On the Mayor's Mind -The City’s Assumption of Ronald Wastewater

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Shoreline Mayor
Shari Winstead
On the Mayor’s Mind
August 25, 2014
Shoreline’s Assumption
of Ronald Wastewater

You may have recently seen the City’s press release about the decision of the King County Boundary Review Board to have their staff prepare a resolution to allow the City of Shoreline to move ahead with its intent to assume Ronald Wastewater District (“RWD”). And like many of my friends and neighbors, you are probably wondering, “what is that all about?”

Even people who follow city issues closely are a little confused. I’ve written a lot of columns about the festivals and fun in Shoreline this summer, so I thought you might be interested in something with a little more meat. Here goes:

When Shoreline was part of unincorporated King County, before it became a city, many of our services were provided by what is known as a “special district” - like Ronald Wastewater District. Many of these special districts existed to provide services, like water and sewer. This worked well, because there was no local city government to deliver those services at that time.

However, as more and more cities incorporated, and the Growth Management Act was passed in 1990, which states that cities are the preferred providers of all municipal services (including water and sewer), it became common for cities to assume these districts and start providing the services under the city’s umbrella. Even the first group of citizens who worked to incorporate Shoreline saw this as a future opportunity for Shoreline, and knew we would one day be faced with providing these services.

In 2002, the City and Ronald Wastewater signed an agreement explicitly stating that the City would assume RWD in 2017. It also stipulated that RWD pay the city a fee each year for delaying the assumption until 2017, because the City did have the legal right to assume RWD as soon as it became a city. This agreement was willingly signed by elected officials from the City and RWD. This was before my time, of course, but I can certainly understand the logic in waiting until the City had more experience as a municipal government before taking on the duties of managing the sewer utility.

Fast forward to 2014. The agreement also stated that at least 24 months prior to assumption, the City and RWD would work together to assure a seamless transition for the ratepayers. The City filed its Notice of Intent to assume the district in May 2014, formed a transition committee, which includes two councilmembers and two RWD Commissioners.

A challenge was brought to our right to assume the district, and that is what the Boundary Review Board hearing (and affirmative ruling in King County) is about. This situation is difficult because about 99% of the Ronald Wastewater District service area is in Shoreline and King County. RWD also serves a small portion of Snohomish County (adjacent to Shoreline) - a few houses in Woodway, and the Point Wells area. This makes it a cross-county issue, which means next week we will be having another hearing in front of the Snohomish County Boundary Review Board.

A few people have addressed the Council at our meetings, and asked why this is so important to the City, and why we didn’t ask the citizens to vote on whether we should assume RWD. I want to give you my opinion on this. And please remember that the views stated in this column are only mine - not necessarily the other councilmember’s.

Having sewer service provided by the City gives us economies of scale. One elected board to make decisions, one building to occupy, one human resources department, a shared city attorney’s office, etc. Many of us hear (and even say) we want less government. Well, this actually accomplishes that by consolidating services. The City already operates a utility, surface water management, and has a Public Works Director and other employees who are familiar with running utilities. We know we can do this. We are also contractually obligated to have all the RWD employees become City employees - and we are excited about that! We will need employees to do the work -why would we not want good, experienced employees? It’s a bonus to us.

But our most important reason for wanting to assume the sewer service and in the future consolidating the water utility is to develop the infrastructure of the City in a coordinated, cost effective manner. Simply put, by having control of the utilities, we will be able to plan projects, and to make all the necessary improvements at the same time. It means only having to tear up a road once, replacing sewer pipes, water pipes, etc. and doing the street work, all in a coordinated manner. More efficient and cost-saving for the tax payers - you and me. With light rail coming our way, it is more important than ever that we build up our infrastructure to support transit oriented development.

The second question concerns a public vote. The opinion of the citizens is of the utmost importance to everyone on the Council, that I know for sure. However, one thing I heard a well respected elected official say, years ago, was that we were elected to make decisions. Sometimes we are legally required to take an issue to a vote. But that is not the case here. The Council has no intention of raising the utility tax. We are simply consolidating the operations of Ronald Wastewater District with the City. Second, the City and RWD signed an agreement for assumption - that is a legal contract that gives both parties the right to move forward. Our goal is to make the transfer smooth and seamless, and to continue to provide great service for the ratepayers, just as the City provides great services to our citizens in caring for our streets, parks, issuing permits, etc.

