White Center Now: The blog about White Center

8:55 PM UPDATE: Missing boy has been found – he turned up at home, according to KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West. Original coverage after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »

This first part will sound a lot like last night’s initial report: After a second three-hour of testimony, the Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County will meet for a third night – but no more public comment. You’re invited to their 7 pm January 23rd meeting at a location TBA, but it’s all about their deliberations, no more testimony. (Here’s who’s on the board, in case you wondered.) WCN co-publisher Patrick Sand recorded tonight’s meeting at White Center’s Cascade Middle School on video again and we’ll add that in the hours ahead, once it’s processed (unedited, but still takes time to upload). He says that after last night’s testimony was weighted toward opposition to Burien annexation of White Center and most of the rest of unincorporated North Highline, tonight’s went the other way, with more pro-annexation speakers than anti-.

Of note – this time around is VERY different than March 2009, when the Boundary Review Board’s hearing on the first Burien/North Highline annexation lasted for ONE night, less than two hours, and ended with a preliminary vote in favor of the proposal. Here’s our as-it-happened coverage from that night almost three years ago. Meantime, more to come on what happened tonight.

ADDED EARLY WEDNESDAY: The first video clip, almost 2 hours, includes all the Tuesday night testimony:

The second, a little more than an hour (following a break called by the board), includes the city of Burien’s rebuttal and replies to questions asked during the first night:

If you had a one-use tree this holiday season – here’s how to recycle it.

If you have Waste Management pickup service, you can put it out with your yard waste this week, as long as you follow these rules:

Waste Management collects Christmas trees from its residential customers. Be sure the tree is cut into three-foot sections and remove any tree stands, nails, tinsel and decorations.

If you are within Seattle city limits, you can take your tree to the South Transfer Station in South Park, as long as it’s not taller than eight feet (rules here).

Wherever you live, you are welcome to help out local nonprofits with these two tree-cycling events coming up next weekend:

SATURDAY & SUNDAY: Boy Scout Troop 375 Christmas Tree Recycle
January 7 – 8, 2012 (9 to 4)
Five Corners (160th and 1st Avenue in Burien)
$5 per tree
“Good Karma” Christmas Tree Mulch available for $25 donation per yard

SATURDAY, TWO LOCATIONS: The West Seattle Rainbow Girls will hold their fifth annual Christmas tree recycle fundraiser January 7 at the Alki Masonic Hall 4736 40th Ave. SW. and also at the Southgate Masonic Hall located at 1004 SW 152nd in Burien from 10:00 – 2:00. Suggested donation $5.00. No flocked trees please. For more information please contact Jan Hunter at 206-849-7906. Check out the Rainbow Girls by going to www.gorainbow.org.

Friends of the victim’s family are casting a net far and wide to try to help investigators solve an attack last night. First, here’s what the King County Sheriff’s Office says about it, in a news release just sent out:

A 21 year old man was severely beaten as he walked home from downtown Burien last night around 9 pm.

Joshua Sheen arrived home around 9 pm bloody and had to crawl to get into the house. He had “pretty much everything in his face fractured” said his sister Brianna Davey. Sheen also had teeth knocked out and according to Davey had “internal bleeding and had to have his spleen removed.”

Sheen was missing his cell phone, shoes and possibly his wallet. Sheen had no recollection of how he was injured.

King County Sheriff Deputies searched several blocks attempting to locate where the incident occurred but was unable to locate any evidence.

Sheen is 5’7” tall and weighs about 140 pounds. He was wearing a black jacket and dark jeans. “We are hoping that someone saw something and will come forward,” said his sister Davey.

If you have any information about this crime please call the King County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 206-296-7530 or email us at MCUTips.KCSO@kingcounty.gov.

We received this through a mass e-mail sent to media all over the region by multiple people who are friends of Sheen’s uncle, comedian Derek Sheen. They forwarded this note from him:

My nephew, who is a special needs adult, was the victim of a hate crime. He is currently at Harborview Medical Center, in ICU on life support. There is a chance he may not recover. I’m asking residents in the area to please contact local media and ask them for help in gathering information and public support to assist in the capture and prosecution of the person or persons responsible. Any help or information is greatly appreciated.

