The Shoreline City Council voted unanimously, 7-0, on Monday evening to continue to waive the Shoreline School District's surface water management fee it pays to the city until July 1, 2015.
The annual fee is estimated to be $180,000, savings that goes back to the district. In exchange, the district will continue to provide educational programs as part of its science curriculum to encourage better management of surface water.
The curriculum and costs shall be approved annually by the City.
An amendment to disable the sunset clause which ends the break in 2015, was voted down 5-2. Councilmembers Doris McConnell and Jesse Salomon voted in the minoirty, to give the district an indefinite break.
Deputy superintendent Marcia Harris and other school district representatives were not happy that the break was not extended, but were hopeful of getting another break from Councilmembers when the issue is revisisted in 2015.
Councilmember Will Hall said during the discussion that very few cities offer this credit, but still supported it, but did not support the elimination of the sunset clause.
There is a "legitimate question whether this is best value for the money or not," Hall said, regarding the giving the district credit for its environmental science curriculum.
