CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, September 14, 2020 Held Remotely via Zoom
7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Mayor Hall, Deputy Mayor Scully, Councilmembers McConnell, McGlashan, Chang, and Roberts
ABSENT: Councilmember Robertson
1. CALL TO ORDER
At 7:00 p.m., the meeting was called to order by Mayor Hall who presided.
2. ROLL CALL
Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present, exception for Councilmember Roberts and Robertson.
Deputy Mayor Scully moved to excuse Councilmember Robertson for personal reasons. The motion was seconded by Councilmember McConnell and passed unanimously, 5-0.
(a) Mayor’s Day of Concern for the Hungry Proclamation
Mayor Hall announced September 19, 2020 as the Mayor’s Day of Concern for the Hungry and said this year one in four Shoreline residents have suffered some level of food insecurity.
Councilmember Roberts joined the meeting at 7:02 p.m.
3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided updates and reminders regarding COVID-19, and reports and information on various City meetings, projects and events.
4. COUNCIL REPORTS
There were no Council reports.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Speaking in opposition of the proposed Enhanced Shelter at 16357 Aurora Avenue N:
Mithuna Srinivasan, Shoreline resident, asked the City to consider the potential negative impacts of a low-barrier shelter on the surrounding residents.
Margaret Willson, Shoreline resident, asked for an example of a low-barrier shelter that did not ruin a neighborhood. She said the most important duty of government is to maintain public safety.
Yuanyuan Tang, Shoreline resident, said she is concerned about the safety of the neighborhood, and specifically, the children, if the shelter houses people with addictions and criminal history.
Barbara Twaddell, Shoreline resident, said she would support a shelter at this site if it did not support people who are addicted to illegal drugs. She suggested that the City search for another location and reconsider the low-barrier aspect of the facility.
Janet Covarrubias, Shoreline resident, said she is concerned about the low-barrier aspect of the proposed shelter and listed questions regarding the shelter she had for the Council.
Chris Brown, Shoreline resident, stated that a low-barrier facility will impact the environmental and generational sustainability of the City. He said Shoreline should not let Seattle dictate what happens in King County.
Vinay Venkatesh, Shoreline resident, expressed discouragement with the lack of response regarding his communications to the Council and City about the shelter. He listed questions regarding the shelter he had for the Council.
Joanne Godmintz, Shoreline resident, suggested the Council set aside time to respond to the questions being asked. She asked what the additional costs to emergency services are estimated to be with the shelter.
Dicky Leonardo, Shoreline resident, shared his negative experiences while living near a permanent low-barrier single adult facility in Seattle.
Diane Pfeil, Shoreline resident, said she lives adjacent to the proposed low-barrier shelter and anticipates a loss of property value and personal safety if the project moves forward. She shared her concerns that the actions of shelter residents would negatively impact the daycare she runs from her home.
General Comment:
Joyce Jones, Seattle resident, thanked the Council for the pickleball courts at the parks. She requested that the Council consider adding pickleball courts to new park acquisitions.
Rebecca Jones, Shoreline resident and member of Save Shoreline Trees, asked the Council to recognize and protect the trees that are valuable and vital assets.
Cathy Assata, Lynnwood resident and Substance Abuse Director at Center for Human Services, expressed appreciation for the support Shoreline has given to clinical programs and spoke to the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health.
Mayor Hall recognized the frustration expressed by the public regarding the process so far with the proposed Enhanced Shelter and said the Council has asked the City Manager and staff to identify the concerns being expressed, so that any model that moves forward would do so with regard for the community and with safety measures and protection in place. Ms. Tarry shared how to access information about the proposed Enhanced Shelter and provided details on the upcoming community meeting and scheduled Council conversations on the topic.
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Scully and seconded by Councilmember McGlashan and unanimously carried, 6-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Approving Minutes of Regular Meeting of July 20, 2020
(b) Approving Expenses and Payroll as of August 28, 2020 in the Amount of $7,613,379.19
(c) Adopting Ordinance No. 898 - Amending SMC 8.12 Regarding Permits for Use of Parks and Recreation Facilities
(d) Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Professional Services Contract with USIC Holdings, Inc. in the Amount of $384,375 for Providing Underground Locating and Marking Services for the City’s Surface Water and Wastewater Utilities
(e) Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Professional Services Contract with the Gordian Group, Inc. for Job Order Contracting Consulting Services
(f) Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the First Amendment to Interagency Agreement No. C2000032 with the Washington State Department of Ecology for Participation in the 2019-2021 Local Source Control Partnership
(g) Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the First Amendment to the 2016-2025 Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 8 Interlocal Agreement
8. ACTION ITEMS
(a) Public Hearing and Discussion on the 2021 Community Development Block Grant Funding and Contingency Plan and the 2021-2022 Human Services Funding Plan
Bethany Wolbrecht-Dunn, Community Services Manager, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn said the Human Services Funding Plan is presented to Council biennially and uses a combination of General Funds and Federal Community Block Development Grant (CDBG) Funds and will meet the Council’s goal of the 1% competitive net General Fund by 2022. She described the application process and reviewed data on the applications and requests. She shared details on staff’s funding recommendations and displayed a chart depicting the funding levels in the categories of basic needs, counseling, children/youth, and older adults. She called attention to the increase in funding directed toward rental assistance.
Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn shared highlights of the recommended changes to the Plan. She listed specifics on the Community Development Block Grant program, explaining that it is operated in partnership with King County, and she described the components of the funding allocations.
Mayor Hall opened the public hearing. The following people submitted oral testimony:
Cathy Brooks, representative of Mary’s Place, thanked the City for including funding for them in the budget and said one hundred percent of the funds would go to children and families. She shared information on the services that Mary’s Place offers.
Heidi Shepherd, Board Chair for the North Urban Human Services Alliance, spoke to the importance of human services and thanked the City for its partnership and for prioritizing the health and welfare of the community.
Abdullah Siddiqui, Hopelink Shoreline Center Manager, thanked the Council for its commitment to prioritizing human needs and increasing the overall Human Services support. He said the City’s partnership with Hopelink provides a package of services that help people in crisis gain stability. He shared examples of the services and support Hopelink provides to the Shoreline community.
Vinay Venkatesh, Shoreline resident, said based on the staff report, there is a need for shelters for families and children, yet the Council has cited a need to prioritize shelter for single adults. He asked for an explanation on the conflict in assessment of need.
Janet Covarrubias, Shoreline resident, said it would behoove the public to know the amount of funding allocated in the Plan to Lake City Partners that is above and beyond what was budgeted to them for the winter rotating shelter.
Sudeeptha Jothiprakash, Shoreline resident, asked for a breakdown of the fixed and ongoing cost allocations to Lake City Partners and inquired how any budget shortfalls would be addressed.
Joanne Godmintz, Shoreline resident, asked what amount of funding would be allocated to the Enhanced Shelter.
Seeing no one wishing to provide additional testimony, Mayor Hall closed the public hearing.
Councilmember Chang asked for the rationale behind the proposed funding increases for Lake City Partners, stating that it is her understanding that the line items could be redirected to the Enhanced Shelter, should they move forward with it. Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn clarified that the rotating shelter in the churches is currently funded at $15,000 and $18,612 is being recommended for 2021 due to inflation. She said the housing program outreach employee is currently funded at $11,000, and an increase to $25,000 was requested, which staff recommends. She explained that the role of the housing program outreach employee would adjust if the Enhanced Shelter opens and gave examples of how their time would be dispatched. She noted that at the time of application the idea of the Enhanced Shelter had not yet been proposed. She confirmed that the City will be recommending this increase regardless of what happens with the Enhanced Shelter.
Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn reminded Council of the COVID relief money that was granted to Hopelink for housing assistance for this next year. Councilmember Chang asked if there was any way that this increase in funding would be used to fund the Enhanced Shelter. Ms. Tarry replied that if the Enhanced Shelter were to be approved, some of the clientele served by the winter shelter may go over to the Enhanced Shelter, but in the reverse, if it is not approved to operate, the winter shelter would continue to operate in its current form, and that level of funding is what is recommended for them to be able to continue.
Deputy Mayor Scully reflected that two years ago, the City had a lot of people expressing concerns about the homeless and drug users in parks. In response, the Council worked with staff to identify gaps in services and to pinpoint where increasing City support would make a difference. The Enhanced Shelter is the result of that work. He stated that working with partner organizations makes sense, and he hopes the Council does not get lost in the anger they are hearing from a few folks. Deputy Mayor Scully asked Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn to explain who Lake City Partners is as an organization. She said they are a non-profit organization built out of a coalition of churches; and she listed the projects they have worked on to date.
Councilmember Roberts thanked staff for the report that clearly indicates the need for Human Services in Shoreline. He asked for clarification on an instance in the Family Support Programs where the awarded funds are greater than the request. Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn said it is a typographical error and corrected the data.
Councilmember McConnell said she supports increasing the Human Services component of the budget and said her concerns about the Enhanced Shelter raised questions with some of the line items in the budget, so she appreciates the clarification given.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if the CDBG funding looks to be stable for next year. Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn said the expectation is that it will be relatively stable following years of cuts.
Mayor Hall observed that no one wants to see people with drug problems, anywhere, and it is through the Human Services Funding that the City provides means to help people cope with the root causes of the challenges they may be facing. He said that the Federal Government, State Government, and County, have dramatically decreased funding for human services so the City has been working to increase support for basic needs.
It was agreed that the 2021 Community Development Block Grant Funding and Contingency Plan and the 2021-2022 Human Services Funding Plan would return as a Consent Item.
