Council Picks McGlashan to Serve as Shoreline Mayor for Two More Years

The Shoreline City Council unanimously voted for Keith McGlashan to continue to serve as the city's mayor for the next two years on Tuesday night, Jan. 3.

Councilmember Chris Roberts nominated McGlashan for the position which paid $10,500 in 2010, according to public records obtained by Patch last year. Councilmembers made $8,400 in 2010.

The mayor's position in Shoreline is largely ceremonial since it is a Council-City Manager form of government. McGlashan will continue to preside over Council meetings, represent the city at events and act as a spokesman in press releases.

Roberts also nominated newly re-elected Councilmember Chris Eggen to the position of deputy mayor. He too, was elected unanimously by the Council, replacing the previous deputy mayor Will Hall. 

Eggen, who was re-elected to Council Position 2, Doris McConnell, who was re-elected to Council Position 4, and newly elected Councilmember Jesse Salomon, who edged out Robin McClelland by 107 votes for Position 6 were all sworn-in at the start of the meeting by King County Superior Court Judge Richard Eadie, who lives in Shoreline. 

The Council also voted unanimously to authorize the city manager Julie Underwood to execute a $65,009 contract with The Watershed Company for the design of the Meridian Park wetland drainage improvement project.

The Council also listened to a staff report on collective gardens for medical marijuana from city planner Paul Cohen and discussed the issue and options the Council can take at its Jan. 9 meeting.

Four businesses that distribute medical marijuana under the collective garden law passed by the Legislature in July operate on Aurora Ave. N. in Shoreline, under interim regulations: Green Cure Wellness, Green Hope, Emerald City Compassion Center, and Pacific NW Medical.

Here's a little background on what's happened so far and what happens next:

On July 18, 2011, interim regulations and a six -month moratorium on the submittal or processing of development permits or business license applications for medical marijuana collective gardens (MMCGs) that did not satisfy the interim regulations were passed by the Council.

On September 12, 2011, the Council held a public hearing on the interim regulations and moratorium and adopted Ordinance No. 614 (Attachment A), amending the interim regulations to reduce the space between collective gardens or delivery sites from 2,000 to 1,000 feet. Council also directed staff to begin the public process to study and recommend permanent regulations.

On December 1, 2011, the Planning Commission held a public hearing  made its recommendations on the permanent regulations and amendments to the Development Code. The City Council is scheduled toadopt final Development Code amendments on January 9, 2012, prior to the expiration of the six- month interim regulations on January 18, 2012.

Mayor Keith McGlashan suggested that the moratorium be extended in light of likely changes in the medical marijuana collective gardens law by the Legislature in the upcoming session.

The Council also discussed how it might handle sales of surplus property under the city code and heard and discussed a staff report from economic development manager Dan Eernissee on the 2012-2017 Economic Development Strategic Plan.