In tonight’s election, though the results won’t be final for weeks, some things are clear after just the first round of ballot-counting. White Center’s King County Councilmember Joe McDermott has won election to his first full four-year term, leading Diana Toledo, 67%-32%. … In the North Highline Fire District contest, Liz Giba leads Mark Ufkes, 52%-47% … In the only contest for Highline School Board, incumbent president Sili Savusa is losing to Tyrone Curry, who has gained some fame for his lottery win and subsequent donation, 55% for Curry to 44% for Savusa … Burien had three council races on the ballot, and one of the city’s most outspoken opponents of annexing White Center (and vicinity) has defeated an incumbent: Bob Edgar has 60% of the vote, to 40% for Gordon Shaw. In the other two races, incumbent Lucy Krakowiak – one of two “no” votes on last month’s annexation resolution – leads former North Highline Unincorporated Area Council chair Greg Duff, 64%-36%, while pro-annexation incumbent Jerry Robison leads Debi Wagner, 54%-46%. Next ballot count is due around 4:30 tomorrow afternoon.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

City staff says they still have multiple chances to turn back – but for now, the Burien City Council has taken the first official step on the road to annexing White Center and most of the rest of unincorporated North Highline, by approving a resolution declaring their intent to annex the area. The resolution was approved 5-2, with Councilmembers Jack Block Jr. and Lucy Krakowiak the “no” votes.

Most of the councilmembers didn’t speak immediately before the vote to explain why they were pro or con – but of those who did, Deputy Mayor Brian Bennett said he’s “optimistic” about North Highline’s future; Block said that while he didn’t think NH residents would want to be part of a city (Seattle) with (potential) $80 car tabs and “Taj Mahal libraries,” he did think there were issues that need to be resolved – such as, through negotiating with the county “for mitigation” – before proceeding.

The meeting began with a public-comment period that lasted almost 45 minutes, with all but one speaker addressing the “to move forward with annexation or not to move forward with annexation” issue. Our tally of the annexation speakers: 12 opponents, 5 supporters. The opponents all described themselves as Burien residents; four of the supporters were residents of the still-unincorporated area.

One of them was Barbara Dobkin, who spoke as a private citizen but also serves as president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council. “This is good news,” she smiled after the meeting. “Finally, we have something to start with.”

Though some in Burien had repeatedly expressed opposition by saying “what’s the rush?” Dobkin and others – including some councilmembers – noted that all this has been under discussion for years. New fuel was added to Burien’s fire when Seattle, which originally had dibs on this part of the unincorporated area, declared earlier this year that it wasn’t even going to think about a decision till early next year, so if Burien wanted to proceed, Seattle wouldn’t stand in its way.

We will add highlights and summaries of the commenters’ key points later, plus what happens next in the process, as we continue adding to this story in the hours ahead.

ADDED TUESDAY: Here are the 8 steps required before annexation would become official, as laid out in the approved resolution:

GENERAL PROCESS FOR ANNEXATION BY ELECTION
1. City Council approves a Resolution calling for annexation by election.
2. City staff files a Notice of Intention with the King County Boundary Review Board (BRB) and invokes jurisdiction by filing a request for review with the Board.
3. The BRB sets a hearing date, holds a hearing and issues a decision. The BRB can accept the proposal, reduce it by no more than 10% or deny the request.
4. The BRB decision begins a 30-day appeal period (appeals go to Superior Court).
5. City Council indicates to the County Auditor its preferred date for the annexation election.
6. County Council sets the election on the date indicated by the City.
7. The election is held.
8. City Council approves an Ordinance providing for the annexation and establishing its effective date.

Just a reminder for those interested: Tonight’s Burien City Council meeting (7 pm, council chambers in downtown Burien) includes consideration of a resolution indicating intent to annex most of the rest of unincorporated North Highline. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll vote tonight – councilmembers might decide to delay a vote. Here’s our report from last Friday, previewing the resolution. Public comment will be taken, as is the case at most council meetings; if you can’t be there in person, it will be streamed live at burienmedia.org.

The “packet” is out for next Monday night’s potentially pivotal Burien City Council meeting discussion – and maybe a vote – on whether to officially get White Center/Boulevard Park/rest-of-North-Highline annexation off the launch pad.

