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Seattle Municipal Archives
PO Box 94728
600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3
Seattle, WA 98124-4728
Phone: 206/233-7807
Email: archives@seattle.gov
http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives

Guide to the Norm Rice Subject Files, 1973-1992


4674-02





Finding aid prepared by Scott Cline, Shannon B. Lynch, and Julie Kerssen

Finding aid encoded by Shannon B. Lynch, 2004


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

Seattle Municipal Archives

PO Box 94728
600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3
Seattle, WA 98124-4728
Phone: 206/233-7807
Email: archives@seattle.gov
http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
 
Collection Number:
 

4674-02
 
Creator:
 

Rice, Norman B.
 
Title:
 

Subject Files
 
Dates:
 

1973-1992 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

14.8 cubic ft.
37 boxes
 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Records documenting Norm Rice's eleven years on the Seattle City Council, 1978-1989; included are correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to Rice's work on financial management, housing, public safety, and education, among other issues.

 

Biographical Note

Norman B. Rice was born May 4, 1943 in Denver, Co. He received his college education at the University of Washington, earning a bachelor's degree in communications and a Masters of Public Administration. Rice holds honorary degrees from Seattle University, the University of Puget Sound, and Whitman College. Before entering City government, he worked as a reporter at KOMO-TV News and KIXI radio, served as Assistant Director of the Seattle Urban League, was Executive Assistant and Director of Government Services for the Puget Sound Council of Governments, and was employed as the Manager of Corporate Contributions and Social Policy at Rainier National Bank.

Beginning in 1978, Rice served eleven years on City Council, including a term as Council President; he also served as chair of the Energy and Finance and Budget Committees. Rice facilitated the development of more equitable cost allocation and rate design procedures for Seattle City Light as part of his work on the Energy Committee; his accomplishments on the Finance and Budget Committee included the passage of the Women and Minority Business Enterprise Ordinance and the elimination of City investments in firms doing business in South Africa. Rice also worked to improve public safety in Seattle and advocated for the use of local funds to improve conditions for disadvantaged Seattle citizens.

Rice was elected mayor of Seattle for the term beginning January 1, 1990, and served two full terms. He was the first African-American mayor in Seattle's history. An important issue in his first mayoral race was mandatory busing of schoolchildren to improve integration in schools; schools and education continued to be an important issue throughout his tenure as mayor, including support for the Families and Education Levy. Downtown revitalization was also a top priority during his tenure as mayor.

Rice ran for mayor a second time in 1993 and was re-elected; he also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. After leaving office, Rice served as President and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle from 1998-2004; he then became vice-chair of Capital Access, LLC, and a visiting professor at the University of Washington.

Content Description

Included in the Norm Rice Subject Files are correspondence, memoranda, reports, and studies relating to Rice and his activities and interests on Seattle City Council. Files primarily concern financial management matters, public safety, housing, energy, education, and the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS). Also documented are issues relating to downtown space planning, solid waste, and Interstate 90. More detailed information about each subseries can be found below.

Arrangement

The Norm Rice Subject Files are arranged in fifteen subseries:

I: Economic Development, 1983-1989

II: Education, 1982-1989

III: Energy: Electrical, 1979-1989

IV: Finance and Budget, 1976-1989

V: General Government: Departments, 1979-1986

VI: General Government: Human Resources, 1976-1989

VII: General Government: Intergovernmental Relations, 1983-1989

VIII: General Government: Regulatory Issues, 1983-1992

IX: Housing, 1973-1989

X: Land Use, 1979-1989

XI: Parks, Recreation, and Culture, 1978-1989

XII: Public Safety, 1974-1989

XIII: Social and Human Services, 1977-1989

XIV: Transportation, 1978-1989

XV: Utilities, 1978-1989

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Records are open to the public.

