Showing posts with label on the mayor's mind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on the mayor's mind. Show all posts

On the Mayor's Mind: Now is a critical time for Covid-19

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Shoreline Mayor Will Hall

By Will Hall, Mayor, City of Shoreline

Friends and neighbors,

We are in the eighth month of the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to say we are rounding the corner. 

Unfortunately, that is not the case. In fact, King County is currently seeing its highest case counts of the pandemic. And the numbers are still going up.

I know we are all tired of this. 

But now is not the time to relax. We must remain vigilant. Now more than ever, we must follow the guidelines set out by experts to stop the spread of this disease.

We have to do that so we can get back to a more normal life. 

We want to spend time with family and friends, send our kids to school, eat at our favorite restaurants, see a good show, go to a concert, enjoy our holiday traditions, and get a haircut without wearing a mask and getting a medical exam. To do those things safely, we need to get COVID under control.


Early in the pandemic we heard about flattening the curve. We wanted to slow the disease to avoid overwhelming our healthcare system, and we were successful. As case counts rise again, we are seeing the number of hospitalizations go up. We need to work hard again to flatten the curve.

Fall is here. Days are shorter. Nights are longer and cooler. Many of us are starting to spend more time inside. Closed windows decrease airflow, which can increase risk if you are indoors with other people. The risk goes up if people don't wear masks or get too close together.

The good news is there are proven ways to reduce the risk and stay healthy.
  • Avoid gathering in groups.
  • If you must gather, keep it brief, keep it small, and keep it outdoors if you can.
  • Wear a mask around other people, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Keep physically distanced.
It is important to wear a mask AND stay at least six feet away from others.  Do both. It's not safe to do only one or the other.

We can get through this. We proved that last spring. I am so impressed by what I have seen from our Shoreline community. I see most people wearing masks and keeping their distance, even while continuing to help each other. Neighbors helping neighbors is what makes this such a strong community.

There are lots of things you can still do as long as you do them safely. 

You can continue to get take-out from your favorite restaurants. You can still get curbside service from your favorite stores. You can go to medical appointments, and donate blood to help others. If we are all vigilant, limiting our interactions and wearing masks, we can keep our local businesses going and get through this pandemic faster.

Thank you for being part of this great community, and for helping to keep it safe.



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On the Mayor's Mind: The Forest and the Trees

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Shoreline Mayor Will Hall

By Will Hall, Mayor, City of Shoreline 

We love our trees in Shoreline. Trees provide all kinds of benefits for climate, air quality, water quality, and birds, and they make Shoreline a beautiful city. That’s why we have a goal to maintain and increase our tree canopy. 

When trees are cut down to build sidewalks or housing for our children, it can be sad. Even though we require replacement trees, they take many years to grow. So every tree in Shoreline has special value to us.

We also benefit from forests in the region around us. We should protect these forests as well as the local trees. That is why Shoreline will be voting against a regional policy change that could remove two million more trees in Snohomish County.

The Puget Sound Regional Council is the collection of all local governments in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap County. 

On Thursday, it will vote to approve a set of policies and a regional growth strategy called “Vision 2050.” Vision 2050 plans for most of the region’s growth to go into cities. Compact growth in cities consumes less land and less energy, creates less traffic, and requires less infrastructure than sprawling development in rural areas.

Snohomish County is proposing an amendment to Vision 2050 that would shift some of its planned growth out of cities and into rural areas. It doesn’t sound like a lot, just 5,500 people. But when you look at the impacts, it is staggering.

Every new home in rural Snohomish County paves about half an acre and clears 1,000 trees. Do the math. Snohomish County is asking to pave 1,000 extra acres, generating polluted stormwater and further endangering our salmon and orcas.

They are asking to cut down two million extra trees, making things worse for climate, birds, and wildlife. If one-third of the new residents commute to job centers in Everett or Seattle, it will result in ten million extra miles being driven every year, congesting our roads and polluting our air.

Not everybody likes the higher density apartments and townhouses we are seeing in Shoreline and surrounding cities, but they have advantages over rural sprawl. They are more affordable. By being closer together, they require less infrastructure like roads and utilities, which saves taxpayers money. 

They are close to transit, which lets some people take the bus, which reduces congestion for those of us who drive. They are much more energy efficient than detached houses that lose heat through the roof, floor, and four walls, helping us limit greenhouse gas emissions. And they take up a lot less space. 

Some new apartment buildings in Shoreline have created more than 100 new homes where a parking lot was, removing only a few trees and adding very little pavement.

As I said at the beginning, every tree has value. Protecting them continues to be an important goal in Shoreline. We also need to protect the forests in our region from irresponsible and unnecessary clearing.



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Keeping Shoreline Safe with a new Community Court and Resource Center

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Mayor Will Hall
City of Shoreline

By Will Hall, Mayor, City of Shoreline

Feeling safe is one of the most important things there is. Safety is a top priority for the Shoreline City Council. 

One of our goals is to promote and enhance the City’s safe community and neighborhood programs and initiatives.

Sometimes the criminal justice system can seem like a revolving door. A handful of people getting arrested, going to court, going to jail, getting out, and getting arrested again. 

Once the cycle begins, it can be hard to break. For non-violent offenders with mental health issues, substance abuse issues, and extreme poverty, the system doesn’t work because it doesn’t address the root causes of the criminal behavior. 

If we can intervene and provide the right assistance at the right time, we can break the cycle and make our community safer.

That’s what we’re planning to do by opening a new Community Court and Resource Center at Shoreline City Hall every Tuesday from 1:30 to 3:30pm, starting January 7.

Our new Community Court will be a problem-solving court. It differs from traditional court by identifying and addressing the underlying challenges that may contribute to criminal activity.

