and implementing complex public outreach plans for major public initiatives

* Ability to successfully manage and develop both personal staff as well as large agencies

Professional Work Experience

Chief of Staff

New York City Department of Small Business Services, New York, NY

2009

* Part of leadership team responsible for 300 person staff across four divisions along with developing agency budget of nearly $200 million

* Led Communications Division and media plan implementation

* Managed and restructured the Human Resources Department

Director of Community Development

Triad Development, Seattle, WA

2007-2008

* Joined Triad Development's Civic Square project, a full block development of city owned property converting into mixed use office tower, retail market, and public plaza

* Directed communications and community relations for the project pertaining to rezoning of block

* Participated in acquiring equity partners

* Worked to develop and design an activation plan for public plaza component of project

* Sought other real estate projects for company throughout region

Director of Community Relations

Seattle Mayor's Office, Seattle, WA

2002-2006

* Developed and implemented a comprehensive community affairs strategic plan

* Managed outreach, commission, and constituent service staff

* Represented Mayor Nickels on initiatives to business and community leaders

Campaign Manager

Greg Nickels for Mayor, Seattle, WA

2001

* Developed and implemented campaign plan and directed a staff of 12

* Hired and directed consultant team for media, mail, and polling

* Lead spokesperson to media outlets for campaign through primary

Legislative Aide

Greg Nickels, Metropolitan King County Council, Seattle, Washington

1999-2001

* Developed policy for councilman on transportation and public safety issues

* Headed councilman's community outreach efforts in district

Public Liaison Officer

Office of Governor Gary Locke, Olympia, Washington

1997-1999

* Represented the Governor at public meetings statewide and spoke on various issues

* Developed and directed large public events for the Governor statewide

* Prepared policy briefing materials for the Governor

Finance Staff

Gary Locke for Governor, Seattle, Washington

1996

* Organized and managed fundraising events

* Wrote direct mail fundraising letters and developed tracking system to measure effectiveness

5. Press Release

News Releases

12/17/2009 More news from Mayor McGinn For more information contact: Aaron Pickus 684-4000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mayor-elect announces key staff members

Marco Lowe will serve as director of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations. Lowe is currently chief of staff for the New York City Department of Small Business Services. He previously served as director of community relations in the Nickels administration.

6. Background Check

M E M O R A N D U M

Date: January 20, 2010

To: Carl Marquardt Counsel to the Mayor

From: Cindy L. Eckholt Human Resources Manager

Subject: Background Check Marco Lowe

The City's background check vendor, A-Check, has completed the background check on Marco Lowe. There were no findings that would make the hiring of Mr. Lowe undesirable.

Please give me a call if you have any questions.

7. Confirmation Questions and Responses

Confirmation Response from Marco Lowe for the Director of the Office of

Intergovernmental Relations to the Seattle City Council

1. Please describe your unique qualifications for the position of OIR director. Include details of the last three major positions you held along with your primary responsibilities in those roles:

I am very excited about the prospect of working as the Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations for the city of Seattle. I feel that my work experience to date in various roles of public service has prepared me well for this position.

Since joining Governor Gary Locke's office in 1997, I have become acutely aware of the power of relationships. Good working relationships can bridge differences that arise in the many governmental organizations leading Seattle, King County and Washington State. In travelling with the Governor from Walla Walla to Port Townsend, I also saw the role of State Government and how it affected citizens on the local level.

Since that first job with Washington State, I have had the honor to work for King County, the city of Seattle, and the city of New York. In each position, creating relationships, conveying ideas, and finding compromises proved time and again as the best way to find solutions to the challenges that face every organization.

I take that experience and knowledge and hope to apply it here in OIR. If confirmed, I hope to build upon the great work of Emily East and the other talented people that held this position. I bring tremendous energy and commitment to serve the residents, City Council, and Mayor of Seattle.