The resolution is ready to go – Resolution 323, to be specific, and its subtitle is all of the following:

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURIEN, WASHINGTON, CALLING FOR THE ANNEXATION, BY ELECTION, OF CONTIGUOUS UNINCORPORATED TERRITORY TO THE CITY OF BURIEN LYING IN AN AREA EAST AND SOUTH OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE CORPORATE BOUNDARIES, THEN GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FOLLOWING 12TH AVENUE S. (IF EXTENDED) BETWEEN S. CAMBRIDGE ST. AND S. 96TH ST., THEN SOUTH OF S. 96TH ST., BETWEEN 12TH AVENUE S. AND SR-99, THEN SOUTH ALONG SR-99 TO THE CITY OF TUKWILA CORPORATE BOUNDARIES, THEN SOUTH ALONG THE CITY OF TUKWILA CORPORATE BOUNDARIES TO THE CORPORATE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF BURIEN, REFERENCED AS THE NORTH HIGHLINE ANNEXATION AREA.

The text of the resolution calling for annexation ensues. It’s followed by this explanation of how the process would go, if the City Council formally sets it in motion (and their options include rejecting the motion or delaying it, so there’s no guarantee this all will be settled on Monday night):

GENERAL PROCESS FOR ANNEXATION BY ELECTION
1. City Council approves a Resolution calling for annexation by election.
2. City staff files a Notice of Intention with the King County Boundary Review Board (BRB) and invokes jurisdiction by filing a request for review with the Board.
3. The BRB sets a hearing date, holds a hearing and issues a decision. The BRB can accept the proposal, reduce it by no more than 10% or deny the request.
4. The BRB decision begins a 30-day appeal period (appeals go to Superior Court).
5. City Council indicates to the County Auditor its preferred date for the annexation election.
6. County Council sets the election on the date indicated by the City.
7. The election is held.
8. City Council approves an Ordinance providing for the annexation and establishing its effective date.

Read the entire motion toward the end of the packet. It is preceded by the traditional cover sheet for packet info, which includes this notation: “The city manager believes that all the significant, material information on the subject has been presented and discussed and encourages the council to adopt the resolution that would advance annexation of the North Highline Area.”

The meeting’s at 7 pm, Burien council chambers, on Monday (October 3rd).

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

After three months of intensive discussion about potential annexation of most of the rest of North Highline (as we’ve chronicled here), the Burien City Council is finally on the brink of deciding whether to proceed full speed ahead.

During last night’s two-hour-plus council meeting, they asked staff to prepare a resolution for them to vote on, possibly as soon as next week – a resolution that if passed would indicate their intent to annex.

But that vote was a close one – four councilmembers in favor of having that resolution drawn up, three (Brian Bennett, Lucy Krakowiak, Jack Block Jr.) opposed. The major concern: It’s “premature” — as in, what’s the hurry? General consensus among opponents was that Seattle still has no intent of proceeding toward annexation, having just announced another cut-laden budget plan hours earlier, so Burien doesn’t have to rush into things.

And there was one revelation – if Burien annexes White Center (etc.), its existing marijuana businesses may be out of business, as city leaders said they deny business licenses to those types of establishments now, and would require any businesses in an annexed area to apply for a license.

Council discussion, and the initial vote, followed a public-comment period in which they heard from mostly familiar commenters. Our summaries of those comments, and councilmembers’, ahead: Read the rest of this entry »

Absent public comment – by design – and with only two items on the agenda, last night’s special meeting of the Burien City Council ran just an hour and a quarter. When it was said and done, the council was not officially any closer to a pursue-annexation-or-don’t decision; the only official action taken was to adjourn and to talk about it more next Monday.

Mayor Joan McGilton returned after several weeks away because of surgery. She and the council considered yet more crunched data, including rates for services now provided by special districts, and comparisons of numbers such as what the city had thought the first round of North Highline annexation might cost, vs. what it has really cost, so far.

The numbers seemed to have some councilmembers doing double-takes, particularly in regards to staffing. City Manager Mike Martin had to assure them it really was true that – aside from police – the city had only added one employee (in parks maintenance) to handle the added workload. And no, he had to insist, there is no other shoe waiting to drop, that’s it, they’re really handling it all with the existing workforce, plus that one employee. “It is nothing short of remarkable,” Martin declared.

