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2024-08-13 Council Minutes Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 1 EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL MEETING APPROVED MINUTES August 13, 2024 ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT Mike Rosen, Mayor Vivian Olson, Council President Chris Eck, Councilmember Will Chen, Councilmember Neil Tibbott, Councilmember Michelle Dotsch, Councilmember Susan Paine, Councilmember Jenna Nand, Councilmember STAFF PRESENT Kim Dunscombe, Acting Finance Director Todd Tatum, Comm., Culture & Econ. Dev. Dir. Mike Clugston, Acting Planning Mgr. Mike De Lilla, Senior Utilities Engineer Jeff Taraday, City Attorney Scott Passey, City Clerk Jerrie Bevington, Camera Operator 1. CALL TO ORDER/FLAG SALUTE The Edmonds City Council meeting was called to order at 6:59 pm by Mayor Rosen in the Council Chambers, 250 5th Avenue North, Edmonds, and virtually. The meeting was opened with the flag salute. 2. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Council President Olson read the City Council Land Acknowledge Statement: “We acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Sdohobsh (Snohomish) people and their successors the Tulalip Tribes, who since time immemorial have hunted, fished, gathered, and taken care of these lands. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and we honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water.” 3. ROLL CALL City Clerk Scott Passey called the roll. All elected officials were present. 4. PRESENTATIONS 1. NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH PROCLAMATION Mayor Rosen read a proclamation proclaiming September 2024 as National Suicide Prevention Month in Edmonds. He presented the proclamation to Levi Van Dyke, Chief Behavior Health Officer, Volunteers of America Western Washington. Mr. Van Dyke explained VOA Western Washington has crisis line services including the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline. He was honored to receive the proclamation on behalf of his team and colleagues working in suicide prevention. He thanked the mayor, council, and city for recognizing Suicide Prevention Month in September and the first ever 988 Day on September 8. Since 988 became operational in July 2022, over 10 million contacts have been answered nationally. Locally the center provides support to hundreds of individuals or help seekers every day. Acknowledgements like this proclamation make it easier for Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 2 people to reach out and get support from services like 988. He again extended his thanks, appreciation and gratitude for the proclamation. He invited council and the public to distribute the 988 materials he provided. 2. DEIA COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT Todd Tatum introduced Elaine Helm, Co-Chair and Jessie Owen, Co-Chair and recognized DEIA commissioners in the audience. Co-Chair Helm displayed photographs of DEIA Commissioners Dipti Chrastka, Pam Iverson, Patty Narvaez-Wheeler, Rebecca Perault, Rowan Soiset, Umrah Thomas and Student Rep Sofia Marie Castillo. She reviewed: • Our Mission o The mission for the Edmonds Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Commission is to promote and embrace diversity, equity, inclusion , and accessibility through action, education, and guidance. The commission seeks to foster an understanding that includes, accepts, respects and appreciates each individual member of our community. The commission helps to identify actions which the city government can take to improve equitable access and address adverse impacts of past policy and conditions. • We achieve our mission through a community focused, multi-pronged approach consisting of three core roles o Service Provider  We serve as a resource for the community by providing education and resources that foster awareness and build community practices that support every individual’s needs o Trusted Advisory  We make thoughtful recommendations to the mayor and city council which encourage city officials to ensure a holistic perspective when planning for the Edmonds community. o Accountability partner  We respectfully support, guide and challenge government policy development when necessary to prioritize accountability and ensure planning measures center DEIA principles. o Overcoming significant challenges from the previous year, including committee member turnover and reduced support staff, the DEIA Commission achieved a record-breaking number of community engagements in Edmonds during 2023/24 Co-Chair Owen reviewed: • Service Provider o Diversity Film Series o Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation o Launched monthly newsletter and Instagram account o Event collaboration and support for:  MLK Day  Juneteenth  Pride  Lunar New Year o Established DEIA library of 150+ books for community distribution o Edmonds Center for the Arts Pride Screening tabling o Impact Grant Awards o Community Engagement presence at Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation o Edmonds Kind of 4th o Edmonds Community Fair o ECC Civic 101 Engagement Workshop Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 3 • Trusted Advisor o Participated in board and commission forum by the Edmonds Civic Roundtable o Established community partners with neighboring city DEIA commissions o Ongoing advisory meetings with mayor and key city staff o Served as an accessibility consultant for events and public spaces • Accountability Partner o Commission name change o Improved accessibility at city places and events  Porchfest  Taste Edmonds  Tree lighting  City Hall  Arts Fair o We Side with Love Community Interfaith Vigil o Launch of Safe Spaces with Edmonds Police • A commitment to DEIA also means introspect to ask the tough questions, and a willingness to learn from challenges – while celebrating our wins along the way. o Changes we overcame  High turnover in 2023/2024 - 95% membership change challenged onboarding and continuity  Attrition of dedicated support staff Molly Jay o Learnings  Balanced workload to prevent burnout and retain members  Aligned expectations on commissioner time commitments which shaped priority objects o Wins  Assembled our most subject matter qualified and passionate commission to date  Delivered 50+ community initiatives  Fostered a renewed commitment to DEIA principles in our community  Set new benchmarks for commission effectiveness and measurable impacts  Positioned the Edmonds DEIA commission as a model proxy for neighboring communities • A look ahead at 2025 priorities o Continued relationship building and engagement so that the commission has a voice and impact in the city’s long-term plans o Improved engagement and visibility in the community o Data informed strategies and measurable impact outcomes to support communities who are the most marginalized and most impacted by changes – especially around budget and policy making o Advocate and guide our community in finding accessible solutions and information • How can you integrate DEIA priorities going forward? o Leverage our team  Policy review and recommendations  Inclusive accessible event planning guidance  Community outreach  Data analysis  Budget input We have worked through city collected metrics and have data driven insights and tailored strategies to address equity gaps in our community. We can help you find and connect representation to reflect all corners of Edmonds:  Age range: 20s to 60s  Diverse backgrounds: Indian, Middle Eastern, Latina, Biracial; LGBTQ+, and disability representation  Professional expertise ~15 years combined DEI experience; fields include education, law, behavioral health, finance, creative strategy, social work, accessibility consulting, life coach, DEIA training consultant Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 4 Co-Chair Owen summarized the DEIA doesn’t have a large budget, but the budget they have matters and they do a lot with a limited budget. Mr. Tatum commented in regard to trusted advisory and accountability, the DEIA commission’s presence definitely impacts what staff does at city hall. He has worked for the city for approximately two years and has worked with a lot of boards and commission in the City and elsewhere during his professional life, and the amount and quality of the leadership in the current and previous iterations of DEIA commission is incredible. DEIA commissioners who leave start nonprofits, associations and events and continue to contribute to the community. Although not everyone knows the City has a DEIA commission, Edmonds residents are aware something is different and feel the impact of the DEIA commission. Councilmember Eck said it had been her pleasure and honor to serve as the liaison for the DEIA commission this year. Although not know for being a gusher, she had to prevent herself from gushing over the DEIA commission. She agreed with what has been said, the commissioners’ expertise, energy, and ideas consistently impress her. Everything the presenters have said including the recommendations and what they really need from the administration and council are spot on. She thanked Co-Chairs Helm and Owen and the other members of the DEIA in the audience for attending. She noted Mr. Tatum and Program Coordinator Megan