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| Mayor Keith McGlashan presented a proclamation to Jenna Higgins, Recycling Coordinator for King County Housing Authority Photo by Devon Vose Rickabaugh |
By Devon Vose Rickabaugh
Mayor Keith McGlashan presented a proclamation recognizing November 15, 2013 as America Recycles Day. Receiving the proclamation was Jenna Higgins, Recycling Coordinator for King County Housing Authority.
Meadowbrook Apartments is one example of the success that is possible in multi-family residential properties through multi-agency partnerships. In 2012, Meadowbrook Apartments partnered with CleanScapes and the King County Housing Authority to site recycling dumpsters, distribute recycling containers to each apartment, and conduct a door-to-door recycling education campaign.
The apartment residents enthusiastically responded by recycling 41% of what they had previously been putting in the garbage. Typically, the average recycling rate in multi-family residences is only 25%.
In addition, Meadowbrook received a 4-star, EnviroStar certification for safely disposing of 78 pounds of household hazardous waste, switching to less toxic products, and improving their chemical storage methods. “Not only has Meadowbrook Apartments protected public health through safe disposal, but they have saved our natural resources through recycling, and reduced their solid waste costs by approximately $350 per month.”
The Council meeting continued the department budget presentations including the Public Works Department, the 2014 Capital Improvement Plan, the Surface Water Utility budget (including both operating and capital needs), and a brief description of other funds.
The City’s Director of Public Works Mark Relph gave an overview of the Public Works Department Budget which recommends hiring an additional full time Engineering Technician to specifically support Streets, Traffic, and Fleet and Facilities operations and implement a Study for Asset Management.
”The core value of an asset management system is the ability to achieve operational efficiencies and cost-effective outcomes through management, tracking, and analysis of City assets and the work orders that guide the management of the assets. Inherent in all systems are both the tools that allow the work to be accomplished and the labor needed to accomplish the work. In this case, without the staff needed to implement and maintain the City’s asset management system, the value-added effectiveness of the tool will be significantly diminished.” Relph said the department does not have the staff now.
Relph emphasized the creation of a Water Comprehensive plan must happen in January 2014 to pave the way for the creation of the Water Utility Fund when Shoreline separates from Seattle and creates its own water utility in 2021. A more in depth discussion of the Water Utility will take place on November 25th which will include discussion of the city's assumption of the Ronald Waste Water Utility.
Public hearings for the 2014 budget will be on November 4 and November 18th with adoption of the budget scheduled for November 25th. Anyone may view the budget by going to the city's website, then click on Budget and CIP Policies under the government tab.
Since Shoreline intends to separate from SPU and create its own water utility in 2021, then there is no need to acquire SPU's water utility, which Council directed in Ordinance No. 644, ratified by Shoreline voters one year ago via passage of Proposition 1.
ReplyDeleteThe outstanding question is, where will the City get the distribution water system its newly created water utility intends to operate? Do they plan to build it from scratch? There are only 2 existing water systems in Shoreline; one is owned by Shoreline Water District, the other by SPU. The ordinance says nothing about acquiring the water system that SPU, or any other water utility, operates.
I raised this issue immediately after last year's General Election, when the City started talking about "acquiring a water system and thereby creating a water utility," language which is nowhere to be found in the ordinance the voters ratified. The ordinance is about the acquisition of a water utility, not a water system.