Other cities have already found success with this approach. Here is a review from an anonymous participant in Redmond’s Community Court:

“My experience here has saved my life. Not only am I off the drugs and staying clean by taking the healthy steps to live life clean, I also have been able to get myself back in a healthy structured living situation. Community court is the most awesome program. I am so blessed to have the honor to be a part of this program.”

Those are powerful words. The participant got things turned around, which also made the community safer and saved the city the cost of prosecuting and jailing a repeat offender.

Community Courts provide services and accountability for those who are eligible and choose to participate. An assessment identifies a participant’s challenges and strengths. That helps the Community Court determine what follow-up steps a participant needs to take, often including community service.

The new Community Court in Shoreline will be part of King County District Court. The District Court has already opened Community Courts in Redmond and Burien.

When I was at a city conference last year, I learned that Spokane opened a Community Court in 2013. In its first four years, the Spokane Community Court helped more than 1,130 individuals on cases arising out of low-level criminal violations. By stopping the criminal behavior of most of those participants, the city saved a lot of money on prosecution, defense, and jail, all while making the community safer.

An integral part of Community Court is the Community Resource Center. 

The Resource Center consists of community partners who provide a wide range of services to help court participants. Some of the types of community partners that we are recruiting to participate in Shoreline Community Court include providers such as Hopelink, DSHS, IKRON Greater Seattle, and Goodwill. The other great thing about the Community Resource Center is that it will be available to all members of the public, not just Community Court participants.

To keep everyone safe, State law mandates weapons screening in all courthouses. A Shoreline Police officer will be on duty during Community Court hours to do weapons screening. This will require using a wand to scan individuals and checking bags before entering the courtroom.

The success of Community Court and the Resource Center depends a lot on the hard work of volunteers. Volunteers help set up and take down the Resource Center; greet people; help connect people with service providers; and answer questions. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Ericka Cooley at Ericka.cooley@kingcounty.gov or 206-409-0212.

Learn more about Community Court here.



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Shoreline Mayor Will Hall: Local program helps police respond to people in crisis

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Will Hall, Mayor
City of Shoreline
By Shoreline Mayor Will Hall

One of the pleasures of serving Shoreline is seeing important and innovative ideas take root in our community. While Federal and State programs often come with huge price tags, sometimes we can develop new, lower cost approaches in the laboratory of local government.

Many Shoreline residents have seen or experienced behavioral health challenges. I regularly hear from individuals and families whose lives are impacted when a mental health or substance abuse crisis affects someone they know.

Far too often, a person in crisis can end up in jail or an emergency room when what they really need are support services. That’s why I have been so heartened to see the success of a Shoreline experiment that brings together mental health professionals with our police officers.

In 2016, the City of Shoreline was selected to develop a pilot program called RADAR: Response, Awareness, De-escalation And Referral. RADAR uses a team approach to help individuals who may be struggling with behavioral health issues and who may be the subject of multiple 911 calls. By sharing information and adding mental health professionals to the team, law enforcement in Shoreline and our partner jurisdictions can more effectively address those situations as they arise. It can significantly reduce misunderstandings that could lead to arrest or the use of force.

RADAR gives police officers advance information on high-risk individuals suffering from mental illness. That helps police de-escalate the issue and avoid conflict. Police work with mental health professionals to follow up and do outreach. In schools, the team can connect students and families to services, and integrate kids back into school in cases where they’ve been affected by a person in crisis.

In a few short years, RADAR has developed a proven track record of partnership between law enforcement and mental health services. Our success led to significant King County funding to expand the program, thanks to King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski. RADAR has grown into a program that serves Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Bothell and Kirkland.

RADAR has been shown to reduce repeat calls for service, making our police officers more available to respond to other public safety needs. And better collaboration with other cities has improved our working relationships with neighboring jurisdictions.

Last month, I was honored to welcome some of the people who created RADAR and made it successful at a symposium. They were sharing lessons learned with other police and mental health professionals so that this new approach can be used in other communities. It was an honor to see how people working together locally are making a difference in creating a safer, healthier community for all.



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On the Mayor's Mind - reflections on the past year

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Chris Roberts
Mayor of Shoreline
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

“It’s a magical world, … let’s go exploring.” - Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbes, December 31, 1995)

After a fresh snowfall, our cedars glisten. Our firs show off with their snow-covered branches as if they are about to walk the red carpet. Looking out at the beauty of nature always brings me a sense of peace, and an opportunity to reflect.

One of the first actions the Council took in 2017 was unanimously declaring Shoreline to be an inviting, equitable, and safe community for all. As leaders in the community, we have a special responsibility not to stay silent in the face of discrimination, harassment, or hate against any of our residents. I strongly believe Shoreline should remain a leader in protecting human rights, promoting equity, and ensuring the public safety and social well-being of all our residents.

I am proud that Shoreline has a plan to expand and invest in our park system over the next six years. This July, the Council adopted our Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan, guiding investments in our parks system for the next six years. Once implemented, Shoreline will acquire five acres of parkland and restore ten acres of urban forest. Over the next couple of years, we will have a community discussion about building a new aquatics and community center in the City, with the goal to send a proposal to voters in 2020.

This October we welcomed the employees of the Ronald Wastewater District as City employees, as part of phase one of our merger. The City and the District signed a service agreement earlier in the year whereby the City will operate and maintain the utility while the Ronald Board of Commissioners will continue to govern the utility and set rates. This merger will lead to one-stop permitting, and ultimately savings, for Shoreline ratepayers.