Everything, however, was taken under advisement; no opinions were voiced or motions made. Annexation is on the agenda again next week, and this time, there will be another chance for public comment – adjacent to the actual agenda item, rather than lumped in with the rest of the public comment at the start of the meeting. And yet more information will be brought to councilmembers as they continue to ponder, including a requested primer on how the sales-tax credit – a key Legislature-approved incentive in the pursuit of annexation – works.

You can watch last night’s meeting in its entirety at your leisure – find the video archived at burienmedia.org.

If you’re tracking the Burien City Council‘s path toward deciding whether to pursue annexation of the unincorporated area of North Highline that includes White Center – you’ll want to either attend or watch (online at burienmedia.org) tonight’s meeting, 7 pm. As this news release notes, no public comment will be taken tonight – different story next Monday. Last week, as reported here, the council said it wasn’t ready yet to set a date to make a decision. The “packet” with info for tonight’s meeting, including a comparison of what newly annexed North Burien has cost the city in the early going, compared to originally projected costs, can be seen here.

At one point a few months back, some observers had wondered whether the Burien City Council was hell-bent on rushing forward with annexation of most of the rest of North Highline, since Seattle had basically said, hey, we’re not even ready to think about this again till next year, so if you want it in the meantime, it’s yours.

Those observers need not have worried.

Going into Monday night’s Burien council meeting, city staff recommended that councilmembers at least set a date for making a decision on whether to pursue annexation.

They didn’t, saying they still need more information and more time.

First, the public comment period was dominated by annexation comments – concerns voiced mostly by Burien residents who have spoken against annexation before; support voiced mostly by North Highline residents who want to be part of Burien.

Later, when the item formally came up on the agenda, councilmembers listened to presentations from reps of the special districts that currently serve the area – and then talked about whether they were ready to take a step toward signaling whether they might proceed or not.

Those who were – like Councilmember Gerald Robison, who quoted what he said was a real-estate-business saying, “If you sleep on it, you’ll never sleep in it” – were not in the majority, so in the end, the council decided to keep fact-finding and keep talking.

(One of those who said moving ahead now feels “premature” was Councilmember Jack Block Jr., who countered Robison’s real-estate saying with, “We’re not buying a house, we’re committing 48,000 residents of Burien .. and the health and welfare and public safety of 17,000 residents of North Highline.”}

So the council asked for more data to be brought to them at an extra council meeting next Monday night, though there were so many questions that City Manager Mike Martin said he would have to get back to them sometime in the next few days regarding how much of the requested data he’d be able to procure.

You can watch the discussion for yourself, since the meeting video’s available online – find it here.

Tonight (Monday 8/22) at 7 at Burien City Hall, it’s the Burien City Council’s special work session about the new report on the potential financial effects of Burien annexing most of what remains of unannexed North Highline. A “discussion draft” is now available online – see it here – accompanied with another report that had been requested both by councilmembers and concerned citizens, comparing the crime rates of Burien and unincorporated North Highline. The meeting’s in council chambers at 4th/152nd in Burien; if you can’t be there, you can watch it live online at burienmedia.org.

7:53 PM: The Burien City Council meeting is still under way right now (live at burienmedia.org), and city manager Mike Martin is offering to take questions about the financial report regarding the potential effects of annexation – starting by saying the report is now posted online. We haven’t read it yet – but you can read it, in its entirety, here.

7:58 PM: Now we’re going through it. Here are the topline findings of the report (each of which is followed, in the report, by elaboration):

Finding #1: The current City has a present-day and structural fiscal challenge

Finding #2: The annexation sales tax credit would cover the City’s incremental cost of annexation

Finding #3: The annexation sales tax credit provides the City with greater flexibility to manage expected future fiscal challenges

Finding #4: Over the long-term, annexation would be a fiscally NEUTRAL proposition to the City

Finding #5: Annexation will bring additional capital facility needs and revenue

We’ll add more as we go through the report.

8:12 PM: Also from the report – it envisions Burien needing to add 37 employees by 2013 if annexation happens in 2012; 23 of those would be police.