My last three positions:

Chief of Staff, Small Business Services, New York, NY

2009

Part of leadership team responsible for 300 person staff across four divisions and developed agency budget of nearly $200 million

Led Communications Division and media plan implementation

Managed and restructured the Human Resources Department

Director of Community Development, Triad Development, Seattle, WA

2007 2009

Joined Triad Development's Civic Square project, a full block development of formally city owned property converting into mixed use office tower, retail market, and public plaza

Directed communications and community relations for the project pertaining to the rezoning of parcel

Participated in acquiring equity partners and working on project pro forma

Director of Community Relations, Seattle Mayor's Office, Seattle, WA

2002 2006

Developed and implemented a comprehensive communication and community affairs strategic plan for Mayor Nickels' public outreach

Managed outreach, commission, and constituent service staff

Represented Mayor Nickels on initiatives to business and community leaders

2. How do you define OIR's responsibilities in serving the Mayor and Council? What do you see as the challenges in meeting those responsibilities equitably?

OIR performs the important duty of being the liaison between the city of Seattle and international, federal, state, and regional government entities and organizations. This function needs to be carried out for the City Council and Mayor equally. It is important that both entities are able to look to OIR for representation and guidance on intergovernmental issues.

In the case of federal issues, the Council and Mayor work closely through the appropriations process in Congress. OIR works with all parties to assemble a list of worthy projects to send to our delegation in Washington D.C. We also work on joint projects such as the case to keep the NOAA fleet in Seattle. OIR works with and provides the Mayor and Councilmembers with staff support for our national organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities, ensuring that our federal activities with these organizations are coordinated.

On state issues, we work to represent both the Council and Mayor effectively before the State Legislature in Olympia. In situations where there are differences between the Mayor and Council, OIR conveys the differences and provides support to both.

On regional issues, the Council often takes the lead for Seattle through the various organizations in which the City participates and OIR provides direct staff support. In regard to other regional organizations, staff support is provided by other City staff with technical expertise related to the organization's functions. OIR works with these City staff members to ensure the support for Councilmembers is coordinated with our overall regional efforts.

On international issues the Council and OIR have established an effective process for addressing international requests. I want to thank the Council for all your work with our Sister Cities and visiting foreign dignatories.

Additionally, I think we have an effective collaborative working relationship with Councilmembers and Council staff on selecting members of our boards and commissions.

It can be argued that a difference of position on the same topic can be a challenge, but it would be hard to imagine a situation where any city could have numerous elected officials and have all of them hold the same view on every single topic. OIR's role is to accurately project where the City Council and Mayor stand on a given issue. If a difference is arising, OIR can attempt to get all parties together to discuss any disagreement amongst themselves; but a singular viewpoint is not required. The diversity of Seattle is a strength that is represented by our elected officials. We are stronger for having committed, thoughtful elected officials looking at the challenges of managing a thriving city from separate positions.

3. What specific steps must the City take in order to most effectively advocate for regional sustainability in the context of the myriad regional planning bodies? How do you see your role and the role of OIR generally in support of this priority?

Despite the many regional bodies in which the City participates, most if not all, have a critical role in working to increase regional sustainability. Transportation, growth planning, public health, water quality, and others all present multiple opportunities and directions for Seattle to advocate and implement strategies to further our regional goals.

To improve on this, I feel our first step should be to define what outcomes we wish to see on regional sustainability. Lowering vehicle miles traveled, healthier communities, more open space, etc. are all critical areas to consider.

The next step would be to lay out how we can best work to advocate for these goals. This would involve meetings with Councilmembers, Council staff, and Mayoral and department staff to identify areas where we can influence regional decisions. This would include gathering data, reviewing best practices and developing a coordinated plan.

Finally, OIR staff should ensure that Councilmembers are prepared for their respective regional committees by tying their regional actions to the City's sustainability goals, thus enabling Councilmembers to be even more effective advocates. Frequent meetings with staff and relevant Councilmembers to track our progress and make course corrections as necessary would increase the City's effectiveness.

OIR should be in the forefront of implementing this agenda for the City. In each step of this plan, OIR should be at the table coordinating efforts, gathering information, identifying allies and helping to keep the effort moving forward.

4. What do you see as the key challenges faced by the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) and what opportunities do you see for the City to contribute to the success of the PSRC?