Luttrell have been instrumental to the foundation and as resources for the DEIA commission. As a community member and councilmember, she recognized the progress that has been made and how critical it was to continue and to listen to voices that may not always be the loudest as the community becomes more diverse. The DEIA commission’s championing has been instrumental in the progress that has been made. Councilmember Tibbott thanked the DEIA commission and echoed Councilmember Eck’s comments. He asked about the Safe Place program, where they are and whether any of them are connected with public schools. Co-Chair Helm answered Safe Place is a program started by Seattle Police many years ago as an opportunity for businesses to partner with the police department. Businesses go through training and have a decal they display to indicate it is a Safe Place to go if someone is being harassed or receiving intimidation of any kind due to their identity. Tabatha Shoemake in the Edmonds Police Department was instrumental in bringing that program to Edmonds. She was unsure how many businesses have signed up; the DEIA commission had many conversations with the police department to sponsor this program and ensure it was available in the City. Councilmember Chen expressed appreciation for the great work the DEIA commission does, commenting the City has become more inclusive and welcoming in the past 3-4 years as a result of the DEIA commission’s work. There are challenges ahead related to budget for projects, for example accessibility. He was hopeful more progress could be made and encouraged the commission to persevere including partnering with other nonprofits in the community who are also making a difference and making the community a more welcoming place. He reported some of the DEIA commissioners were volunteers at the recent Dragon Boat Festival. Councilmember Paine thanked the commission for all the work they do for the City. She loved that the commission is also an advisory group, noting their subject matter expertise can be seen throughout the community. The DEIA commission’s presence may not be widely known, but when they are asked to provide input, it adds huge value to the entire City. One of the biggest policy documents coming up is the budget; if the commission is aware of gaps and where the City needs to sharpen its pencil, she invited their input to ensure there aren’t DEIA barriers. She was disappointed the City was unable to fund a study of ADA improvements last year. Co-Chair Owen responded the budget is important because in communities and government, money is valued and it speaks. The DEIA commission has a member on Mayor Rosen’s budget advisory committee. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 5 Council President Olson thanked the DEIA commission for their professional presentation and the information in the packet. She felt everyone does know the DEIA commission exists; she sees them everywhere and she applauded the personal relationships they build and for being leaders in the community, noting the community is better because of the DEIA commission’s involvement. Councilmember Dotsch echoed the previous councilmembers’ comments. She congratulated the commission on the record breaking number of engagements and thanked them for their engagement in the community. Councilmember Nand thanked the volunteers, reiterating the City runs on its volunteers. As small business owner, she was excited to hear that with the inclusion of accessibility, the DEIA is offering that consulting for free to small businesses in the community. She noted mom and pop small business don’t necessarily have the resources, time or energy to hire an accessibility consultant or to access DEIA resources. She assumed there were plenty of grant opportunities to support the work of the DEIA commission and asked whether the commission was currently supported by grants. Mr. Tatum answered the commission is not currently supported by grants; that is some of work that needs to be done. Co-Chair Owen commented the commission had been denied a couple grants. Mayor Rosen thanked the DEIA commission for all the time they devote, all the wisdom they share, and for helping the City on its journey to become a model city with regard to DEIA work. 3. MAYOR'S FINANCE UPDATE Mayor Rosen said tonight the council will hear the results of the survey and the mid-year review, he had nothing to add. 5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER NAND, TO APPROVE THE AGENDA IN CONTENT AND ORDER. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6. AUDIENCE COMMENTS David Levitan, Edmonds, spoke regarding the planning department and the planning division, recognizing there has been some uncertainty and transition taking place. He assured the council and community they were in very good hands. The staff he had the pleasure of knowing, many of whom he now calls close friends, have done an amazing job persevering, keeping their heads down, and looking out for the best interests of the Edmonds community. He called them out by name: Mike Clugston, Amber Brokenshire, Navyusha Pentakota, Tristin Sewell, Rose Haas, and Carmen Smith. With Shane Hope coming back to help with the transition, the City cannot be in any better hands. Although he has had limited contact with her in the past, everything he has heard from people like Joe Tovar and others is that she is amazing. He recognized there is a lot going on including the comprehensive plan update and implementation, but the City’s team exhibits character and work ethic. There may be some individuals who have not exhibited that same level of character and ethics, but that is something that probably needs to be dealt with more proactively in the future. Ardeth Weed, Edmonds, a DEIA commissioner for three years, said the current members are the best ever and it is amazing what they accomplish. She relayed speaking with Councilmember Eck following the last DEIA commission meeting about the lack of a requirement for recycling in apartment buildings in Edmonds, something Councilmember Eck was shocked to learn. Ms. Weed relayed she lives in a delightful 5-plex on Hemlock, all the other homes on the street are single family dwellings and on recycling day, the Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 6 truck picks up recycling from all the homes except their building. She and her husband and another tenant in the building take their recyclables to the recycling center on 212th, but she wondered whether other people living in apartments do that. She contacted Republic Services about apartment recycling (after being told by the City that Republic Services picks up recycling in Edmonds) who told her they are not contracted to pick up apartment recycling in Edmonds, only single family residences. She then contacted the Recycling and Composting Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission who told her it is up to each city to decide. She researched the Washington Actuarial Codes at the WUTC and talked to Mike Young, Assistant Transportation Director for Washington, who also said it is up to the city. She talked to Strom Peterson who told her to speak to Edmonds City Council. She recognized it may increase costs for apartment owners and possibly tenants, but it is important. She urged the Council to get busy on this. Zach Bloomfield, owner of a house addressed as Edmonds in unincorporated Snohomish County, spoke regarding Agenda Item 9.3 regarding redesignating their Meadowdale neighborhood from Lynnwood Municipal Urban Growth Area (MUGA) to Edmonds’ MUGA. He emphasized they were not asking for immediate annexation, knowing it was a process that takes time, but the first step is this redesignation, a necessary step to keep future options open without committing the City to annexation right away or even eventually. Without this redesignation, they lose the opportunity to explore future benefits for their neighborhood and for Edmonds. By taking this step, Edmonds can ensure any future annexation decisions are informed by thorough financial, environmental, and infrastructure planning. He opined Lynnwood’s willingness to release their neighborhood from their MUGA stems from a sense of justice; their neighborhood was included in Lynnwood’s MUGA without any consultation despite all 48 household having Edmonds addresses. This oversight deserves correction and Lynnwood’s decision recognizes their neighborhood should be properly designated as it has been addressed for decades. Mr. Bloomfield continued, relaying he understood that infrastructure projects require planning and funding and they are prepared to contribute their share over time, but for now are only asking for a chance to present their case for redesignation to the Snohomish County Boundary Review Board which requires the support of both Edmonds and Lynnwood. They remain committed to a responsible and fiscally sound discussion regarding annexation after the redesignation. Environmental risks such as runoff and stormwater issues do not stop at jurisdictional lines and could impact Edmonds directly due to the neighborhood’s topography. Edmonds’ existing policies on environmental management emphasize the importance of proactive management; redesignation would help address these concerns comprehensively, protecting Edmonds from