We have a great track record and I am confident that we will continue to provide excellent service. And it will be great to see our infrastructure improved to a higher standard. There are plenty more reasons to not take a vote on this issue, in my opinion. Did you know that the cost of a vote is between $70,000 and $100,000 - (those are taxpayer’s dollars, not to mention the cost of campaigns). Shoreline citizens already voted to acquire the water system currently owned by Seattle that serves Shoreline. Many consider that vote to be a sign that the citizens want a full service city. Also, last year there were two new commissioners elected to RWD’s board, both of whom ran on a pro-assumption platform. I feel that the citizens have spoken. They want excellence and efficiency. The City can do that and we are working collaboratively with RWD to ensure that this happens.

I hope that helps you to understand a little bit more of what the Ronald Wastewater issue is all about.

Thanks for taking the time to read my column.


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Crime in Shoreline A-Z - Drug-related crimes and arrests


Crime in Shoreline A - Z
8-04-2014 to 8-11-2014

Every week - death investigations, suicide attempts, domestic violence, violent people with mental issues, suicide attempts, arrest warrants, drivers with suspended license, credit card identify theft, runaway kids, wandering seniors, well-being checks, natural deaths, driving violations with DUI drivers, tracking sex offenders, stolen cars left on streets - and here's the rest:

A - An area check at Interurban Trail resulted in warrant arrest, located missing person, and a drinking in public violation

Alcohol / Drugs - Person found unconscious just outside of apartment complex with needle in neck - transported for treatment of heroin overdose 194xx Aurora / 16xx N 167 - checked on suspicious car and found driver passed out from suspected drug overdose / 3 subjects sitting in car parked wrong way on shoulder of road, likely using heroin - all the paraphernalia was in the car 

Arrest - Found suspected car prowler at Whitman Place Apts at night and booked on trespass warrant / Contacted three people for loitering in Hamlin Park - car had small amount of controlled substance, one of three had outstanding warrants / Subject on Interurban Trail at 145th had multiple outstanding warrants for theft / Stopped driver with defective brake light and arrested him for possession of narcotics

Bicycle - $25 Schwinn bicycle stolen from post near 185th and Aurora / Bike and lock stolen from Aurora Village transit center rack / Ballinger Commons - bicycles locked together - both were taken

Burglary, residential -  202xx 20th Pl NE back door kicked in

Burglary, commercial - Attempt at Gerber Towing 16705 Aurora / Burglary of church public storage unit 14900 Aurora / Shell station 656 Richmond Beach Rd, window smashed with rock to gain entry - just like last week

Car prowl - 161xx Sunnyside - ID cards stolen from unlocked vehicle / 199xx 19th NE - pulled down loose window on vehicle / 1xx NE 147th / 4xx NE 165th car in parking lot at Ridgecrest Apts / 145xx Meridian / 177xx 12th NE - entered unlocked vehicle and used garage opener to get into garage - not able to access house and nothing taken / 15xx NW 195th

Cars and parts stolen – Quarter panel stolen from car in Echo Cove Condo parking / 21xx N 161st - stereo face plate taken from vehicle

Found - Wallet with driver's license and membership cards

Fraud - Victim's tax return had already been filed by data thieves / Someone used resident's name and ssn to apply for unemployment benefits - she found out from her boss

Larceny, public places - Unknown persons entered leasing office of Echo Lake Apartment 11xx N 192nd, opened packages, rummaged through office, fled north on Trail / Home Depot security stopped man who was stealing items to return them for cash / Shoplifter at Home Depot arrested on criminal warrants / Eco Enterprises - inventory steadily disappearing from marijuana horticulture business over a period of several months / Scrap metal stolen from Aldercrest demolition site

Larceny - Tools stolen from shed 147xx 20th NE  / 145xx 27th NE - motor home broken into and sewer hose taken

Mail theft - 21xx N 159th - man reported mail missing, possibly including new Visa cards - later that day his wife was out jogging and found some of their mail on the street

Person with a weapon - Unlawful possession of an AR-15 .223 caliber rifle

Trespass - Drunk refused to leave US BioTek laboratories

Vandalism, parks, schools - Tags in men's room at Twin Ponds park / Ridgecrest Park - tags on handball court and in porta-potty 1xx NE 161st

Vandalism - Smashed window at 160xx Aurora / Tags on city signs and guardrail N 152nd and Ashworth / Medical marijuana store tagged 12xx NE 145th / Customer at  76 Station 20409 Aurora got frustrated and broke the ice cream cooler / Tags on vacated Dairy Queen on Aurora

Z - Stopped for riding bicycle on sidewalk and found pre-loaded syringe of heroin - booked on theft warrants from Shoreline and Lynnwood

For other weeks of Crime in Shoreline, see the Features section on the front page.