The first challenge is the one we are confronting right now--how the PSRC resolves concerns over the Transportation-2040 draft plan (T2040), particularly its relationship to the Vision 2040 plan. With a four county membership there are many jurisdictions participating in the plan's development. Consequently, there are various ideas about how best to plan for our region's anticipated growth and accompanying transportation needs.

The City must articulate its T2040 draft plan goals which include smarter growth and accompanying transportation actions that allow our region to grow in a sustainable manner as our population increases. This entails building partnerships with other PSRC jurisdictions that have a similar vision for the region. It is also imperative that we stay engaged after the adoption of T2040 to influence the plan's implementation through the project selection criteria. As the Federal government looks to direct funding towards the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) Seattle's experience and leadership can be helpful to the PSRC in attracting future funds to our region.

Another major challenge for the PSRC is defining their role as an MPO in the changing field of federal funding. Many are advocating for an increased role for MPOs versus the older system of passing funds mainly through state governments. For instance, the House Transportation Reauthorization bill that passed out of committee included changes to the role of MPOs in transportation funding. The bill would provide funding directly to MPOS or similar structures to implement "metropolitan mobility plans" created by the MPOs. The Obama Administration is also looking at similar ideas. If the federal government starts to implement these ideas, PSRC will need to adapt and grow into this new role. Leadership from Seattle representatives will take on importance given the potential new position of the organization. The City must be engaged, for example, in making the case that many Seattle projects are of a regional, even statewide, significance given our economic importance in the state as home to major employers and the Port of Seattle.

With both T2040 and potential MPO role changes, the experience of Seattle PSRC members will be essential to helping the organization grow, adapt, and thrive. OIR will work with Councilmembers and Council staff to ensure that our members are prepared for their leadership roles in the coming years at PSRC.

5. What if any major changes do you anticipate making in the coming years in order to increase the efficacy of OIR? Are there any specific ways that the Council and or Mayor can better support the work of your office?

OIR is a small agency with a fairly large task. Consequently, many of the changes we would like to implement in OIR revolve around increasing coordination and assistance from other City staff groups, local and statewide advocacy groups and other jurisdictions.

Strengthen coordination with Councilmembers and Council staff

OIR has direct and substantial communication with Councilmembers as well as legislative staff on a daily basis. I believe we need to set up systems to ensure that we are not only able to have quick, clear communication but to also increase our ability to use the experience and guidance from Councilmembers and legislative staff.

Enhanced Relationship Building Regionally and Statewide

Working with Council President Conlin and other Councilmembers as well as the Mayor, OIR will assist in the strategy development and coordination of plans to reinforce our relationships regionally as well as statewide. Such efforts could benefit Seattle in terms of building alliances where we can seek assistance on moving our respective agendas forward.

Increased Public Outreach

The important work of OIR on the international, federal, state, and local level could be better conveyed to the public. OIR could also benefit from increased public input into our own work. One avenue for achieving this could come from Councilmembers conveying back to OIR concerns and suggestions they hear from constituents. Technology can also help in these efforts. We can work with DoIT in the coming year to use technological tools, new media for instance, to allow interested parties to track our efforts as well as give them convenient ways to send input to us directly.

6. Are there any organizational objectives for the year that you can share? What are the functional priorities for OIR as it goes about rebuilding and staffing the office?

The first objective is to find ways to measure the accomplishment of the goals laid out in the previous question. Metrics, though not a perfect fit for intergovernmental work, can still be a useful tool. We need to measure our time out building relationships beyond Seattle as well as set implementation timelines for technology improvements.

The next objective is to fully staff OIR. We have two important, open positions with regional and a state lobbyist that need to be filled.

In terms of functional priorities for filling our openings, OIR needs to cast a wide net to recruit and hire for these positions. Diversity will be a high priority and that will mean aggressively seeking candidates across the region. We are going to move ahead on filling the regional position with the input from Council staff quickly. We will likely wait until a period of time after session to find our second City lobbyist.

With a fully staffed office, we will have increased ability to strategically consider our approaches to current and upcoming intergovernmental issues and decisions. This is particularly significant right now in the regional arena. Additionally we will shortly be developing our outreach plan and strategy for the upcoming 2011 state legislative session.

