CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
SUMMARY MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING
Monday, March 19, 2001
7:30 p.m.
Shoreline Conference Center
Mt. Rainier Room
PRESENT: Mayor Jepsen, Deputy Mayor Hansen, Councilmembers Grossman, Gustafson, Montgomery and Ransom
ABSENT: Councilmember Lee
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Jepsen, who presided.
2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL
Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present, with the exception of Councilmember Lee.
Deputy Mayor Hansen moved to excuse Councilmember Lee. Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.
3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Interim City Manager Larry Bauman noted the distribution of the 2001 Adopted City Budget.
Mr. Bauman confirmed Council consensus in favor of cancelling the March 26 City Council meeting for lack of agenda items.
In response to Deputy Mayor Hansen's question at the March 5 City Council meeting, Mr. Bauman reviewed the progress of the Top Foods development at N 175th Street and Ronald Place. The developer intends to apply for a clearing and grading permit for the site within the next few weeks.
Next, Mr. Bauman noted upcoming hearings of appeals concerning Shoreview Park and Paramount School Park.
Finally, Mr. Bauman mentioned the death of former State Representative Grace Cole.
4. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: None
5. PUBLIC COMMENT: None
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Mayor Jepsen said representatives of the Shoreline Water District have requested that Council consider the Water Services Study as its first discussion item. He suggested the addition of an executive session later in the meeting prior to "Continued Public Comment."
Councilmember Montgomery moved to approve the agenda, moving consideration of item 8 (c), "Water Services Study," before item 8 (a), "EMS 2002 Task Force," and adding an "Executive Session" following item 8, "Discussion Items." Council-member Gustafson seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Ransom moved approval of the consent calendar. Councilmember Montgomery seconded the motion, which carried 6-0, and the following items were approved:
Minutes of Dinner Meeting of February 26, 2001
Minutes of Regular Meeting of February 26, 2001
Minutes of Special Meeting of March 5, 2001
Approval of payroll and claims as of February 28, 2001 in the amount of $522,483.66
Motion to authorize the Interim City Manager to execute the proposed Intergovernmental Purchasing Agreement with the City of Everett
Ordinance No. 261 amending the budget to increase the appropriation from the General Capital Fund balance to provide funding to accelerate the Paramount School Park Project; and a motion to authorize the Interim City Manager to execute a contract including all three alternative bids with Construction International in the amount of $1,154,400.00 and to execute change orders up to 10% of the original contract amount
Ordinance No. 267 extending the franchise provided to Ronald Wastewater Management District (previously known as the Shoreline Wastewater Management District) for provision of sanitary sewer services
8. DISCUSSION ITEMS
(c) Water Services Study—Evaluation of possible City role in water service delivery
Interim Assistant City Manager Kristoff Bauer reviewed the staff report.
Mayor Jepsen invited public comment.
(1) Dennis Lee, 14547 26th Avenue NE, expressed trust that Councilmembers, as elected leaders, will make "the right decision." He encouraged Council to allow the Shoreline Water District to provide a presentation.
(2) Charlotte Haines, 836 NE 194th Street, said she has not had any problems with the service she has received from the Shoreline Water District during the past 38 years. She mentioned District support of community activities. She expressed her willingness to pay more for higher-cost, higher-quality services. She advocated an interlocal agreement between the City and the District.
(3) Sally Granger, 16804 16th Avenue NE, opposed City assumption of the Shoreline Water District at this time.
(4) Jean Brown, 1540 NE 175th Street, asserted that the Water District provides exemplary service. She opposed changes to water services in Shoreline. She advocated a public vote on any proposed changes.
(5) Cynthia Driscoll, Manager, Shoreline Water District, thanked Council for the opportunity to discuss an interlocal agreement between the City and the District during the dinner meeting earlier in the evening. She asserted the willingness of the District to work cooperatively with the City.
Mayor Jepsen agreed that cost savings is "not necessarily the issue." He asserted the importance of City responsibilities under the Growth Management Act (GMA). He explained the City goal to consolidate local services. He disputed the implication in the District handout that the City supports the use of District assets to acquire the water delivery system on the west side of Shoreline. He said the issue of splitting the District system with the City of Lake Forest Park must be addressed with the Lake Forest Park City Council.
