CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, May 18, 2015 Council Chambers - Shoreline City Hall
7:00 p.m. 17500 Midvale Avenue North
PRESENT: Deputy Mayor Eggen, Councilmembers Hall, McConnell, and Salomon
ABSENT: Mayor Winstead, Councilmembers McGlashan and Roberts
1. CALL TO ORDER
At 7:00 p.m., the meeting was called to order by Deputy Mayor Eggen, who presided.
2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL
Deputy Mayor Eggen led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present with the exception of Mayor Winstead and Councilmembers McGlashan and Roberts.
Councilmember Hall moved to excuse Mayor Winstead, and Councilmembers McGlashan and Roberts from the meeting for personal reasons. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Salomon and passed 4-0.
3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided reports and updates on various City meetings, projects and events.
4. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Hall reported that the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Board of Directors interviewed three finalists for AWC’s Chief Executive Officer vacancy and anticipates having someone in the position before the annual conference in June.
Councilmember McConnell reported on her trip to Washington D.C. as president of the National League of Cities Asian Organization. She said she was able to promote, “Go Local" for protection of municipal bonds and investment in local transportation priorities, addressed online tax loopholes, and requested that the 145th Street Corridor be remembered in funding discussions. She said that it was nice that all five constituency groups were involved and echoing the same message.
Deputy Mayor Eggen reported attending the Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee meeting and participating in a discussion group on ways to increase recycling rates.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
John McSweeney, Shoreline Elks Club, reported that the club recently moved from Lake City Way to 146th and 15th Ave NE and will be having a public open house soon. He explained that the Elks are a group that get together to have fun while raising money for charities. He stated that kids, veterans, and community are the three main charities they support. He listed events they host and talked about their involvement in projects in the City of Shoreline.
Mike Thyng, Shoreline Elks Club, said they are changing their name from Lake City Elks to Shoreline Elks. He reported that they also raise money to fund therapists that go into homes of developmentally disabled children, and various veterans’ events. He announced that the Elks will be participating in the Memorial Day event at Washelli.
Janet Way, Shoreline Preservation Society, commented on challenging the Planned Action Ordinance 707. She stated that they filed a petition with the Growth Management Hearing Board stating concerns with the Final Environmental Impact Statement, the Subarea Plan, zoning, and lack of consideration for the cumulative impacts of the two rezones (185th and 145th Station Subareas).
Tom McCormick, Shoreline resident, referred to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in April 2013, regarding the BSRE Agreement for the Point Wells Development. He noted that an earlier draft would have had the Mayor sign the agreement instead of the City Manager. He stated that the City Council did not vote on the MOU even though it significantly impacts the City of Shoreline. He stated that a section of the agreement reads that if the Transportation Corridor Study (TCS) is accepted, the City agrees not to oppose any non-construction traffic related elements of the Snohomish County State Environmental Policy Act analysis. He said that it is illegal for the City to waive its rights to object to its own Subarea Plan and that he will be contacting Councilmembers to correct this error.
Elaine Phelps, Shoreline resident, announced that Senator Chase's Bill 5048 was just signed by the Governor and that it protects utility ratepayers voting rights, and explained why something similar is needed for the radical rezones. She said utility taxes are regressive and that water and sewer are basic necessities. She explained this law requires a vote by citizens prior to the assumption of a utility by a City.
Ms. Tarry clarified that the MOU says that the City agrees to not oppose any non-construction traffic related elements of the Snohomish SEPA process, its permits review, or required traffic mitigation if: 1) BSRE complies with terms of the MOU, and 2) the results of the TCS are adopted and incorporated by Snohomish County into its permit review and analysis and any conditions to its permit development agreement approvals; or if not, that BRSE enters into agreement with Shoreline to complete traffic mitigation projects.
Councilmember Hall recalled that the 185th Street Station Subarea Plan was adopted with a 5-2 vote and not 4-3 as mentioned during public comment. He also commented on the Ronald Wastewater Assumption and stated that State Law has always required that utility revenues only be used for utility purposes. Ms. Tarry confirmed that the 185th Street Station Subarea Plan was adopted by a 5-2 vote and utility revenue has to be used for utility purposes.
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was adopted by unanimous consent.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Councilmember Hall, seconded by Councilmember Salomon and unanimously carried, 4-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Minutes of Business Meeting of March 16, 2015 and Minutes of Business Meeting of March 23, 2015
(b) Adoption of Res. No. 374 Extending the Interfund Loan for Aurora Avenue Improvements
(c) Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with AltaTerra Consulting LLC for the Puget Sound Drainage Surface Water Basin Plan
8. ACTIONS ITEMS
(a) Adoption of Ord. No. 711 - New Chapter for the Shoreline Municipal Code
3.65 - Collection of Debt
Patti Rader, Interim Finance Director, recalled that Ordinance 711 was discussed on April 13, 2015 and stated that it establishes a set of procedures for the collection of debt, permits the use of collection agencies to collect unpaid debt, and allows administrative write-offs of $5,000 or less, and Council approved write-offs in excess of $5,000. She explained that delinquent sewer accounts collection procedures are being considered by the Ronald Wastewater Elected Officials Committee and will be addressed closer to the time of the assumption.
Councilmember McConnell moved to adopt Ord. 711 to establish procedures for the collection of debt and enacting a new chapter 3.65 - Collection of Debt. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Hall and passed 4-0.
9. STUDY ITEMS
(a) Discussion and Status Update - Classification and Compensation Study - Compensation Policy
Paul Itaoka, Human Resources Director and Doug Johnson, Arthur Andersen and Associates Project Manager, provided the report. Ms. Itaoka gave a brief overview of the Classification and Compensation Study process. Mr. Johnson provided the rationale that guided the selection of the cities used in the Comparable Cities’ List.
There was a consensus among Councilmembers to accept the comparable cities selections. Councilmembers supported the addition of the City of Seattle, and stated that the Study will allow for the City to be accurate in its policies and that the pool is large enough that it will not have to be completed again for some time.
Councilmembers asked about the inclusion of the City of Sammamish, commute distance factors, using a median, and for a description of cost of living and wage index. Mr. Johnson replied that Sammamish has changed and there is similarity with the City of Shoreline now that they are bigger. He commented that the median methodology captures centralized trends, provides a good variability of the markets that Shoreline competes in, and would not be impacted much by movement. He explained that the cost of living index is the cost of buying certain items in one city versus another, and that a wage index factors in supply of labor, the ability of labor to commute, and looks at wage data paid in different markets to help identify trend differentials.
Councilmember Salomon expressed concern that the Study will affect the budget, stated that employees’ salaries should not be reduced, and said he supports the concept of Y-ratings.
Ms. Itaoka explained Y-rating and read the Employee Handbook Policy 50.07.I which describes what happens when a regular employee is placed in Y-rating status. Mr. Johnson noted that in his experience all jurisdictions use the practice of Y-Rating.
10. ADJOURNMENT
At 7:50 p.m., Deputy Mayor Eggen declared the meeting adjourned.
/S/ Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk