Public hearings on resolutions to approve property tax and emergency medical services (EMS) levies, and a public hearing and adoption of the city’s 2019-2020 biennial budget ordinance are on the Mountlake Terrace City Council business meeting agenda for Monday, Nov. 19.

During the council’s Nov. 15 work/study session, City Finance Director Crystil Wooldridge explained that city collects two property tax levies for operations: one for general operations, and a second for emergency medical services (EMS) that was approved by voters.  A third property tax levy — a bond levy — will be added in 2019 to repay the debt approved by the voters to fund the city’s Civic Campus project.

For 2019, staff is recommending a two-step approach for the operating levies. The first is an increase in the property tax collection of 1 percent for both the general and EMS levies. The second recommendation is to reduce the operating levy of $400,000, which was the additional amount collected in 2018 to pay for design work on the Civic Campus project before issuing bonds.

According to the staff agenda memo for the Nov. 19 meeting, “the net effect of this approach is a reduction in the operating levies paid by an average homeowner of $39 from the 2018 operating levy.”

Another presentation staff received during its Nov. 15 work/study session was from Stormwater Manager Laura Reed, who reviewed the city’s stormwater comprehensive plan. The plan  being updated to meet new regulatory requirements, address rehabilitation and replacement of the city’s aging stormwater infrastructure and prepare for increased future growth. A public hearing on the draft plan is set for the Dec. 17 city council meeting, and you can review it here.

Also on the agenda for the Nov. 19 meeting, the council will hear a presentation of the city’s 2019 State Legislative Agenda and consider the adoption of updated city  financial policies. And it will consider a resolution approving a second separation agreement and release with Police Chief Greg Wilson, who announced earlier this month that he is resigning.

The  meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in interim City Hall, 6100 219th St. S.W., 2nd floor. You can see the complete agenda here.