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Save Richmond Beach cedes point position to Richmond Beach Advocates

Point Wells today
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Save Richmond Beach, the organization which has been working for five years in opposition to the scale of the Point Wells project, has announced a "change in focus."

The organization will still be active and involved, but will cede the point position to the new Richmond Beach Advocates (RBA) and be supportive behind the scenes.

In a letter to supporters, the SRB board stated that,

"RBA has hired an attorney to advise them on possible legal actions and a traffic expert to make sure Shoreline’s Traffic Corridor Study is complete and thorough.  While we fully support RBA’s efforts, given the limited resources available SRB has always felt it’s not necessary to have multiple Richmond Beach neighborhood groups performing similar advocacy functions."   

Reflecting this change in focus, they have reduced their annual dues from $120 to $24, and suggest that members donate the difference to RBA.

They will continue to monitor the project and provide information on their webpage, as well as respond the questions via email.

Point Wells is a large stretch of low-lying beachfront with a steep and slide-prone hill behind leading to the Town of Woodway. The only access is through a two-lane road in Shoreline which leads to Richmond Beach Road. Point Wells has proposed as many as 6,000 apartment units, with the only access to emergency services and schools through Shoreline's Richmond Beach neighborhood. However, the property is in Snohomish County, which has issued building permits and will be the recipient of all taxes.


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Founder of meditation center to speak in Shoreline Sept 3


Wednesday, September 3, from 7 - 8:30pm at the Senior Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, Dr. Hemlata Sanghi will speak on Transforming Relationships through Spiritual Love.

Dr. Sanghi is director of the Brahma Kumaris Medication Centers in the Caribbean. and has been a practitioner and teacher of Raja Yoga Meditation for more than 40 years.

Admission free.


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EaThai Cafe delivers - and offers a discount to Shoreline Area News readers


The EaThai (eat Thai) Cafe just opened this summer at 145th and Greenwood. It offers dine-in, take-out, and delivery to the Shoreline area, 4-9pm.

Clean and bright, the space offers comfortable seating for a dine-in experience. The address is 14419 Greenwood Ave N, Suite 3. Telephone is 206-361-9999.


You can order on the phone 206-361-9999, or check out the menu and order on-line (your cart is hungry). Live orders 4 - 8:50pm or order in advance.

Owner Vilas will give a 10% discount to Shoreline Area News readers for dine-in or take out orders. Just mention that you read the Shoreline Area News and found the EaThai cafe there.


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Local voter turnout ahead of county and state averages

Saturday, August 23, 2014

By Evan Smith

Local voters cast their ballots for the Aug. 5 primary election at a higher rate than the county or state averages.

The King County part of the 32nd Legislative District, including Shoreline and part of northwest Seattle had a turnout of 39 percent, while the 46th District, including Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and northeast Seattle, had a turnout of 35 percent.

That compared to 29 percent for all of King County and 31 percent for the whole state.

Counties around the state had turnouts ranging from 26 percent to 54 percent. Non-charter counties each had eight county positions on the ballot, while King County and some other charter counties had only one.


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Beach to Bluff Bust Your Buns Run - fun in the fog and sun

75 runners and volunteers turned out for the run

The Inaugural Richmond Beach “Beach to Bluff Bust Your Buns Run” was a wild success! In the early morning hours of Aug. 17, nearly 75 brave souls turned out to volunteer or run the grueling two mile course. 

Lamont "Running Man" Thomas
was Master of Ceremonies

It started at 8am with Lamont “Running Man” Thomas serving as Master of Ceremonies. With his words, “Let’s tackle that hill!” Lamont and Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead led the group over the bridge, up the hill, out to the bluff and back down the stairs. 

Dr. Jason Penaluna, left, was 2nd
Andrew Christianson was 1st

The race was quickly and easily won by Shorewood’s champion cross country runner Andrew Christianson who blew the competition away with a 10:24 time. Second place went to Dr. Jason Penaluna, a Richmond Beach runner, business owner and member of the inaugural “B2B” organizing committee. 

