What's on Tap for Mercer Island City Council, Oct. 15

Mercer Island City Council will begin tonight's (Oct. 15) meeting with a 6 p.m. study session at Mercer Island City Hall in council chambers, followed by its reuglar meeting at 7 p.m. on a range of important topics.

Starting at 6 p.m., the city will receive reports from local volunteer groups Mercer Island Communities That Care (CTC) coalition and the city's Emergency Preparedness program. The CTC is currently working on contingency plans for if Initiative 502 on November's ballot passes, which proposes legalized marijuana sales in the state, while the city and Mercer Island School District are currently planning to take part in an emergency earthquake drill on Oct. 18.

On the consent agenda, the City Council is expected to approve cell phone tower lease amendments to Cingular/AT&T for its tower at 5190 Island Crest Way, adjacent to Northwest Yeshiva High School. AT&T plans to upgrade the equipment there with two 4G LTE cell tower antennae.

For regular business, the council will hold a public hearing on the city's proposed 2013-2014 biennial budget. The city is trying to head-off a projected $1.19 million deficit in 2013 and a $1.48 million deficit in 2014 with a variety of cuts and new taxes and fee increases.

The review of the budget in this meeting will cover an expenditure overview of the $25 million General Fund, and a department review of the following areas of city government: City Attorney’s Office, City Council, City Manager’s Office, DSG, Finance, Fire, Human Resources, Information & Geographic Services.

The city council is also considering entering into an interlocal agreement with King County for a shoreline restoration and stormwater project at Calkins Landing.

The regular meeting will also be broadcast live on the city's local television channel, MI-TV Channel 21, starting at 7 p.m.

Mercer Island Patch will "Live-Blog" the meeting in a new story to be posted later this evening.