White Center Now: The blog about White Center

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

A momentous meeting tonight for the North HIghline Unincorporated Area Council, at North Highline Fire District headquarters, including even a decision of its own future. Here’s how it played out:

BURIEN CITY MANAGER MIKE MARTIN TALKS ANNEXATION: “The work starts now,” he declared, toward the end of his appearance, which began with him saying it was “a real historic moment” when his council took the annexation-intent vote earlier in the week. In case you somehow have missed all the previous coverage, here’s the map of the area Burien is proceeding toward annexing:

(Click for larger version)
“It’s not a complicated process, it’s just tedious,” Martin said, regarding what happens from hereon out, mentioning that the Boundary Review Board would have to have a hearing. He said it’s not likely a vote could happen in February or April, possibly August or November of last year. “We’re talking internally about how we will approach the Highline area … our approach is not to advocate,” but rather to provide information. He said it “will be a much different engagement process” since the potential annexation area this time includes a significant number of businesses, unlike the area annexed last time. Any possible points at which the process might hit a snag? he was asked. He noted that stopping the annexation process at this point, following the council vote showing intent, would require action to be taken, and he voiced some concern that the state might pull back on the sales-tax credit at some point before annexation became final; he said that negotiations with the county also are a point of concern, since “we need them to step up and do certain things.” He expressed appreciation for having North Highline representation to speak out at the council meetings that led up to Monday’s vote. “It’s been really great. … I hate it when one side of an issue is presented and not the other.”

That was echoed by Burien Councilmember Rose Clark, who said she appreciated looking out and seeing North Highline “smiling faces.” She added, “I think we’re in a good position to move forward,” but reiterated that if there are financial concerns, they made a commitment not to proceed. Martin also was asked about a contention that he was going to get paid more if the city grew; he laughed it off, and said, “Frankly, at this point, I’m not as interested in my salary as in my pension.” NHUAC member Pat Price asked about the South Park “sliver by the river”; Martin noted that Seattle has shown new interest in annexing that area (which you can read about in this Seattle document). … Annexation comprised the entirety of Martin’s update except for a brief update on Puget Sound Park, saying that work is getting under way.

STOREFRONT DEPUTY HIRING PROCESS UPDATE, AND MORE FROM KCSO: King County Sheriff’s Office Captain Joseph Hodgson apologized for “failing to bring stats” again this month, saying a personnel situation had led to that. “I don’t have a lot to report tonight,” aside from one “big thing” – the interview process for the storefront deputy, which he said had taken place “all day today. .. The process is still ongoing, and the process is not going to be based solely on these interviews.” He said they are “trying to find the very best candidate we can.” He projects a decision before the end of next week. Six people have applied, he said, including former White Center storefront-based Deputy Jeff Hancock, with the others including a deputy who’s been working unincorporated patrol, a candidate from the city of Burien, one from the city of SeaTac, and one from Metro Transit Police (Capt. Hodgson said those three are currently working patrol). Asked when the new deputy is likely to be assigned to this area, he said it’s now more likely to be November than this month. And even that is a fast-track – “there’s an urgency to it,” he acknowledged, even those “these things normally take a couple of months.” … Later in the meeting, NHUAC member Giba read a letter she had written on behalf of her fellow councilmembers, supporting Deputy Hancock’s reinstatement to the position, describing him as a leader with “integrity and people skills,” among other attributes. “Deputy Hancock is the one person who can hit the road running” and jump into WC issues, the letter went on to say. The proposal to send it won unanimous approval.

THE FUTURE OF UNINCORPORATED AREA COUNCILS, PART 1: County reps, led by “rural economic strategy coordinator” Julia Larson, brought an ordinance that sets out parameters for the “community service areas” (CSAs) that are being created now that it’s no longer going to fund unincorporated area councils. It says, among other things, that public meetings involving areas’ King County councilmembers will be set up at least once a year. And the county will work with any community-based organizations that exist, including unincorporated area councils, if they decide to continue operation absent the previous structure of county financing and interaction. Meantime, the county is coming up with a process for figuring out how to create boundaries for those CSAs – whether they should follow the boundaries currently used by UACs. Community meetings will be a part of that process, they said. As well as looking at geographic factors, they’re also looking at demographic factors.

The process seemed unclear to everyone else in the room, even after it had been described. Dobkin noted, “It’s never been clear to me where (this process) leaves the UACs. (Councilmember) McDermott said, ‘I want the UACs to continue’ – but where do we stand? Nobody’s ever given us that information … Where do we stand? … You talk about (this process creating) a forum. We HAVE a forum, every month. This is going to be a top-down-type program, where it’s not going to come from the community itself.” The reply: Each CSA would have a “work program” and the meetings in the CSAs “would be set up to work on those ‘work programs'” – not necessarily issues that would bubble up from the community. County reps reiterated that they have no idea yet how the CSAs will operate, whether it will be like the existing UACs, or something different. “All the UACs have history,” Dobkin pointed out. “There’s a history of people on this council with knowledge, who have devoted a lot of time and energy. And now, I feel like, the county is kicking us to the curb, with no acknowledgment for years of work. I haven’t heard anything (from elected officials). It’s somewhat disheartening to put so much work into this community and we just go away in their eyes without recognizing everything that this council has done for the community.” Larson said nothing except that, it’s the same way for all six UACs.