future potential issues. Their neighborhood is addressed as and wants to be part of Edmonds at least in terms of its MUGA and urged the City to support their request for redesignation. Winnifred Bloomfield, a six-years old and almost a first grader at Maplewood Elementary, spoke regarding Agenda Item 9.3. Her address is Edmonds, Washington, she loves Edmonds. Some of her favorite things to do in Edmonds include swimming lessons at Yost Pool, Ms. Kat at Edmonds Library, riding her bike at Civic Park, the splash pad, getting ice cream at the Edmonds Waterfront Center, the Edmonds Art Fair, finding [inaudible] at Olympic Beach, finding Waldo in over 45 local businesses, buying fruits at Edmonds Farmers Market, and so much more. She asked the City to support their request for redesignation so she can keep her address. Kelsey Bloomfield, speaking regarding Agenda Item 9.3, said her address is also Edmonds, Washington. They live in a really special neighborhood filled with teachers, paramedics, police officers, world changers and lots of awesome kids. She recognized the City saw their neighborhood as a risk or liability, but they see themselves as an amazing asset. They have always considered themselves Edmonds and she urged the City to allow them to keep their address by choosing to redesignate them into the Edmonds MUGA. If the council had any questions or planned not to redesignation their neighborhood, she asked the council to at least postpone a decision so they could visit their neighborhood and meet the people, see their homes and see what an asset they truly are. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 7 Lynn Treseler spoke regarding the Meadowdale MUGA redesignation. She and her husband bought their home on 68th Avenue West in 1977 and have always considered themselves part of Edmonds as they have an Edmonds mailing address and they love the town of Edmonds. Across the street and downhill their neighbors are already part of Edmonds and their home is part of a small pocket of homes, less than 50, that are in unincorporated Snohomish County. She and her husband have never liked having a septic tank; it is especially important for them to become part of the neighborhood sewer system so the new Meadowdale Beach Park estuary preserving salmon habitat is protected from contaminated water. They love the park and have walked and biked from their house to the park since it opened. There are several possible sources of sewer funding including federal and state grants as well as low interest loans. Additionally, as Zach pointed out, many areas of Meadowdale close to them also lack sidewalks and curbs even though they are in Edmonds. The City of Lynnwood is fine with redesignating the MUGA to Edmonds as is Snohomish County. Several years ago Lynnwood expressed interest in annexation; she and her husband circulated petitions and over 90% of the neighbors wanted to be annexed into Edmonds instead of Lynnwood. Their pocket of unincorporated Snohomish County all have Edmonds mailing addresses, yet Snohomish County never consulted them when they were included in the Lynnwood MUGA. She offered to work collaboratively with the City to redesignate their neighborhood. Merissa Benitez Jackson, a resident of the unannexed portion of Edmonds that Ms. Treseler mentioned, echoed Ms. Treseler’s comments in full support of continuing the conversation about a future potential annexation for the 47 households in the Meadowdale area. They consider themselves part of Edmonds and legitimizing that would be enjoyed by all. She recognized there was a lot of complexity and expressed her full support for exploring the variety of options for funding, collaboration and working together to make that a possibility. 7. RECEIVED FOR FILING 1. WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS 8. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. The agenda items approved are as follows: 1. APPROVAL OF COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 5, 2024 2. APPROVAL OF CLAIM CHECKS AND WIRE PAYMENTS 3. APPROVAL OF PAYROLL AND BENEFIT CHECKS, DIRECT DEPOSIT AND WIRE PAYMENTS 4. LEGAL ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION IN REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR CITY PROSECUTOR 5. PROPOSED LISTING OF 428 - 3RD AVE N ON THE EDMONDS' REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 9. COUNCIL BUSINESS 1. COMMUNITY SURVEY INFORMATION BRIEF Community, Culture & Economic Development Director Todd Tatum introduced Brendan Kara and Harrison Louie, EMC Research. He recognized there are many changes ahead during the budget season including challenging financials, a shift to a biennial budget, priority based and zero based budgeting so it is important to ground things in data, particularly data focused on residents’ priorities and perceptions. That Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 8 has been and is being done in a number of different ways, one very foundational way is this community survey. Brendan Kara, EMC, reviewed: • Project Purpose and Methodology o Survey of residents in Edmonds, WA to measure residents’ priorities for future planning and improvements, as well as general satisfaction with city government. o Multimodal live telephone/online survey of adult residents 18+ in the City of Edmonds. o Respondents were randomly selected to participate from a proportional sample of residents. o Phone interviews were conducted in English by trained, professional interviewers; landlines and mobile phones included. o Respondents also invited to participate via email/text invitations to a web survey. o 400 total interviews conducted July 17-23, 2024 o Overall margin of error ±4.9 percentage points o Response data weighted to be representative of residents aged 18+ in Edmonds, WA, including by age, gender, ethnicity, and geographic demographics as estimated by the US Census. o Note: Due to rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100% • Key Findings and Conclusions o Overall, the mood among residents in Edmonds is quite positive and satisfaction is high with city operations. o The City also receives strong ratings on city government performance, both broadly and on specific services. o Housing affordability, crime and public safety, and overdevelopment concerns are top-of-mind priorities for residents. o When it comes to the importance of various city services, residents place strong importance on response times of emergency services, maintaining roads, and reducing crime.  However, just two in five residents are satisfied with the City’s efforts to reduce petty crime and burglary, and only a third of residents are satisfied with the city’s planning for population growth – areas of opportunity for the City to enhance its focus. • Quality of Life and Priorities o Overall Mood and Optimism o Overall Quality of Life by Demographics Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 9 o Top-of-Mind Positives – Open Ended o Top Priorities for Edmonds – Open Ended Mr. Tatum referred to housing affordability and overdevelopment/growth potentially being in conflict, explaining the survey is a starting point. One of the most important pieces about doing a survey is what is done next with it. This is a great opportunity to look a something that seems like it is in opposition and start to take the next line of questioning regarding this difference of opinion, what that means, and what to do about it. Mr. Kara continued: Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 10 • City Ratings and Priorities o Edmonds Job Ratings Mr. Tatum commented the above scale has four choices: excellent, good, only fair, and poor, which pushes people into a positive or negative instead of a neutral. That is EMC’s methodology. Mr. Kara continued: o Regional Job Rating Comparison o Overall Job Rating by Demographics o Perception of City Services Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 11 • City Service Ratings o Top City Services by Importance Rating o Additional Services by Importance Rating o Top City Services by Satisfaction Rating Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 12 o Additional Services by Satisfaction Rating o Gap Analysis: Satisfaction Vs. Importance With regard to what’s next, Mr. Tatum said the intent is get this survey out to other members of the community, particularly people who may not receive the survey including businesses, minority Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 13 communities, and the general public. A version of the survey developed in English, Spanish and Vietnamese will be distributed to community groups who can contact people the City doesn’t typically hear from. Another key thing is internal discussion about opportunities and questions that the survey has highlighted such as improving and expanding sidewalks. Crosstabs are available with regard to demographics, neighborhoods, etc. For example if Westgate is particularly dissatisfied with the City’s performance in delivering sidewalks, there may be an opportunity to talk to that community about how to best deliver or increase performance. Affordable housing versus over-population, obviously that is a challenging topic that will require additional conversations. The mayor intends to do focus group regarding specific topics and a community budget panel