North Highline Fire District board talks about 2 annexations, and more
By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor
The week before Christmas is usually low on public meetings, but the North Highline Fire District Board of Commissioners had some hot topics to discuss tonight, in a meeting that lasted just under an hour:
BURIEN ANNEXATION: The board voted to authorize a letter supporting the “Area Y” annexation that Burien is pursuing. The main impacts, if annexation is approved, the board was told, involves the areas that it covers now but are not included in the annexation, such as the “sliver by the river.” So as a result, they would ask for agreements ensuring that those areas would still have fire protection after the annexation, regardless of their governance status. The letter of support “has to be filed tomorrow,” they were told. Commissioner Liz Giba, elected to the board last month, said she’d like to see it more focused on support for the annexation than on concerns – and offered a cover letter she drafted, “which talks about why this is a good thing,” before it’s sent to the Boundary Review Board, which considers the annexation proposal on January 9th. The letter was the result of a decision to write a letter showing support, while also noting concerns. Discussion between Giba and Commissioner Ray Austin focused on whether it was OK as written by the board’s lawyer – six pages. “I just want it to be clear that this is a letter of support,” Giba said. In the vote, most of her “cover letter” was approved for incorporating into the documentation they would turn in. They also decided that Giba will speak briefly on the commission’s behalf at the January 9th hearing.
SEATTLE ANNEXATION: Commissioner Wayne Alishokis says he met with reps from the Seattle Mayor and Council to talk about the “sliver on the river” annexation. He says they told him the council is fully in favor of it while the mayor is neutral, so they are hoping to move it ahead next year, and to have that annexation completed by January 2013 via the “interlocal agreement” process that wouldn’t require going before the Boundary Review Board. The only complication – not expected to cause a problem, though – is the maintenance agreement involving the now-under-construction South Park Bridge. (He also made it clear he met with them as “an individual,” not as an official representative of the NHFD board.) “Sounds like tremendous progress,” remarked Commissioner Giba.
CONTRACT RATIFIED: The board voted to ratify a new contract with IAFF Local 1810.
CHIEF’S REPORT: 2 firefighters are off on injury, Chief Marrs commented. He also talked about participating in recent multiple-department training/testing exercises, one at the Burien Park & Ride simulating a multiple-casualty incident (shooting), as well as a recent haz-mat training exercise (simulating a tanker truck hitting a jersey barrier and splitting open). He briefed the board on an ongoing situation over sprinkler/fire-lane access concerns at Seola Gardens, which he says is trying to “get some variances or do something different,” with a County Appeals Board meeting being the latest development. The disagreement with the King County Housing Authority apparently includes their contention that someone was allegedly given a verbal agreement in the past saying the development didn’t need sprinklers, with which NHFD disagrees.
PUBLIC COMMENT: In this period at the start of the meeting, Pat Price asked if there were any updates from the committee to spend the inheritance. Chief Marrs says it’s “on (his) list of things to do” after the first of the year and they’ll figure out where things stand. Gill Loring expressed appreciation for the meeting being held at night – previously many meetings were on weekday mornings – and wished everyone “Happy Holidays.”
BOARD COMMENT: Giba thanked everyone in attendance and expressed hopes they will come to more meetings, with the scheduling change.
SPEAKING OF SCHEDULING: The board decided to meet on the third Monday of the month – most months – but has to choose an alternate date for next month’s meeting, since that will be a holiday (King Day).
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