Discussing the timetable for moving ahead on discussing the issue, Mayor Joan McGilton bristled at suggestions that the council was “ahead of the citizens” in terms of considering the issue. She recapped the fact that Seattle was given the option to pursue, then tossed the ball back in Burien’s court, and what “forced the issue” to a higher profile was the issue of potential White Center/Boulevard Park county library consolidation.

“I don’t think Seattle is going to annex North Highline, so I think at least the pressure is off in that respect,” said Councilmember Jack Block Jr., advocating slowing down somewhat. Ultimately, the council has just decided to have a study session on August 22nd; the financial report also will be discussed, as planned, at the next council meeting on August 15th.

The information “packet” published online before every Burien City Council meeting is out (see it here) – and while it promises councilmembers that some information will be available regarding the long-awaited report on potential financial implications of annexing “Area Y” (including White Center), it says the report itself will not be ready in time for packet inclusion. So, the advance document offers councilmembers options: City staff can brief them about the report “at a high level” and answer questions, if they want, while they’re promised that staff and consultant Berk and Associates will give them a detailed report at their next scheduled meeting August 15th. The document also suggests they might want to schedule an extra meeting this month, perhaps August 22nd, devoted solely to the annexation topic.

When the Burien City Council meets again next Monday, the prospective annexation of the rest of North Highline, including White Center, is back on the agenda – and the report that’s already in the online “packet” for the meeting includes an early report on the financial analysis, which says so far it’s looking like annexation “is financially viable.” Here’s the entirety of the text:

Annexation of the so-called “area Y” in the North Highline, including White Center, has a long history that council is well aware of. In short, Burien and Seattle in 2009 agreed to bi-furcate the North Highline Area into two areas; “X” in the south and “Y” in the north. Each city agreed it could advance annexations in adjacent areas without opposition until January 2012. Burien successfully annexed area X in 2010 and that area is now part of Burien. In March 2011, Seattle declared it was not interested in advancing an annexation in area Y but adopted a resolution stating it might at a later date, perhaps February 2012. The resolution also allowed Burien to advance an annexation in area Y if it wished.

Staff is working with a private contractor, Berk and Associates, to study the financial viability of annexing area Y. Initial, draft data seems to indicates the annexation is financially viable, largely because of a sales tax credit offered by the state as an incentive. The entire study will be available August 1 and presented to council at its meeting that evening. It will not be available for inclusion in the council packet. Staff intends to offer a high-level summary of the document at that meeting, and will return with the authors at your next council meeting, August 15th for a more detailed discussion.

As mentioned previously, while financial data is central to the question of annexation, staff understands it is not the
exclusive one and that the policy question is more complex. In an effort to anticipate additional areas of interest, staff
continues to solict other lines of questioning council would like us to explore.

The annexation discussion will predictably be iterative and require information to be acquired as talks progress. The intent of this agenda item is simply to continue that discussion and ensure it progresses in as linear a fashion as possible.

You can see this along with the rest of the “packet” by going here (PDF). Next Monday’s meeting is at 7 pm, Burien City Council chambers, 400 SW 152nd.

“So here we are,” Burien city manager Mike Martin began as he opened a quick recap of where the issue of North Highline annexation stood, before tonight’s scheduled Burien City Council discussion.

No council action was taken – they voiced opinions, as you will read below.

First, Martin described Seattle’s recent decision to table annexation till February as a “major departure” from where things had stood previously. That wasn’t the only factor sparking a new Burien council discussion of annexation, however, he said, mentioning the King County Library Board’s discussion of potentially consolidating the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries.

Martin also mentioned commissioning a financial study with an organization that he says does this type of study and already has “a tremendous amount of information about the (prospective) annexation area.” He says the financial data should be available in late July/early August.

Councilmember Gordon Shaw followed up Martin’s briefing by voicing skepticism about the financial viability of annexation, given a previous study, but said he would like to see the study showing the effects of a changing economy, and what he said was apparently a lower population: “I think they’ve lost 3,000 people up there.” He also said he would like to know how it would affect the city overall.

Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak asked what kind of educational outreach is planned for citizens. Martin said “Council will be taking comments at every council meeting they have until they make a decision – identical to last time.” She also wondered if information was available about major developments planned in the potential annexation area.