Preferred Citation 

[Item and date], Norm Rice Subject Files, Record Series 4674-02. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Washington Public Power Supply System
Rice, Norman B.
Interstate 90
Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government
Seattle Center (Seattle, Wash.)
Economic development--Washington (State)--Seattle
Education--Washington (State)--Seattle
Energy--Washington (State)--Seattle
Finance, Public--Washington (State)--Seattle
Financial management--Washington (State)--Seattle
Housing--Washington (State)--Seattle
Human services--Washington (State)--Seattle
Land use--Washington (State)--Seattle
Offenses against public safety--Washington (State)--Seattle
Parks--Washington (State)--Seattle
Power resources--Washington (State)--Seattle
Public utilities--Washington (State)--Seattle
Urban transportation--Washington (State)--Seattle
Youth--Services for--Washington (State)--Seattle
City council members--Washington (State)--Seattle
Other Creators :
Seattle (Wash.)--City Council

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


 

Economic Development, 1983-1989

Materials in the Economic Development subseries mainly cover the downtown business district and the Central Area. Issues relating to the building of the convention center are discussed, including funding, housing mitigation, and Freeway Park. Several files relate to the city's intervention in the Central Area Public Development Authority in 1986, whose board was seen as deadlocked and dysfunctional. Another set of materials documents the City Council's decision not to intervene in the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority after investigating complaints by the market's Daystall Tenant's Association about a rent increase and alleged mismanagement. Also included in the subseries are minutes, reports, and correspondence relating to the work of the Seattle-King County Economic Development Council, of which Rice was a member.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/1

Central Area Program Plan
   1989
 
½

Central Area Public Development Authority
   1986
 
1/3

Central Area Public Development Authority
   1985-1987
 
1/4

Central Area Public Development Authority: Administrative Policy Committee Reports
   1985-1986
 
1/5

Central Square Development Association: Randolph Carter Industrial Workshop
   1986
 
1/6

Industrial Retention
   1987-1988
 
1/7

Pike Place Market: Daystall Tenants Association
   1988
 
1/8

Pike Place Market: Daystall Tenants Association
   1988
 
1/9

Pike Place Market: Daystall Tenants Association, Petition for Intervention re: Rental Rates
   1988
 
1/10

Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority: Response to Daystall Tenants Association Petition for Intervention re: Rental Rates
   1988
 
2/1

Seattle - King County Economic Development Council
   1984-1985
 
2/2

Seattle / King County Economic Development Council
   1986-1987
 
2/3

Seattle / King County Economic Development Council
   1988
 
2/4

Seattle / King County Economic Development Council: Public Policy and Facilities Committee
   1986-1987
 
2/5

South African Goods Shipped Through Port of Seattle
   1986-1988
 
2/6

Washington State Convention and Trade Center
   1985
 
2/7

Washington State Convention and Trade Center: Conditional Use Application
   1983-1985
 
2/8

Washington State Convention and Trade Center: Issue Notebook (Folder One)
   1983-1984
 
2/9

Washington State Convention and Trade Center: Issue Notebook (Folder Two)
   1984
 

Education, 1982-1989

The small Education subseries contains materials relating to the anti-busing Initiative 34; the organization Private Initiatives in Public Education (PIPE), of which Rice was a member; a proposal from Superintendent William Kendrick, and various reports and studies.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
3/1

A Plan to Strengthen Education in the Seattle Public Schools: A Proposal to the Board of Education, by Superintendent William Kendrick.
   1988
 
3/2

Falling Through the Cracks: A Study of Dropouts in the Seattle Public Schools
   1989
 
3/3

General Issues in Education
   1986-1988
 
3/4

Initiative 34 (Save Our Schools)
   1989
 
3/5

Joint Advisory Commission on Education
   1983-1985
 
3/6

Private Initiatives in Public Education
   1982-1987
 

Energy: Electrical, 1979-1989

The Energy subseries documents Rice's work relating to Seattle City Light, the Bonneville Power Administration, and the Washington Public Power Supply System. Most of the Seattle City Light material deals with rates, but issues such as a customer information system, cost allocation, and the Lake Union steam plant are represented as well. Other issues covered in the files include the electrical code, joint utility billing, and conservation.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
3/7

Bonneville Power Agreement, Commercial Incentives Program
   1985
 
3/8

Bonneville Power Administration, Regional Issues
   1986
 
3/9

Bonneville Power Administration, Regional Issues
   1986-1987
 
3/10

Conservation Issues
   1986
 
3/11

Conservation: Commercial Lighting Project, A Plan to Advance State-of-the-Art Lighting Design in Seattle
   1986
 
