Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting - May 11, 2026
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Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting - May 11, 2026
The Shoreline City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall. The meeting included a proclamation of Jewish American Heritage Month, reports from the City Manager and Councilmembers, public comment, unanimous approval of the consent calendar, and a detailed discussion of Resolution No. 562 to place a ballot measure for a Metropolitan Park District (MPD) to fund a new indoor pool facility. No action was taken on the resolution; it is scheduled to return for a vote on June 1, 2026.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the regular meeting minutes of March 23, 2026 (note: the attached draft minutes are dated March 30, 2026, a discrepancy), and the workshop dinner meeting minutes of March 23, 2026.
- Approved expenses and payroll as of April 24, 2026, totaling $2,117,895.35.
- Authorized the City Manager to execute Amendment 4 to Contract 10091 with Northwest Hydraulics Consultants, Inc., in the amount of $133,509 for the Lower Storm Creek Erosion Management Project.
- The motion to approve the consent calendar was made by Deputy Mayor Pobee, seconded by Councilmember Ademasu, and passed 7-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Steve Yoder (Kenmore) spoke about noise pollution from illegally modified exhaust systems, requesting enforcement and budget allocation for noise detection devices. He noted the cost of retrofitting his condo windows at approximately $21,800.
- Selena Glemaher (Everett), representing Oxford House Incorporated, described the peer-supported recovery housing model and invited Council to the premiere of a documentary on June 20 at the Rialto Theater in Tacoma.
- Dan Adams (Shoreline) expressed concern that the draft pool plan lacks a hot tub, arguing it is a key amenity for working-age adults and could affect voter support. He criticized the focus on changing rooms and urged inclusion of a hot tub to avoid repeating the 2019 bond measure failure.
- Joseph Smith (Shoreline) raised safety concerns about traffic speed, lack of sidewalks, speed bumps, and signage in the Parkwood neighborhood, especially after a pet was killed. He requested traffic calming measures.
- Laethen Wene (Shoreline) called for more specialized recreation programs in the city, disagreeing with the Recreation Director’s assessment that current offerings are sufficient.
Discussion Items
- Study Item 8A: Resolution No. 562 – Pool Ballot Measure
- Hillary De La Cruz, Senior Management Analyst, presented the staff recommendation to place a Metropolitan Park District (MPD) measure on the November 2026 general election ballot to fund construction, operation, and maintenance of a 48,000 sq. ft. indoor pool facility at 17828 Midvale Avenue N. The facility would include a leisure pool with lazy river, an eight-lane lap pool with starting platforms and two one-meter diving boards, and a hydrotherapy pool (warm water, 90-94°F) instead of a hot tub.
- The proposed ballot language includes a maximum levy rate of $0.75 per $1,000 assessed value, with an anticipated initial rate of $0.55 per $1,000 to generate approximately $8.8 million annually. Construction is estimated at $95 million, financed through 20-year bonds with $7.25 million annual debt service. An operating subsidy of $1.55 million (from MPD revenue, not the General Fund) would keep user fees affordable. For a median-valued home ($831,000), the annual tax impact is estimated at $421 ($35/month). Election costs are estimated at $150,000.
- Councilmember Roberts asked about the hot tub vs. hydrotherapy pool decision. Mary Reidy, Recreation Director, explained that hydrotherapy pools are more heavily used for therapy and classes, and hot tubs have higher maintenance costs. The facility is at 10% design.
- Councilmember Snider raised concerns about the regressivity of the tax, noting that multifamily tax exemption (MFTE) units exempt some properties, placing a heavier burden on single-family homeowners. She requested clarification on MFTE calculations. Councilmember Scully countered that the tax is uniform across all properties and that everyone can use the pool regardless of residence; he cautioned against complicating the funding structure. He expressed support for the staff recommendation, noting the importance of keeping the project under $100 million.
- Deputy Mayor Pobee requested alternatives to the planned part-time labor hours given competitive hiring, and asked about schedule risks and communication plans for future recreational facilities. He also confirmed that the $1.55 million operating subsidy comes from MPD revenue, not the General Fund.
- Councilmember Ademasu strongly supported the measure, citing the value of swim lessons in preventing drownings (drowning deaths in King County doubled from 15/year before 2018 to 30/year from 2018-2024) and the importance of water safety for all ages.
- Councilmember Mork thanked staff and noted the hunger for a pool in the community.
- Mayor Robertson expressed support and noted she would be traveling but planned to attend the June 1 meeting remotely.
Key Outcomes
- The consent calendar was approved unanimously (7-0).
- No action was taken on Resolution No. 562; the council provided feedback and staff will return with a revised resolution for a vote on June 1, 2026.
- The council expressed general support for placing the MPD pool measure on the November 2026 ballot, with a majority of members indicating they would vote in favor.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I now call to order the Shoreline City Council regular meeting for Monday, May 11th, 2026. Will you please join council for the flag salute? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Would the clerk please call the roll? Mayor Robertson here. Deputy Mayor Poby. Here. Councilmember Snyder. Here. Councilmember Scully. Present. Councilmember Mark. Present. Councilmember Adamasu. Present. Council Member Roberts. Here. May is Jewish American Heritage Month, and I would like to invite three guests up to the podium to accept a proclamation this evening. Rabbi Sadia Davidoff of the Chabad Jewish Center of Shoreline, Jacksis Pinkus, Assistant Director of the American Jewish Committee, and Nivette Basker, co-chair of Washingtonians for a Brighter Future. And if you could please join me up at the podium while I read the proclamation. I don't know what my career makes me imagine. Okay. Nivette is on her way. All right. Whereas Jewish American Heritage Month is a national month of recognition and celebration held each May by Presidential Proclamation, a tradition that began in May 2006. And whereas Jews have endured anti-Semitism for thousands of years, reaching a new height with the Holocaust from 1833 to nineteen thirty-three to nineteen forty-five, which resulted in the institutional exclusion of Europe's 9.5 million Jews from economic, political, and cultural life, the murder of six million Jews, and the displacement of millions of others, many of whom immigrated to the United States. And whereas there had been a sharp increase in anti-Semitic incidents across the United States, with 9,354 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2024, an increase of 344% over the past five years. And whereas we celebrate the resilience of Jewish people and recognize their profound impact on American history and culture, and whereas sharing the true diverse, joyful and powerful stories of American Jewish life across nearly four centuries counters myths and misinformation about Jews and offers an antidote to anti-Semitism. And whereas the City of Shoreline encourages the community to learn about the valuable impacts and current work of Jewish communities that Jewish communities are engaged in, and about anti-Semitism through reading a book, watching a film, visiting a museum, such as the Holocaust Center for Humanity in Seattle, or attending a local cultural event. Now, therefore I, Betsy Robertson, mayor of City of Shoreline, on behalf of the Shoreline City Council, do hereby proclaim May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month in the City of Shoreline and encourage all to celebrate and learn more, not only in May, but throughout the year, yeah, yeah. Okay. Um is she almost here? Okay. Where's it? John. Thank you. I got pictures. Here guys, let's come over here. Come on over here. Right here on the car. Thank you. Yes, please let me take it over. Thank you. Mayor Robertson, distinguished council members, some of whom I know here tonight, um, and distinguished guests. Um, thank you so so much for proclaiming uh Jewish American Heritage Month here at Shoreline. I want to also uh recognize the uh the AJC organization who is here tonight, uh, who have helped spearhead this proclamation be done over here in the city of Shoreline. Thank you very much. Mayor Robertson mentioned here tonight that for a considerable amount of time since 1933, there has been some hatred towards our people.
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