CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, November 1, 2021 Held Remotely via Zoom
7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Mayor Hall, Deputy Mayor Scully, Councilmembers McConnell, McGlashan, Chang, Robertson, and Roberts
ABSENT: None.
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.
(a) Proclamation of National Native American Heritage Month
Mayor Hall proclaimed November as Native American Heritage Month in Shoreline and encouraged people to learn about, respect, and recognize all that Native American and Alaskan Natives have done for the country and to remember the injustices to which they have been subjected.
3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
4. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided an update on COVID-19 and reported on various City meetings, projects, and events.
5. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Robertson shared details on the success of the Ridgecrest Halloween Parade.
Councilmember Chang attended multiple meetings related to the Regional Transit Committee. She shared the committee work toward amending the documents that control how Metro services are added, restructured, and reduced. She said the Sound Cities Association is participating in the drafting of amendments to be proposed and thanked Shoreline staff for their support in this effort.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT
Jackie Kurle, Shoreline resident encouraged regular updates to the community around the Enhanced Shelter and expressed hope for its success.
Kathleen Russell, Shoreline resident, spoke on behalf of the Tree Preservation Code Team. She said more care must be taken of the entire tree canopy in Shoreline, and for this reason the Tree Preservation Code Team has proposed tree code amendments. She stated that they hope to have the opportunity to respond to the staff recommendation to deny many of the proposed amendments and urged review of comments made at the recent PRCS/Tree Board meeting regarding trees and building design.
Nancy Morris, Shoreline resident, emphasized the moral imperative to mitigate climate change and said Shoreline’s codes do not meet the climate emergency challenges being faced. She asked that new development be designed to preserve mature trees.
Nancy Pfeil, Shoreline resident, expressed her concerns with recent attempts to contact the Enhanced Shelter managers at Lake City Partners and the property owners regarding the facility parking lot.
Mary Ellen Stone, Shoreline resident, urged Council support for the Parks Bond and spoke to the importance of parks to the City.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Scully and seconded by Councilmember Robertson and unanimously carried, 7-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Approval of Minutes of Regular Meeting of October 11, 2021
(b) Authorize the City Manager to Execute Amendment No. 7 to Contract #8584 with West Coast Code Consultants for Regulatory Plan Review and Inspection Services for Light Rail Facilities
8. ACTION ITEMS
(a) Action on Ordinance No. 949 - Authorizing the Placement of a Ballot Measure on the 2022 February Special Election Ballot to Authorize a Property Tax Bond Measure for Park Improvements and Park Land Acquisition
Christina Arcidy, Management Analyst, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Arcidy said the bond measure is a result of Council guidance given in 2020 and was placed on the April 2021 ballot. While the measure had voter support, it failed to reach the validation threshold. Subsequently, Council directed staff to prepare legislation for a 20 year, $38.5 Million bond to be placed on the February 2022 Special Election ballot. She listed the funding allocated for each of the bond measure components and said staff recommends that the remaining $3.4 Million needed come from the City’s unreserved, unrestricted fund balance. She displayed a chart of the financial impacts to taxpayers as a result of the bond cost. Ms. Arcidy displayed the proposed ballot title and description and said both have been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney and the City’s Bond Counsel. She reviewed the next steps if Ordinance No. 949 is approved, which would culminate in the bond measure being placed on the February 2022 Special Election ballot and said staff recommends adoption of Ordinance No. 949.
Mayor Hall opened the public comment period.
Kathleen Russell, Shoreline resident, spoke on behalf of the Tree Preservation Code Team. She shared the impacts on mature trees when wider sidewalks and impervious surfaces are added to parks. She asked that citizens be informed of the possible impact to trees created by the improvements funded by the park bond.
Seeing no additional members of the public wishing to offer testimony, Mayor Hall closed the public comment period.
Councilmember Robertson moved to approve Ordinance No. 949. The motion was seconded by Councilmember McGlashan.
Councilmember Robertson said she is very excited about the possibility of bringing the bond measure before the community because of the overwhelming support for the parks system.