Councilmember Jack Block, Jr. talked about the difference between the perception and the reality of White Center. “if you take a drive through White Center, there are virtually no empty storefronts – I wish we could say that here in Burien.” He described WC’s “vitality and growth” as “homegrown” and expressed a hope that it would be emulated in Burien.

“If we don’t vote for it, we don’t have control over that area, and the density could increase, crime could increase, a bunch of public housing is put in there because historically that’s how Seattle does things,” Block suggested, worrying about a “spillover … Think about protecting our community. Do we want to have a say in that area, or just let whatever happens, happen up there?”

He noted that Burien has a budget surplus, while King County has been dealing with a budget shortfall, and, in his view, has put unincorporated North Highline problems “on a back burner.” He also voiced concern about county housing projects in the works, and whether they might unduly burden Burien.

Councilmember Gerald Robison pointed out that he has been working on the annexation issue “for a long time” and says “there are a lot of perceptions out there that I don’t think is accurate.” He contended that it’s “simply not true” that the area is made up of a large population of people who require government services. “What they need is good government, and that’s what they’ve been lacking up there,” he contended, adding that he believes Burien could provide that “good government.” He echoed Block’s point that White Center has a lot of thriving businesses, “the kind of independent businesspeople who are exactly what we are talking about in our mission statement.”

But “I won’t even vote for annexation if it means raising taxes on the rest of the residents in Burien,” Robison vowed. And he said he believes it’s important for Burien’s “survival” to take a look at annexing the area if it can be done. The area doesn’t need Burien, he acknowledged, but “if their options are going to Seattle or going to Burien, I think for the sake of Burien and the sake of the people in North Highline, if we can manage it, we should do it.”

Councilmember Rose Clark said she agreed wholeheartedly with Block and Robison. She said she also believes that if there’s a continued effort to “concentrate poverty” in the greater Highline area, it will “break” the community – and she says what happens in White Center (etc.) will affect Burien too. “The only way to address that is to take a good hard look at North Highline and what we can do to mitigate” the concentration of poverty to which she referred. “If all of that (financial analysis) pencils out, we have to look at what that area becomes” with King County services dwindling.

Deputy Mayor Brian Bennett discussed his roots going back generations in the North Highline area, and saying that while that area likely would prefer to be left alone the reality of county and state laws and finances are that, they cannot be left alone – “they’re going to be incorporated somewhere … If Seattle does take over Area Y, what their incentives are going to be in how they treat Area Y , and whether the decisionmakers for that area are going to be impacted by what happens there, or are they going to be in the north side (of the city) and not affected.”

Councilmember Krakowiak then said “This is a big issue before us and it behooves us to take our time.” She said she would be a likely “no” vote if they were voting on it right now.

At the start of the meeting, in a public-comment session that lasted more than half an hour, seven people expressed opposition to or concern about annexation – with a common theme, if Seattle says it can’t afford annexation, how can Burien? – while two familiar White Center community advocates, Liz Giba and Rachael Levine, spoke favorably about it. (We will add details of the comments later.)

Greg Duff had to leave the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council when annexation put his home inside Burien boundaries, but he continued public service by joining the Burien Planning Commission. And now, according to a news release we received this morning, he is running for Burien City Council Position 2. Read on for the announcement in its entirety: Read the rest of this entry »

Following up on our Monday report, we had an e-mail exchange with Burien mayor Joan McGilton. Her quote on potential annexation of the rest of North Highline, now that Seattle has said it won’t get in Burien’s way if they want to proceed: “The Burien Council will begin discussions once our staff has a chance to do some preparatory work on the issue.”

Week after next, two Burien venues are helping raise money for libraries at White Center’s Mount View Elementary School. Here’s the announcement we received:

Highline School District cut all funding for libraries this year, so in order to raise money for books and supplies, B Town Burgers & Shakes and Burien Books are helping out Mount View Elementary School Library the week of April 3-9.

At B Town Burgers and Shakes, just mention Mount View when you go in to eat, or order the Tiger Burger or Tiger Shake and all the proceeds from your order will go to the library. At Burien Books, donate one of the books from Mount View’s wishlist, and receive 15% off.