Nathan Wilkinson, age 11, was winner
in the Kids Division

Other standouts included Tani Stenfjord, first place in the women’s group with at 13:31. Nathan Wilkinson (age 11) was the top Kids Division winner with 14:58. Participants described it as tough – a real leg burner – but promised to return next year.

Thanks to the volunteers!

Organizers want to thank members of the Richmond Beach Running Club who gave up the run to volunteer along the course, the Richmond Beach Community Association who paid for King County Sheriff’s Deputies and all the local businesses who donated gift certificates. 

Organizers already have plans for next year

This is the first year for the event, which is an official part of Celebrate Shoreline. They tell us next year it will expand to a 5K, have fun t-shirts available and include a volunteer piano player to serenade runners as they make their way down the 188 stairs to the finish line. 

Below is a list of sponsors:
  • City of Shoreline
  • Richmond Beach Community Association
  • NW Family Chiropractics (Drs. Jason Petaluna & Marisa DeLisle)
  • The Richmond Beach Running Club
WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO...
  • Hill’s Restaurant
  • Full Moon Thai Cuisine
  • Streetzeria
  • Flying Dragon Chinese Cuisine
  • Beach House Greetings (Cards, Gifts, Candy & Jewelry)
  • Spin Alley
  • Puerto Bonito Mexican Restaurant
  • The Greek and Mediterranean Deli at Richmond Village Shopping Center

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Celebrate Shoreline Festival just gets bigger every year

The petting zoo had bunnies and goats
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
Never mind the fact that the whole Celebrate Shoreline event lasts ten days - more if you include this weekend's performances of the Aurora Theatre Company.

Pony rides
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

The main festival itself, held on August 16 at Cromwell Park, just keeps adding more and more activities. This celebration of Shoreline's 19th Birthday is hitting its stride.

Surfboarding

Shoreline Area News photographers Steven H. Robinson and Jerry Pickard got around to everything and here is a selection of their photos.

Car show in the courthouse parking lot
Photo by Jerry Pickard
Food trucks and booths
Photo by Jerry Pickard
Robots turned children into coneheads
Photo by Steven H. Robinson  
Bouncy houses and inflatable slides
Photo by Jerry Pickard

World Dance
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
The corn snake and his human entertained the crowd
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Besides all this, there were opportunities for people to test their strength, buy books and find out what neighborhood they lived in from the Council of Neighborhood, buy a brick to honor a veteran from the American Legion booth, talk to police officers, get a balloon animal, eat a rainbow sno cone, play with bubbles, listen to live music performances, talk to political parties, talk to public schools representatives, and meet friends.

If you missed it, you'll have another opportunity at Shoreline's 20th Birthday, next year.


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Campbell Nelson donates van to Mary's Place

Friday, August 22, 2014

Kurt Campbell presents the keys to
Pastor Kelle Brown

Thanks to the generous donation of a new Nissan cargo van, Mary’s Place, a Seattle based charity that empowers homeless women and children to reclaim their lives, is now able to provide delivery of 20,000+ meals from their central kitchen to distribution points throughout the greater King County area.

“Prior to this, we had to rely on the organizations that directly provided shelter to either come get the food, or pay someone to bring the food where it was needed” cites Marty Hartman, executive director of Mary’s Place.  “Having a van allows us to now self transport the food to the women and families that need it”.  

In addition to daily food runs, the new Nissan cargo van will also be used to transport bedding, linens and belongings to the various locations that provide nightly shelter.  “We are so very grateful to Campbell Nelson for this generous donation.” This will directly result in more locations being able to accommodate and help those that need it.

Keys to the new brightly decorated van were presented to Mary’s Place on August 7 at Campbell Nelson Nissan, 24325 Highway 99, Edmonds, WA 98026.


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North Seattle Sounders FC fan won seat on Sideline Couch at match vs. Houston Dynamo

Gunars and Andrea Blukis on the sidelines couch
Photo courtesy Washington Lottery 

Gunars Blukis of North Seattle recently won the opportunity to watch a Seattle Sounders FC match from a unique location: the Washington’s Lottery sideline couch. He won the cushy seat by playing Sounders FC Man of the Match, which is held at every home match.

Blukis visited a Man of the Match booth inside the stadium and chose “alternate selection” as the Man of the Match. Blukis chose correctly, and his ballot was randomly selected, earning him a seat on the coveted Washington’s Lottery sideline couch at the match against the Houston Dynamo on August 10.