9. STUDY ITEMS
(a) Discussing Ordinance No. 899 - Authorizing Acquisition of Certain Real Property located at 709 N 150th Street, Tax Parcel 182604-9211, for Public Park Purposes by Negotiated Voluntary Purchase, Under Threat of Condemnation, or by Condemnation
Nate Daum, Economic Development Program Manager, delivered the staff presentation. Mr. Daum reviewed the background of the proposed Ordinance and said the Parks, Recreations, and Open Spaces (PROS) Plan’s specific recommendation for the Westminster Triangle neighborhood was a need for more active park uses, and he shared the reasons why the existing park was deemed to be unsuitable for such uses. He reminded Council that the property owner of the parcel in discussion approached the City to express an interest in selling. Mr. Daum said this acquisition would help meet Council Goal #2, Action Step #2, of implementation of the PROS Plan and shared details on the financing of the purchase, including the sales price agreed upon with the seller. He displayed a vicinity map and described the desirability of the property, then listed the next steps in the property acquisition, should Council decide to move forward.
Mayor Hall emphasized that even if the Ordinance, which authorizes condemnation, is passed, it is the City’s intent to negotiate with the seller. He said this is a wonderful opportunity to increase park land in an underserved area.
Councilmember Roberts confirmed that the staff recommendation is to use Park Impact Fees for this acquisition and that funding specifics would be a separate discussion.
It was agreed that Ordinance No. 899 would return as a Consent Item.
(b) Discussing the 2020 Second Quarter Financial Report and Preliminary View of the 2021-2022 Biennial Budget and 2021-2026 Capital Improvement Plan
Sara Lane, Administrative Services Director, led the staff presentation, and was joined by Rick Kirkwood, Budget and Tax Manager. Ms. Lane said the purpose of the presentation is to share highlights of the 2021-2022 preliminary proposed budget prior to formal presentation on October 12, 2020.
Ms. Lane reviewed the budget process and priorities, including the Council and organizational Goals. She said the proposed preliminary budget seeks to provide a balance between accomplishing Council Goals and financial sustainability. She displayed the projected results for the General Fund for 2019-2020 and reviewed the plan to address the COVID-19 related revenue projections and budget deficits. She said the current projections indicate ending the biennium ahead and she reviewed the required reserves.
Ms. Lane described the review of the Ten-Year Financial Sustainability Model, including updates to the models of revenues and expenditures for 2021 and 2022, and shared comparisons with and without Levy Lid Lift revenue and use of reserves. She outlined the proposed FTE impacts, which culminate in a decrease of 4.2 FTE over the biennium. She outlined the Cost of Living Adjustment proposed for 2021, which reflects 100% of the Consumer Price Index – Urban (CPI-U) and described the proposed Extra Help Salary Table adjustment, adding that it meets or exceeds the State minimum wage requirements.
Ms. Lane said there are modest investments considered in this budget, and the focus was on implementation of Council Goals and addressing the highest priority of emerging issues, while delivering priority public services and making limited critical technology investments.
Ms. Lane continued to explain that from an operating revenue perspective, the 2021-2022 forecast is approximately $96 Million, and she outlined the forecasted assumptions. She said most of the Fee Schedules change by the CPI-U and she listed the Schedules with other changes. She pointed out the key changes in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) revenue and described the new projects and significant changes included in the 2021-2026 CIP budget. She displayed the schedule for review and adoption of the Budget and CIP.
Councilmember Roberts asked if there has been a new revenue forecast since the July report, and Ms. Lane replied that the revenue projections through 2020 are slightly better than predicted in July. He asked if the construction numbers are sustainable, and Ms. Lane said that the City has established a baseline number for construction revenue that it feels confident in year after year, and anything in excess is treated as one-time revenue because of the potential for fluctuation.
Councilmember Roberts asked if it would be useful to model projections based on the “K” shaped economic recovery model, and Ms. Lane said most economists are not using this model, since it is viewed as more of a social anecdote and is difficult to model. She said the City looks at each source in the revenue forecast and analyzes the impacts individually. He asked if there is a sense of when there will be a ruling on Initiative-976, and how the vehicle tax revenue should be considered, until a decision is made. Ms. Lane said all vehicle tax revenue has been eliminated from the budget and the City is reserving the revenue in case it needs to pay it back. He asked if there is any consideration of eliminating the fee, at this point. Ms. Lane said that the City has not discussed a policy change, since the State is still collecting the fees. Mr. Kirkwood added that removing or changing the fee schedule would require revision of the Shoreline Municipal Code.
Councilmember Chang asked how the Grants Coordinator position will be backfilled. Ms. Lane described the grant cycle and said the work will still be led by Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn, but departmental staff will assist, with consultants filling in as appropriate.
Councilmember Chang asked what would happen if the Levy Lid Lift does not pass. Ms. Lane said if it fails, there will need to be service reductions.
Deputy Mayor Scully asked if there are plans to dip into the reserve further than the staff report indicates for the next budget cycle. Ms. Lane said the City is proposing to use $1.3 Million of the fund balance in 2021 and 2022. Deputy Mayor Scully asked for an explanation of how the numbers were determined in the graph predicting the impact of the Levy Lid Lift, and Ms. Lane said the graph assumes renewal of the Levy Lid Lift at the same rate it was renewed at in 2016.
Mayor Hall said he looks forward to the department presentations as the Council moves forward through the budget process.
10. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:14 p.m., Mayor Hall declared the meeting adjourned.
/s/Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk