 |
| Pam Cross, reporter |
January 25, 2021
Notes by Pam Cross
The meeting was held remotely on Zoom.
Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 7:00pm.
All Councilmembers were present.
Report of the City Manager, Debbie Tarry
COVID-19 updates
Governor Inslee recently announced a new phase system for the reopening of the State called the Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery Plan. All of Washington State is in Phase 1.
The Puget Sound region includes Snohomish and Pierce Counties, as well as King County. You can see our progress in the Update below. We have actually seen an increase in the two-week rate of new COVID case so we still have a ways to go. We are near the hospital admission goal, and have met the final two criteria.
Additional information shorelinewa.gov/covid
We are in Vaccine Phase 1B which allows people who are 65 or older to get an appointment to receive an injection. If you’re unsure if you qualify, you can find out at FindYourPhaseWA.org
Appointments can be difficult to get, but as the supply of vaccine increases, the appointments will be more readily available.
The only current location for the COVID vaccine in Shoreline is ICHS but it is not necessary to get the vaccine in Shoreline.
Public Reminders
The PRCS/Tree Board will hold a remote meeting on Thursday, Jan 28 at 7:00pm.
Council Reports (all meetings were attended remotely)
The Mayor offered congratulations to Councilmember McConnell on her appointment to the National League of Cities Transportation and Infrastructure Services Committee,
And to Councilmember Roberts on his appointment to the National League of Cities Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee.
Deputy Mayor Scully attended the Water Resource Inventory Area 8 (SRIA 8) Salmon Recovery meeting and the number of returning salmon have been so bad for so long that it is time to see what we can do differently.
Councilmember McConnell attended her first transportation committee meeting three hours ago. There were some positive impacts for the National League of Cities: President Biden prohibited the transportation by rail of liquified natural gas; Pete Buttigieg, a former mayor, is undergoing confirmation to head the U.S. Transportation Department; and Washington State has good representation on this committee with five members.
Public Comment
Jackie Kurle, Shoreline, spoke about adequate protections around the new enhanced shelter for both the shelter residents and the neighbors
Whitney Murray, Shoreline, spoke about the chip-seal planned for 21st NW and 22nd NW near the entrance to Salt Water Park. Murray does not believe this is the best option because it is too rough for riding a bike or scooter, and hurts the skin of children (or adults) who might fall on the surface.
Shaun Leiser, Shoreline, also talked about the chip-seal planned for the 21st NW and 22nd NW.
Jennifer Anderson, a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, spoke regarding the mandatory fire sprinkler amendment scheduled on the Council’s January 25 Consent Calendar.
Christiano Steele, a grocery worker in Shoreline, would appreciate an Ordinance for hazard pay for Shoreline grocery workers (as in Seattle).
Approval of the Agenda
Agenda adopted by unanimous consent.
Approval of the Consent Calendar
Consent Calendar approved unanimously by roll call vote.
Action Item 8(a) Adoption of Ordinance No. 910 - Amending Shoreline Municipal Code Chapter 8.12 to Expressly Prohibit Waterfowl Feeding in City Park Facilities
John Featherstone, Surface Water Utility Manager and Kristie Lovelace, Surface Water Program Specialist, made the presentation.
This Ordinance was presented and discussed at the Jan 11 meeting. There was a very brief review of the impact to water quality and human and animal health due to the volume of fecal waste from feeding waterfowl.
The planned outreach for this Ordinance includes signage in parks, messaging via Currents, and utilizing social media.
They will engage people who feed waterfowl by providing an explanation of the park rule, the reason for it, and provide an educational flyer with additional details. These will be the only strategies used during the first year.
Subsequently they will change their approach to repeat offenders.
DISCUSSION
Motion and second to adopt Ordinance No. 910
There is still concern with equitable enforcement and unintended fear created in residents who are not accustomed to safe encounters with uniformed law enforcement (even in a Parks Uniform).
This was fully discussed at the Jan 11 meeting and there were no additional concerns.
VOTE
Adopted by a vote of 6-1
Deputy Mayor Scully opposed.
Action Item 8(b) Adopting Ordinance No. 918 - Authorizing the Placement of a Ballot Measure on the 2021 April Special Election Ballot to Authorize a Property Tax Bond Measure for Park Improvements and Park Land Acquisition
Staff Report by John Norris, Assistant City Manager
This was last discussed at the Jan 11 Council meeting so a very brief review of the background of the Bond Measure was presented.
DISCUSSION
Motion and second to adopt Ordinance No. 918
General enthusiastic support for this ordinance. It will bring equity to parts of the City that have underserved parks.
It is a good compromise (much smaller than last time that included the pool and rec center).
There is still concern that enough voters will turnout in order to get validation. It’s very close.
People are concerned about economic impact of new taxes but it is replacing the current parks bond. There is an increase in rate (from $2 to $4/month) but that won’t take effect until 2022.