3/12

Conservation: Governmental Authority to Lend Money for Conservation (House Joint Resolution No. 4223)
   1979-1988
 
3/13

Electrical Code: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Conduit/Raceway
   1987-1988
 
3/14

Electrical Code: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Conduit/Raceway
   1988
 
3/15

Electrical Code: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Conduit/Raceway
   1988
 
4/1

Electrical Code: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Conduit/Raceway
   1988
 
4/2

Energy Code Issue Notebook (Folder One)
   1985
 
4/3

Energy Code Issue Notebook (Folder Two)
   1985
 
4/4

Energy Code Revision: Hale Versus City of Seattle, etc.
   1986-1987
 
4/5

Joint Utility Billing Project: Electrical and Combined Utilities
   1982-1986
 
4/6

Joint Utility Meter Reading
   1989
 
4/7

Least Cost Electric Utility Planning in the Pacific Northwest: Speech - Energy Conference, European Community
   1989
 
4/8

Seattle City Light: Cost Allocation Review
   1986-1987
 
4/9

Seattle City Light: Customer Information System
   1989
 
5/1

Seattle City Light: General Energy Issues
   1981-1986
 
5/2

Seattle City Light: General Energy Issues
   1984-1986
 
5/3

Seattle City Light: General Energy Issues
   1988-1989
 
5/4

Seattle City Light: General Energy Issues
   1989
 
5/5

Seattle City Light: Lake Union Steam Plant - PCB Contamination
   1984-1985
 
5/6

Seattle City Light: Lucky Peak Power Project
   1984
 
5/7

Seattle City Light: Peaking Analysis
   1987
 
5/8

Seattle City Light: Rates
   1984-1986
 
5/9

Seattle City Light: Rates - Building Owners and Managers Association of Seattle and King County
   1988
 
5/10

Seattle City Light: Rates - Impact on Economic Activity
   1986
 
5/11

Seattle City Light: Rates - Low Income Utility Rate Assistance
   1988-1986
 
5/12

Seattle City Light: Rates Advisory Committee
   1987-1988
 
5/13

Seattle City Light: Rates Advisory Committee
   1988-1989
 
5/14

Seattle City Light: Rate Reduction
   1985-1986
 
6/1

Seattle City Light: Rate Reduction - Proposed 1985
   1984-1985
 
6/2

Seattle City Light: Rate Review
   1989
 
6/3

Seattle City Light: Rate Review
   1989
 
6/4

Seattle City Light: Revenue Requirements
   1987
 
6/5

Seattle City Light: Third Alternating Current Line Between the Northwest and California
   1987-1989
 
6/6

Washington Public Power Supply System
   1976-1979
 
6/7

Washington Public Power Supply System
   1980-1982
 
6/8

Washington Public Power Supply System
   1983
 
6/9

Washington Public Power Supply System
   1984-1985
 
6/10

Washington Public Power Supply System
   1986
 
6/11

Washington Public Power Supply System: City Policy Statement on Projects 4 and 5
   1981
 
6/12

Washington Public Power Supply System, Modified Settlement Analysis
   1985
 
6/13

Washington Public Power Supply System, Newspaper Clippings
   1979-1981
 

Finance and Budget, 1976-1989

Approximately half of the materials in the Finance and Budget subseries document the Seattle 1-2-3 bond issue, which passed in 1984. The bonds financed improvements to parks, streets, and municipal facilities such as libraries and fire stations. Other files in the subseries relate to the city budget, South African divestment, data processing, and community development block grants.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
7/1

Annual Budget 1979: Summary of Votes on Amendments
   1978-1979
 
7/2

Annual Budget 1980: Budget Issue Papers
   1979
 
7/3

Capital Improvement Program
   1978-1979
 
7/4

Capital Preservation and Improvement Citizen Committee
   1981-1982
 
7/5

Community Development Block Grants
   1981
 
7/6

Comparative Financial Policies Review: Includes Public Hearing Sign-In Sheet (June 20)
   1989
 