Councilmember Roberts said he is looking forward to seeing the bond measure on the ballot. He reflected on previous efforts and said he is hopeful that validation requirements will be met and asked for feedback on the comments regarding trees and any potential reduction in scope of project due to the funding gap. Ms. Arcidy explained staff’s desire to minimize tree loss and said the park improvement designs are conceptual at this time and if the bond were to be approved there will be opportunity for public comment during the design process. She also clarified that staff is recommending the use of unrestricted funds to fully complete the projects because they will not be fully funded by the bond. Councilmember Roberts asked if the current Council could direct the use of future funds, and Ms. Tarry said yes, but a future Council could override that. Mayor Hall said that if the bond measure is put on the ballot with specific projects, all future Councils are bound to complete those projects. Margaret King, City Attorney concurred, explaining that the bond would set out the expenditures and what the money is to be spent for. Councilmember Roberts asked if specificity in the ballot measure title and description would reduce the opportunity for future flexibility. Ms. King agreed, stating that the bond language provides direction. Ms. Tarry said it is important the Council be clear with what is in Section 1 of the Ordinance and pointed to the current language. Councilmember Roberts confirmed that the City has committed to the projects identified in the Ordinance.
Deputy Mayor Scully moved to amend Ordinance No. 949 to increase the bond amount presented to the voters from $38.5 Million to $41.9 Million. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Roberts.
Deputy Mayor Scully said he does not understand why the recommendation is for a bond amount that would not fully fund the projects. He wants to remove the uncertainty of the possibility of future changes and to keep the unrestricted funds available for other priorities. He does not want to hide the fact that a bond measure was approved but did not make it on the ballot. Council needs to admit to the additional cost created by this delay by putting the amount to fully fund the programs on the ballot. Councilmember Roberts agreed, adding that the change would mean a nominal annual increase to the median homeowner.
Mayor Hall and Councilmembers McGlashan, Chang, McConnell, and Robertson said they will not support this amendment. Councilmember McGlashan is leery about an increase that may be seen as a bait-and-switch, and is concerned about the impact to taxpayers, especially since other bonds will be on the ballot. Councilmember Chang said keeping the amount of the bond consistent will make it easier to pass. Councilmember McConnell said she does not support the increase because of the negative feedback that might result but will support whichever amount is agreed upon. Councilmember Robertson said her goal is to get the bond passed and feels it is important to propose the package as originally supported. Mayor Hall said he will not support the amendment because there are ample reserves to cover the variation in costs.
The motion to amend failed 2-5, with Deputy Mayor Scully and Councilmember Roberts voting in favor.
The motion to approve Ordinance No. 949 passed unanimously, 7-0.
Mayor Hall expressed appreciation for the work put in by community members to get park improvements done.
(b) Action on Resolution No. 485 - Updating Council Rules of Procedure
Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Simulcik Smith stated that the Council Rules of Procedure exist to assist in orderly conduct of Council business and are reviewed periodically. She listed the proposed amendments related to the topics of remote attendance/participation, placement of items on the agenda, and clarification to Rule 7.19. She added that staff incorporated Council’s feedback from the discussion session as presented in Attachment A, Exhibit A.
Ms. Simulcik Smith displayed four amendments submitted by Councilmember Roberts. Amendment No. 1 adds a scheduling requirement to the Rule; Amendment No. 2 proposes to strike all of Rule 5.13.B.6, detailing protocol for unstable remote connections; Amendment No. 3 captures all types of meetings Council would be permitted to attend remotely; and Amendment No. 4 changes the notification deadline requirement for remote attendance. She said staff has no concerns with the amendments and supports the changes.
Ms. Simulcik Smith concluded by stating that staff recommends the Council adopt proposed Resolution No. 485 with Councilmember Roberts’ amendments.
Councilmember Roberts moved adoption of Resolution No. 485, amending the Council Rules of Procedure. The motion was seconded by Councilmember McConnell.
Councilmember Roberts expressed appreciation for this process. He recognized the importance of having rules in place for hybrid meetings and said it encourages public participation.
Councilmember Roberts moved to amend Resolution No. 485 with Amendments 1 through 4 as shown in the PowerPoint. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Chang.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if the time requirement for adding an agenda item is realistic in terms of staff workload. Ms. Tarry said significant staff work would not be invested until it was clear that the body of the Council supported the effort. Deputy Mayor Scully expressed support for the amendments and thanked Councilmember Roberts for Amendment No. 1, specifically, since it meets his concerns about potential misuse of authority. Mayor Hall agreed that it solves the identified problem.
The motion to amend Resolution No. 485 with Amendments 1 through 4 as shown in the PowerPoint passed unanimously, 7-0.
