Councilmembers present: Dwight Thompson, Mayor pro tempore; Alan Kiest, Carolyn Armanini, Mary Jane Goss, Nate Herzog, Roger Olstad, Ed Sterner

Staff present: David R. Hutchinson, Mayor; Karen Haines, City Administrator; Michael Ruark, City Attorney; Dennis Peterson, Police Chief; Sarah Phillips, Government & Community Relations Manager; Susan Stine, City Clerk

Others present: 14 visitors

Mayor Hutchinson called the meeting to order at 7:32 p.m.

Cmbr. Goss led council in the pledge of allegiance.

Mayor Hutchinson introduced Claire Conway and Stephen Lazaro, McKinnon Tompkins and Denise Baker, Marianne and Bailey Mersereau.

Both Lake Forest Park Elementary and Brookside Elementary PTA representatives presented a quilt to commemorate Officer Ron Seguin’s five years of service as the D.A.R.E. officer and in appreciation for all that he has done at both schools.

Officer Ron Seguin expressed his appreciation for this honor and said that he has enjoyed his work in the schools.

Hutchinson reported on the October 6 commission chairs meeting, his attendance at the October 3, 2003 opening of Brookside Creek on the Hoy property, the United Way kickoff luncheon for staff and other items of interest to council.

Cmbr. Herzog moved to adopt the agenda as proposed. Cmbr. Sterner seconded.

Cmbr. Kiest requested to add under new business a new topic for discussion of parks master plans.

Cmbr. Armanini requested to add discussion of the Burke-Gilman trail also under new business in new topics for discussion.

Walt Hagen, 711 N 193^rd Street, Shoreline, stated he is a candidate for a position on the Shoreline School District Board.

James Leigh, 2233 NE 177^th St., Shoreline, said he is also a candidate for the Shoreline School District Board.

Dan Mann, 17920 Stone Avenue N, Shoreline, stated he is also running for the Shoreline School District Board position 4 and invited everyone to the candidates’ forum.

Hutchinson introduced Heidi Coffman, his nominee for the Parks and Recreation Commission, position 1, term ending 3/31/04. Coffman noted her interest in serving on the Parks and Recreation Commission and stated she would like to see more active parks in the city.

Several councilmembers thanked Coffman for volunteering to serve, and Hutchinson stated that final confirmation would take place at the October 23, 2003 regular council meeting.

Thompson moved to adopt the consent calendar as follows:

1. September 25, 2003 Council study session minutes
2. September 25, 2003 Council regular meeting minutes
3. October 9, 2003 finance committee report covering warrants no. 44303 through 44371 in the amount of $246,570.60 drawn from the claims clearing fund and warrants no. 25278 through 25363 in the amount of $181,420.94 drawn from the payroll clearing fund.

Carolyn Browne Tambler of Carolyn Browne Associates discussed the major findings of the survey conducted by her firm on the organics pilot program. Discussion followed on various aspects of the survey.

Government and Community Relations Manager Sarah Phillips noted Wes Smith from Rabanco, King County Solid Waste Division Senior Planner Beth Humphreys, and Jeff Brown, Sound Resource Management, were also present to discuss the organics pilot program.

Jeff Brown of Sound Resource Management noted that the cities of Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland had participated in variations of the organics pilot program. He said that the most successful was the weekly pick-up scenario, and those cities have chosen to proceed on that basis.

Phillips discussed the city’s current contract with Rabanco for garbage pick-up and noted that other cities are rebidding their contracts. She reviewed the city’s options and reasons for considering renegotiating the contract.

Council members discussed various issues related to the garbage contract and requested additional information regarding the experience of Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland with organics pilot programs and the complete survey report from Carolyn Browne Associates.

City Administrator Karen Haines stated that the Mayor’s budget will be presented to the city council on October 23, 2003 and will include a recommendation to increase the compensation for the mayor and for city council members as outlined in Ordinance 902. She noted this ordinance is being presented so that the proposed increase would apply to officials elected in November. She stated that the proposed salaries are comparable to salaries in similar cities.

Thompson moved to advance Ordinance 902/Increasing the Compensation of the Mayor and City Council Members to second reading calendar. Cmbr. Kiest seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

In response to a question from Cmbr. Sterner, Hutchinson said that the increases are being proposed in recognition of the increased complexity and workload for elected officials since salaries were reviewed. He said that the issue of compensation was intended to be discussed as a part of the budget process, but he has been advised that the proposed increases must be approved prior to the November 4 election in order to apply to those positions on the November ballot.

Following discussion, council members agreed that Ordinance 902 would be considered at the October 23, 2003 council meeting.

Kiest reported on his attendance at the Suburban Cities meeting and noted that the guest speaker was Attorney General Christine Gregoire.