As part of our budget process, we prioritized public safety by authorizing the hiring of a new police officer. We also made a substantial investment in our surface water utility, which will reduce flooding, address pollution, and remove the Hidden Lake Dam. Our commitment to public safety and maintaining our infrastructure will be beneficial for years to come.

As a Council, I am proud of several positions we took that will promote democracy and the welfare of our residents. Our legislative priorities include support for automatic voter registration in Washington to reduce the barriers to voting. We also called upon the state legislature to pass the capital budget, which includes funding for some surface water utility projects in our City. We expressed our recommitment to meeting the sustainability goals of the Paris Climate Accord and signed onto a brief that supports endorsement of anti-discrimination laws.

This year we saw the beginnings of some notable construction projects that will shape our City for years to come. Our new police station at city hall will open in the middle of next year. The School District started construction of a new early learning center, the first of four new schools that will be built. The Community College is starting work on its first dormitory, and Sound Transit is starting construction of two light rail stations, and we will see significant private investment across the City.

Next year we will have a continued discussion of sidewalk maintenance and construction, as well as how to fund pedestrian infrastructure.

We will also see changes in both the Council and School Board in 2018. I am very thankful for the work that Shari Winstead has done for our community, especially her invaluable contributions to expanding and renovating our parks. While she will no longer be serving as a member of the council, our community will reap the benefits of Shari’s efforts on behalf of our community well into the future.

Debi Ehrlichman has been and will continue to be a tireless advocate for our children. During her tenure as a Shoreline Director, among countless other important contributions, Debi oversaw the construction of new high schools and the passage of a bond that will lead to the construction of new middle schools. I am looking forward to working with our new Councilmember, Susan Chang, and the newest member of our School Board, Heather Fralick.

As the snow was falling earlier this week, I instinctively stuck out my tongue, hoping to catch a snowflake, and later on, I grabbed a sled and found myself speed down the hill. Snow has magical powers - an ability to bring out our sense of wonder and provides that glimpse of a blank canvas, full of unlimited possibilities and opportunities.

Happy New Years!


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On the (retired) Mayor’s Mind

Friday, December 15, 2017

Shari Winstead and
Chris Roberts
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
A reception was held on Monday, December 11, 2017 to honor Shari Winstead, who is retiring from the Shoreline City Council after eight years.


By Deputy Mayor Shari Winstead

I was humbled and grateful that so many people took time out of their Monday evening to attend my retirement reception.

My service to you, the citizens of Shoreline, as Mayor, Deputy Mayor and a City Councilmember over the last eight years has been one of the greatest and most challenging experiences of my life.

When I launched my campaign in 2009 against an incumbent, many thought it was very unlikely I would win. Hard work, listening to people and engagement in our community proved different.

Prior to running I was deeply involved in the Shoreline community. It was that engagement that caused people to ask me to run for office, which was very flattering – especially since I had never dreamed of doing so. However, I wanted to see our City move in a more progressive, positive manner. I wanted Shoreline to be known as the City with a cohesive council that got things done. So I took on the challenge.

Campaigning was tough. I doorbelled 10,000 homes and raised about $25,000. But campaigning is completely different than the job of an elected official. Even though I had served on several boards, including the neighborhood association, becoming a “policymaker” – which ultimately determines how we will fulfill the citizens' vision of the City - while also balancing a busy full-time job and a family - gave me a run for my money. My natural characteristics of being organized, a planner, and optimistic were put to the test.

Some of the people who came for the reception
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
 
I served as Mayor through the most contentious time Shoreline has ever seen, the rezone of the land around our future light rail stations.

Trying to predict and plan for the changes that will come to our area in the future was a challenge – and our Council worked diligently and consistently on this issue for five years prior to the final hearings.

Despite our doing our best to inform people of the rezone process with postcards, letters, e-mails, Currents and door-to-door canvassing, most people did not become engaged until the end of the process when flyers stating the Council was coming to get your property – an absolute lie - were posted in neighborhoods.

While I appreciate that people were engaging in the process, most were confused and/or angry, having been misled. Many were happy that we were planning for the growth that would inevitably happen, and were doing our best to limit that growth to areas that would be served by light rail.

Will Hall's tribute to Shari
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
I wrote many articles that were published in the Shoreline Area News during that time, (On the Mayor's Mind) trying to explain what was happening. I read and responded to hundreds of letters and comments, listened to members of the public speak (often swearing and screaming) at Public Comment at City Council meetings.

The comments were important. However, the disrespect made it hard to truly hear the content. 

Unfortunately, public comment is not a town hall forum, so Councilmembers are not allowed to respond to those comments. I learned a valuable lesson that I will forever carry with me.

If you want someone to hear you, be respectful and calm. Whether it’s a co-worker, your spouse, your kids, a neighbor or an elected official – it’s much easier to hear when you are not feeling defensive.

I can be as passionate as they come, and sometimes voice-raising comes with passion, but not disrespect. Every elected official on the Shoreline City Council was doing their best to balance both the needs of our region, the needs of our citizens, and the needs of our planet.

Capturing our future growth near the light rail stations would mean fewer cars on the road, lessening our carbon footprint. Rezoning those areas near the light rail stations for multi-story housing would mean preserving at least 80% of our single family neighborhoods.

For this little guy, she's not the Mayor,
she's Grandma
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
Most surprising were people who claim to be environmentalists yet did not understand the logic of the rezone (and ironically continued to waste valuable resources (trees!) printing flyers and signs protesting the rezone).

After extensive Council meetings, some going past midnight, the legislation passed in March 2015. I couldn’t have been happier – happy that the work was done and we had adapted many changes proposed by citizens. And happy that my term as Mayor would soon be over. Those two years probably aged me by 20. I knew the work was incredibly important to the future of our City, and had no regard for the personal sacrifice it required of me. I was simply doing my job.