The main motion as amended passed unanimously, 7-0.
9. STUDY ITEMS
(a) Discussion of Mid-Biennial Update and Preview of 2021-2022 Mid-Biennial Budget Amendment Ordinance No. 945, 2022 Property Tax Levy Ordinance No. 946, 2022 Fee Schedule Resolution No. 484, 2022 Impact Fee Schedules Ordinance No. 947; and 2021-2026 CIP Update
Sara Lane, Administrative Services Director; and Rick Kirkwood, Budget and Tax Manager, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Lane said tonight’s presentation is a summary of the staff report and includes a high-level financial update and review of the budget adjustment, as well as other policy issues.
Mr. Kirkwood said General Fund revenue collection is estimated to exceed that planned for 2021 and said while there was strong performance in some sources, the utility tax source performance is potentially below budget. He said General Fund expenditures are trailing the budget plan, primarily attributable to position vacancies, lower jail housing costs, and a favorable 2020 Police Services contract. He displayed a table of the intended uses of General Fund reserves and said the fund balance available for appropriation in 2021 stands at $8.6 Million. He said the review includes salary and benefit considerations, including the 2022 Cost of Living Adjustment and recommended position title changes. He stated that the City Manager is recommending supplemental requests that would allow for effective delivery of public services and completion of Council Goals. He said if budget modifications are approved as proposed, total adjustments would result in a net budget or appropriation increase and would recognize revenue and uses of fund balance.
Mr. Kirkwood reviewed the recommended personnel increases for 2022 and displayed a chart reflecting the 10-year financial sustainability model update, which pushes the budget gap out to 2024. He stated that the key Capital Improvement Program issues include updates to recognize funding and address emerging issues and said the Fee Schedules have been updated. He reviewed the schedule for the mid-biennial budget discussion, public hearing, and adoption of the 2021-2022 Mid-Biennial Budget Update.
In consideration of impact fees, Councilmember Chang expressed concern for the increase and asked how the City’s fees compare to neighboring jurisdictions. Mr. Kirkwood said he would add this to the Council question matrix for research and response.
In review of the budget allocated to the wastewater utility, Councilmember Chang asked if enough money is being put into maintenance and repair of the wastewater system. Randy Witt, Public Works Director, said this consideration would be part of the planned rate study. Councilmember Roberts was surprised that the wastewater utility staffing is being increased by four FTEs and asked for more detailed information on whether moving from contracted personnel to in-house staff would save money. Deputy Mayor Scully would also like to see a comparison of costs. Mr. Witt said the goal is to be more cost-effective, and as staff is brought in-house, the contracted positions will roll-off. He said using a consultant means the staff knowledge of the equipment is limited, which is a detriment.
Deputy Mayor Scully said he was surprised at the number of staff positions being added mid-budget and Mayor Hall agreed that while each individual position seems reasonable, collectively, it is a large change at a mid-biennium point. Deputy Mayor Scully asked about the conversion of an Extra Help position to GIS Technician. He said if this is a new one-time project need, he would like to see what that project is, and to understand what the workload is that requires additional ongoing support. In general, he said he supports additional staffing in the IT Department. He also questioned if the Teen Development Program is providing a service that is a school need.
Councilmember Robertson said this report reinforced her confidence in the fiscal management of the City. She asked if there is a rush to tear down the recently acquired building (Jersey’s) adjacent to City Hall since cost increases for demolition were noted. Ms. Lane replied that costs are not likely to come down any time soon, and because the building is in bad shape the thought is that it should be taken down before it falls down.
Councilmember Roberts recalled that the School Board ended the contract with the School Resource Officer, and he asked how that funding is being reallocated. Ms. Tarry said the money has been left untouched in the police budget pending budget recommendations for the next biennial budget. There was conversation on the topic of additional funding of the RADAR program, and Ms. Tarry said the collective cities are continuing discussion on this workplan item. Councilmember Chang asked about County and State funding support for the RADAR program and Ms. Tarry said cities will need to contribute funding, as well. She said they are likely to look for State funding for a Crisis Diversion Center. Deputy Mayor Scully said it is his profound hope that there is a fully developed program to be presented at the next budget cycle.
Councilmember Roberts said he will be bringing forward an amendment to provide sidewalks on Northeast 200th in this budget.
10. ADJOURNMENT
At 8:39 p.m., Mayor Hall declared the meeting adjourned.
/s/ Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk