CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, June 5, 2017 Council Chambers - Shoreline City Hall
7:00 p.m. 17500 Midvale Avenue North
PRESENT: Mayor Roberts, Councilmembers McGlashan, Scully,
Hall, and Salomon
ABSENT: Deputy Mayor Winstead and Councilmember McConnell
1. CALL TO ORDER
At 7:00 p.m., the meeting was called to order by Mayor Roberts who presided.
2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL
Mayor Roberts led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present, with the exception of Deputy Mayor Winstead and Councilmember McConnell.
Councilmember Hall moved to excuse Deputy Mayor Winstead and Councilmember McConnell for personal reasons. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Salomon and passed unanimously, 5-0.
3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided reports and updates on various City meetings, projects and events.
4. COUNCIL REPORTS
Mayor Roberts reported that he met with City of Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and discussed the 145th Street Corridor and other shared values.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Tom McCormick, Shoreline resident, shared about his encounter this evening with an upset driver as he was biking to City Hall via Richmond Beach Road. He said it validates his support for the rechanneling of Richmond Beach Road to three lanes. He suggested the rechannelization extend further east to the 185th Street Light Rail Station.
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Councilmember Hall and seconded by Councilmember McGlashan and unanimously carried, 5-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Approving Minutes of Regular Meeting of May 1, 2017, Regular Meeting of
May 8, 2017, and Special Meeting of May 8, 2017
(b) Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract for Professional Services
with CH2M for Design and Environmental Services for the SR-523 (N/NE 145th Street) - Aurora Avenue to Interstate-5 Project in an Amount not to Exceed $1,711,172
(c) Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract with the Louis Berger
Group, Inc., in the Amount of $184,238 for the Boeing Creek Regional Stormwater Facility Study
(d) Adoption of Resolution No. 413: Repealing Resolution No. 312 - Reduction of
Regional and Statewide Association Dues
8. ACTION ITEMS
(a) Public Hearing and Discussing Ordinance No. 784 - Amending the Shoreline
Municipal Code Fee Schedule for Public Records
Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk, provided the staff report. She recalled that revising the Public Records Act is a Legislative Priority for both the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) and the Shoreline City Council. She announced the Legislature recently passed House Bill 1595 which authorizes a small fee for electronically produced copies of records, and a customized service charge. The Bill is scheduled to take effect on July 23, 2017. She explained the majority of City records are provided electronically through the City’s FTP Site, and that the City currently does not charge for electronic records. She reviewed the Bill’s allowable fee options, the City’s current fees for providing public records, and fee option comparisons. She said staff’s recommendation is to use the actual cost methodology to assess copy fees for electronic records, establish a customized electronic access charge, and reorganize the Fee Schedule to read better. She said the Council is scheduled to adopt Ordinance No. 784 on June 19, 2017.
Mayor Roberts opened the Public Hearing.
Tom McCormick, Shoreline resident, talked about his experience requesting public records from several agencies, and shared they are all processed differently. He said he is satisfied with the City of Shoreline’s public record process and does not object to staff’s recommendation. He asked if it is possible for the City to provide a payment option that allows for aggregating small balances to avoid needing to write a check for an insignificant amount, and avoid the bank processing fee charges.
Pam Cross, Shoreline resident, said she agrees with staff’s recommendation, and suggested implementing policy that would address frivolous public records requests that inappropriately consumes staff’s time.
Mayor Roberts closed the Public Hearing.
Councilmember Scully stated he supports staff’s recommendation and that finding ways to recoup public request costs is appropriate. He suggested the City find a way to aggregate fees, and said he would like to investigate ways public records can be provided to people that are unable to pay for them.
Councilmember Salomon inquired about a previous budget allocation to the City Clerk’s Office for processing public records, and said he agrees with the suggestion to aggregate fees. He asked how much staff time is spent processing public records where costs are not recoverable. Ms. Simulcik Smith replied that the City Council allocated $26,000 for an Extra Help Position in the 2017 Budget. She explained the Public Records Act only allows agencies to assess a fee for the actual copying of records, and not for the staff time it takes to search for and review records.
Councilmember Hall asked if the Public Records Act allows for fees to be waived or assessed differently based on the requestor. Ms. Simulcik Smith responded that fees can be waived but she is not sure the City can assess different fee amounts based on the requestor. Councilmember Hall shared that his preference is to apply the fees equally to all requestors.
Mayor Roberts asked clarifying questions regarding the standard practice for processing large electronic requests. Ms. Simulcik Smith explained the process, and stated emails are typically aggregated into a PDF Portfolio and placed on the City’s FTP Site for the requestor to access the records. Mayor Roberts said he agrees with Councilmember Hall that fees should be applied equally, and said requestors that are unable to pay still have the option of reviewing records at City Hall free of charge. He also said there may be some merit in aggregating billing. Margaret King, City Attorney, cautioned that all requestors will not pay, and more policy discussion is required prior to instituting an aggregate payment option.
9. STUDY ITEMS
(a) Discussing Ordinance No. 785 - Amending the Shoreline Municipal Code Fee
Schedule for Fire Fees
Ray Allshouse, City Building Official, and Todd Malo, Shoreline Fire Department Fire Marshal, provided the staff report. Mr. Allshouse explained that the City has an Interlocal Agreement with the Shoreline Fire Department delegating the enforcement of the Fire Code to the Fire Chief, and that it is supervised by Fire Marshal Malo. He recalled last year’s cost recovery efforts by the Planning and Community Development Department for processing permits associated with construction projects on private property. He conveyed the importance of recovering legitimate costs to the City. He shared that in the process of administering provisions in the Shoreline Municipal Code it was discovered that the Emergency Responder Radio Coverage System and the Smoke Control System Permits needed to be added to the Code. Mr. Malo explained the radio repeaters are a fire life safety system and the smoke control system permit is in the Code but has not been enforced. Mr. Allshouse stated adoption of the Ordinance is scheduled for June 19, 2017.
(b) Discussing Ordinance No. 783 - Amending the 2017 Budget to Update the Salary
Table to Add a New Position Classification
Katherine Moriarty, Information Technology Manager, provided the staff report. She shared that implementation of Cityworks Asset Management System has been completed and then identified opportunities for using the system more effectively. She explained the benefits of adding the position of Asset Management Functional Analyst to operate the system, and reviewed the position’s major functions. She said the Ordinance is scheduled for adoption on June 19, 2017.
Councilmember Hall asked staff to consider using a more generic title so the City can accommodate future needs for analysts in other areas. Ms. Moriarty responded that they considered using a more generic job classification but said the Cityworks application reaches into every core system of the City.
Councilmember McGlashan confirmed that there will not be an impact to the 2017 Budget. Ms. Moriarty responded in the affirmative and shared the position will be housed in the Information Technology Department.
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 7:52 p.m., Mayor Roberts recessed into Execution Session for a period of 30 minutes as authorized by RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) and RCW 42.30.110(1)(b) to discuss with legal counsel matters relating to agency enforcement actions, or litigation, and to consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real estate by lease or purchase. He announced the Council is not expected to take final action following the Executive Session. Staff members attending include City Manager Debbie Tarry, Assistant City Manager John Norris, City Attorney Margaret King, Economic Development Manager Dan Eernissee, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Eric Friedli, and Public Works Director Randy Witt. At 8:20 p.m. Mayor Roberts emerged from the Executive Session and announced a 30 minute extension. The Executive Session ended at 8:46 p.m.
11. ADJOURNMENT
At 8:46 p.m. p.m., Mayor Roberts declared the meeting adjourned.
/S/ Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk