CITY
OF
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
PRESENT: Mayor
Hansen, Deputy Mayor Jepsen, Councilmembers Chang, Fimia, Grace, and
Ransom
ABSENT:
Councilmember Gustafson
STAFF:
Mayor Hansen called the
meeting to order at
The
meeting began with a discussion of where the City is in the process of procuring
audited financial statements from the gambling establishments in Shoreline.
On
another topic, Councilmember Grace reviewed the progress by a Council
subcommittee looking at human services needs as a follow-up to discussions at
the Council retreat. He reported
that he, Deputy Mayor Jepsen, and Councilmember Fimia met and
discussed:
Councilmember Grace said
that Councilmember Fimia’s focus was to try to raise the human services issues
to the level of a Council goal. In
this, she differed from the goal of the other two committee members.
Councilmember Fimia added
that raising the issue of human services to a Council goal would give it added
attention from staff and the public.
She was not sure what the mechanism is to direct staff to put the
appropriate level of emphasis on the issue.
Councilmember Grace said he
is satisfied with the goals the Council has already set. He would like to discuss with staff what
can be done this year, versus developing a longer term
plan.
Councilmember Ransom said
that Council should take a formal position elevating human services to a goal,
at least by motion, or other agencies will not take the City seriously,
particularly in the area of affordable housing.
Councilmember Grace believed
that the City is beyond that and needs to develop a framework for making
decisions on human services. He
said affordable housing may not be the highest need once Council has studied the
issue.
Councilmember Fimia
responded that her issues are with the process. She pointed out that there is a finite
amount of staff time available. She
did not understand the mechanism by which this issue could be raised to a
priority for human services staff.
Mr.
Burkett noted there are many, many things that staff pursues that are not
Council goals. He said that absent
direction from the Council, staff will keep operating in the same fashion in the
human services area. If Council
asks for a different course of action, staff would prepare information and let
the Council know the impact on staff and the resources needed to
proceed.
Councilmember Fimia wished
to have staff identify human services needs in areas of affordable housing and
homelessness.
Deputy Mayor Jepsen pointed
out that these items did not make the list of Council goals at the restreat.
Council agreed to have a subcommittee look at the issue. Now
Councilmember Chang said the
question is how the City is going to provide resources to meet the human
services needs. He said the City
has to develop ways to solve the problem.
The question is how can we use the money we have to get the best
result?
Councilmember Fimia
suggested asking staff to finish the assessment and develop a
recommendation.
Mr.
Beem shared a memo and information with Council from his handout on the 1999
Youth Services Policy review and assessment of other human services
needs.
Councilmember Grace said
Council should approach the assessment from a perspective that goes beyond
budgetary considerations. He wanted
to consider partnerships and ways the City can leverage other funds.
Mayor Hansen agreed that the
City cannot solve these problems alone.
It will be important to pursue partnerships.
Mr.
Beem said he will complete his data gathering and assessment and provide Council
information for discussion. He said
he would touch base with the subcommittee during the information-gathering
process and develop a proposed work plan for Council review in identifying
needs.
Moving on to another topic,
Deputy City Manager Olander gave Councilmembers a revised copy of Ordinance No.
388, which makes some housekeeping corrections to add back into the ordinance
items that were inadvertently omitted.
Mayor Hansen adjourned the
meeting at
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