CITY OF SHORELINE

SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF WORKSHOP MEETING

Monday, May 17, 1999

6:30 p.m.

Shoreline Conference Center

Mt. Rainier Room

PRESENT: Mayor Jepsen, Deputy Mayor Montgomery, Councilmembers Gustafson, Hansen, King, Lee and Ransom

ABSENT: None

1. CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Jepsen, who presided.

2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL

Mayor Jepsen led the flag salute. Upon roll by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present with the exception of Councilmember Ransom, who arrived shortly thereafter.

3. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Robert Deis, City Manager, distributed information to illustrate how people will be able to access the results of the Annexation Area A-2 election via the City’s web page.

Mr. Deis mentioned that Councilmember Gustafson is now serving on the Human Services Roundtable.

In response to Mr. Deis, Council chose Deputy Mayor Montgomery and Councilmembers Hansen and King for registration as voting delegates for the Association of Washington Cities Annual Business Meeting.

Kristoff Bauer, Assistant to the City Manager, reported on the Woodway Highlands project. He noted the addition of a potential permanent secondary access on the north side of the development and the addition of a potential temporary construction access at the southeast corner of the development. He said City staff has requested a conditioned construction route to divert construction traffic from 15^th Avenue NW. Finally, he explained that the Town of Woodway is planning to use mitigation funds from the siting of a wastewater treatment plant at Point Wells to purchase lots in the Woodway Highlands development for preservation as open space.

Mayor Jepsen advocated that the City oppose the potential temporary construction access at the southeast corner of the development. He said Edmonds should address the surface water utilities preventing the designation of 237^th and 238^th Streets as a temporary construction access. He asserted that Shoreline is accepting a share of the traffic generated by the development and that Edmonds should do the same. He noted that 237^th and 238^th Streets could also be used as permanent emergency access to Woodway Highlands. Councilmember Gustafson agreed.

Mayor Jepsen and Councilmember Gustafson expressed their support for the potential permanent secondary access on the north side of the development.

Rachael Markle, Grants Specialist, reported that the Public Works Department has received $477,000 in grants through the federal Hazard Elimination Systems Program. She went on to name other staff participants on the grant-writing team, including Chuck Purnell of Public Works and Kirk McKinley of Planning and Development Services.

Councilmember Ransom arrived at 6:45 p.m.

Mike Gillespie, City Engineer, discussed the two pedestrian safety improvement projects for which the City received grant funds. The first project addresses 15^th Avenue NE at NE 152^nd Street and at NE 170^th Street. The second project addresses Aurora Avenue near the intersections of 152^nd Street, 165^th Street and 181^st Street. Mr. Gillespie noted that the State has committed an additional $400,000 of federal funds that it receives to enhance the pedestrian safety improvements on Aurora Avenue.

In response to Councilmember Gustafson, Mr. Deis said the State Legislature is no longer considering the City’s request for $10 million of funding under Referendum 49.

Councilmember Gustafson mentioned Governor Gary Locke’s proposal to make $7 million in grants available on a competitive basis for school security and anti-violence programs. He asserted the City’s competitiveness for such funding. Mr. Deis pointed out that the School District has been trying to identify a grant funding source to expand the School Resource Officer (SRO) program to high schools.

In response to Councilmember Lee, Mr. Gillespie said staff intends to complete the recently-funded safety improvement projects on 15^th Avenue NE and Aurora Avenue by next summer.

4. COUNCIL REPORTS

Councilmember Lee advised that the newly-created Information Technology and Communication Steering Committee of the National League of Cities will meet in Denver, Colorado on May 21, 22 and 23. She identified Internet sales taxes as a key issue under consideration by the committee.

Councilmember King announced the election of Councilmember Hansen as the Shoreline representative to the board of the Suburban Cities Association (SCA).

Councilmember Hansen reported that he and Councilmember King and Deputy Mayor Montgomery participated in a tour of a park facility in Enumclaw that included a baseball field, a skate park and a basketball court.

Councilmember Gustafson praised the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department’s Summer Recreation Guide. He suggested that staff update Council in the near future on the work of the Shoreline Center Athletic Facility Design Team. Mr. Deis agreed.