has been established who will also have an opportunity to look at this data to help inform their rankings of programs. This presentation was timed to support the council’s budget retreat on August 16. He plans to attend the budget retreat to answer questions. Mr. Tatum suggested the council consider making this a routine part of the budget process. This provides baseline data and a community survey can go a long way to show that the council is listening as well as providing information about changing priorities and whether efforts in the previous biennial budget were helpful in addressing areas where satisfaction is underperforming. Councilmember Eck said she liked what Mr. Tatum said about making the survey part of the budget process ongoing. She found the survey data very valuable, for example the top of mind positives, she found that very helpful but wondered if east side of Edmonds responses could be separated. There are a lot of comments about the glorious downtown, waterfront, etc., which she recognized the people living in east Edmonds also appreciate. Another question where it would helpful to separate the responses was the importance of investing in parks. Mr. Tatum offered to provide the crosstabs to Council Executive Assistant Beckie Peterson for distribution to councilmembers, anticipating councilmembers would find that information very useful. Councilmember Nand commented this was a fascinating presentation. She recalled the finance committee discussed whether there could be longevity in the contacts made during the survey and whether there could be data set retention. She noted the council is constantly seeking feedback from their constituents and she found the survey to be a great value add by the administration. She referred to responses to questions regarding reducing petty crime and burglary and cracking down on illegal drug use and sales which were listed as fairly high priorities and the linkage between questions related to providing services to the homeless and people in need and fast fire and EMS response times. She anticipated investing in providing services to underserved and vulnerable populations might result in a reduction in petty crime and burglary, less evidence of illegal drug use such as dirty needles and there might be less strain on fire and EMS services, requiring less investment in the cure than is invested in prevention. She anticipated those would be interesting topics for the budget retreat. She reiterated her interest in developing longevity in these contacts or retaining the data sets. Councilmember Paine agreed the survey data was very interesting. She was glad to hear that staff will send out the crosstabs and asked if the crosstabs were available based on neighborhood. Mr. Tatum answered yes, explaining the purpose of the survey was to broadly ask about residents’ priorities and satisfaction. The more narrow one gets into neighborhoods, for example, if data is sorted by Meadowdale and they seem very dissatisfied, that is also a very small group of survey respondents. Councilmember Paine recognized the data gets a little fragile (less reliable statistically) at that point. Mr. Tatum agreed it became a little fragile and may need to be taken with a grain of salt although it is good to consider whether there is something to the responses. The other thing to note about the neighborhoods and the reason the responses were not broken down by neighborhoods in this presentation is neighborhoods were self-identified. For example there is more of representation of people saying they live in the Bowl than percentagewise would live in Bowl just because people who live somewhat close may identify as living in the Bowl and neighborhoods do not have hard boundaries. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 14 Councilmember Paine asked if the community survey, which will not be statistically valid, will be identical to this survey. Mr. Tatum answered it is pretty much identical other than one more question whether the respondent works in Edmonds. Councilmember Paine asked when those results would be available. Mr. Tatum hoped to wrap it up in the next two weeks and will ensure that information is provided to council. Councilmember Paine asked if the DEIA commission had an opportunity to review the survey prior to it being conducted. Mr. Tatum answered the mayor’s budget advisory panel which has a good representation from across the City reviewed the survey. Mayor Rosen advised there is a DEIA commissioner on that panel. Councilmember Tibbott commented the information is very timely and the data will be very interesting to dig into during the budget season. He referred to the question Top Priorities for Edmonds – Open Ended, and asked if the question regarding road/transportation infrastructure included walkways. Mr. Tatum answered the responses were broken into a lot of different topics including roadways, sidewalks, and bike paths. Mr. Kara explained these were open-ended responses and people were able to say what they felt the City should focus on. The responses were categorized after the fact into these groupings. Responses to road/transportation infrastructure were more related to getting around on the roads and responses under bike/pedestrian lanes included people who mentioned sidewalks. Councilmember Tibbott observed responses to that question listed traffic safety at 6%. If road/transportation infrastructure was combined with traffic safety, that was 12% which would be at the top of the list of topics. He suggested transportation safety and getting around the City as it might relate to other forms of transportation is a fairly high priority among residents which relates to budget decisions. Mr. Tatum agreed many of the responses are interrelated. The survey is not intended to give answers about what to invest in, it is a judgment call when putting the data together and determining best use of resources. Councilmember Dotsch observed the survey was online and on the phone with a hard stop at 400. Mr. Tatum answered yes, the cost increases for 500 or 1000 responses, the City contracted for 400. Councilmember Dotsch asked how many surveys were completed online versus by phone. Mr. Kara answered the online distribution was via text message as well as via email. It is nearly 50/50 between people taking the survey online versus on the phone. Reaching a 400 sample size was the goal for a city Edmonds’ size and that was achieved with no problems. Councilmember Dotsch said it will be interesting to see the full data set such as 400 out of how many. Councilmember Dotsch commented the survey was conducted during the height of summer and included whoever would answer and asked how that was accounted for. Mr. Kara answered there are times that are less ideal than others to conduct survey research like this such as the 4th of July weekend; they definitely waited until after the 4th of July weekend to conduct the survey, trying to hit a window in the summer when people are not traveling as intensively. He acknowledged there were better times for some people than others to take surveys. For example, back to school may be a bad time to reach parents. Based on the timeliness of needing the data, they could not necessarily pick and choose when to do the survey, but they do try to avoid major holidays that provide conflicts Mr. Tatum explained the survey was time constrained and started a bit later than it should have. If this is a continuing effort, the goal will be to try to do it before kids get out of school in the future so there is a wider representation of people, a wider group of people engaged when they are not on summer vacation and caring for kids. Councilmember Dotsch commented some slides do not seem to coordinate with the demographics of Edmonds and asked how that is weighted. Mr. Kara responded the demographics that were pursued for this survey are reflective of census data but only adults 18+ so the totals for ACS 2022 projections can look a little different. The survey was specifically looking at adults over the age of 18. Councilmember Dotsch observed there was a large percentage of young people which is great because of the difficulty reaching out Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 15 to that group, but it is not really indicative of the City’s demographics. She asked how the fact that more responses from one were weighted versus what is representative of Edmonds. She referenced the slide “Overall Job Rating by Demographics.” Mr. Kara referred to the age ranges 18-49 were 46%, 50-64 were 26% and residents 65+ were 28%. Councilmember Dotsch asked whether that matched the demographics of Edmonds. Mr. Kara answered when looking at the universe of over age 18, this is how it breaks down demographically in Edmonds. Councilmember Dotsch asked what they were referring for their center-point of Edmonds’ demographics. Mr. Tatum answered it was census data of adults. Councilmember Dotsch suggested noting that. She referred to the response that included the word “only” with “fair.” She felt “only” was a pretty powerful word and was curious why the response was “only fair.” Mr. Kara answered that is the way they typically structure this scale. He agreed there was a difference between saying fair or only fair. That gives a slightly negative