At the start of the match, Blukis and his wife, Andrea, were taken to the Washington’s Lottery sideline couch, one of the closest seats to the field. Blukis received a Sounders FC jersey and both enjoyed complimentary food and refreshment services throughout the entire match.

Blukis is both a Washington’s Lottery player and a Seattle Sounders season ticket holder since the team’s first season. He told Lottery officials the craziest thing he has ever done to support the team was taking a bus trip up to Vancouver, B.C. with one of the spirited Sounders booster clubs. “We haven’t missed very many games over the years,” he said.

Man of the Match is open to all Sounders FC home match attendees 18 years of age and older by completing a ballot with their selection for the Man of the Match. If the Sounders FC wins, the fans’ ballots with the correct player selected are placed into a drawing for the chance to win the Washington’s Lottery sideline couch experience at the following home match. If the Sounders FC loses, all of the ballots are placed into the drawing.

More information about the Sounders FC Man of the Match here.


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Family day at Sunday's Farmers' Market in LFP


Join Mayor Goss, the Police Department and Fire Department for family day at the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market. There will be free cracker jacks, giveaways, free music by Quichua Mashsis, Alpacas to meet and greet, Clover the Balloon Fairy and tours of the Northshore Fire Station just behind the Lake Forest Park Town Center.

The Lake Forest Park Farmers Market is organized and facilitated by staff of Third Place Commons. It is a fresh market with locally grown food, flowers, plants and more. The Market works with partner organizations and agencies to distribute Market Bucks, a food assistance program made possible with funding from Church of the Redeemer, Lake Forest Park Rotary, Lake Forest Park Garden Club, and donations from generous individuals. The Market also gladly accepts SNAP benefits, WIC and Senior Vouchers.



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Be a part of the inaugural Community Garage Sale at Parkwood, Sept 27


This Community Garage Sale on Saturday, September 27 [10am – 2 pm, rain or shine] at Parkwood Elementary School Grounds is hosted by the Parkwood Elementary PTA.

You can ‘buy a space’ (registration fee benefits Parkwood’s 6th grade camp) and sell your treasures, hand-crafted goods, books and more! The proceeds from what you sell at your table is yours to keep.

Register soon and no later than September 15, as space is limited for this sure to sell out event. 



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King County BRB moves forward with approval of Shoreline's assumption of Ronald Wastewater District

On August 20, 2014, the King County Boundary Review Board (BRB) unanimously agreed to move forward with approval of the City of Shoreline's proposed assumption of the Ronald Wastewater District. The BRB asked their staff to prepare a resolution approving the assumption in King County. The resolution will be voted on at their September 18 meeting and would serve as the final decision by the King County BRB.

"Utility unification is an important step in Shoreline's growth," stated Mayor Shari Winstead. "By combining District operations with City operations, we will be able to provide even more efficient and responsive services to ratepayers and will be better able to plan for Shoreline's future growth. We appreciate the King County Boundary Review Board's thorough review of our Notice of Intent to Assume."

"The District and the City of Shoreline are working collaboratively to ensure the wastewater utility's transition from District to City control goes as smoothly as possible," commented Ronald Wastewater Board President Robert Ransom. "For over fifty years, the Ronald Wastewater District has provided the Shoreline community with quality service. I am confident the City will continue to provide the same quality service District ratepayers have come to expect."

On May 27, 2014, the City submitted its Notices of Intent to Assume the Ronald Wastewater District to the King County and Snohomish County Boundary Review Boards (BRBs). The BRBs are responsible for reviewing proposals for boundary changes by cities, fire districts, and water/sewer districts within their respective counties, including city or district annexations, new city incorporations, and district mergers.

Snohomish County's Boundary Review Board will hold its public hearing on Shoreline's Notice of Intent to Assume on August 28 at 4 p.m. in Everett. Administration East Building (Robert J. Drewel Building) 3000 Rockefeller, Everett 98201.

More information about the City's assumption of Ronald Wastewater District here.

 

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Antique Radio Association Swap Meet - voices from the past

Thursday, August 21, 2014


Photos and text by Jerry Pickard

Sunday morning as I arrived at Shoreline Community College I discovered that The Puget Sound Antique Radio Association was having their annual SCC Swap Meet in the SouthWest parking lot. 


So-o-o-o, I stopped to investigate. There was everything electric from an original Edison Gramaphone (first means of recording sound), I didn't check to see if it was spring wound or electric but probably was the first electric model produced -- to military surplus WWII vintage electronics.