Councilmember Hansen mentioned his attendance at the recent Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) meeting. He noted the SCA’s objective, with regard to the restructuring of the PSRC, to insure that suburban cities do not lose any percentage of representation.

Mayor Jepsen said he met earlier in the afternoon with the new regional administrator of the Department of Transportation (DOT), who expressed his willingness to be an advocate for Shoreline. Next, Mayor Jepsen noted his comments, at a meeting between elected officials and King County Executive Ron Sims, that planning to meet housing goals must include necessary improvements to infrastructure and public transportation.

In response to Mayor Jepsen, Mr. Deis said he has not received any additional information from the County about its plan to require cities to pay for fire marshal services.

5. PUBLIC COMMENT: None

6. WORKSHOP ITEMS

(a) Status Report on City of Shoreline Y2K Project

Joe Meneghini, Finance Director, reviewed the staff report.

In response to Councilmember Lee, Mr. Deis said public fears concerning Y2K will be the most likely source of problems in Shoreline. He predicted that the Shoreline Police will be the most affected department in the City. He mentioned disruptions in electrical service as another potential problem.

In response to Councilmember Gustafson, Mr. Meneghini confirmed that the 1999 budget for the Information Services department included funds to address Y2K issues. Councilmember Gustafson suggested that staff research the legislation under consideration in Congress concerning immunity from prosecution for problems related to Y2K for provisions related to municipalities.

Mr. Deis noted staff plans to dedicate a significant portion of the July or October issue of the City newsletter to the Y2K problem.

(b) Implementing New Process of Allocating General Fund Human Services and Community Development Block Grant Funds

Rob Beem, Health and Human Services Manager, reviewed the staff report.

Mayor Jepsen supported the delay of the implementation of a two-year funding cycle for local and federal funds for human services to allow the City cycle to match that of the other cities participating in the North/East Funders group.

In response to Mayor Jepsen, Mr. Beem said the City notice regarding the next funding cycle will address the desired outcomes established in the City’s Health and Human Services Strategy. He noted that the report specifically mentions senior services as well as a number of the services that the Center for Human Services (CHS) provides.

Mayor Jepsen advocated that staff research the alternatives to including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) capital projects funds with other human services funding for competitive allocation. He asked that staff also consider options for maximizing CDBG home repair funding.

Councilmember King noted that she has received two calls in as many months from women needing short-term housing. Mr. Beem said human services providers know that housing for single adults, other than overnight shelters, is almost non-existent in King County. Councilmember King asked if the City could spend CDBG capital projects funds to buy a house in Shoreline to provide such housing.

In response to Councilmember King, Mr. Beem said the best thing City staff can do for small agencies is to assist them in preparing a funding application. He noted that citizen review committees look favorably on start-up agencies. Councilmember King expressed support for a two-year funding cycle.

Councilmember Ransom asserted that the two-year funding cycle is premature considering the City is only four years old. He questioned the coordination of the City’s funding allocation process with those of other cities because with all the cities on a two-year cycle, individual opportunities might be lost on the off years. He anticipated that putting competitive funding into one competitive pool would create a fragmentation of services because if a service is provided one year and not the next, continuity is lost. He expressed concern that the composition of the citizen review committee could affect the funding for programs that serve unique populations (e.g., the Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center). He advocated that the City include the funds for the Senior Center in the budget for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. Finally, he supported Councilmember King’s suggestion for a facility to provide short-term housing for adults. He noted a growing need for this in Shoreline.

Councilmember Lee noted the disparities between the needs assessment and the desired outcomes the City previously developed. Mr. Deis acknowledged this concern, and he mentioned Councilmember Lee’s past point about the ambiguity of the desired outcomes. He commented that one of Mr. Beem’s top priorities this year is to address the need for more specific program elements in the needs assessment and the desired outcomes.

Councilmember Lee supported the continuation of the annual funding cycle until the year 2001. She went on to assert the inefficiency of an annual funding cycle for human service providers, noting that senior staff must focus every year on preparing grant applications. She reiterated the need for a very clear needs assessment and desired outcomes.