As I said, the past eight years have been the best and the most challenging. Although the rezone will always be the issue that I will remember the most, there were so many other accomplishments that make me proud.

The most important in my mind was bringing forth the healthy city initiative to our citizens. A healthy city is not just about food and exercise, but also about bringing our community together. The Farmers’ Market, the Monster Mash Dash, Community Gardens and the restructured Celebrate Shoreline festival are just a few of the things that we started in Shoreline during my term.

2017 Council poses for their last photo together
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

We also worked to make our City safer by increasing patrols and supporting the needs of our police department, including the remodel of City Hall so the police department can be housed with all other City services. Besides having the space now needed, the presence of our police department in City Hall will help keep our employees safe. The traffic safety program was in full swing, and many of us saw new stop signs and other traffic calming measures put in place that make our streets safer.

Shoreline is a better place now than it was when I took office. But as I said on Monday evening, that is not because of me alone. I was privileged to work with other councilmembers who believed in working together through adversity, to do our best for the citizens. Our Council was supported by smart, dedicated staff members who would do the research and analysis and provide us a recommendation – recommendations that were often challenged and changed. Council would always receive a respectful thank you from the staff that had worked so hard – even if our final decision was completely different from their recommendation. All signs of true professionals.

Shari Winstead, Mayor,
Deputy Mayor, Councilmember,
Community Volunteer
I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone in Shoreline. While we may or may not have agreed on every issue, we have one thing in common, our love of this very special City. After serving as one of the caretakers and policy makers for the last eight years, and intimately understanding how things get done, I know that without a doubt we are the best. I will always be proud to say I am from Shoreline (just north of Seattle!)

