Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting Summary - October 6, 2025

The Shoreline City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, October 6, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chamber at City Hall. All seven council members were present. The meeting included a City Manager's report featuring an APWA accreditation award presentation, council reports on regional committees and events, public comments, approval of the consent calendar, a public hearing and discussion on the 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and reprogramming of prior years' funds, and a study item on providing one-time funding for Volunteers of America's Lynnwood Neighborhood Center. The meeting adjourned at 8:18 PM.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
• Consent Calendar items (Adoption of Ordinance No. 1044 amending salary ranges, Resolution No. 551 adopting a Sister City Policy, and Resolution No. 522 adopting the Park Facilities ADA Transition Plan) were approved 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Laethan Wene (Shoreline resident) asked the Council to appoint a person with a disability to the Planning Commission and Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services/Tree Board.
• Ruth Kagi (former State Representative for the 32nd District) expressed support for the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center, noting a historical lack of service providers in North King and South Snohomish counties and highlighting the array of services the center will provide, including refugee services and early childhood education.
• Steve Woodard (Mountlake Terrace Councilmember) thanked the Council for discussing the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center and urged serious consideration of investment, emphasizing regional collaboration and the center's benefits for behavioral health, transportation access, and adaptable design.

Discussion Items

• 2026 CDBG Program and Reprogramming of Prior Years' Funds: Community Services Manager Bethany Wolbrecht-Dunn presented staff recommendations. An estimated $320,000 in 2026 federal CDBG funds and $50,909 in unprogrammed 2025 funds are available. Proposed allocations include $80,000 for Major Home Repair, $16,000 for Housing Stability, $38,400 for King County planning/administration, $130,000 for Minor Home Repair (Sound Generations), $23,600 for Affordable Housing Acquisition (Vital Housing), and local city administration. Staff also requested reprogramming $40,000 of the 2025 contingency for Minor Home Repair (which served 49 Shoreline households by July 2025 versus 43 in all of 2024) and adding $10,909 to the Affordable Housing Acquisition project (targeting 110 units at 60% Area Median Income). Councilmembers debated shifting funds toward emergency assistance (rent, mortgage, utilities). Councilmember Ramsdell advocated for more money for eviction prevention, noting utility payments as a leading cause. Councilmember Scully proposed moving the $50,909 carryover from home repair to housing stability, possibly through Hopelink, to maximize impact for Shoreline residents. Councilmember Robertson asked about increasing city funds for utility assistance. City Manager Bristol Ellington noted there is one-time surplus available for additional projects. Mayor Roberts agreed that keeping people in their homes is a priority. Staff will return on October 27 with options for the funding plan.
• One-Time Funding for Volunteers of America's Lynnwood Neighborhood Center: Deputy Mayor Mork and Councilmember Scully sponsored the discussion. The center, located at 196th Street and Highway 99 in Lynnwood, is a 40,000-square-foot facility scheduled to open in early 2026 and projected to serve 24,000 people annually. Total project cost is $26,661,421, with $903,330 still needed. Contributing cities include Lynnwood ($1M), Mountlake Terrace ($250,000), and Edmonds ($100,000). Councilmember Scully proposed a range of $50,000-$100,000, citing specialized providers like Korean Community Service Center and Latino Educational Training Institute that are not duplicated in Shoreline. Councilmember Ademasu supported the project but asked about securing a medical provider. Deputy Mayor Mork emphasized regional thinking, noting some services will benefit Shoreline residents. Councilmember Robertson and Mayor Roberts wanted to weigh the request against other mid-budget priorities, such as the ADA Transition Plan and human services. Councilmember Scully formally proposed a $100,000 budget amendment for consideration during the mid-budget process. Council consensus was to include the request as an amendment for further deliberation.

Key Outcomes

• CDBG Program: Staff will present at least two funding options (including shifting the $50,909 carryover to Hopelink for housing stability) at the October 27 council meeting for final action.
• Lynnwood Neighborhood Center: Councilmember Scully's motion for a $100,000 budget amendment will be considered during the mid-budget process, allowing comparison with other funding requests. A resolution expressing support for the project was suggested as a possible unanimous action.
• Next Steps: The October 27 meeting will include action on the CDBG plan and continued discussion of the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center funding.