In response to Councilmember Lee, Mr. Beem explained that each city participating in the North/East Funders group adds questions that are specific to its community to the common application.

Councilmember Gustafson suggested a contingency or emergency fund for human services. Mr. Deis recommended that the City allocate all of the funds it budgets for human services and, if an unexpected event occurs, draw on the General Fund contingency account.

Councilmember Hansen supported a two-year funding cycle for human services. He did not support the proposal for the City to purchase and staff a facility to provide short-term housing. He questioned whether the City could measure the demand for such services, and he opposed a City role that puts it in competition with human services providers.

Mayor Jepsen asserted that the City should partner with and fund human service providers to enable them to do the job that they do well.

Councilmember King commented that homelessness might be primarily a legislative problem. She asserted that the State is releasing people who need help from care facilities. She suggested that Council may want to include this issue on the City’s legislative agenda next year.

Deputy Mayor Montgomery supported a two-year funding cycle for human services. She opposed participation on the citizen review committee of individuals directly tied to human services providers that are seeking funding. She supported the consolidation of City human services funds into one competitively-allocated pool. She commented that this will give the City better control and that it will not automatically result in fragmentation of services.

Mayor Jepsen recommended that the City require members of the citizen review committee to sign an affidavit of disclosure of conflict of interest. He cautioned that the $50,000 in General Fund support that Council allocated for human services in 1999 is subject to change.

In response to Mayor Jepsen, Mr. Beem confirmed that the annexation election in Area A-2 will not significantly affect CDBG funding.

Councilmember Lee advocated that the City allocate that portion of the funding for the Senior Center that pays for recreation services under the budget for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. Mr. Deis explained the staff proposal to include the funding for the Senior Center in the competitively-allocated pool as a way to keep the funding from becoming an entitlement and to foster competition.

Councilmember Lee pointed out that Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland each operates its own senior center. She asserted that the City contracts with the Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center to provide this portion of its recreation services.

Councilmember Ransom agreed that the Senior Center provides contract services for the City that the City would otherwise need to provide. He said none of the funding for the Senior Center should be included in the competitively-allocated pool. He clarified his support for a City homeless shelter, explaining that it may be less expensive in the long-run for the City to purchase a facility and to contract with a human services agency for its administration.

Mayor Jepsen clarified Councilmember Lee’s intent to reserve the recreation-services-related portion of Senior Center funds; whereas, Councilmember Ransom suggested to reserve all of it.

Councilmember King noted that under recent Regional Finance and Governance proposals the County would fund human services for youth and senior citizens while the City would fund recreation services for these populations.

In response to Councilmember Hansen, Mr. Deis said the City would rely on Senior Center staff to distinguish recreation- and human-service-related costs.

Mayor Jepsen supported the inclusion of all of the funding for the Senior Center in the competitively-allocated pool. If Council wishes to consider a senior-oriented recreation program, he suggested that it do so within the budget for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department.

Councilmember Gustafson asserted that the competitive allocation of funds insures accountability.

Councilmember Lee pointed out that the City reviews the performance of the Shoreline Arts Council to insure that it provides the contract services the City funds. She went on to assert that the City has an obligation to fund recreation services for senior citizens.

Mayor Jepsen confirmed general Council agreement to proceed with the allocation process recommended by staff. He acknowledged that Councilmembers King, Lee and Ransom raised concerns about different aspects of the recommendation.

(c) Objectives for Negotiations with the Town of Woodway and Snohomish County regarding Interlocal Agreements related to Land Use Coordination

Mr. Bauer briefly reviewed the staff report.

In response to Mayor Jepsen, Mr. Bauer acknowledged that, currently, Shoreline and Woodway share 205^th Street as a common border only between 18^th Avenue NW and 20^th Avenue NW. Mayor Jepsen said the agreement should also address transportation issues (e.g., access, maintenance) related to the section of Point Wells that Woodway has annexed.

In response again to Mayor Jepsen, Mr. Bauer commented that the negotiation of an interlocal agreement with Snohomish County is more pressing than that of an interlocal agreement with Woodway because Snohomish County will have siting authority over any wastewater facilities at Point Wells.