I hope to see you soon in one of our beautiful parks, walking the nature trails or picking up groceries!

~~~~~
Prior to being elected, Councilmember Winstead served on the Shoreline Parks Board, co-chaired the Shoreline Parks, Trails and Open Space bond committee, was a founding member of ShoreDog and a lead in creating the Shoreview Off-Leash Area, a board member of the Shoreline Breakfast Rotary club, a member of the King County Partnership for Youth Justice, a board member of the Echo Lake Neighborhood Association, and served on several City advisory boards. You can now find her at home waiting for her new puppy, reading a book, at a yoga studio or riding her bike with her husband Stan.



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On the Mayor's Mind: Partnerships and the work of councilmembers

Friday, November 24, 2017

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have lots to be grateful for in our city.

Among the things I am grateful for is the partnerships and work that our council members do for our city. 

Last week, Councilmembers Doris McConnell, Keith McGlashan and I went to the National League of Cities Conference in Charlotte.

The annual conference serves as an opportunity to learn from the experiences of other cities and other city officials. At the conference, I participated in workshops on preserving affordable housing, how to advance racial equity in our cities, what cities can do to shape energy policy, and how cities can boost economic development.

Our city greatly benefits from our membership and investments we have made in these organizations, as well as the Association of Washington Cities, Sound Cities Association, Puget Sound Regional Council, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, the SeaShore Transportation Forum, the Alliance for Innovation, and the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce.

These organizations help Shoreline advance our legislative and regulatory agenda, work with regional partners to find common solutions, and get new ideas of how we can provide better services to Shoreline residents and businesses.

Over the past year, the National League of Cities has stepped up its advocacy efforts on behalf of cities. One of their current efforts is preserving elements of the nation’s tax code that allow for healthy financing options for cities, specifically the tax exemption for municipal bonds and all elements of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.

The Association of Washington Cities is a strong advocate on behalf of cities in Olympia, working to address issues involving housing shortages and affordability, helping individuals with mental health and drug addiction issues, and providing tools to enhance local economic vitality.

Ever since I joined the Council, Shoreline councilmembers have always been engaged on the boards of national and regional organizations that serve the interests of cities. 
It is valuable that Shoreline has a seat at the table and is able to share our experiences with other cities across the country and across the state.

At NLC this year, the body unanimously selected Councilmember McConnell to serve a second two-year term on its board of directors. She previously served as President of the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials group at NLC. Councilmember McGlashan served as President of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Local Officials group with NLC.

Locally, Councilmember Hall serves on the board of the AWC and currently serves as Chair of the Puget Sound Partnership. Our City Manager, Debbie Tarry, serves on the board of the Sound Cities Association. I currently serve as an alternate on the board of the Puget Sound Regional Council.

I strongly believe that cities are innovators and can and do lead the nation on fostering economic growth, addressing climate change, and advocating for health and wellbeing of our residents. I am confident that Shoreline will remain an active and strong voice on these and other issues in the years to come.



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On the Mayor's Mind: Constitution week

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Chris Roberts, Mayor
City of Shoreline
By Chris Roberts, Mayor
City of Shoreline

On Sunday, our nation celebrated the 230th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States. Thirty-eight of the 41 delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document, sending the Constitution out to the States for ratification. In Shoreline, I proclaimed this week to be Constitution week, encouraging our residents to reflect on the ideals of the Framers.

We owe a lot to the delegates during that hot Philadelphia summer in 1787. The work the delegates did to create a stable government that united the thirteen independent states into a single nation required tremendous compromises on a wide range of issues. And, while there was not unanimous support for the Constitution among the voting public, a majority of delegates to the state ratifying conventions approved the Constitution, with the expectations that the first Congress would propose the addition of the Bill of Rights.

Since its adoption, the Constitution has now been amended 27 times, most recently in 1992. In practice, these amendments changed the balance of our government, providing more rights to the people and constraining the sovereignty of the states. Subsequent generations of Americans added provisions into the Constitution safeguarding individual liberty, safeguarding  justice, elevating protections of civil rights, and expanding the right to vote.

Every generation interprets the meaning and limitations of the Constitution. In 2017, we continue to debate the contours of free speech and the ability to regulate campaign financing. There are debates about whether legislators should have the power to draw the boundaries of their own districts and the scope of the President’s powers to issue pardons. In this sense we,  the current generation of Americans, are both constitutional architects and guardians of our Constitutional ideals.

I believe it is our job to reflect on the ideals of the Constitution - and to be active in upholding those principles - the goal to establish a more perfect union, to establish justice, to provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty, to ourselves and our posterity.



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On the Mayor's Mind: We have lots to celebrate this year

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

This week is Celebrate Shoreline week - and we have lots to celebrate this year.

On Thursday, I helped served thousands of bowls of ice cream during the Ridgecrest Ice Cream Social. It is always great to see the community enjoy a wonderful evening together.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve seen the passion and dedication of many of the volunteers of our neighborhood associations who organized work parties in our parks, barbecues, community dinners and potlucks, and water balloon slingshots.

On August 1st, Shoreline residents hosted a record number of National Night Out events (nearly 70 registered block parties). I can say with conviction that we place great value in building stronger communities.

This weekend I am excited about our community-building events that take part all across the City. On Saturday, the Shoreline Historical Society hosts its 9th annual Celebrate Shoreline Car Show at Aurora Square, adjacent to the Shoreline Farmer’s Market.

At noon on Saturday, performances start at Cromwell Park for the Celebrate Shoreline Festival. The Family Stage starts at noon and the lineup includes crowd favorites, Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, and Reptile Man (and his collection of snakes, geckos, and turtles). There will be a performance of the “Three Little Pigs” at 1:15 and 3:30pm. Inflatables are free this year and the popular pony rides are back.

There will be three culture share programs on the main stage Saturday afternoon from 1 - 4pm. The Main Stage Concert begins at 4pm with headliners Ivan and Alyosha performing at 8pm. This year there will be more food trucks than in previous years. Also on Saturday evening, there is a performance of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at Shoreline City Hall.

Finally on Sunday, Celebrate Shoreline week comes to an end with the annual Richmond Beach Sandcastle Contest at Saltwater Park.

I look forward to celebrating Shoreline’s community, and happy to always help out pulling Himalayan Blackberries from our wetlands and parks.



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On the Mayor's Mind: Assessing and prioritizing assets

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Mayor Chris Roberts, Shoreline
By Chris Roberts, Mayor of Shoreline

The National League of Cities recognized May 15-19 as Infrastructure Week. “Infrastructure Week is a national week of education and advocacy that brings together American businesses, workers, elected leaders, and everyday citizens around one message: It’s #TimeToBuild.”

