Once more, Schell takes hit for WTO mess

Seattle City Council members lowered the curtain on their nine-month investigation into the World Trade Organization conference, and reached the same conclusion many others did months ago: It was the mayor's fault.

Three council members who led the inquiry say in their final report that most of the blame goes to Mayor Paul Schell, although the City Council also must accept some.

The bottom line, they said, is that "city government failed its citizens."

The report was short on substantiation, especially in speculating about Schell's motives. But council members Jim Compton, Nick Licata and Jan Drago said that after months of investigation, they were left with the picture of a mayor so excited about bringing the conference here that he didn't give enough thought to the impact.

The report noted that then-City Councilwoman Martha Choe insisted eight months before last fall's conference that the city negotiate assurances from the federal government and the conference's private hosts, spelling out how much the city would pay for the conference.

That could have saved taxpayers from being saddled with a $9 million bill from the conference. But the report speculated that Schell never negotiated any such contracts.

"Mayor Schell advanced the interest of the business and international trade community with more energy than he protected the interests of the city and its taxpayers," the council members concluded.

Schell was also faulted for failing to tell the council that the threat of mass demonstrations was driving up conference costs.

"Because the council had recently rejected the Olympics, largely on cost grounds, we believe the mayor de-emphasized the potential risks and costs of the WTO rather than risk a council veto of the gathering," the report said.

Schell spokeswoman Victoria Schoenburg said the mayor disagreed with some of the council's conclusions, but said Schell doesn't want to argue.

"Let's learn from this and move on," Schell said in a brief interview. "I've got other important work to do like transportation and the roads."

The report acknowledged that council members also dropped the ball by failing to ensure contracts were negotiated. "The City Council, although briefed periodically about the upcoming WTO, failed to demand energetically details of planning and cost projections, and contributed to the atmosphere of indifference as the WTO approached," the report said.

The 15-page report formally ends the council's investigation. Three WTO citizens panels looked at how the WTO was invited here, the city's planning and preparations and the city's actions during the conference.

The report repeated one panel's assertion that Schell's failure to demand more money for the conference ultimately led to the chaos on the streets. The council members speculated that police, working on the cheap, refrained from asking other departments to send help.

Too short-handed to make arrests the first morning of the protests, police had no alternative but to disperse crowds with tear gas.

Yesterday's report also faulted former Police Chief Norm Stamper, for being absent during the planning for the conference, and criticized Schell for inadequate supervision of Stamper.

The report also criticized Schell for not showing stronger leadership when the Fire Department refused to help police disperse protesters by misting crowds with fire hoses. The council's attention now turns to reforms suggested by the panels. Compton said his Public Safety Committee will probably approve a measure next week pushed by Councilman Peter Steinbrueck, requiring police to wear identification at all times. The council will identify other proposals it will consider in coming months at a meeting Sept. 25.

The report also criticized the Police Department for being evasive in releasing documents, saying, "this points to the need to change the sometimes secretive and defensive culture of the SPD."

Compton acknowledged a number of key questions remain unanswered. A group of activists who've been monitoring the review were left dissatisfied because the review did not deal with a number of allegations. Among them: reports protesters were mistreated in the King County Jail.

Nevertheless, Compton said the review examined the major issues emerging from the council -- such as how the city came to be stuck with the bill, and why protesters and passers-by were tear gassed.

P-I reporter Kery Murakami can be reached at 206-448-8029 or kerymurakami@seattle-pi.com