This is only one of the many ways we fund park improvements. We have been successful in getting grants. We charge an impact fee on all new developments to help pay for parks, and we put in other money from our excise taxes and other revenues so the City is putting a lot into our parks.
VOTE
Adopted by a vote of 7-0
Study Item 9(a) Discussion of the King County Climate Action Toolkit
Autumn Salamack, Environmental Services Coordinator, introduced
Rachel Brombaugh, Director of Climate and Energy Initiatives with King County, who provided an overview of the new King County Climate Action Toolkit.
This Toolkit is designed to help King County cities design climate plans that are right for their unique characteristics and are reflective of the priorities of their communities.
For example, Shoreline has higher residential emissions, high transportation related emissions, and less commercial emissions when compared to some other cities.
There are three goals of the Toolkit
The contents of the plan include how to create a Climate Change Action Plan and resources for conducting a GHG inventory. From that the Toolkit guides the city into developing goals using recommended climate actions. There are best practices for implementation. There is a way to manage climate metrics. Finally, it discusses communication, outreach and resident engagement. There are appendices to assist in the review of this detailed Toolkit.
The Toolkit was transmitted to the King County Council on Sept 30, 2020. Beginning Feb 24th King County Council hearings will begin. We are continuing our outreach to cities and partners with presentations and briefings, as well as training videos available on our website.
You can view the Toolkit at https://kingcounty.gov/climatetoolkit
There is legislation in Olympia that will put more teeth into the State’s climate action plan.
Reply: Yes, there are several bills. The Healthy Homes & Clean Buildings Act will support the actions of the Toolkit by helping accelerate the efficiency in the residential built environment. Residential has been a difficult sector to meet the efficiencies we need to meet our goals.
Is that the one that will phase out using fossil fuels for water heating and space heating in buildings within a couple of years?
Reply: yes
The Toolkit is well laid out, easy to digest, and has attainable and actionable goals. There are a lot of good ideas in it. There is an impressive list of potential action items.
Does it include a reference to creating more in-city jobs to reduce commutes?
Reply: It would be dealt under land use with dense centers. Something could be added if more information is available because it is a “living document” that we will update as necessary.
Study Item 9(b) Discussion of Ordinance No. 919 – Amending Title 2 of the Shoreline Municipal Code to Create a New Chapter 2.70, Compensation and Salary Commission, to Establish a Salary Commission for Elected Officials
Don Moritz, Human Resources Director, made the presentation
Human Resources Best Practices recommends an organization’s salary structure be reviewed every 3-5 years to make sure it is still aligned with organizational needs and market conditions. It should also be competitive and attract the highest quality talent. Such a salary structure is in use for staff, but not for elected officials.
State provisions permit setting elected officials salaries by action of City Council through ordinance. Council salaries were originally set in 1995, and most recently adjusted in October 2013 by adoption of Ordinance No. 673, which set Councilmember salaries at $1,000 per month, the Deputy Mayor’s salary at $1,100 per month, and the Mayor’s salary at $1,250 per month. With the current structure, Council sets its own salaries.
At the 2020 Strategic Planning Workshop, Council discussed the potential for creating a Salary Commission and asked staff to prepare additional information on the subject.
RCW 35.21.015 allows municipalities to establish a Salary Commission, which is an independent decision-making body charged with setting salaries for elected officials. Use of a Salary Commission removes the elected officials from the decision-making process regarding their compensation.
Cities that do not use Salary Commissions are Seattle, Burien, Sammamish and Redmond.
DISCUSSION
We’ve been talking about this off and on for several years. A citizen committee is a better idea than what we do now because it keeps regularity to salary review, and makes sure salaries go into effect all at the same time instead of the staggered approach that we are using now.
I know we should be looking at other cities, but should that be stated in the Ordinance? It could be a potential devaluing of what the people are worth.
Offering a competitive salary isn’t applicable in this instance. We’re not trying to lure somebody over from, say, Lake Forest Park. Seattle Council members aren’t going to run in Shoreline. It’s a fairness thing. We are paid so we can afford to take time out of our life. Someone with a modest salary needs to be able to afford giving this time to the City Council.
The timing isn’t the best because of the ongoing pandemic. People might be opposed to a pay raise right now when so many people are unemployed. Prefer to wait for a while.
If we pass this Ordinance, does it have to be effective right now?
Reply: We can set an effective date of 2022. Establishing it now will allow time to work on its creation.
Council will have this back on Feb 22 as an Action item. No staff presentation will be required.
Meeting adjourned
The Puget Sound region includes Snohomish and Pierce Counties, as well as King County. You can see our progress in the Update below. We have actually seen an increase in the two-week rate of new COVID case so we still have a ways to go. We are near the hospital admission goal, and have met the final two criteria.