Beautiful Floor model cabinet radios that were popular before TV was invented, like I listened to as a small child, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of man? The shadow knows!" or that Kemo Sabe, as Tonto called The Lone Ranger, meant Truly Trusted Friend. 


The club meets monthly at the Cedar Valley Grange hall in Lynnwood and welcomes new members.


There was no shortage of goods at the Swap Meet, which the club has been staging for 32 years.


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Last weekend for Into The Woods at Shoreline City Hall courtyard

Performance dates:
Friday - Saturday
August 22-23


Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Tony Award-winning musical Into the Woods, is a magical retelling of your favorite Grimm’s Fairy Tales characters and their search for Happily Ever After. What begins as an irreverent fantasy becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories we tell our children.

Aurora Theatre Company, in association with The City of Shoreline and Shoreline Community College, will present an intimate production of the classic musical with 10 actors and 2 pianos. The performances will take place in an outdoor amphitheatre setting at Shoreline City Hall.

Tickets to the six August performances will be FREE, but reservations are kindly requested.

The public is invited to come early and bring a picnic supper and blankets. Mark your calendars and get ready to enjoy a magical theatrical experience under the stars.

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by James Lapine
Directed by Scott Charles Francis
Sponsors: The City of Shoreline, Shoreline Community College, Charlie’s Produce


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Ve vant your blood - mwahhh - four opportunities to give Aug 25-27

Image courtesy FunCheapSF
No, excuses, Shoreliners: The Puget Sound Blood Center's mobile unit will be nigh-on ubiquitous in the heart of downtown at the end of the month, with a range of times available to fit everyone's schedule.

Blood stocks typically dip to critical levels in late summer, as regular donors go on vacation, people schedule elective surgeries, and some peoples' seasonal fun gets a little too spirited. PSBC has added an "emergency" blood drive to a week of regularly-scheduled bloodmobile appearances:

MONDAY, AUGUST 25 @ ST. LUKE'S: "The Commuter" drive is from 1pm to 7pm, perfect for people stopping in on their way home from work. St. Luke's is at 322 North 175th (off Dayton). Appointments encouraged, walk-ups welcome.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26 @ WINDERMERE: "The Emergency" drive is from 10am to 4pm at 900 North 185th. Special thanks to Jack Malek and Windermere Real Estate for hosting. Appointments available for all times; Walk-ups needed! 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27 @ WSDOT: "The Early Morning Drain" drive, from 8:30am to 11:30am is great for people on their way to work. 15700 Dayton Ave. North. Appointments recommended, walk-ups welcome.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27 @ CITY HALL: The bloodmobile moves from the DOT parking lot to the Walgreen's at 17524 Aurora for "The Lunch Break" drive from 1pm to 3:30pm. Appointments encouraged, walk-ups welcome.

Most healthy adults over 110 lbs are eligible to donate blood. Donating blood is safe and easy and takes about 45 minutes, from walking in to walking out. Whole blood donations can be made every 8 weeks; people who have already donated once this summer and are not yet eligible can plan on giving again on Saturday, September 6 in Richmond Beach, or look into going to the storefront PSBC facilities in nearby Lynnwood (19723 Highway 99) or North Seattle (10357 Stone Ave.)


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Shoreline City Council meetings Monday, Aug 25

City Council Meetings


Monday, August 25, 2014 – Special Meeting 3:30 p.m.

145th Street Project Tour (agenda)

The meeting will begin at 3:30pm and is scheduled to conclude at 5:30pm. The meeting will convene in the Council Chambers at Shoreline City Hall, located at 17500 Midvale Avenue N, Shoreline, WA 98133. 

The purpose of this meeting is to provide a tour of 145th Street for the WSDOT Secretary, the 32nd and 46th Legislative Delegation, Federal Delegation representatives, and others. There will be a brief overview and introductions at 3:30pm, followed by a bus tour at 4:00pm which will include walking across the I-5 overpass at 145th.The bus will be back to City Hall by 5:30pm.

Monday, August 25, 2014 – Special Meeting 5:45 p.m.

Meeting with WSDOT Secretary (agenda)

The meeting will begin at 5:45pm and is scheduled to conclude at 7:00pm. The meeting will convene in the Conference Room 301 at Shoreline City Hall, located at 17500 Midvale Avenue N, Shoreline, WA 98133. 

The purpose of this meeting is to meet with the Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary of Transportation, Lynn Peterson, to discuss the 145th Street Improvement project.

