Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting – November 25, 2024

Mayor Chris Roberts presided over the Shoreline City Council regular meeting held Monday, November 25, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Shoreline City Hall. The council unanimously approved the agenda and consent calendar, received city manager and council reports, and held study-session discussions on two proposed ordinances to expand low-income utility assistance and a resolution updating the city employee handbook. No members of the public signed up to speak. The meeting adjourned at 7:24 p.m.

Report of the City Manager

• City Manager Bristol Ellington provided winter storm cleanup reminders, urging residents to clear leaves and debris from storm drains and to report flooding or backed-up drains to 206-801-2700 or shorelinewa.gov/stormready.
• City facilities will be closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day.
• Upcoming meetings: next City Council meeting Monday, December 2; Planning Commission public hearing Thursday, December 5.

Council Reports

• Deputy Mayor Laura Mork attended the Cascadia Workforce Housing Conference in Portland, noting Shoreline was recognized for its affordable housing cost-control efforts.
• Councilmember Annette Ademasu attended the Shoreline Holiday Craft Market and the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council meeting, where a draft interlocal agreement will be reviewed by the city attorney before the January meeting.
• Councilmember Betsy Robertson attended the King County Regional Transit Committee meeting and asked about cleaning frequency of transit center restrooms; she also attended the first winter lights stakeholder group meeting.

Consent Calendar

The consent calendar was approved unanimously (7-0) on a motion by Deputy Mayor Laura Mork, seconded by Councilmember Eben Pobee. It included:

• Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of November 4, 2024.
• Approval of expenses and payroll as of November 15, 2024, in the amount of $8,890,857.38.
• Authorization for the City Manager to execute an agreement with Stewart, MacNichols, Harmell, Inc., PS for public defense services through December 31, 2024, in an amount not to exceed $1,785,340.
• Authorization for the City Manager to execute a memorandum of agreement with King County for indigency screening services for 2025.

Discussion Items

Ordinance Nos. 1024 and 1025 – Utility Tax Relief and Low-Income Utility Discount

• Administrative Services Director Sara Lane and Finance Operations and Accounting Manager Shauna Murphy presented the proposed amendments.
• The amendments would reinstate authority for the utility tax relief program, expand the low-income wastewater rebate to all low-income individuals and households, include renters as well as homeowners, and align the city’s income threshold with Seattle City Light.
• Councilmember Annette Ademasu expressed support for the expansion and asked how the program would be budgeted if revenue impact reached the $1 million threshold before year-end; staff said they would return to council to discuss impacts, noting adoption by eligible residents is expected to be gradual.
• Councilmembers also asked about the communication plan. Staff said notifications would go out with December billing and could continue into January, with broader community outreach about the expansion to renters.
• Staff clarified that an applicant must have been a resident during the quarter for which they are applying for a rebate.
• Action on both ordinances is scheduled for the December 9, 2024, council meeting.

Resolution No. 535 – Employee Handbook Update

• Human Resources and Organizational Development Director Livy Yueh presented the handbook update, her first council meeting.
• The proposed changes aim to reduce liability, increase transparency, clarify procedures, and memorialize existing practices, including no retaliation, time reporting/overtime, involuntary separations, and housekeeping edits.
• Financial impacts include raising standby/12-hour shift/alternate night shift premium pay from $3 to $4 per hour for non-represented employees, authorizing the city manager to approve higher step placement for transferring employees, limiting the 240-hour vacation cash-out cap to PERS 1 members only, and increasing sick leave accruals from 8 to 10 hours per month for 27 non-represented employees (totaling 81 days or 648 hours per year).
• Councilmember Keith Scully questioned whether allowing non-retirees to cash out more than 240 hours would encourage employees to stockpile vacation; Yueh explained the change equalizes treatment while retaining the 240-hour cap only where the city would otherwise pay a PERS 1 penalty, and the accrual cap remains at two years. Scully said he had no problem with the change after the explanation.
• The resolution is expected to return for formal action, with council indicating it would come back on the consent calendar.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda approved by unanimous consent.
• Consent calendar approved 7-0.
• Both study items were discussions only; no formal votes were taken.
• Ordinance Nos. 1024 and 1025 are scheduled for action on December 9, 2024.
• Resolution No. 535 was indicated to return on a future consent calendar for action.
• Meeting adjourned at 7:24 p.m.