Councilmember Hansen pointed out that the City’s border with Edmonds is longer than that with Woodway. Mr. Deis said the City will negotiate interlocal agreements with Edmonds and other neighboring cities after negotiating with Woodway and Snohomish County. He commented that Point Wells makes the negotiations with Woodway and Snohomish County more pressing.

Councilmember Lee expressed concern that an interlocal agreement with Woodway may be a "lost cause" given recent indications from Woodway. Noting the expense of retaining consultants to pursue negotiations, she questioned the likely benefits. Mr. Deis mentioned the Snohomish County policy advocating negotiation between jurisdictions with overlapping annexation authority. He said the City needs to make a good faith effort to engage Woodway, as well as Snohomish County, in order to be taken seriously by Snohomish County. Mayor Jepsen agreed.

Councilmember Hansen commented that many Woodway residents are very suspicious about the City’s intentions for Point Wells. He said he tried to make clear, during his participation at the Woodway Planning Commission meeting on May 5, that Shoreline has no control over what happens with Point Wells. Mayor Jepsen agreed, noting that Chevron, as the sole landowner, has control over the annexation of Point Wells. He said the City must be able to show Snohomish County that it has taken the necessary steps should Chevron elect to annex to Shoreline.

In response to Mayor Jepsen, Mr. Bauer said the City will focus its initial efforts on dealing with the cross-border annexation policy. Staff will then make contacts with Snohomish County to begin working together on an interlocal agreement. Mr. Bauer said staff will work to develop an agreement with Woodway over a similar timeframe.

Consultant Reid Shockey, of Shockey/Brent, identified the Snohomish County Tomorrow Committee (SCT) as "a steering committee of jurisdictions in Snohomish County which meet under the umbrella of growth management to discuss mutual issues." He explained that the SCT is scheduled to discuss cross-county annexation policy at its meeting on May 26. He recommended that a Councilmember attend the meeting to represent the City.

Mr. Deis agreed to provide a list of SCT members and a list of speaking points to Council in advance of the meeting on May 26.

7. CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENT

(a) Patrick Ducey, 19502 14^th Avenue NE, suggested that the telecast of Council meetings include an identifying title block with the name and date of the meeting. He provided copies of a flyer that Unfinished Business distributed to residents of Area A-2.

(b) LaNita Wacker, 19839 8^th Avenue NW, commented on the value of tolerance and understanding of differences between people. She advocated diversity training within the City to reduce the misunderstandings that cause violence.

(c) Danielle Frazel, 429 NE 190^th Place, Shorewood High School student, said she sent an electronic mail message to the Seattle Mariners in which she opposed the development of the little league field at Shoreview Park because of the environmental damage it would cause. She read the following quote from the letter that Mariners Director of Public Information Rebecca Hill wrote to her in response: "In the meantime, the Mariners and Boeing are continuing to withhold any grant money until these serious environmental issues are satisfactorily resolved. The Shoreline grant does not require that this field is built at Shoreview Park, and we would be supportive of the exploration of alternate sites." Ms. Frazel advocated the consideration of alternate sites.

(d) Jennifer McLaughlin, 16023 Wallingford Avenue N, Shorewood High School student, read from Ms. Hill’s letter to Ms. Frazel.

(e) Molly Nordstrand, 1329 N 167^th Street, Shorewood High School student, expressed concern that fertilizer runoff from Shoreview Park could harm runs of endangered salmon in Boeing Creek. She advocated that the City develop the proposed little league field at another site.

Mayor Jepsen suggested that Shorewood High School students address the Shoreline School Board regarding other sites for the proposed little league field.

8. EXECUTIVE SESSION

At 9:00 p.m., Mayor Jepsen announced that Council would recess into executive session for 20 minutes. City Attorney Bruce Disend said the executive session would address two items of litigation.

At 9:19 p.m., the executive session concluded, and the workshop meeting reconvened.

9. ADJOURNMENT

At 9:20 p.m., Mayor Jepsen declared the meeting adjourned.

_________________________
Sharon Mattioli, CMC
City Clerk