7/7

Debt Management
   1976-1981
 
7/8

Financial Management, Data Processing System
   1977
 
7/9

Financial Management, Data Processing System
   1978-1979
 
7/10

Finance: General
   1977-1981
 
7/11

South African Investments: Divestment Issue and Background
   1982-1987
 
8/1

Seattle 1 - 2 - 3 Bonds: Correspondence and Proposal
   1982-1983
 
8/2

Seattle 1 - 2 - 3 Bonds: Correspondence and Proposal
   1983
 
8/3

Seattle 1 - 2 - 3 Bonds: Correspondence and Proposal
   1983-1984
 
8/4

Seattle 1 - 2 - 3 Bonds: Correspondence and Proposal
   1983-1984
 
8/5

Seattle 1 - 2 - 3 Bonds: Correspondence and Proposal
   1984
 
8/6

Seattle 1 - 2 - 3 Bonds: Correspondence and Proposal
   1984
 
8/7

Seattle 1 - 2 - 3 Bonds: Leschi / 1 - 2 - 3, Lake Washington Boulevard Improvement Project
   1988-1989
 

General Government: Departments, 1979-1986

Much of the General Government: Departments subseries deals with space planning in various municipal facilities. Related files include the Seattle Maintenance and Renovation Survey, which was a comprehensive assessment of repair and renovation needs and a plan for maintenance activities. Other materials in the subseries include documentation of issues relating to the Human Rights Department, the Health Department, the Department of Administrative Services, and the Office of Policy Planning.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
9/1

Administrative Services, Department of. Reorganization: Internal Services
   1980
 
9/2

Fire Fighters' Pension Board
   1979-1980
 
9/3

Human Rights Department: General Issues
   1981-1986
 
9/4

Human Rights Department: Women and Minority Business Enterprise
   1983-1984
 
9/5

Human Rights Ordinance: Proposed Amendments
   1984-1986
 
9/6

Department of Licenses and Consumer Affairs
   1979-1983
 
9/7

Municipal Center Project Issue Binder
   1986
 
9/8

Office of Policy Planning
   1978
 
9/9

Office of Policy Planning: Executive Response to 1979 Budget Report - OPP J. Williams Proposal to Abolish Office
   1978
 
9/10

Public Safety Civil Service Commission
   1979-1980
 
9/11

Seattle / King County, Health Department Reorganization
   1978-1980
 
9/12

Space Planning: Freeway Hall
   1979-1980
 
9/13

Space Planning: Leases - General
   1979-1982
 
9/14

Space Planning: Leases - Guidelines
   1983
 
9/15

Space Planning: Long Range Facilities Planning
   1983
 
10/1

Space Planning: Major Maintenance Study
   1980-1981
 
10/2

Space Planning: Major Maintenance Study
   1980-1981
 
10/3

Space Planning: Municipal Building
   1979-1982
 
10/4

Space Planning: Mutual and Offsetting Benefit Leases (MOB)
   1979-1981
 
10/5

Space Planning: Odessa Brown Clinic
   1980-1981
 
10/6

Space Planning: Pacific Northwest Bell, City Property
   1979-1980
 
10/7

Space Planning: Parking, Municipal Building
   1978-1979
 
10/8

Space Planning: Parking, Seattle Parking Policies
   1978-1980
 
10/9

Space Planning: Smith Tower, Long-Term Lease
   1982
 
10/10

Space Planning: Yesler Building
   1979-1982
 

General Government: Human Resources, 1976-1989

The General Government: Human Resources subseries covers a variety of issues, including the combined charities campaign, minority contracts, cost of living increases, and discrimination allegations at City Light. Files document several high-level personnel searches and appointments, including Police Chief, Personnel Director, and City Light Superintendent. A file containing detailed discussions of the city's affirmative action plan may be of particular interest.
 
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
10/11

Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity
   1976-1979
 
10/12

Buildings Superintendent: Appointment of William Justen
   1978
 
10/13

City Council: Board and Commission Appointments
   1984-1985
 
10/14

City Light: Discrimination Concerns and Affirmative Action
   1983-1986
 
11/1

City Light Superintendent Search, Robert Murray
   1979-1980
 
11/2

City Productivity Initiative (includes Public Hearing Sign-In Sheet)
   1989
 
11/3

Combined Charitable Campaign
   1988
 
11/4

Cost of Living Increases: City Salary Review