Monday, August 25, 2014 – Regular Meeting 7:00 p.m.


Agenda Highlights
  • Public Hearing and Approval of the 2015-2016 Human Services Funding Plan and the Proposed Use of 2015 Capital Community Development Block Grant Funds
  • Motion to Select the 185th Street Station Preferred Alternative for FEIS
  • Discussion of Council Subcommittee Recommendation and Appointment of Planning Commissioner
  • Executive Session: Litigation – RCW 42.30.110(1)(i)





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Next 24-Hr Early and Discounted Registration for Recreation Programs being Aug 27 in LFP

Next 24-Hr Early and Discounted Registration for Recreation Programs Begins August 27, 2014 8:00am for Lake Forest Park residents

Are you interested in signing up for Shoreline recreation programs early and at a discounted rate?

The next 24-hour period for Lake Forest Park residents to register as Shoreline “resident” status to receive recreation discounts will be on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 starting at 8:00am through Thursday, August 28, 2014 ending at 8:00am. Stay tuned for the fall 2014 recreation guide on the City of Shoreline’s recreation website.

Reminders:
  • If you are new to Shoreline Recreation Programs and plan to register and pay online, you have to create a passcode and PIN ahead of time. It takes a few days, so be sure to set up your account BEFORE LFP discounted registration begins on August 27, 2014 @ 8:00am.
  • On August 28, 2014 at 8:01am, Lake Forest Park residents will be required to pay non-resident rates for all services (punch cards, passes, classes, course registrations, rentals) until the next registration cycle. No exceptions will be made.
  • You have the option to register online, in person or by phone.
  • Sign up for reminders/notifications on the City’s website by going to “Notify Me” (scroll down to select “News Flash” “Lake Forest Park Updates”).
Frequently Asked Question: Do I have to register early during this 24-hour period?

Answer: Only if you wish to receive discounted “resident” rates on registrations and have the opportunity to register “early.” Otherwise, you will pay non-resident fees. Note that in the recreation guide, each course will list the rate for a “resident” vs a “non-resident.”

Additional Info...


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Find Nemo Saturday at Outdoor Movie Night


Outdoor Movie Night 2014 ~ Finding Nemo

Saturday, August 23, 2014 – 8:30 pm

at ALDERCREST ANNEX  2545 NE 200th St 
(near 25th Ave NE and Ballinger Way NE)

Walk in or carpool. Bring lawn chairs and blankets.
*bring a flashlight too for after the movie

Activities start at 7:00pm with live music by LAST GREAT FIRE, crafts and games for kids, The BUBBLEMAN, a snack bar, Demonstrations by the Shorewood High School Robotics Club and the Marymoor R/C Club (remote controlled planes).

This evening of outdoor community fun is made possible by funding from the City of Shoreline Neighborhood Mini-grant Program and many volunteers from Ballinger’s and Meridian Park’s Neighborhood Associations.


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City Manager's report for week of Aug 18

Update for Week of 8/18/2014
By Debbie Tarry, Shoreline City Manager

Council Meetings

August 18
·         Dinner Meeting: Executive Session – Personnel.
·         Regular Meeting:
o   Planning Commission Appointment Process: Council voted to waive Council Rule 2.3F and 2.4 for recruitment and interview process, and reconstituted the Council sub-committee that most recently participated in the Planning Commission appointment process (Deputy Mayor Eggen, and Councilmembers Hall and Roberts) and review the applications of those who were interviewed, but not appointed. One applicant, Marc Mignogna, has notified the City that he would not be able to serve if selected.
o   Design Concepts for 145th Light Rail Station DEIS: Staff presented the market study for this light rail station subarea and also some design concepts of how density zones could be implemented based on feedback from the public in the first set of Design Dialogue Workshops held in June. Input from Council will be used to start putting together potential zoning scenarios to be used in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement process. Zoning scenarios will be reviewed by Council on September 15, and these zoning scenarios will be used in the second Design Dialogue Workshop scheduled for October 9.
o   Canceled - Executive Session – Property Acquisition