Across the nation, the American Society of Civil Engineers rated American’s infrastructure a D+, based on the physical condition and needed investment. They rated 16 categories of infrastructure, from aviation to ports and from public parks to wastewater systems. They concluded that the nation has a $2.0 trillion investment gap.

In Washington, ASCE rated our state better than the national average. Among their recommendations for the state was to identify sustainable sources of funding to maintain our infrastructure and to identify and implement maintenance to the extent possible.

The Shoreline City Council is doing its job of assessing and prioritizing its assets. On Monday, May 22, the Council is scheduled to adopt its annual Transportation Improvement Plan. The TIP identifies over $360 million of transportation projects (both funded and unfunded projects) that would make our streets safer for all users.

On May 15, the Council began its review of policies surrounding updates to the City’s surface water master plan. Over the past few years the City undertook basin planning efforts to assess the condition of the surface water system and identify priorities for maintenance to prevent flooding after storm events.

The Parks Board and the Council are also in the final stages of developing its six-year master plan for Shoreline’s parks system. The draft plan is now available and open for comment. The draft plan was developed through surveys, community meetings, open houses, and comment cards, about what Shoreline residents and park users wanted in our parks and recreation and cultural service offerings.

I am hopeful that the state and federal government will remain partners with Shoreline to help address the infrastructure needs in our city. I am a strong advocate for the state’s Public Works Assistance Account, which provides low interest loans to cities and other districts to maintain our infrastructure. We have also been appreciative of the federal grants we received to complete improvements to our section of Aurora Avenue.

Even with these plans, we know there is ongoing work to maintain our community assets. If you spot a pothole, or see standing water on the road, please report it. The City uses SeeClickFix as a mobile tool that any resident can use to report issues in your neighborhood.



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On the Mayor's Mind: we are a community that believes in giving back

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Chris Roberts, Mayor
City of Shoreline
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

I am proud to live in a community that believes in giving back. We are active in our children’s PTAs, we help clean up our streets and parks, and we donate our time with our neighborhood associations and local community organizations that contribute to our quality of live in Shoreline.

I am very appreciative of all of the individuals who volunteer for Shoreline. Last year, Shoreline volunteers provided over 9,000 reported hours of community service directly for the City. At this year’s volunteer soiree, my favorite volunteer story was about a young student who organized community trash pickup at his elementary school and on his block. He is a great model of service starting early.

We are very fortunate to have fourteen active neighborhood associations in Shoreline. Our neighborhood associations hold ice cream socials, outdoor movie nights, neighborhood potlucks, and strawberry festivals. Our neighborhood associations pull out invasive weeds, organize community art projects, write community newsletters, and organize book drives. These actions and these events bring our community together and improve the livability of our City.

Collectively, representatives of the neighborhood associations meet together monthly as the Council of Neighborhoods to share best practices and community events. Frequently, members of the Shoreline City Council attend Council of Neighborhood meetings to provide City updates and answer questions from the community. I am excited to continue our collaboration with the newly elected leadership of the Council of Neighborhoods: Pete Gerhard, Stephanie Angelis and Dan Dale.

Currently, the City is looking for volunteers to serve on a Sidewalk Advisory Committee. The goal of the committee is to look at how to prioritize and fund different pedestrian improvements and meet 6-8 times between June and April 2018. We are looking for members who represent different community organizations and interests, such as neighborhoods, youth, elderly, mobility for people with physical disabilities, and under-represented communities.

We are also looking for a youth member to serve on the Parks Recreation and Cultural Services / Tree Board. The PRCS board advises the City Council and City staff on a variety of parks and recreation issues including plans and policies, park operation and design, recreation program activities, public art, property acquisition and development of rules and regulations. It also advises the Council on issues related to public tree maintenance and urban forestry.

The application deadline for the Sidewalk Advisory Committee is May 26 and the deadline for the PRCS youth member is May 31.



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On the Mayor's Mind: Proud of the diversity in our community

Friday, March 10, 2017

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

This week our community was shaken by public expressions of hate. In Kent, Deep Rai, a US national of Indian origin, was shot and told to “go back to your own country.”

At Paramount School Park, racist and xenophobic graffiti was found in the men’s bathroom. Across the nation, and in our region, Jewish community centers and the Jewish Children’s Museum have experienced bomb threats. Racist graffiti was found on a church property in New York.

These acts of hate are unacceptable in our country and our community.

These acts drive us to live in fear and hinder the free flow of ideas and commerce that lead toward a more productive, more inclusive society.

I signed a pledge last month with over 75 elected officials in King County to promote safe, welcoming, and inclusive communities, and to honor and uphold the dignity, equality, civil and human rights of all people. I believe it is important to promote fairness, equity, and equality in the actions we take as elected officials.

Late last month, I had the opportunity to attend a lecture at UW Bothell from Dalia Mogahed, and moderated by Shoreline resident Dr. Karam Dana, to learn more about Islamic culture in the United States.

In her talk, Mogahed said, this is a “time of uncertainty, upheaval and opportunity for our country, Dana pointed out that, “these have been very difficult times, for not only American Muslims, as they highlight and question larger dynamics of American values like religious freedom and inclusion in today’s political landscape.” They encouraged audience members to become champions for religious tolerance and religious liberty.

I am proud of the diversity in our community. I am proud that many residents immediately contacted the Council expressing their outrage against the racist graffiti in our parks.

My hope is that our residents continue to seek out opportunities for dialogue about the many issues facing our community and reach out to their neighbors through simple acts of kindness. This is how our community will remain strong.



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On the Mayor's Mind: Lobbying for Shoreline

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Shoreline City Council
in Olympia
From Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

Local control is the mantra of the Association of Washington Cities. The organization of cities formed in 1933 to advocate for the cities in Washington State.

This past week, I went to Olympia, with many of my colleagues on the Council, to advocate for Shoreline's legislative priorities and other cities across the State.

Legislators in Washington and other states frequently introduce measures preempting city officials from passing legislation that reflects the values of their residents.

Most notably, the North Carolina legislature passed HB2 in 2016, preventing cities from passing non-discrimination ordinances. Other states passed legislation preventing cities from raising their local minimum wage.

In Washington, several pieces of proposed legislation would limit the ability of Shoreline to regulate homeless encampments, safe injection sites, or site small cell phone facilities.

While in Olympia, we talked with our legislators about these bills, and the need for the legislature to pass legislation dealing with the affordable housing issues we face in the region.

One of the ideas we advocated for was the elimination on the sunset on the document recording fee. This fee supports activities related to creating and implementing state and local plans to end homelessness and is currently scheduled to expire in 2019.

Our legislators also told us about their priorities for the session.