Mayor Jepsen expressed support for a cooperative effort and an interlocal agreement between the City and the District. He noted the District estimates of six months to negotiate an interlocal agreement with the City and of two to four years to negotiate acquisition of the water delivery system on the west side of Shoreline from Seattle Public Utilities. He advocated an option in the interlocal agreement that the City run the unified water delivery system at the end of the two-and-a-half- to four-and-a-half-year period.
Councilmember Montgomery questioned the estimated reduction in administrative expenses from City assumption of the Water District. Mr. Bauer explained that a water utility would share central services costs with other City departments and that this would reduce those costs to other City departments by $275,000.
In response to Deputy Mayor Hansen, Mr. Bauer noted that Council has established cost recovery goals for Planning and Development Services and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services fees. He said a reduction in the central services allocation that each department pays "would reduce pressure on the fees."
Councilmember Montgomery asserted the merit of an interlocal agreement between the City and the Water District. She agreed with Mayor Jepsen that such an agreement should include the possibility of City assumption of the water system. She said the clear benefits of this option necessitate its inclusion in any agreement. She stated that the cost of water services is an issue for many Shoreline residents.
Councilmember Ransom said he has discussed the assumption of special districts with representatives of other jurisdictions. He said the City of Bellevue has assumed four special districts, and he reported that Bellevue Mayor Chuck Mosher and former Bellevue Mayor Don Davidson both strongly recommend such assumptions. He said both agree that the more a city wavers at the beginning of an assumption process, the more difficult the process will be. Likewise, the more committed a city is to assuming a special district, the easier the assumption will be.
Noting his employment history with full-service and non-full-service cities, Council-member Ransom stated that full-service cities have better integrated policy development and comprehensive planning. He asserted the City's "end goal," since 1995, to become a full-service city in ten years. He suggested the timeliness of a City decision now to proceed to assume the Water District. He said an interlocal agreement forestalls progress toward the goal of becoming a full-service city.
Councilmember Grossman commented that businesses that "try to do everything for everybody" fail. He noted the City's successful relationship with the King County Sheriff's Department. He acknowledged the value to Shoreline residents of having a single water service provider, but he suggested the provider could be a separate entity with which the City has an interlocal agreement and a close working relationship. He said he does not oppose City assumption of water services, but he asserted the City should not feel compelled to so, especially not in a short time frame.
Councilmember Grossman went on to express his "serious concern" about the City's obligation under State law to provide water services. He said the City does not currently have "a meaningful seat at the important tables" considering water supply issues. He asserted that the City can address this problem through an interlocal agreement that provides a meaningful City role.
Councilmember Grossman noted the difficulty of separating that part of the District system that serves the City of Lake Forest Park. He commented that the City of Lake Forest Park has not shown enthusiastic support for City of Shoreline assumption of the Water District. He said an interlocal agreement between the City and the Water District could also resolve this problem.
Councilmember Grossman advocated that Council direct staff to pursue an interlocal agreement with the District. He asserted the need for further discussion of the "specifics" of such an agreement.
In response to Councilmember Ransom, Mr. Bauer said the Lake Forest Park City Council adopted two motions during its March 15 meeting regarding water services delivery: 1) establishing the Lake Forest Park City Council as officially neutral regarding any Shoreline City Council decision regarding the Shoreline Water District; and 2) directing the mayor and staff of Lake Forest Park to begin working with the City of Shoreline on an interlocal agreement.
Councilmember Gustafson expressed agreement with Councilmember Grossman's comments. He supported pursuit of an interlocal agreement with the District. He said the City should proceed slowly. He recommended one or two meetings with the Water District to review outstanding issues. He commented that the City may eventually assume the District but that he is "not in a hurry to get to that point."
Deputy Mayor Hansen listed many City accomplishments since its incorporation. While supporting a continuing transition toward becoming a full-service city, he asserted that service to Shoreline citizens is more important than the City becoming a full-service city. He noted the need for improvements to the water system on the west side of Shoreline. He supported an interlocal agreement between the City and the Water District. He agreed with City assumption of water services as an eventual goal.