August 25
·         145th Tour - Council will tour the 145th Street corridor with invited regional, state, and federal elected representatives.
·         Dinner Meeting (5:45 p.m.) – The Dinner Meeting will be with Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson and Assistant Secretary Amy Scarton. The focus of the Dinner Meeting is 145th and specifically requesting that WSDOT address the need to redo the 145th Interchange to make the light rail station project successful for the long-term and to address mutual goals of having a strategic investment that provides environmental stewardship, transit oriented development and improves interconnectivity of transit, auto, pedestrians and bicyclists.
·         Business Meeting:
o   Potential Appointment of Planning Commissioner: It is anticipated that the Council sub-committee will have a recommendation on filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Terri Strandberg.
o   Public Hearing on the Human Service Block Grant
o   Selection of the 185th Street Station Preferred Alternative to be Studied in the FEIS: Based on recommendations developed by Council during their August 11 review of the proposed zoning, staff is developed a revised zoning map. Councilmembers will select their “Preferred Alternative” which will be used in completing the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Staff has generated two alternatives for Council’s consideration based on amendment requests from Councilmember Roberts and Councilmember Hall.
o   Hidden Lake Discussion and Recommendation – This item has been moved to September 8 to accommodate a change in staff’s schedule and to make sure that there is adequate time for Council deliberations on the 185th light rail station item.

RWD Assumption and Boundary Review Board Process
Both the King County and Snohomish County Boundary Review Boards (BRBs) received letters of support and opposition to the assumption (Shoreline Planning Commission members and City of Algona; King County Executive cover letter and report; King County Sheriff's Office KC BRB and SnoCo BRB; and combined letters of opposition to KC BRB.) Below is a link to the briefing document submitted by the Town of Woodway to the Snohomish County Boundary Review Board:
The Snohomish County Boundary Review Board hearing is scheduled for Thursday, August 28, at 4 p.m. in Everett. 

Metro Service Reductions
Staff has been following Metro service reductions as King County recently adopted the service changes for September 2014 (with minimal impact to Shoreline riders) and also approved a reduction for February 2015 which approved a reduction in hours only, not identifying specific routes. The King County Council has convened a special ad-hoc committee to analyze those reductions/revisions. An updated proposal is expected before the County Council on September 2. The February 2015 service reductions originally proposed in Shoreline are minor, especially when compared with other jurisdictions, as the City loses one peak only route (the route itself is being retained, but the segment serving Shoreline is being deleted). Decisions about additional cuts in June and September 2015 will be made as part of the 2015-2016 County budget process this fall. This uncertainty makes it difficult to identify options for the City Council to consider with regard to purchasing service from Metro via a Community Mobility Contract. This program is still in development. As such, it seems premature to have policy discussion with Council on this issue until staff has more details on the options that Council could consider. Originally it was my desire to have this discussion prior to the City’s 2015 budget deliberations, but it is likely that this topic will not be ready until later in 2014 or early 2015.

July Development Revenues
Development revenue totaled $106,450 in July which is 48% ahead of the year-to-date projections and 17% ahead of the amount collected in the same seven month time period in 2013. Issued building permits came in at $6.3 million (rounded) in valuation for the month with residential valuation comprising 51% and commercial/multi-family comprising 49% of this amount. The Washington State Department of Transportation's office building was issued with $2.46 million valuation.

Food Truck Thursdays in Ridgecrest
Earlier this summer our Economic Development Intern collaborated with the Ridgecrest neighborhood to develop Food Truck Thursdays @ Ridgecrest where a different food truck will set up every Thursday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. for four weeks. Dates and trucks are:
·         August 21: Streetzeria - Fresh local ingredients make for great toppings on our crispy pizza crust. Enjoy with our local cold craft beer, and finish with Full Tilt ice cream!
·         August 28: Jemil's Big Easy - Seattle's best Cajun with Chef Jemil Aziz from New Orleans! Winner of 2012 AND 2013 Seattle Weekly's Reader's Choice Best Seattle Food Truck
·         September 4: Off the Rez - Native American inspired cuisine including Indian Tacos & frybread serving Seattle's streets!
·         September 11: The Sammich Truck - Born from a love of sandwiches and a passion to create the classics that everyone knows and loves.

Key Contacts
Last week, Intergovernmental Relations Program Manager Scott MacColl and I met with Snohomish Councilmembers Somers and Sullivan to discuss the Ronald Wastewater District Assumption and Point Wells.


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Reducing Stress Through Meditation at LFP Library Tuesday

Ajili Hodari
Ajili Hodari will show the effectiveness of meditation in reducing stress-related responses, improving concentration and enhancing clarity of thought. Includes a simple yet powerful meditation technique anyone can use to reduce stress.

Lake Forest Park Library meeting room, Tuesday, August 26, 7-8:30pm, Town Center lower level by escalator.


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