Senator Maralyn Chase talked about her support for the creation of a state bank. She said the creation of a state bank would allow local governments to save money and return profits to the state.

Representative Cindy Ryu talked about her proposal that would implement the recommendations of the Joint Legislative Task Force on the Use of Deadly Force in Community Policing. The legislation would provide for independent investigations of deadly force incidents and require the collection of data on uses of deadly force in the state.

During our meeting with Representative Ruth Kagi, we talked about her proposal to create the Department of Children, Youth and Families. This proposal came out of a blue ribbon commission recommendation to improve service delivery and outcomes for children, youth, and families.

Our legislators told us to expect a long session as they try to reach agreement of how to fund public education in the state.

Next month, we will meet with our federal delegation about the need to invest in infrastructure funding in our country and in our city.



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On the Mayor's Mind: Building a strong community

Monday, January 23, 2017

Mayor Chris Roberts
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

This past weekend, numerous Shoreline residents engaged in many different forms of civic action, from watching the inauguration of the 45th President, to participating in the student walkout on Friday, to marching in the Womxn’s March on Saturday.

It is encouraging for me to see so many people engaged in our political processes.

The actions our community members take to better our community do not go unnoticed.

At our first council meeting of the year, the Council unanimously named a trail near Fremont Pl and NE 160th "Gloria's Path" in recognition of Gloria Bryce.

As it was mentioned during public comment, Gloria's fingerprints are everywhere in the history of Shoreline. She served on both the initial committee that helped incorporate the City and the long range financial sustainability committee, as well as on the boards of the Shoreline Historical Museum and the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council. Her efforts in cleaning and maintaining the trail improved our community by creating a new pedestrian connection that is used daily by many residents.

Gloria is just one of thousands of Shoreline residents who take action to create a more welcoming, more inclusive, stronger community.

As a community we plant flowers and pull weeds. We organize community meetings and lead marches. We organize food drives and coach sports teams. We build houses and own businesses. We are teachers and we are healers. We care for our neighbors and perform acts of kindness to strangers.

These everyday actions build a stronger and more robust, more compassionate community. These are the actions and values that the City of Shoreline is built upon.

The Council will consider adoption of Resolution 401 at its next meeting. The resolution states, in part, “that the strength and vitality of our community comes from our rich diversity of cultures, experiences and faiths,” and the “City is committed to ensuring that Shoreline remains a welcoming, inclusive and safe community for all who live, work and visit here.”

The diversity in our community enriches us and makes us better, more understanding people. The conversations I have with Shoreline residents help me become a better representative and open my eyes to new ideas or new approaches.

Our communities are built locally and we shape how our futures will unfold. I am committed to that work and look forward to working with all Shoreline residents to build a more perfect union.




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On the Mayor's Mind: Thank you, Shoreline voters

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Shoreline Mayor
Chris Roberts
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

I want to thank Shoreline voters for passing Shoreline's Proposition 1 and ST3. The passage of both measures will improve our quality of life.

As a Council we are committed to providing efficient, effective services for Shoreline residents and businesses. It is a goal of the Council to increase funding for human services, to ease congestion on Richmond Beach Road, near Shoreline Community College, and on 185th. With the passage of ST3, Shoreline will see a rebuilt 145th Street between Bothell Way and I-5. I am excited about the future of our City.

I am committed to preserving the values and vision that we share and cherish. The vision of the City is “a thriving, friendly city where people of all ages, cultures, and economic backgrounds love to live, work, and play, and most of all, call home.”

We are a community where one of our greatest strengths is its diversity. We must continue to show respect for people of all cultures and backgrounds. We must continue to stand up against bullying and discrimination, wherever it may occur.

We are a community where one of our greatest strengths is the care and compassion we share with one another. We must remain committed to ensuring that all Shoreline residents feel welcomed, loved, and safe. We must comfort those in our community that may be hurting or scared.

We are a community where one of our greatest strengths is our commitment to equity and equality. We must continue to confront injustice and support efforts that provides people greater security and opportunities to fulfill their pursuit of happiness.

I am confident that our City will remain dedicated to our ideas and an advocate for the values we share and a champion for the people of our community.



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On the Mayor's Mind: Our country depends on us to vote

Sunday, November 6, 2016

The Roberts family votes

By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

On Friday, my family went to the Shoreline Library to drop off our ballots (where we cast our ballots without a stamp). While we were there, we saw about a dozen people casting their ballot in this year’s election.

In my role as a parent, I am teaching my son the importance of civics - the importance of voting (and the structures and limitations of our government) - and this year he was very excited to help us cast our ballot. I hope that when he turns 18, he will vote in every election - up and down the ballot.

I am a believer in our democracy. The collective voice of the people not only elect candidates to serve as our representatives; we also shape the possibilities of public policy at the national, state, and local level. It is my wish that in every election, every eligible voter participates, even if my preference ends up on the losing side.

The people who run for public office are good people who want to do what is right for their community. I respect everyone (and their families) who runs for public office. We should demand that our representatives engage in civil (and spirited) discourse about the merits of policy proposals, as opposed to the discourse we often see in negative TV ads.

Our democracy depends on us to participate. Our country depends on us to vote.

Compared to most states, it is easy to vote in Washington. Our ballots are mailed to us nearly three weeks prior to the election, we receive (in most elections) a voter’s pamphlet where each candidate (or proponent or opponent of an initiative) has an opportunity to say why they are the best person to represent us, and there are convenient drop boxes to return our ballot. In other states, voters may wait in line for hours to vote, and vote on electronic machines that do not provide a paper trail to ensure the accuracy of an election (or the ability to recount all votes in the case of a close election). With confidence, we can trust in the integrity and outcome of our elections.

On my mind today is a wish that every eligible voter casts their ballot this election. The drop boxes across the county close at 8:00pm on Tuesday, November 8. I’d like every Shoreline voter to make sure their voice is heard.


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On the Mayor's Mind: First day of school

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

For hundreds of parents across the Shoreline School District, September 7, is the first day of school for their kindergartener. Kindergarten marks a new chapter for both the student and the parent.

As the parent of an incoming Kindergartener, I watched my son be simultaneously excited for school and full of nervous energy and apprehension about the first day. He knows that things will be different with new classmates, new teachers, and we have done our best to help explain that expectations may be different as well.