8. City Council Expectations for OIR Director

Seattle City Council

March 5, 2010

Marco Lowe, Acting Director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations

Seattle Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR)

PO Box 94746

Seattle, WA 98124-4746

RE: City Council Expectations for the OIR Director

Dear Mr. Lowe:

This letter has been placed in Clerk File 310433, which contains the Mayor's request for your confirmation as director of the Seattle Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR). This letter documents the City Council's expectations for your job performance if you are confirmed.

The Council expectations (listed below) are intended to enhance the OIR director's accountability to the Legislative Branch. The expectations also provide a basis for Council evaluation of the director if and when he is brought forward for reconfirmation. Council expectations are intended to add to the Mayor's expectations and the director responsibilities established in the City Charter and Seattle Municipal Code.

I. City Council General Expectations for OIR Director

A. Relationship with Council. The director is expected to maintain a constructive working relationship with the Council, as demonstrated by:

1. Prompt and complete responses to Council information inquiries.

2. Pro-active updates on policy development, operational concerns and financial matters of significance, so that the Council is informed of significant changes or controversies before the information reaches the media and/or the Executive submits a request for Council action.

3. Dependable implementation of formal policy direction provided by the Council.

4. Assistance in the research and development of Council policy initiatives.

B. Management Skills. The director is expected to demonstrate strong management skills, with particular focus on the following Council priorities:

1. Public Communication

a. Conduct inclusive outreach to relevant stakeholders.

b. Implement a strong ethic of customer service.

c. Make information available so that the public can track the department's performance in delivering services.

2. Organizational Management

a. Coordinate productively with other City departments.

b. Maintain strong working relationships with other governmental entities.

c. Operate within budget constraints and pro-actively manage expenditures.

d. Provide a fair and equitable approach to the award of City contracts.

3. Personnel Management

a. Develop and maintain strong morale among employees.

b. Provide an inclusive work environment that offers equitable opportunities for all.

c. Address issues of succession planning and the professional development of existing staff.

4. Service Delivery -including both routine operations and emergent situations

a. Ensure that on-going day-to-day services are provided effectively and efficiently, and that the department tracks its performance in delivering such services.

b. Make certain the department is able to deal with localized emergencies or service disruptions and has thoroughly planned how to manage its operations in case of a City-wide emergency.

II. Specific Expectations for OIR Director in 2010 to 2013

During his initial term, the director is expected to implement (and provide regular progress reports on) the following Council expectations:

A. Federal Information and Relationships. Maintain effective working relationships with federal officials, build new relationships to advance City policy, regularly report up-to-date information on federal legislation affecting the City, and effectively advocate for City and City Council priorities.

B. State Information and Relationships. Maintain effective working relationships with state officials, build new relationships to advance City policy, regularly report up-to-date information on state legislation affecting the City, and effectively advocate for City and City Council priorities including those in the City's State Legislative Agenda.

C. Regional/Local Information and Relationships. Maintain effective working relationships with regional and local officials, build new relationships to advance City policy, regularly report up-to-date information on other jurisdictions' legislation affecting the City, and effectively advocate for City and City Council priorities.

D. Coordinating with City Departments. Work with City departments to maintain an up-to-date tally of legislative needs and priorities.

E. Coordinating with Council Central Staff. Work with Council Central Staff to keep them up-to-date on OIR work progress and emerging issues, and to garner on-going feedback about Council needs and priorities.

F. Assisting Council in Regional and State Outreach. Assist the Council in developing and implementing approaches to: 1) strengthen Council relationships with other elected officials in the region through additional outreach and other means, 2) strengthen Council relationships with state elected officials through additional outreach and other means, and 3) support effective Council participation in regional committees.

G. Race and Social Justice. Advance the City's Race and Social Justice Initiative.

The next OIR director will have a key role in sustaining a constructive dialogue between the City and other governments. The Seattle City Council looks forward to working cooperatively with the director toward intergovernmental relationships that support the needs of today's residents and future generations.

Sincerely,

_____________________________

Richard Conlin, President

Seattle City Council

Cc: Michael McGinn, Mayor, City of Seattle

Seattle City Council Members