connotation as shown where there are responses to only fair versus poor. The intent is to give respondents an opportunity to indicate whether things are positive or negative and some gradient in terms of how much. Councilmember Dotsch feared “only fair” would lead people to “good” and “good” is pretty broad. Mr. Kara said the order, excellent, good, only fair and poor, also helps people place each category relative to their opinion. Councilmember Dotsch said that stood out to her compared to other surveys she has seen. Councilmember Dotsch said the phrase “affordable housing” means different things to different people and is a challenging term without AMI percentages. While affordable housing is on people’s minds, what it actually means is quite nuanced for many people. She was unsure of other ways to ask people their thoughts on that particular topic, but in terms of what affordable housing actually means, housing based on AMI is different than someone just wanting lower housing prices. She summarized affordable housing was a pretty broad term and definitely would be something to explore further. Mr. Tatum agreed affordable housing is a broad term and means different things to different people. The power of the survey is the next set of questions and who they are asked of which is in the works with focus groups. One of the opportunities of an ongoing survey is including further information about affordable housing to determine if that is the main concern, or a property purchase, a park, etc. There is an opportunity to include very specific questions in the future related to specific decisions. Councilmember Chen commented this is great information and the first time Edmonds has engaged in this type of process and used this vehicle as a first step in budgeting by priority. He asked if this tool was used by other cities and how the information was used for budgeting. Mr. Kara answered in his experience this is just one data point among many that cities use to balance residents’ priorities with responsibilities for funding and budgeting; it is just one part of a multistep process. Mr. Tatum answered a number of cities such as Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland that do priority based budgeting have implemented some type of community priority survey into their decision-making process. A lot of them have been doing it much longer than Edmonds and have some inherent council priorities and surveys that can be used to validate those priorities. Edmonds is just starting this and will need to rationalize what this means and how it is incorporated into the City’s priorities. That is a process for focus groups, the council budget retreat, etc. Councilmember Chen commented this type of data depends on how it is sliced and analyzed. For example the priorities of affordable housing and overdevelopment/growth seem to contradict each other, but were among the top three priorities. As the City develops programs and prioritizes City resources, taking a deeper dive and determining more about respondents such the neighborhood they live in, income level, age, etc., would be helpful in determining investments. He summarized overall this was a good starting point. Council President Olson agreed with Councilmember Chen’s comments about the who and the location because the age and where someone lives can influence respondents’ answers. Getting clarity on who is saying what will help the City deliver on both those responses (affordable housing and Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 16 overdevelopment/growth). With regard to investing and expanding parks, she knew of one neighborhood in Edmonds that does not have a park within a 1-mile walk; if the feedback indicates that is a high priority to the people who live in that neighborhood, that makes perfect sense. As a community that wants to be equitable, even if it is not prioritized as much in all the areas where there are numerous great parks, that is not necessarily a reason to deemphasize that response. She pointed out parking was the number 1 priority for 6% of the population; but in many conversations, that is totally deemphasized and not prioritized in government actions. When people are talking about crime, potholes and fire responses being the highest priority, she hoped the council and public also heard there is a problem with parking that a lot of people would like the City do something about it. Council President Olson relayed her personal concern about the percentage of the BIPOC community compared to the rest of the community that was less satisfied with City services. With regard to the location where these inputs come from, there may be a certain neighborhood that is not receiving a high enough level of service and it just happens to be where the BIPOC community is living. If that is true, that is really good information to have so the City can make that correction. She thanked the City administration for this survey, relaying she has been very vocal about her unhappiness with past leading questionnaires. This was an excellent and fair survey and she recognized it took a lot of effort, in addition to enlisting professionals, as well as feedback from others including council, committees, etc. She was encouraged and hopeful that would continue to be revisited in future surveys. Mr. Tatum thanked the EMC team for their level of professionalism, help, guidance and patience. Mayor Rosen declared a brief recess. 2. MID-YEAR REVIEW Acting Finance Director Kim Dunscombe reviewed: • Introduction o Purpose – access the current financial performance, identify revenue and expenditures trends, and make necessary adjustments to make sure we meet our financial objectives o Key Areas Covered  2023 Annual Financial Report (unaudited)  Financial performance in the first six months  Forecast for the second half of 2024  2025-2026 Biennium Budget Development • Blue-Ribbon Panel Observations o Fund balances in the General Fund are far below the required policy targets o Revenue estimates were overstated o Sufficient information was not available to council to make proper decisions o The budget process and related software systems are antiquated. • Blue-Ribbon Panel Recommendations (4 of Panel’s 15 recommendations apply to mid-year report) o Develop and evaluate a monthly cash-flow model o Develop financial policies that clarify boundaries and guidelines o Utilize a contemporary approach to budget development such as Priority Based Budgeting o Make updating related technology a priority • 2023 Annual Financial Report Highlight (unaudited) o General Fund loses $13 M over two years ($4 M in 2022 and $9.3 M in 2023) o Contingency Reserve Fund is at policy level Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 17 • General Fund Major Revenues o All 2024 revenues are higher than 2023, but fall short of budgeted amounts  Property Tax under budget by $66k or 1.1%  Sales and Use tax under budget by $115k or 2.0%  Electric Utility Tax under budget by $41k or 3.9%  Gas utility tax under budget by 108k or 21.8%  Charges for services over budget by $709k or 16.2% • Other Tax Supported Major Revenues o Transportation Benefit fees are over 2023 levels due to council approved increase from $20 to $40, but fees under budget by $293k or 57.6% o Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax less than 2023 and under budget by 57K or 19% o Real Estate Excess Tax over budget by $258k or 17% • General Fund Salary and Benefits • General Fund Professional Services o Many departments saving on spending professional services o Non-department remaining to be spent as follows: Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 18 • General Fund Ending Fund Balance o The adopted budget planned on spending $836k of fund balance o 2024 forecast plans on spending $1.6 million of fund balance • Upcoming discussions o Water, Storm, and Sewer utilities  Packet page 124-127  Utility funds will be highlighted throughout the budget process o Capital improvement plan  September 24 regular council meeting – CIP/CFP capital budget briefing  October 8 regular council meeting CIP/CFP presentation Councilmember Nand complimented the various departments including the mayor’s office and council for cutting back on professional services and figuring out ways to meet vital services inhouse while tightening their belts, demonstrating real fiscal discipline on the part of City employees and the administration and their awareness that they need to tighten up spending. Ms. Dunscombe agreed the departments have all Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 19 worked hard to stay within the new targets. She looked forward to having that information come forward as it is something all the directors should feel good about. Councilmember Chen expressed appreciation for the mid-year report, commenting it is one of best, most comprehensive reports he has seen since joining the council. He echoed Councilmember Nand’s comments about everyone working together to try to right the ship and get through this difficult budget time. He was confident as long as everyone worked together, the City would get through it. However with all those positive comments, he recognized the results are not looking good. At 6 months into 2024, the prediction is $2.3 million over budget based on the current