I am unsure how I will feel as I drop him off for his first day. I am proud of my son, and what he has learned over the past several years. I know he is ready for Kindergarten and that he will enjoy every minute of school. At the same time, I am feeling a little sad, as part of me just wants to hold onto the baby I fell in love with the moment he was born. I enjoyed the flexibility to take him to Paramount School Park on a sunny morning or down to the Zoo or the Pacific Science Center where he loves to visit the butterflies. Now our lives will be more dictated by the school calendar, as new terms and events have entered our vocabulary: “Early Release Day,” “Curriculum Night,” and “Bike-O-Thon.”

This upcoming milestone brought back to my mind the Adam Sandler movie, “Click.” Not the best movie I ever saw, but the movie involves Sandler’s character possessing a remote control for their lives. Instead of fast-forwarding like the character, part of me would want to replay the moments of my son’s infancy and toddlerhood.

Alas, life goes in one direction - forward. Change is the only constant.

Across Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, our schools are preparing for a new cohort of students, our businesses will hire new workers, and new people will call our cities home. In each case, they will bring their own perspectives and values into our communities, reinvigorating our neighborhoods, and challenging teachers, managers, and community leaders to rise up to address their issues.

I may not know what challenges we will face in this new chapter. Instead of trying to hit rewind, or hit pause, as a Dad I am excited to greet the new day, and walk hand in hand with my son through the classroom doors on the first day of school. As your mayor, I am looking forward to celebrating successes and working hard, hand in hand with Shoreline residents, to meet our city’s challenges.



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On the Mayor's Mind: The heart of a City

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Shoreline Mayor
Chris Roberts
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

Last week I nearly fell into Echo Lake cutting blackberries as part of the Echo Lake Neighborhood Association work party. Can I say I really, really do not like overgrown Himalayan blackberries?

Over forty Echo Lake residents, city staff, and School Board President David Wilson came out to the annual work party to trim blackberries, spread mulch, and weed in the garden beds. The work done by the community makes the park more enjoyable and accessible to everyone.

A City is not just a number of inhabitants or physical buildings. A city may be defined by natural or physical geography, but lines on a map do not create a city. The heart of a city are the people and the communities they belong to.

Communities form around t-ball teams, PTAs, parks, coffee shops, fitness classes, neighborhood associations, pea-patches, mosques, synagogues, and churches, and in the daily interactions of neighbors (and an indefinite number of other places). Collectively, these communities make Shoreline such a wonderful place to live.

Chris Roberts tackling blackberries
while Pat Wood takes a break
Photo courtesy Echo Lake Neighborhood Association


I am honored to work with all of Shoreline’s communities and neighborhoods to build a stronger and safer city. I am proud of the efforts we made over the past years and look forward to what we can accomplish together.

This coming Tuesday, lets come together and celebrate National Night Out. National Night Out is a community event to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.

Hot dogs, burgers (including veggie burgers), and cookies and brownies will be served on Tuesday in over fifty block parties from Richmond Beach to Briarcrest. I am looking forward to meeting as many of my neighbors as I can.

Together we make Shoreline a wonderful city.



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On the Mayor's Mind: Serving and protecting our communities

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Chris Roberts
Mayor of Shoreline
By Chris Roberts, Mayor of Shoreline

Last week my son told me that he wanted to be an animal doctor, a firefighter, or a police officer. I am proud that he wants to give back to his community.

I am able to say that serving and protecting our communities is noble and just.

I am able to direct him to my good friends who serve in police forces across the country, whose bravery and dedication to their communities are the model for all of us to follow.

I can show him the exemplary work of the police officers in Shoreline who care deeply about the safety and well-being of the people who live and work in our City.

I am unable to explain to him why there is so much hatred in the world. I am unable to explain why people kill each other, or why we it is often difficult find common ground and understanding in our communities.

Our hearts are broken this week due to senseless violence across the nation and across the world. Last month we took a moment of silence to pay our respects for the 49 people killed in Orlando.

Since then 1096 individuals have been killed by gun violence in our county, most visibly the tragic deaths of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, and the senseless deaths of five officers and the injuries to 11 others in Dallas this past week.

These incidences may have occurred thousands of miles away from Shoreline, but deeply affected our community as well. On Friday, City staff came to work and found that people wrote anti-police graffiti inside our parking lot.

That same day, Shoreline residents dropped off flowers and other gifts to our Police Department in an outpouring of support for all they do to protect our city and keep our kids safe.

At the same time, we have been asked what can we do? What can we do to develop and maintain a level of trust between the police and our community?

In many ways, Shoreline is taking proactive steps to increase trust and awareness within our communities. For the past couple of years, Shoreline has offered the Nurturing Trust program, connecting law enforcement and community members, offering programs in both English and Spanish.

The City recently hired a Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator to lead the City’s efforts to engage and include members of diverse cultures and ethnicities more actively in the life of the City.

We know that these conversations about how to keep our community safe will continue in the months and years to come. A good place to start is by hosting an event for your neighbors on August 2, National Night Out. I hope we use that time to develop relationships, build trust, and celebrate the richness of the diversity in our community.



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On the Mayor’s Mind: 145th Corridor Project

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Chris Roberts
Mayor of Shoreline
On the Mayor’s Mind
By Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

This past week I had the opportunity to meet with members of Washington’s federal delegation about support for the 145th Corridor Project. Improving the safety and reliability of 145th has been a priority of the council since I took office and I am excited to see this project near fruition.

As it currently exists, 145th has the highest rates of collisions in all of Shoreline. The road is not safe for pedestrians and congestion on the roadway makes it unreliable for transit. The opening of the light rail station in 2023 will only exacerbate those problems.

Over the past couple of years a coalition of cities, organizations, and community activists made improving 145th a regional priority. Sound Transit lists the road a high capacity transit corridor and Metro Transit is committed to improving service on the street. Improvements to the corridor will improve walkability, east-west access across Interstate 5, and also benefit commuters from as far away as Monroe and Woodinville.

The process of creating a preferred alternative for the corridor involved the input of hundreds of Shoreline residents and community members from across the region. Over the past few months, numerous Seattle residents approached me to thank the City for taking the lead in improving safety of a roadway that Shoreline does not own or manage that has been long neglected.

Last month the council adopted a preferred concept for the corridor that addresses the problems of 145th. Our preferred concept will provide better sidewalks separated from traffic, queue jumps and bus lanes to improve transit reliability, and intersection improvements to improve the safety of all users.

What is even more exciting for the City is that the State Route 522 and 523 improvements are in the current draft plan for the Sound Transit 3 package. If approved by voters in November, Sound Transit 3 will fund the preferred improvements to the roadway from Lake City Way to Interstate 5 and provide frequent, rapid transit along the corridor to access the light rail station.

As a City and as a region, it is my hope that these pedestrian, transit, and roadway improvements to 145th will be complete before the opening of the 145th station and I am thankful for the support of leaders across the region for the project.


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