Please continue to protect our community and help us to get to Stage 2 by taking the following preventative measures:
- Wear a face covering, especially indoors in public settings regardless of the distance between people.
- Wash or sanitize your hands regularly.
- Maintain six (6) feet of distance, indoors and outdoors.
- Gather ONLY outdoors with a limit of five (5) people.
- Get tested at the first sign of illness. And then stay home. Do not go to work or to stores if you’re not feeling well.
Additional information shorelinewa.gov/covid
We are in Vaccine Phase 1B which allows people who are 65 or older to get an appointment to receive an injection. If you’re unsure if you qualify, you can find out at FindYourPhaseWA.org
Appointments can be difficult to get, but as the supply of vaccine increases, the appointments will be more readily available.
The only current location for the COVID vaccine in Shoreline is ICHS but it is not necessary to get the vaccine in Shoreline.
Public Reminders
The PRCS/Tree Board will hold a remote meeting on Thursday, Jan 28 at 7:00pm.
Council Reports (all meetings were attended remotely)
The Mayor offered congratulations to Councilmember McConnell on her appointment to the National League of Cities Transportation and Infrastructure Services Committee,
And to Councilmember Roberts on his appointment to the National League of Cities Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee.
Deputy Mayor Scully attended the Water Resource Inventory Area 8 (SRIA 8) Salmon Recovery meeting and the number of returning salmon have been so bad for so long that it is time to see what we can do differently.
Councilmember McConnell attended her first transportation committee meeting three hours ago. There were some positive impacts for the National League of Cities: President Biden prohibited the transportation by rail of liquified natural gas; Pete Buttigieg, a former mayor, is undergoing confirmation to head the U.S. Transportation Department; and Washington State has good representation on this committee with five members.
Public Comment
Jackie Kurle, Shoreline, spoke about adequate protections around the new enhanced shelter for both the shelter residents and the neighbors
Whitney Murray, Shoreline, spoke about the chip-seal planned for 21st NW and 22nd NW near the entrance to Salt Water Park. Murray does not believe this is the best option because it is too rough for riding a bike or scooter, and hurts the skin of children (or adults) who might fall on the surface.
Shaun Leiser, Shoreline, also talked about the chip-seal planned for the 21st NW and 22nd NW.
Jennifer Anderson, a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, spoke regarding the mandatory fire sprinkler amendment scheduled on the Council’s January 25 Consent Calendar.
Christiano Steele, a grocery worker in Shoreline, would appreciate an Ordinance for hazard pay for Shoreline grocery workers (as in Seattle).
Approval of the Agenda
Agenda adopted by unanimous consent.
Approval of the Consent Calendar
Consent Calendar approved unanimously by roll call vote.
Action Item 8(a) Adoption of Ordinance No. 910 - Amending Shoreline Municipal Code Chapter 8.12 to Expressly Prohibit Waterfowl Feeding in City Park Facilities
John Featherstone, Surface Water Utility Manager and Kristie Lovelace, Surface Water Program Specialist, made the presentation.
This Ordinance was presented and discussed at the Jan 11 meeting. There was a very brief review of the impact to water quality and human and animal health due to the volume of fecal waste from feeding waterfowl.
The planned outreach for this Ordinance includes signage in parks, messaging via Currents, and utilizing social media.
They will engage people who feed waterfowl by providing an explanation of the park rule, the reason for it, and provide an educational flyer with additional details. These will be the only strategies used during the first year.
Subsequently they will change their approach to repeat offenders.
DISCUSSION
Motion and second to adopt Ordinance No. 910
There is still concern with equitable enforcement and unintended fear created in residents who are not accustomed to safe encounters with uniformed law enforcement (even in a Parks Uniform).
This was fully discussed at the Jan 11 meeting and there were no additional concerns.
VOTE
Adopted by a vote of 6-1
Deputy Mayor Scully opposed.
Action Item 8(b) Adopting Ordinance No. 918 - Authorizing the Placement of a Ballot Measure on the 2021 April Special Election Ballot to Authorize a Property Tax Bond Measure for Park Improvements and Park Land Acquisition
Staff Report by John Norris, Assistant City Manager
This was last discussed at the Jan 11 Council meeting so a very brief review of the background of the Bond Measure was presented.
DISCUSSION
Motion and second to adopt Ordinance No. 918
General enthusiastic support for this ordinance. It will bring equity to parts of the City that have underserved parks.
It is a good compromise (much smaller than last time that included the pool and rec center).
There is still concern that enough voters will turnout in order to get validation. It’s very close.
People are concerned about economic impact of new taxes but it is replacing the current parks bond. There is an increase in rate (from $2 to $4/month) but that won’t take effect until 2022.
This is only one of the many ways we fund park improvements. We have been successful in getting grants. We charge an impact fee on all new developments to help pay for parks, and we put in other money from our excise taxes and other revenues so the City is putting a lot into our parks.