burn rate. There is still work to be done and although some specific things may not be pleasant, they have to be faced. He anticipated Ms. Dunscombe would provide bring more information at the retreat and asked if she had anything more to share now. Ms. Dunscome advised there will be a report on the full financial story; several things have worked against the City. At the beginning of the year, it was recognized $3.2 million needed to be identified. In January current vacancies totaled $2.6 million and there were professional services, supplies and other things that needed to be targeted. Other things happened throughout the year such as revenue not coming in as expected, beginning fund balance was lower than budgeted, staff come and go, etc. It is important to explain why staff feels the year will end as predicted. Another issue was employee contracts; a 6.6% increase was built into the budget for one of the unions and the end result was higher, which was unknown on January 1. All those things require a course correction which is why this mid-year review is so important, to reflect on what happened in the last six months, trends going forward and what adjustments have to be made. Councilmember Chen commented at the beginning of year the position vacancy was $2.3 million, but that is no longer the case. He recognized things happen and everyone needs to work together. For example, the police department had 13 vacancies; he met with the police chief and the team today and received a full explanation. The reality is the savings are not what were anticipated. Ms. Dunscombe advised finance has been working closely with police department; in the past their benefits and overtime haven’t been fully budgeted to reflect what they’ve spent and some of those corrections will be made. Providing the budget for that since there is no fund balance to rely on means decisions have to be made not to do something else and those decisions will be made while developing the 2025/26 budget. Councilmember Tibbott agreed with Councilmember Chen’s comments. He recognized the operational reserves are used over the course of year as fund balance ebbs and flows and wondered if maybe the contingency reserve should be higher as a percentage and the operational reserve a lower percentage while still maintaining a 20% overall reserve. He favored having contingency reserves higher than 4% which is only $2.2 million, envisioning $2.2 million was not much of a buffer. Ms. Dunscombe commented the council is about to approve the reserve policy. The current policy is 4% of the adopted operating budgeted expenditures; using the 2024 adopted operating expenditures, the amount is $2.075 million. When the financial policies are approved, that math would be done at the beginning of the year and either money moved out of the General Fund and into Fund 012 or moved out of Fund 012. The council may have just missed the opportunity to make a change to the split between 16% and 4%. She anticipated the council would be reviewing the financial policies again next year and wanted to approve the draft financial policies in advance of the budget process. Councilmember Tibbott asked Ms. Dunscombe’s professional opinion regarding $2.2 million as to him it did not seem high enough and possibly the operational reserve does not need to be a high. Ms. Dunscombe was hopeful when the council reevaluated the reserve policies next year, it would be from a risk perspective and the risks the City of Edmonds faces. There are various factors to consider when developing appropriate contingency levels including revenue volatility, natural disasters, etc. She tends to be fiscally conservative, so if he was seeking a yes or no answer, she felt the contingency reserve was on the lower side and a cushion was deserved. Councilmember Tibbott liked her comment regarding risk management and looked forward Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 20 to a detailed discussion regarding risks to make an adjustment to the reserves. Ms. Dunscombe said GFOA has a very thorough process the City can follow. Councilmember Paine commented the report was very thorough and easy to comprehend. She asked when the council will consider the other policies, and if it would be next month. Ms. Dunscombe answered the financial policies will be on the September 10 Consent Agenda. The council accepted the policies as amended at their last meeting and requested final approval on Consent. Councilmember Paine asked if those were the only policies the council would see this year. Ms. Dunscombe answered yes, for the budget policies. Councilmember Paine asked if the council would see other financial policies such as spending procedures. Ms. Dunscombe answered no, the financial policy is the only one. The council can revisit other financial policies next year such as related to investments, debt, etc. Councilmember Dotsch commented this was a fantastic presentation of the realities related to where the City is and where it is going, something that has been missing in the past. She asked if it would be helpful to have a policy regarding one-time large revenues. Ms. Dunscombe advised the current policy states recurring revenues must be greater than recurring expenses, a great guideline to prevent overspending. There can be a next step in the policy that states if revenues exceed expenses at the end of the year, there can be discussion about budgeting that one-time additional fund balance in the next year. She recalled that was done in Bainbridge; whenever revenues exceeded expenses, council determined how that increase in fund balance was programmed for the following year’s spending and she seen other cities address that in their financial policies. Councilmember Dotsch expressed appreciation for the candid information, showing the City was in a different spot than anticipated earlier this year. Ms. Dunscombe responded there is still a lot of work to do. Councilmember Nand observed this was the only budget policy the administration planned bring to council this year. It was her understanding once the fiscal policy framework is adopted, there is a provision requiring a reserve replenishment plan to be provided within 60 days. She asked whether that 60 days begins once the council adopts the fiscal policy framework. Ms. Dunscombe answered it does; once the council adopts the policy, the 60 days begins. A lot of the conversation about that replenishment plan will happen during the budget process. Councilmember Nand said she was not in favor of adding something more to Ms. Dunscombe’s plate during the first biennial budget, but it would be helpful to have a draft general outline that could be amended next year. Since the fiscal emergency was declared, she has been impatiently waiting to understand how the benchmarks for replenishment would be established. Mayor Rosen said he will share one concept at the council’s budget retreat on Friday to get feedback from council. 3. FOLLOW UP ON RESOLUTION 1530 (MEADOWDALE MUGA BOUNDARY CHANGE) Acting Planning Manager Mike Clugston introduced Senior Utilities Engineer Mike De Lilla. He explained the council passed Resolution 1530 last year and there have been a couple conversations with Lynnwood and Snohomish County about this possibility. It is technically possible, but after those meetings, staff asked themselves whether it was something the City should do from a cost perspective and whether there was policy guidance for proceeding. He will address the policy aspect and Mr. De Lilla will address numbers he has run on the 48 parcels that are the subject of Resolution 1530. Mr. Clugston advised the 48 parcels north of Edmonds and south of Mukilteo, west of 52nd & Beverly are addressed as Edmonds. There are hundreds of parcels north of Edmonds and south of Mukilteo that also have an Edmonds address in unincorporated Snohomish County. The comprehensive plan currently only addresses Edmonds’ existing Urban Growth Area (UGA) which is Esperance, unincorporated Edmonds, and acknowledges at some point in the future the City will annex those parcels and there are several policies that speak to that. The comprehensive plan does not address expanding the City’s UGA which seems to be Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 21 a bit of a disconnect. Adding these parcels to the City’s UGA may/may not be a good idea, but there is no policy guidance stating the City should expand its UGA. If that is something the council believes that is something that should be done, now would be a good time to add a goal and policies to the comprehensive plan about expanding the UGA to give policy context for doing that work. Mr. Clugston continued, the other question is economics, who pays for the extension, for sidewalks, for utilities, etc. that a lot of the unincorporated parcels do not have. Nowadays when developers put in subdivisions, they are required to put in utilities, sidewalks, etc. which were not required in old subdivisions in the 50s, 60s and 70s. There are currently a lot of areas in south Edmonds that do not have sidewalks. In Esperance, when the City wants to annex those parcels, those questions will be part of the discussion with Snohomish County. Senior Utilities Engineer Mike De Lilla said he did a very high level overview as the area would need to be