Notes from Shoreline council meeting June 28, 2021

Pam Cross, reporter

Shoreline City Council Meeting

June 28, 2021

Notes by Pam Cross

Mayor Hall called the remote meeting to order at 7:00pm.
All Councilmembers were present.

Proclamation

I, Will Hall, Mayor of the City of Shoreline, on behalf of the Shoreline City Council, do hereby proclaim the month of July 2021 as PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES MONTH.

Approval of the Agenda
Agenda adopted by unanimous consent.

Report of the City Manager, presented by John Norris, Assistant City Manager

The extreme heat was discussed and the availability of Ronald United Methodist Church as a cooling center for all residents during this event.

With the record high temperatures, the fire danger is even higher than it normally would be.

If you see fireworks activity, report it to 911 or call the Shoreline police non-emergency number at 206-296-3311. And obviously if there’s a fire or other emergency, call 911.

With the King County mask directive ending and Washington State reopening, we urge you to continue to use caution and respect local business decisions regarding mask requirements. Businesses can set their own requirements for masks inside of their businesses.

If you have not yet been vaccinated, we urge you to begin the process. The vaccination is free and no appointment is necessary. Free rides are available as is free childcare.

City Hall is reopening to the public Tuesday, July 6. The building hours are 8am - 5pm. This is Phase 1 of reopening so masks are required for all visitors to City Hall (whether you are vaccinated and or unvaccinated). Social distancing is also required. There will be a lobby monitor to make sure all visitors are masked and to assist customers in finding where they need to go in the building.

Some staff members are still working from home so please be patient if you have to wait longer than you are used to.

Conference rooms are not available for outside groups at this time. The art gallery is also closed to the public at this time.

Remote services are still available and we encourage you to continue to use them shorelinewa.gov/RemoteServices

We are in the process of updating the City’s Transportation Master Plan and we want to hear from you. Help guide the City’s transportation improvements for the next 20 years by taking a short survey. For more information, to see a video of the June 22, 2021 open house, and to take the survey, go to shorelinewa.gov/tmp


PUBLIC REMINDERS

• The Planning Commission meeting scheduled for July 1 has been cancelled.
• In honor of the July 4 holiday, City Hall will be closed for business on Monday July 5.
• There will be no Council Meetings July 5 and July 12. The next Council meeting will be held July 19.

Council Reports

Councilmember McGlashan testified before the Sound Transit Board Meeting in support of completing the 522/523 STRIDE project. (The project includes additional parking at Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and Bothell).

After several cities spoke in favor of the project, the Chair proposed realignment to work with their funding shortfall. What it sounds like they’re proposing is that Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will continue, but garages will be put off for two years. I suggest Council talk with the City Manager about neighborhood parking zones to prevent a huge impact to local neighborhoods when light rail opens.

Councilmember Roberts attended the Association of Washington Cities Annual Conference. During the business meeting, Kent Keel (Councilmember, University Place) was elected President and Candace Mumm (Councilmember, Spokane) Vice President.

Mayor Hall commented that the reopening of the State from the COVID-19 restrictions is driven more by economics and capacity in hospitals than by public or individual health. 

There are still a lot of people who have chosen not to get vaccinated, and youth who are not eligible. Latest reports show that the decline in the spread of the pandemic has leveled off as the vaccination rates have slowed. All the projections now show that we will never be rid of COVID-19. It will continue to circulate around the population. Data out of Great Britain shows that of the people who the contract the Delta variant, 1 out of 20 will become very sick or be hospitalized. This even though the vaccines are 90% effective against the Delta variant. So masking and social distancing is important when you are around people who are outside of your bubble. It’s important to take responsibility for protecting your own individual health.


Public Comment

Rebecca Jones, previous Shoreline resident, now just on the border with Seattle
This heat wave is not an anomaly but has been predicted by climate scientists since the 1970’s. (she quotes from several articles to support this statement). Trees help keep the earth and people cooler. We need to prioritize keeping large established trees in our area.

Jackie Kurle, Shoreline
I want to continue to ensure appropriate oversight of the Enhanced Shelter given that there are some changes with the managing operating partners that oversee the shelter.

Approval of the Consent Calendar
Consent Calendar approved unanimously by a vote of 7-0.

8(a) Action on Ordinance No. 932 - Authorizing the Placement of a Ballot Measure on the 2021 November General Election Ballot to Authorize a Property Tax Bond Measure for Park Improvements and Park Land Acquisition

Christina Arcidy, CMO Management Analyst, provided a brief background

On June 14, 2021, the Council discussed the placement of this $38.5M ballot measure on the 2021 November General Election Ballot. Council did not propose any amendments.

If Council directs staff to continue to move forward with a ballot measure to fund the park improvements, the next steps in the process would be as follows:

1. Schedule Council appointment of Pro and Con committees for the Voters’ Pamphlet on July 19, 2021.
2. Execute the Communication Plan regarding the ballot measure, including a City mailer to all residents about the ballot measure.

NOTE: The Ordinance provides that Senior Citizens, Disabled Persons, and Disabled Veterans meeting age, income, and/or disability requirements identified in RCW 84.36.381 would be eligible, and can apply with King County, for an exemption or deferral from this tax.

DISCUSSION

I just noticed on page 2 of the Ordinance, the quote cost of projects which are estimated to be “more than” $38.5M unquote. Is that correct? Or should it be “not to exceed”?
Reply: it should be “not to exceed”
Reply Norris: (trying to quickly work out the wording)

Giving staff a minute to look at the wording.

I note that it does say that those costs are paid for from the proceeds of the bond “and other available funds of the City” so if a project ends up costing more than it was bonded for, we would still complete that project using other funds of the City. We are obligated by the bond to complete the projects. So I think the ordinance is correct as written.

Reply: Margaret King, City Attorney agrees.

I disagree. The wording suggests the bond itself will be allowed to exceed $38.5M.

The City Attorney and Bond Counsel seem to think it’s correct.

We could pass the Ordinance tonight and we could amend it before it’s required to go to the King County Elections. We have time.

Unfortunately with this type of Ordinance, it does not allow the City Clerk to correct scrivener’s errors.

Note: a scrivener is a professional or public copyist or writer. Generally speaking, a scrivener's error is an unintentional mistake in the drafting of a contract.

We could include in the motion the authority for staff to correct any scrivener's errors.

Reply Norris: I recommend council make that amendment because the current wording can be read different ways. We can have the City Attorney assist us. We can also take it back to Bond Counsel. Including allowing the City Clerk to correct scrivener's errors, will allow it to be corrected if in fact this is an error.

Motion and second to amend the main motion to include the authority for staff to correct any scrivener’s or clerical errors.

VOTE
PASSES 7-0

VOTE on main motion to add ballot measure to November 2021 general election, including authority for staff to correct scrivener’s errors.

PASSES 7-0

8(b) Action on Ordinance No. 933 - Authorizing the Use of Eminent Domain for Acquisition of Certain Real Properties to Construct the NW Innis Arden Way Culvert Replacement Project

Presentation by Tricia Juhnke

The City Council discussed this ordinance June 14, 2021 and directed staff to return with this proposed ordinance for potential action at tonight’s Council meeting.

DISCUSSION
No additional discussion

VOTE
Passes unanimously by a vote of 7-0

Council met for an Executive Session for a period of 20 minutes as authorized by RCW 42.30.110(1)(b) to consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real estate by lease or purchase.

No decision is expected.

The meeting was adjourned following the Executive Session.