This story has been corrected to reflect that city council will vote on the agreement March 20.

The Mountlake Terrace City Council on March 13 agreed during its work/study session to move the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Mountlake Terrace and the Mountlake Terrace Police Guild forward to its March 20 agenda for a vote.

The Mountlake Terrace Police Guild covers sworn law enforcement officers other than command staff. The agreement runs from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2027.

City Manager Jeff Niten said during the March 13 meeting that a key changes in the agreement is that a Pilot Pitman Schedule for the day shift has been added. It will be effective Jan. 1, 2026, and run on a trial basis for 12 months.

“A Pitman schedule is structured in such a way that allows each officer to have every other weekend off,” Niten said.

Other changes include:

– Changes to work schedules will now require a seven-day notice. The previous requirement was 96 hours.

– Effective retroactively to Jan. 1, 2025, wages increase 7.5%.

– Effective Jan. 1, 2026, wages increase 4.0%.

– Effective Jan. 1, 2027, wages increase 4.0%.

– If the 2025-2026 June to June CPI-W (the consumer price index for urban wage) of Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue is greater than 7%, the wage increase for 2027 shall be adjusted to one-half of the 2025-2026 CPI-W for Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue.

– Includes a bilingual premium pay of 1% upon satisfactory language testing.

– Establishes longevity pay of 1% after five years, 3% in year 10, 5% in year 15, and 7% for 20 years or more.

– Incentives for education begin following successful completion of the probationary period.

– Other administrative changes and “de minimis” compensation (de minimis refers to benefits or uses of state resources that are small and infrequent enough they are considered impractical or unreasonable to account for them).

The redline draft of the agreement can be seen here, and the final draft here.

In other business, the council received presentations from the Planning Commission, Recreation and Park Advisory Commission, Arts Advisory Commission and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission. The commissions reviewed their accomplishments through 2024 and their goals for 2025.

The Planning Commission, represented by Community and Economic Development Director Christy Osborn and Planning Commission Chair Nick Bautista, had a busy 2024 beyond the Vision 2044 Comprehensive Plan. The commission also reviewed the draft of the Middle Housing Code, the Sound Transit Lynnwood Link Extension, the 2025-2031 Stormwater Comprehensive Plan, and the adoption of the Economic Development Plan.

“What is 2025 looking like? Uhm, as crazy as 2024,” Osborn said.

Osborn explained that the Planning Commission has the Water and Sewer Comprehensive Plan updates with public works engineers, with the work going into 2026. Work is also being done on the Housing Action Plan, funded by federal American Rescue Plan Act grants, to reach middle-housing requirements, amend the Comprehensive Plan and update multiple codes.

The presentation material can be seen here.

Parks Supervisor Celina Williams, Commission Chair Forrest Reda and Commission Member Joe Cross delivered the Recreation and Park Advisory Commission (RPAC) presentation.

In 2024, 296 volunteers donated 1,119 hours, which included Earth Day and National Day of Service. Among the volunteers were Adopt-a-Park program volunteers, Friends of Ballinger, Sound Community Bank and The Ivy League.

Among the accomplishments were installing four ADA-accessible park tables and restoring the Seattle Sonics logo to the Montlake Terrace Recreation Pavillion’s court.

In 2025, RPAC is making plans for the Earth Day Volunteer Event on April 26, the 3rd of July Family Celebration, National Night Out on Aug. 5, National Day of Service on Sept. 13, Terrace Summer Nights and the Mountlake Terrace Tree Lighting.

The Recreation and Park Advisory Commission’s presentation can be seen here.

Support Services Supervisor Renee Norton, Arts Advisory Commission (AAC) Vice Chair Ben Hou and AAC members Michelle Senechal and Bonnie Mercer presented the city council with a report on their efforts throughout 2024, which was more significant than what can be seen or heard.

The AAC coordinated with Friends of the Arts to support the 44th annual Arts of the Terrace juried art show. The show received 508 pieces, judged 340 and sold 59.

For 2025, the AAC is continuing to support, encourage and promote more live entertainment in the city, including visual, performing and literary arts

The Art Advisory Commission’s presentation can be seen here.

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (DEIC) played a significant role in reviewing the Comprehensive Plan, had a Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group representative, and provided input on the city’s tree regulations.

In 2025, the DEIC will continue contributing to code and policy planning while engaging with the community.

The DEIC’s presentation can be seen here.

The next city council meeting will start at 7 p.m., March 20, at Mountlake Terrace City Hall, 23204 58th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace. To attend the meeting online, visit zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID 810 1113 9518; no passcode is needed.

To make a public comment remotely, complete the registration form within 24 hours of the meeting’s start.

To listen via telephone, call 1-253-215-8782 and enter the same meeting ID.

You also can view livestreamed meetings and past video recordings at www.youtube.com/cityofmlt.

The agenda can be viewed here.