County reps acknowledged it’s “confusing” that this “public engagement process change” is under way at the same time as strategic-plan discussions, though those, it was noted, are for the entire county, not just the unincorporated areas. This is also all tied up in the budget process, by the way, and county leaders are currently taking input on that. Meetings with existing UACs are under way this month, and a mapmaking process is under way to define boundaries. Public meetings are planned in February to go over some proposed boundaries, and a website is expected to be up by then. Once the boundaries are done, they will be out to seek public input on the “annual plan,” among other things. Burien Councilmember Clark – while stressing she wasn’t speaking for her colleagues – said it seemed like a bad time to disband a group like this. “If this goes away, it handicaps Burien’s ability to reach the people,” she said, suggesting this council should be preserved at least through the prospective annexation vote. Otherwise, “It seems shortsighted to me.” Larson said she couldn’t comment on Clark’s suggestion, but said the county does intend to invite potential-annexation cities “to the table” to be part of the forthcoming decisions. She also noted she is “newly appointed … to try to move this process forward.”

“We live in this community. People know us. … We’re going to lose that,” if the UAC goes away, Dobkin said. Larson’s reply, “There’s a lot of good and bad about this process.” The retorted question echoed around the room: “What’s good about it?” Larson, clearly uncomfortable, said that message would go back to the council and executive. One other point of concern: How the county would dole out money to unincorporated-area community-outreach projects in the future. “We are the only organization that has purely the interest of this community” in mind, said NHUAC member Liz Giba, voicing concern about the concept of Community Service Area-based county grants. NHUAC doesn’t have professional grant writers, pointed out NHUAC member Ron Johnson. He added that if the county “(kept) us around, functioning for another 6, 8, 12 months” would help the area get annexed, and dropping support for NHUAC would be “leaving us rudderless” at a critical time for the annexation process. Other words of disappointment and anger came from the audience.

“I hope that Julia will come back when (she has) some answers,” said NHUAC member Pat Price toward the end of the discussion, trying to end what she characterized as the council and public “berating” the county rep whom many recognized was “just the messenger.” It’s frustrating that “there are no answers,” Price said, “so go find us some answers.”

THE FUTURE OF NHUAC ITSELF: NHUAC members voted unanimously to keep going as a group, regardless of their status or funding. This followed a vigorous discussion immediately after the “frustrating” discussion with the county reps. Its contract with the county runs two more months, through December, as Dobkin had noted. Price said that she believes that the council should continue as a community group which might even have “some freedom we don’t have now.” Dobkin said she had consulted lawyer Jerry Robison and that he didn’t believe they would need to carry insurance – which was part of what the county funding expiring after December had paid for – “unless we’re going to have wild parties … We really have little exposure for what we are doing, and it’s just not necessary for the type of volunteer group that we are.” NHUAC member Douglas Harrell wondered what voice they really would have after December; Dobkin’s answer was that she believed they could and should “continue as an advocacy group for the community.” Despite the uncertainties, NHUAC member Giba, said: “We have a community that’s really in need of representation, and we’re the best they’ve got at this point.” She later added that her perception is that the runup to the transition “isn’t going as smoothly” as county leaders might have expected, so there’s hope that at least NHUAC, with annexation now officially pending, might have the chance for an extension. “Because they do need us to help this community transition to the idea of annexation, to get us adopted, and off their neck,” added Price.

DANCE CLUB MORATORIUM: President Dobkin said she had received word from County Councilmember Joe McDermott that final action on the moratorium on dance-club licenses in the White Center area is set for 1:30 pm October 24th, and people who support the plan are invited to be there to speak in favor of it. Burien city manager Martin said he would have representation there to emphasize support, as well.

COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MOVING: Dobkin also said that the county health offices that are next to the White Center Food Bank are moving to Greenbridge.

DISSONANT DISTRICT: Elizabeth Gordon from Uncle Mike’s Superlicious Barbecue in downtown WC explained that the South Delridge-White Center Community Safety Coalition is examining challenges getting in the way of the business district’s safety. She said that lack of a unified economic development plan is perceived to be one such factor, and that it’s noted the business district’s nature has evolved over the years – rather than people walking in, they are driving in, and there is more of an adult atmosphere than a community/family-safe atmosphere. Some property owners may just be getting businesses in, no matter what they are, as long as they can pay the rent. She says they’ve been advised to “take a more gritty image” in order to attract more business. Maybe the potential Burien annexation will help with an economic development plan for the area, she suggested. Dobkin asked if anyone has spoken to Stan’s Adult Superstore – which Gordon had not mentioned by name – regarding its displays. Gordon said, “There’s been some conversation,” but she thinks the lack of an authority to gather business owners together for a common theme or goal remains a challenge. The topic may come up when the White Center Community Development Association has its next business mixer at Gordon’s restaurant (6 pm October 18th), she said.

SPEAKING OF DOWNTOWN WC: NHUAC is seeking a permit for some beautification on two corners at 16th/100th, using remaining funding, but there are some questions about whether they can get it done before their funding expires at year’s end; the project would cost $510.

NEXT MEETING: In November, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg will be a guest, Dobkin announced. That meeting will be on the first Thursday as usual – November 3 – 7 pm, North HIghline Fire District HQ.

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