Thompson reported on the October 7 council budget committee meeting and said that the 2004 budget calendar has been updated. He said that Mayor Hutchinson had shared some issues to be addressed in the proposed 2004 budget, which will be presented to council on October 23, 2003. He noted that state legislators representing the city would be invited to the December 11, 2003 study session dinner meeting.

He encouraged all council members to be prepared to discuss the 2004 budget at the upcoming council meetings and workshops.

Thompson also noted that there would be a public hearing on the Mayor’s proposed budget on November 13, 2003, which is prior to the council budget committee meeting.

Thompson moved to schedule a special council meeting on December 4, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. with the possibility of a 6 p.m. study session. Herzog seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

City Administrator Karen Haines discussed a recent inquiry regarding distribution of council minutes and commission meeting summaries and updates to the city’s web page. She reviewed the current process of distribution of city information.

Haines proposed to change the distribution process so that the e-mail distribution list would be directed to the website when approved items are posted. She noted that this would eliminate problems involving attachments for some on the electronic distribution list and is a more efficient process.

In response to a question from Cmbr. Kiest, Haines said that she would implement the proposed distribution plan if there were no objection from the council. Following discussion, council agreed by consensus that no action was necessary.

Haines said that she understands that the October 10, 2003 Enterprise would have an article regarding the proposed sale of the mall and possible future mall tenants. She discussed environmental and other issues related to the town center sale.

Sterner said that it is his understanding that the advisory task force will review and approve the draft request for proposal before it is sent to interested firms.

Herzog expressed his concern that the emphasis on the environmental aspects of the RFP would turn away firms using a business model for the study. He said if such firms do not have extensive experience with environmental projects, they might be precluded from consideration. Haines said that the task force would be working on developing evaluation criteria to address the elements of the project equitably.

Armanini expressed her concern regarding the lack of any business and financial analysis in the RFP, especially regarding the potential demand for city services.

Sterner said that he believes that business and financial information would be included in the study and is identified in the RFP.

After further discussion, Herzog moved to amend the draft request for proposal as follows:

Page 3, line 1: "…The paramount goal of the study should be to evaluate the business…"

Herzog said that different interest groups are represented on the 15-member advisory task force, and his motion is intended to ensure that the focus of the study is clear.

Olstad said that he believed that language included in the scope of work addresses the overall mission of the study adequately.

Thompson said that the study should not be just a business strategic plan and noted that other issues such as senior housing and recreational opportunities must be addressed.

Sterner said that a livable city must also be viable, and he believes that the RFP includes sufficient emphasis regarding the business portion.

Goss noted that citizens are involved and passionate participants, and she hoped that everyone would be able to approach the project with an open mind.

Kiest moved that the council direct the administration to prepare and submit to the council an amendment to the master plans of those parks that contain potential landing zones for law enforcement and medical helicopters. The amendments are to provide for siting and use of helicopter landing zones.

Kiest cited an incident where a helicopter was needed to transport an accident victim to the hospital. Therefore, he would like council to consider this amendment specifically for this type of emergency.

At the request of several councilmembers, a five-minute recess was taken at 10:13 p.m.

The meeting was resumed at 10:22 p.m.

Goss discussed a message she had received regarding the Burke Gilman Trail and discussed the county’s proposed redevelopment plans for the trail.

Goss moved that the Mayor direct the City Attorney to review all state laws and city code provisions which potentially bear on the City’s ability to regulate construction and use of the Burke-Gilman Trail; to undertake a thorough and creative analysis of the county’s position on the limits of the city’s authority; to examine how the county’s plan for widening the trail might be affected by current city sensitive areas and other land use regulations to determine whether amendment of those regulations would enhance the city’s control over the county’s redevelopment; and to develop an opinion related to the county’s authority to broaden use of the Trail as outlined in the county’s 1967 Forward Thrust Bond Ordinance 34571.

After discussion, Goss requested to remove the following language from her motion:

"; and to develop an opinion related to the county’s authority to broaden use of the Trail as outlined in the county’s 1967 Forward Thrust Bond Ordinance 34571."

At 10:35 p.m., the council agreed that the meeting should be extended 20 minutes.

Sterner moved to amend the motion as follows:

"… to regulate construction and use of the Burke-Gilman Trail; to undertake a thorough and creative analysis of the county’s position on the limits of the city’s authority; to examine how the county’s plan for widening the trail might be affected by current city sensitive areas and other land use regulations to determine whether amendment of those regulations would enhance the city’s control over the county’s redevelopment;."

There being no objection, the meeting was adjourned at 10:58 p.m.

Susan Stine, City Clerk

David R. Hutchinson, Mayor

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