Councilmember Ransom compared the police services contract the City negotiated with the County to the contract the City of Federal Way had with the County. He said the Federal Way contract included County administrative overhead, and costs amounted to approximately $150,000 per officer; whereas, Shoreline used a city model, which cut costs to approximately $85,000 per officer. He asserted that a governmental entity considering a comprehensive service must have more control of the service components. He said "independent districts, doing independent things" won't work. He stated that the interlocal agreement must "be very tight," or the City must provide the full service to "have a handle on what's going on."
Mayor Jepsen questioned Deputy Mayor Hansen and Councilmembers Grossman and Gustafson about the objective of an interlocal agreement with the District (e.g., an operations franchise versus a consolidation agreement). Deputy Mayor Hansen and Councilmember Gustafson advocated consolidation of the water delivery system and eventual City assumption. Councilmember Grossman supported an operating franchise that enables the City to participate with the Water District in regional water issues and acquisition of the water delivery system on the west side of Shoreline.
Mayor Jepsen said Councilmember Ransom "laid out the most aggressive program of assumption." He said he, Deputy Mayor Hansen and Councilmembers Gustafson and Montgomery support consolidation via an interlocal agreement which contains a "trigger point of assumption." He advocated the negotiation of an interlocal agreement over a six-month period. He identified consolidation via interlocal agreement as important to Councilmember Grossman and a trigger point of assumption as less important.
Mr. Bauer said he will need additional direction from Council before entering into negotiations with the District. He suggested discussion of an interlocal agreement at a future Council workshop.
(a) Progress report on EMS 2002 Task Force
Fire Chief J. B. Smith reviewed the staff report.
Councilmember Ransom expressed concern about relying upon a levy to fund Emergency Medical Services (EMS) instead of establishing a permanent funding source. He mentioned that the City of Tacoma does not provide paramedic service because of the failure of its levy. He also expressed concern about increasing costs. He advocated that paramedic units respond to those types of calls for which their services are most effective (e.g., heart attacks, strokes), and he favored the implementation of less-expensive response alternatives (e.g., nurse practitioners) to less-serious types of calls.
Chief Smith noted Shoreline Fire Department support for the establishment of a permanent funding source for EMS. He said the current political climate made this impossible. He went on to discuss the strategic initiative to maximize use of Advance Life Support (ALS) services. He mentioned "criteria-based dispatching rules" under which medic units respond to only the most important calls.
Councilmember Ransom questioned the political resistance to establishing a permanent funding source for EMS. Mayor Jepsen said representatives of some jurisdictions believe that temporary levy funding provides an incentive to manage costs and investigate other funding mechanisms (e.g., transport fees).
Mayor Jepsen thanked Chief Smith for representing Shoreline on the EMS 2002 Task Force. He stressed the importance of City support for the EMS Strategic Plan and financing package.
Councilmember Gustafson said the City should advocate with State and County legislators for more stable EMS funding.
(b) Establishment of policies and procedures for the disposition of City surplus personal property
Finance Director Debbie Tarry reviewed the staff report.
There was Council consensus in support of bringing forward Ordinance No. 268 (mis-numbered Ordinance No. 261 on page 38 of the Council packet).
Ordinance No. 268 prescribing uniform procedures for the sale and disposal of surplus personal property
Deputy Mayor Hansen moved to adopt Ordinance No. 268. Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion, which carried 6-0, and Ordinance No. 268 was adopted.
9. EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 9:23 p.m., Mayor Jepsen announced that Council would recess into executive session for 20 minutes to discuss one personnel issue.
At 9:46 p.m., the executive session concluded, and the meeting reconvened.
Deputy Mayor Hansen moved that the City prepare a contract appointing Steve Burkett as Shoreline City Manager beginning May 1, 2001. Councilmember Ransom seconded the motion.
Councilmember Ransom noted that the City received over 70 applications for the City Manager position. Council reviewed 19 resumes, interviewed six candidates and re-interviewed three candidates. He said Mr. Burkett was the unanimous first choice of Council.
A vote was taken on the motion to prepare a contract appointing Steve Burkett as Shoreline City Manager beginning May 1, 2001. The motion carried 6-0.
10. CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENT: None
11. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:50 p.m., Mayor Jepsen declared the meeting adjourned.
________________________
Sharon Mattioli, CMC
City Clerk