White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Story, photos, and video by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

When the decades-old Gay Skate night at Skate King in Bellevue ended last year, it was the only organized skate night in the Seattle metro area for the GLBTQ community and friends. Partners Tim Kelly and Patrick Savedra (above), old friends of Southgate Roller Rink owners Erin and Josh Venables, began making the 15-minute drive from their Capitol Hill home when the newly renovated rink in White Center opened earlier this year. After months of conversations. deliberations and planning, they have all teamed up to begin a new era with “Pride Skate” on the first Wednesday of every month at Southgate.

The kick-off was last Wednesday and the crowd was good, according to Erin Venables, who told WCN that her “boutique roller rink” is proud to be part of the close-knit White Center neighborhood that she says she has learned is much different than what she used to think before going into business here. And she is proud of providing the venue for the GLBTQ community too. She’s confident the Pride Skate guests are going to discover all of the great things about White Center that she has.

As a tribute to the spirit of Pride Skate, Erin redesigned the Southgate logo incorporating the rainbow colors. Joining the team to welcome the Pride Skaters to White Center, The Company Bar on 16th, one block east, has begun holding a brand new karaoke night on the first Wednesdays for after-Pride Skate gatherings.

“It was one of these things where we saw that a lot of people wanted to still be skating once a month, especially as fall and winter approaches when there are fewer things to do outside. I think, for the community, it is along the lines of Gay Bingo or Gay Bowling. These things have always been there for everyone,” Patrick said.

“The unique thing about skating is you don’t have to be a champion level to skate; you can be at the beginner level and still have a really good time,” Michael adds.

Beyond the fun exercise, there is the oh-so-important music, which the team has been putting a lot of energy into selecting. “We want to make it for us,” Michael says. “So, it’s a mix of current stuff you will hear at the clubs and the more nostalgic disco – like Donna Summers and the Bee Gees,” Michael said. They are targeting music that will appeal to the 18-and-older crowd, as well as to the much-older skaters who will jam to the music of the ’70s. “We want songs which are fun to skate to and have everybody find something they will like.”

They’ve tried to get on every public calendar they could think of because they don’t have a lot of money for advertising yet, but posters that Patrick made (he’s a fashion photographer with his own studio at Pioneer Square 614) have been distributed around a few areas of town. The plan is for future posters with real skater models chosen on skate night as the event moves forward. They have also been networking the idea around town and received such great feedback about bringing back skating to a vibrant new venue that they were encouraged to forge ahead with the project.

The relocated skate night is the continuation of a legacy event within the LGBTQ community that offers socializing, exercise and a whole lot of fun at an affordable price. The $7 cost for the night includes two and half hours of skating, customized music, rental of brand new skates, as well as the snack bar with slushees and munchies.

Michael and Patrick say they have bumped into friends who remember skating at Southgate when they were younger and are thrilled that Pride Skate has landed in their old hood. “But we have noticed that there are assumptions from some people who haven’t skated at Southgate that all skate rinks are unkempt or smelly or haven’t been updated; but that isn’t the case here. These owners are young with very fresh eyes on an industry that is full of people who have been running their businesses for a long time. I think Erin and Josh are innovative. They are doing a lot which is appealing to younger people and that is what is bringing them here. They have a fresh perspective on music and how a place like this should run and look, “ Patrick said. “And they have brand new skates here! That’s really important,” Michael said with a laugh.

A Facebook “Pride Skate” page is set up so you can find updates on schedules, hours, costs, and special theme nights. Michael and Patrick say that next month’s Pride Skate will be a few days after Halloween but everyone is welcome to come in costume or get that second costume that you didn’t wear for the actual holiday, but nobody is pressured to do so. They are looking forward to meeting you and your friends, gay or straight, on Wednesday, November 2, 9-11 PM. As owner Erin told WCN, “It’ll be when we can all be fabulous together.”

4:25 PM SATURDAY: Just got the word from Stefanie at Proletariat Pizza in downtown White Center:

One of our lovely servers, Delia, will be space sharing with us, opening her own coffee shop in our space in White Center. She will be having a soft opening tomorrow beginning at 8 am. The coffee is really something special.

If somehow you have not been there … they’re at 9622 16th SW, across the street from Full Tilt Ice Cream. And that’s where you’ll find Caffé Delia, starting Sunday. It’s serving Spella Coffee – and hours are listed on its fledgling website.

ADDED 9:54 AM SUNDAY: We stopped by to say hi to Delia:

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.

Just in – a reminder about this big event ahead:

1971 was a bleak year in Seattle – large numbers of lay-offs, shuttered storefronts and billboards proclaiming “turn out the lights” if you were the last person to leave town. To address the immediate hunger needs in their community, members of several congregations quietly began food distributions – often on Mondays after congregation members brought their donations to services on Sundays. At first, just a few came – but as news of the food service grew – more people arrived to look for help. This humble service grew into the White Center Food Bank, as the community continued to reel from persistent economic challenges. Today’s services surpass what the original founders of the food bank could’ve imagined; in August 2011, 1753 families received service.

