Shoreline council adopts mid‑biennial budget update, approves six one‑time amendments including food and bike‑lane funding

Shoreline — The Shoreline City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 1040 on Nov. 17, 2025, approving the 2025–26 mid‑biennial budget update and the city’s 2025–2030 capital improvement plan update, including six one‑time council amendments.

Administrative Services Director Joe Branson briefed the council on the amendment process and credited cross‑department staff work in preparing the update. “Thanks to responsible fiscal decision making by this council and staff, we're in a position this mid‑biennial to address the issues outlined in the proposed budget and also consider several additional council amendments,” Branson said in the staff presentation.

The staff recommendation, presented by Budget and Tax Manager Christy Hopkins, was to adopt Ordinance No. 1040 as presented. Hopkins said the city’s general‑fund reserves remain within the council’s target range, noting the amendments “do not significantly move the needle” on the fund‑balance percentage and that a $390,000 roads capital item would be budgeted now and carried forward to a later biennium because the project will not be completed this year.

During public comment, service providers urged council support for amendments that would expand direct assistance. “In the past four months we've seen an average of 130 Shoreline households requesting financial assistance each month,” said Lucy Piatt, director of financial and education programs at Hopelink, urging approval of Amendment 5 to increase rental and utility assistance. Heidi Shepherd, board president of the North Urban Human Services Alliance, urged approval of Amendment 6 to fund $650,000 in Safeway food‑assistance cards for community members.

Local advocates also spoke to project‑level items. Gordon Black, a board member of North Sun Bicycle Advocates, said his organization had moved from concern to support for a proposed budget amendment that would advance protected bike lanes on North 200th Street and offered to help with pilot design.

Councilor Muscovy moved adoption of amendments 1–6 and the council approved the amendments by roll‑call vote; each recorded vote was “Aye.” The council then adopted Ordinance No. 1040 as amended; the clerk recorded unanimous “Aye” votes for the main motion.

Key items discussed or established during the meeting: - A $390,000 set‑aside in the roads capital fund that staff indicated will be carried forward until the project is ready to proceed. (Christy Hopkins explained this will be budgeted in this biennium but implemented later.) - A discussed $100,000 “seed money” item, described by staff as a future cost and contingent on establishing a program, not an immediate expenditure. - Support and requests from community providers for increased rental, utility, and food assistance; Hopelink reported high and rising caseloads and Shepherd requested $650,000 for food cards.

The ordinance and amendments passed unanimously; council and staff indicated further implementation details will be developed by departments or through future budget processes. The ordinance amends the 2025–26 biennial budget and updates the 2025–2030 CIP as outlined in staff materials.