part of the City’s UGA to do an in-depth report. His analysis was to see what would be required to bring the 48 parcels compliant with utilities, sidewalks, etc. All the parcels are served by septic systems and would need sewer extensions; the estimated cost of the pipe in the road would be $4-6million which does not include downstream improvements. Because that area is part of Lynnwood’s UGA, Lynnwood has already built in costs for downstream improvements. The $4-6 million cost does not include the cost for residents to decommission their septic systems and other improvements on their parcels to connect to the utility system. The capacity downstream is also unknown; for example a downstream pump station that handles 6-10 homes may need to be upsized. This pipe system eventually connects to the City of Lynnwood so an ILA would be necessary. Mr. De Lilla continued, both Edmonds and Lynnwood have sewer systems within 200 feet of the 48 parcels. There are also costs associated with sidewalks, curbs and gutters. It’s possible grants would be available for that work; the City is already seeking grants for its current infrastructure related to Complete Streets, to build curbs, gutters and sidewalks, etc., and this area would add to that list. This would be more effort at a time when the City is having budget issues and funded via general government dollars whether partially grant match or fully funded by the City. Water and storm systems would also need to be brought to standard compliance; much of the infrastructure in that area should have been built when the subdivision was developed, but would become a cost burden to the City. Although it could be argued that nearby areas that are in Edmonds also do not have sidewalks, back then that was allowed; now those standards have gotten more rigorous and the City would be required to bring it into compliance. The City would be taking on a larger burden to bring the area up to code. Mr. De Lilla continued, this has only been considered at a very high level, there are likely a lot of other costs related to sewer, etc. that may result in increasing ratepayers’ rates and subsidizing these improvements. The costs make it a hard decision when Lynnwood already has plans to add this area to their UGA. Another cost would be the general facilities charge to hookup to the City’s system. If the council wanted to a more substantive review, that would be possible with additional funding for staff time, etc. Councilmember Eck commented that was very helpful information. The question on the table is to consider moving forward with moving the parcels from Lynnwood’s UGA to Edmonds’ UGA. It was her understanding Snohomish County was the governing authority for this part of Meadowdale. Mr. Clugston answered the intent of Resolution 1530 was to have 48 parcels moved from Lynnwood’s MUGA to Edmonds MUGA. However, from a policy perspective, there is no basis or support for that. It can be done, but the current comprehensive plan does not envision expanding Edmond’s UGA beyond Esperance. Mr. De Lilla said if the council directs that action, the comprehensive plan needs to be amended and then the City is legally required to pursue it. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 22 Councilmember Paine commented even if the City asked Snohomish County to change the MUGA designation, it would need to be in the comprehensive plan. The current policy direction and context for this change is the resolution. She asked the difference between the policy context in the resolution versus the broader comprehensive plan context. She was interested in the cost of annexing property into Edmonds to avoid over-obligating the City due to the expense. She commented it does seem like this area should be part of Edmonds. City Attorney Jeff Taraday answered there needs to be consistent policy; in this instance, the resolution says one thing and the comprehensive plan says something else. The point Mr. Clugston is making is they need to say the same thing. If the council wants to pursue the course of action set forth in the resolution, then there should be policy framework in the comprehensive plan consistent with that resolution. Mr. Clugston agreed. Councilmember Paine asked how long Esperance has been in the City’s MUGA. Mr. Clugston said he did not know offhand and would need to research that. Councilmember Paine observed it had been a while. Mr. Clugston agreed it has been a while and there have been at least 2 annexation attempts in last 20 years. Councilmember Paine commented it has been a while since the City asked the residents if they wanted to join Edmonds. Mr. De Lilla commented there could be an issue with sewer regardless of whether they are annexed; if a septic fails and they are with within 200 feet, state law requires them to connect to sewer. Councilmember Paine asked if that could be done via a local improvement district (LID). Mr. De Lilla answered it could be, but it requires an investment from each resident, just the pipe in the street would be up over $100,000, not including decommissioning, etc. Councilmember Tibbott was not in favor of moving forward without a policy in place. There are two possible ways to proceed, an amendment or revisiting it in the next comprehensive plan amendment. He asked if Lynnwood was interested in annexing this portion of their MUGA. Mr. Clugston answered he did not think Lynnwood was. Councilmember Tibbott observed this area could remain unincorporated Snohomish County for a long time. There are many houses in Snohomish County with Edmonds addresses and it is not unusual for these houses remain that way. If their septic systems failed, would that addressed by Lynnwood or Snohomish County. Mr. De Lilla answered Snohomish County would figure out whose sewer was the closest, either Lynnwood or Edmonds. It should be Lynnwood because they should have theoretically sized their system to handle those houses. Councilmember Tibbott summarized the City did not have the policy to support this. In addition to the $4- 6 million cost, there would be costs related to connecting to wastewater treatment, stormwater, sidewalks, time to prepare grant applications, etc. He envisioned this costing $20-$40 million; there is no estimate of revenues from property tax. He summarized the number of unknowns was a problem to him. Councilmember Nand acknowledged Zach, Winnefred, Kelsey, Lynn and Merissa for voicing their concerns. The sense of community doesn’t not derive from whether someone is within the jurisdiction of Edmonds or unincorporated Snohomish County, she still considered them Edmonds residents. She admired the passion and drive of their neighborhood in organizing and advocating for itself; it sounds like this has been a decades long effort. She suggested connecting the residents with their Snohomish County representatives to look at setting up a neighborhood association, reserves, hiring a consultant to pursue grant, or other avenues if this does not work out. It seems incredibly harsh just to say no. As one of seven councilmembers, she emphasized the sense of belonging to Edmonds is not just a geographic restriction. She was sure councilmembers would be happy to continue discussions regarding ways to move forward or connecting them with electeds at other levels of government who might have solutions. Councilmember Dotsch observed this area is currently unincorporated Snohomish County like Esperance. She asked if it shifted to Edmonds MUGA, would there be improvements that Lynnwood does not have to do. Mr. De Lilla responded if the property shifted from Lynnwood’s UGA to Edmonds’s UGA, if sidewalks were required, Edmonds would have to pay for them. Because the area has septic systems, the sewer would Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 23 be the property owners’ responsibility; there is state law and City code related to that. Councilmember Dotsch asked if Lynnwood didn’t have any requirements related to septic but Edmonds did. Mr. De Lilla answered both cities do; if septic systems begin failing, those houses have to connect in accordance with state law. If they are annexed, requirements related to septic systems within city limits would require them to hook up. Councilmember Dotsch commented this discussion is only about the area becoming part of Edmonds MUGA, not annexation. Mr. De Lilla explained if the area remains in the UGA and is not annexed unless things start failing, there are triggers for requirements that are more stringent than state requirements. Councilmember Dotsch observed Esperance is not on septic. Mr. De Lilla answered it is all on sewer and within Olympic View Water & Sewer District. Councilmember Dotsch said in listening to the Lynnwood study session, a Lynnwood councilmember who grew up in that area described it as being more like Edmonds than Lynnwood. As the comprehensive plan update is currently underway, if the council wants to give that policy direction, it could be done now. Lynnwood was interested in exploring the possibility which doesn’t set up either city to accept the area, just to consider next steps. Mr. Clugston answered if there was a policy in the comprehensive plan about expanding the UGA, this discussion could start with Lynnwood and Snohomish County and this could be an area where the MUGA was