Shoreline City Manager's Report weeke of 4-28-2014

Week of 4/28/2014

Council Meetings

·         April 28 Meeting

o   Dinner Meeting: Joint meeting with the Parks/Tree Board.

o   Regular Meeting:

§  Recognition of Out-Going Park Board, Planning Commission, and Library Board Members. Mayor Winstead said a few words of appreciation for each of the out-going members and presented each a small token of appreciation.

§  Tree City USA Award: Last week we found out that the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has awarded the City its 2^nd Tree City USA award. A representative from DNR announced the award and the grant mentioned in the “This & That” section at the end of this update.

§  Ordinance No. 685 Amending the 2014 Budget: This item was pulled from the April 14 Consent Agenda. Ordinance No. 685 includes both the “carry-over” of budgeted, but uncompleted, projects from 2013 to 2014 and recommended amendments to the 2014 budget. Council is scheduled to consider adoption of this ordinance on May 12.

§  Discussion of the Draft Urban Forest Strategic Plan: There have been several public Open Houses on this plan. Council reviewed the recommendations from the Tree Board on the plan. Adoption is scheduled for May 19.

§  Discussion of the 145^th Route Development Plan, Scope and Funding Update

·         May 5:

o   No Dinner Meeting scheduled

o   Transportation Benefit District (6:45 p.m.): This is the regularly scheduled semi-annual meeting of the TBD Board. The agenda will include approval of November’s meeting minutes and the required annual report of the expenditure of funds in 2013.

o   Regular Meeting:

§  Adoption of Resolution No. 358: This resolution will authorize the City Manager to make a formal loan application to the Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) for funding to be used for the Stormwater Utility Pipe Repair and Replacement Program as budgeted in the City’s adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The City’s adopted CIP and Stormwater Master Plan anticipated the issuance of Revenue Bonds as part of the funding stream for the pipe replacement program, but a loan through the PWB program will have a lower interest rate. The PWB has a new requirement that elected officials need to adopt a resolution at the initial application phase stating that if the loan is funded, the elected body commits to budgeting funds for the repayment of the loan. Repayment will be made through Surface Water Utility fees.

§  Discussion of the Seattle City Light Franchise Agreement: This a new franchise agreement that staff has been negotiating for the last eighteen months. The current franchise agreement was extended through June 30, 2014. The proposed franchise will be for a 15 year period. The franchise is scheduled for Council approval on May 19.

Point Wells Update:

We submitted an article to be printed in the May issue of the Richmond Beach Community Newsletter to help lay out next steps in the Transportation Corridor Study process and to further explain why the City is unable to legally close the road to Point Wells based on prior legal precedent.

King County Transportation Benefit District Proposition No. 1 and Metro Cuts

A map shows the initial vote outcome by voting district for Proposition No. 1. The map shows that the 32^nd District was not approving Proposition No. 1 (48% Yes/52% No). The proposition passed in almost all areas of Seattle, with the outlying areas of King County have a majority  “no” vote. Given that the proposition did not pass, Metro has released its preliminary proposed changes along with estimated timeline. A table shows the anticipated impacts for Shoreline routes. The eliminations/reductions, as currently proposed, are not as extensive as Metro’s original projections, due to improved sales tax collections.  Given that these projected service changes are preliminary, City staff will continue to monitor to make sure that Shoreline’s reductions are as painless as possible.

Police Update:

Police Contract: On April 18 I attended the Police Oversight Meeting (City Managers of King County Contract Cities). The King County labor negotiation staff provided an update on the negotiation status of the Deputy Contract. Both sides have agreed to go to interest arbitration, which was certified by the Public Employment Relations Commission. The issues subject to the arbitration include wages, special pays, health benefits, and a number of other items. The contract under negotiation will be retroactive to January 2013. The arbitration hearing is tentatively scheduled for September 2014, with a decision anticipated in January or February 2015.

The Sheriff’s Office also shared that they are in the process of converting the reporting of crime statistics from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR) system to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) with the goal of changing the reporting of crime information for contract cities by 2015. The NIBRS reporting system is more extensive as it reports much more detailed information, especially in cases with multiple crimes in a single incident. In essence we will be getting the full picture of the crimes that have been occurring.

City Wayfinding Design Guidelines

A Wayfinding Steering Committee (WSC) was created consisting of community volunteers, technical consultant (KPG), and City staff from Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services and Public Works Departments. Through several meetings the WSC identified destinations, bicycle routes, developed sign types, and specified sign locations to develop wayfinding design guidelines.

Calendar Items

·         April 30 – Tree Planting in Cromwell Park at 10 a.m.

·         May 2 – World Dance Party at Shoreline Community College, 6:30 to 9 p.m.

·         May 3 – Million Step Challenge Kick-Off, Paramount School Park, 9 a.m. (Councilmember Salomon participating in kick-off)

·         May 13 – Meeting with Mayor Winstead and Mayor Murray, 3 p.m.

·         May 19 – Retirement reception for Superintendent Sue Walker. The reception is from 4 to 6 p.m., Shorewood High School in the Commons. The official program will start at 5 p.m. There is no RSVP required.

This / That

o   Bellwether (formally Housing Resource Group) provided information regarding funding gaps that they have traditionally relied on public sources to fill. They are a major non-profit developer of work force housing in Seattle.

o   Recology/Cleanscapes is in the process of converting to “grey” dumpsters in the City.

o   Marci Wright, HR Director, will be retiring this Friday, May 2. She has served the City since 1997.

o   The Parks Department will be planting five or six trees in Cromwell Park at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, if you are interested in joining them for an Arbor Day tree planting!

o   This week we received word that the City is the recipient of another $10,000 grant award from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to create a phase 1 implementation plan of the Urban Forest Strategic Plan that was adopted. This will be helpful in formulating 2015 budget recommendations.

Links corrected 04-30-2014 7:58pm