VOTE
Adopted by a vote of 7-0
Study Item 9(a) Discussion of the King County Climate Action Toolkit
Autumn Salamack, Environmental Services Coordinator, introduced
Rachel Brombaugh, Director of Climate and Energy Initiatives with King County, who provided an overview of the new King County Climate Action Toolkit.
This Toolkit is designed to help King County cities design climate plans that are right for their unique characteristics and are reflective of the priorities of their communities.
For example, Shoreline has higher residential emissions, high transportation related emissions, and less commercial emissions when compared to some other cities.
There are three goals of the Toolkit
- Measure: Identify resources so cities can conduct emissions inventories.
- Manage: Provide actions and strategies to meet GHG (greenhouse gas) emission reduction goals. There are actions that fit different population size, density, and financial and staff capacity to enact. It important to understand other co-benefits
- Support: community engagement, implementation, and reporting.
The contents of the plan include how to create a Climate Change Action Plan and resources for conducting a GHG inventory. From that the Toolkit guides the city into developing goals using recommended climate actions. There are best practices for implementation. There is a way to manage climate metrics. Finally, it discusses communication, outreach and resident engagement. There are appendices to assist in the review of this detailed Toolkit.
The Toolkit was transmitted to the King County Council on Sept 30, 2020. Beginning Feb 24th King County Council hearings will begin. We are continuing our outreach to cities and partners with presentations and briefings, as well as training videos available on our website.
You can view the Toolkit at https://kingcounty.gov/climatetoolkit
Shoreline is currently working to update its greenhouse gas inventory that was last done in 2013. The City plans to use the Toolkit when updating the Climate Action Plan for 2021-2022.
DISCUSSION
DISCUSSION
There is legislation in Olympia that will put more teeth into the State’s climate action plan.
Reply: Yes, there are several bills. The Healthy Homes & Clean Buildings Act will support the actions of the Toolkit by helping accelerate the efficiency in the residential built environment. Residential has been a difficult sector to meet the efficiencies we need to meet our goals.
Is that the one that will phase out using fossil fuels for water heating and space heating in buildings within a couple of years?
Reply: yes
The Toolkit is well laid out, easy to digest, and has attainable and actionable goals. There are a lot of good ideas in it. There is an impressive list of potential action items.
Does it include a reference to creating more in-city jobs to reduce commutes?
Reply: It would be dealt under land use with dense centers. Something could be added if more information is available because it is a “living document” that we will update as necessary.
Study Item 9(b) Discussion of Ordinance No. 919 – Amending Title 2 of the Shoreline Municipal Code to Create a New Chapter 2.70, Compensation and Salary Commission, to Establish a Salary Commission for Elected Officials
Don Moritz, Human Resources Director, made the presentation
Human Resources Best Practices recommends an organization’s salary structure be reviewed every 3-5 years to make sure it is still aligned with organizational needs and market conditions. It should also be competitive and attract the highest quality talent. Such a salary structure is in use for staff, but not for elected officials.
State provisions permit setting elected officials salaries by action of City Council through ordinance. Council salaries were originally set in 1995, and most recently adjusted in October 2013 by adoption of Ordinance No. 673, which set Councilmember salaries at $1,000 per month, the Deputy Mayor’s salary at $1,100 per month, and the Mayor’s salary at $1,250 per month. With the current structure, Council sets its own salaries.
At the 2020 Strategic Planning Workshop, Council discussed the potential for creating a Salary Commission and asked staff to prepare additional information on the subject.
RCW 35.21.015 allows municipalities to establish a Salary Commission, which is an independent decision-making body charged with setting salaries for elected officials. Use of a Salary Commission removes the elected officials from the decision-making process regarding their compensation.
Cities that do not use Salary Commissions are Seattle, Burien, Sammamish and Redmond.
DISCUSSION
We’ve been talking about this off and on for several years. A citizen committee is a better idea than what we do now because it keeps regularity to salary review, and makes sure salaries go into effect all at the same time instead of the staggered approach that we are using now.
I know we should be looking at other cities, but should that be stated in the Ordinance? It could be a potential devaluing of what the people are worth.
Offering a competitive salary isn’t applicable in this instance. We’re not trying to lure somebody over from, say, Lake Forest Park. Seattle Council members aren’t going to run in Shoreline. It’s a fairness thing. We are paid so we can afford to take time out of our life. Someone with a modest salary needs to be able to afford giving this time to the City Council.
The timing isn’t the best because of the ongoing pandemic. People might be opposed to a pay raise right now when so many people are unemployed. Prefer to wait for a while.
If we pass this Ordinance, does it have to be effective right now?
Reply: We can set an effective date of 2022. Establishing it now will allow time to work on its creation.
Council will have this back on Feb 22 as an Action item. No staff presentation will be required.
Meeting adjourned
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