changed. Mr. De Lilla commented it would also be necessary to ensure there were adequate systems downstream whenever those 48 parcels hooked up. Councilmember Dotsch commented that location is upstream from everything downstream in Edmonds and having control of that area could be environmentally beneficial for Edmonds. Council President Olson said in addition to the residents’ desire to become part of Edmonds, having control of what comes into the Perrinville culvert (Lunds Gulch) would be a plus for Edmonds. Mr. De Lilla said that would also be Lynnwood’s duty as good stewards and he did not anticipate they would do anything different than Edmonds other than they are obligated to do it now. Council President Olson appreciated staff’s comment about this not being in the policy and what others have said about adding policy during the comprehensive plan update. She recalled one of the things that she and others objected to with the Landmark property was putting a great deal of time and effort into that when it was never in the CIP/CFP. She thanked staff for acknowledging a policy shortcoming that should be remedied before making decisions that are not supported by policy. Council President Olson continued, commenting sidewalks were not a barrier to her for this decision; other things are more critical. She wanted to ensure she was not leading with her heart and was looking at the math and the City’s very difficult circumstances. She asked for clarification, the liability for addressing septic system failures would become Edmonds’ liability if they were in the Edmonds’ MUGA. De Lilla answered yes. Council President Olson summarized that was concerning due to the City’s financial situation without reserves. She was hopeful the council did not make a decision tonight so she could ponder the information and discussion. COUNCILMEMBER NAND MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT, TO NOT PROCEED WITH ANNEXATION OF THESE PARCELS INTO EDMONDS MUGA AT THIS TIME. Council President Olson asked for clarification, the issue is not annexation, but the MUGA boundary. Councilmember Nand said she was following staff’s recommendation in the agenda memo. Councilmember Nand reiterated she would like to continue engagement on an individual basis to help this neighborhood find a solution, but did not think annexation was favorable to the City given its financial constraints and capacity issues. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 24 Mayor Rosen restated the motion as follows: TO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS TO MAKE THE PARCELS PART OF EDMONDS’ UGA AND SHOULD NOT ANNEX THESE PARCELS. MOTION CARRIED (5-1-1), COUNCILMEMBERS ECK, TIBBOTT, PAINE AND NAND AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON VOTING YES; COUNCILMEMBER DOTSCH VOTING NO; AND COUNCILMEMBER CHEN ABSTAINING. Councilmember Chen advised he was abstaining because annexation was not part of the discussion. 10. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Nand commented six years ago today she rescued three 3 rabbits from a meat breeder, Arjun, Raj and Stormy Tiger, so today was their Gotcha Day. She was excited the council passed a backyard breeding ban in Edmonds in Arjun’s honor and she thanked the council and community members for supporting the backyard breeding ban. Councilmember Paine said she had the pleasure and honor of attending the Kudos Ceremony for people who have done exemplary well in their municipal court probation. As someone who worked in courts for many years, it was great to see people finding pathways out. The court’s most senior probation officer, who is now the assistant court administrator, won Probation Officer of the Year a few years ago and the newest probation officer won Rookie of the Year. She recognized the work they do to reduce recidivism. For example, some of the programs they offer reduced recidivism to 5-10%, absolutely unheard of in the criminal justice system. She offered kudos to the probation officers and the program graduates. Councilmember Paine thanked the Chamber of Commerce for Taste Edmonds this past weekend. She referred to an email the council received today about the attention the Chamber paid to ADA requirements. An informal audit from a local ADA reviewer identified a couple areas for improvement, but also offered credit to the Chamber for making Taste accessible for so many people. Councilmember Dotsch gave a shout out to the historic preservation commission (HPC) for the Consent Agenda approval of the addition of a home on 3rd Avenue North to the Edmonds Historic Registry. She is the liaison to the HPC and recognize their efforts to get homes added to the registry as well as homeowners for their time and effort. The registry is a wonderful opportunity for those with historic homes and there are other ways not just architecturally such as a famous owner. For anyone interested, she encouraged them to visit the HPC website. She also thanked Planner Amber Brokenshire for the amazing packet. COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER DOTSCH, TO EXTEND TO 10:10 P.M. MOTION CARRIED (6-1), COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT VOTING NO. Council President Olson announced her personal commitment to the fight to end ALS. She was reminded by a resident that this is the 10 year anniversary of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that helped bring attention to this always fatal, progressive neurodegenerative disease that robs people of their ability to walk, talk, eat and eventually to breathe. She remembered former Councilmember Peggy Olson who was lost to this horrible disease in 2009. The community is more knowledgeable about this disease because of her brave fight in the public eye and she was forever grateful to her for that and her many other positive impacts on the community and her circle of friends, an incredible lady taken at age 59 by ALS. Council President Olson hoped the Meadowdale community would accept her apology that the council was not able to do more for them and that they will accept adoptee status and be the residents the City chooses. They are very special people and a special community and they are valued in Edmonds. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 13, 2024 Page 25 Councilmember Tibbott commented the Taste was a hit in his household, especially with his 20-something daughter who attended with her friends. He missed the last council meeting due to the passing of his mother the day before. He expressed his appreciation for the support he received from the council, coming together as friends and he appreciated their comradery. His mom’s family immigrated from Ukraine and established a farm in the central part of Canada, a small farm outside a small village, outside a small city outside a small town where they had no running water, no electricity and a very meager environment. She eventually met his dad and immigrated to the United States and they were quite successful in investments and in land. Later in her life, especially at the end, she needed special care from an individual who was nurse like herself with whom she became the best of friends, partially because her nurse also grew up on a small farm in Kenya without electricity or running water. He thanked his mom’s nurse, Alice, for all she did, becoming a member of their family during a difficult time. He remarked one often looks at the differences between people and life circumstances, yet it is often their shared experiences that bring them together which happened for his mom, his family and their very dear friend Alice. Councilmember Chen thanked Councilmember Tibbott for sharing his family’s story. He offered a shout out to community members for their support of the first, inaugural Dragon Boat Festival on August 4, especially Mayor Rosen and others. He offered a shout out to the Waterfront Center and Daniel Johnson’s team for promoting and allowing this cultural event. He looked forward to this being a signature event for the Asian Service Center in the future and a better and bigger event next year. Councilmember Eck commented she and her family enjoyed the Taste including her 16-year old who found a lot to do. With regard to the DEIA commission’s presentation tonight, she encouraged the council to ensure they were feeling heard and moving their work forward, even if it is not something that can be done immediately, keeping it on the plate so action can be taken when it makes sense, continuing to amplifying the voices of everyone in the community, particularly those who are from diverse and/or marginalized populations. As Councilmember Tibbott mentioned regarding threads in the community that hold us together, the growing diversity in Edmonds is exciting. 11. MAYOR'S COMMENTS Mayor Rosen reported last Saturday night, the night of Taste Edmonds, he spent 12 hours doing a ridealong with one of the City’s police officers. The reputation of activities after Taste did not live up to their reputation. He assured while everyone is sleeping comfortably, others are taking care of the community. He thanked the police for doing what they do so well. He announced tomorrow is a very important birthday, Edmonds turns 134 tomorrow. ADJOURNMENT With no further business, the council meeting was adjourned at 10:06 pm.