On October 15, White Center Food Bank will celebrate 40 years of service to the community at its annual Harvest Dinner and Auction at South Seattle Community College’s Brockey Center. Tickets and details are available online at www.whitecenterfoodbank.org, at $62 per person if purchased online. A great variety of auction items are available, and a great way to meet others in the community that care about hunger. White Center Food Bank serves a 12 square mile area of SW Seattle and into Burien serving over 64,000 individuals in 2010.

For more information on White Center Food Bank including how to volunteer or donate: www.whitecenterfoodbank.org.

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.

From WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz:

Miguel and Beatrice Canche, owners of Oro and Gold (currently on Roxbury between 16th and 15th), tell WCN they are moving their eight-month-old gold-buying shop to the larger space on the corner of 16th and Roxbury.

The space has stood empty since International Halal Market moved a few doors south.

Miguel says that business is good, but he’s thinking about additional uses for the space down the road. No decisions yet. They hope to open sometime in the next week or two. Oro and Gold’s phone number is 206-407-9844.

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).

The agenda is up for next Thursday’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, including a discussion of the council’s own future – since the county has cut funding for UACs, it’s up to them to decide how they want to go forward. Here’s the full agenda for the meeting; it’s at 7 pm Thursday (October 6th) at the North Highline Fire District station on SW 112th.

(UPDATE: The water is reported to have been turned back on.)

By Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Al Tijerina, King County DDES Code Enforcement Inspector, posted an Emergency Notice Order at the Evolution Apartments (9625 16th SW) on Monday.

Like the former Club Evo space in the same building, the six apartments are owned by Alfred Lopez. The building had been managed by Jackie Blacketer for at least six months. Inspector Tijerina said the County is very concerned about the lack of water in the apartments (it was shut off September 7th for nonpayment) but said there are additional violations.

The emergency order says the violations posed “significant threat of immediate and/or irreparable harm; enforcement of this notice and order shall not be stayed during the process of any administrative appeal under Title 23 of the King County Code.”

“Occupancy of substandard dwellings (apartments) in violation fo Section 16.14.100 of the King County Code. These apartments are substandard in the following instances:

A. Lack of running water in violation of Section 16.14.520 of the King County Code.
B. Insufficient heating capacity and/or defective heat supply in violation of the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code.
C. Improperly installed and/or defective electrical components including, but not limited to service panel, wiring, junction boxes, outlets and switches in violation of Section 604.3 of the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code.
D. Inoperative and/or missing smoke detectors in violation of Section 704.2 of the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code.
E. Accumulation of garbage, rubbish and debris throughout the common areas (hallways) in violation of Sections 202 and 307 of the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code and Section 21A.32.230 of the King County Code.
F. Interior surfaces are unmaintained in violation Section 305.3 of the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code.”

After complaints from tenants, including former manager Blacketer, DDES last week inspected the six studio units, five of which are usually rented month-to-month for either $400/$500 per unit, (including all utilities), and the common spaces.

We talked to both Lopez and Blacketer over the course of several days preceding the county’s notice. Lopez told WCN that nobody had been paying rent and that’s why the bills weren’t paid. Blacketer told WCN that no renters were in arrears while she was managing the building.

Ultimately, Blacketer quit last week and left White Center. Lopez, who lives in California, flew here. If he does not have water service restored by this Friday, remaining tenants will have to vacate because it would be considered a public-health hazard.

Two tenants who Lopez says were moving out reportedly declined to pay rent after finding out the water was going to be shut off. Another tenants, who asked us just to identify him as Lee, says he has paid rent for the month and has nowhere else to go, as a retired person on Social Security.

Blacketer claims other utility services had been or were going to be cut off for lack of payment.

Late last week, Lopez told WCN he was going to try to get the water turned on, but his manager and tenants say he had been telling him that for almost three weeks. He also said that ultimately he would make a business decision about whether it is worth it for him to keep renting out the apartments, but said he wanted to comply with the County to ensure that there were no outstanding issues before he returned to California.

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 »

The White Center Albertsons will be a site for donating food during this Saturday’s “Global Volunteer Day” efforts by Prudential Northwest real-estate brokers. You can also donate cash, if you don’t have food items to offer. You’ll find them there from 10 am-2 pm (and if you are in West Seattle, look for them at West Seattle PCC as well as West Seattle Thriftway). “One can or one dollar is all we ask,” the official announcement quotes event coordinator Shari Kruse as saying. “It really takes very little from each person to make a big impact.” Area beneficiaries include the White Center Food Bank and its West Seattle counterpart.

8:02 AM: This morning at 11 am, we’ll find out what King County Executive Dow Constantine is proposing for next year’s budget, and how that might affect this part of unincorporated King County. Right afterward, the County Council will comment. If you’re not going downtown for the occasion, you can watch on King County TV, via cable or online.

ADDED: All the links for the budget docs are here (we’ll be reading them for highlights as the evening goes on).

1:50 PM: Here’s how the County Council breaks it down – note the time and place for upcoming public hearings:

The budget leaders of the Metropolitan King County Council said today that even with the reality of having had to trim $233 million from King County’s General Fund budget over the last four years, the Council’s proactive approach to reforming county government has prepared the Council for the 2012 King County Budget deliberations.

“We’ve already shrunk the size of our government, including cutting $233 million from our General Fund in the last four years. As a result, we no longer face the stark choices that many cities and the state legislature are dealing with,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson, who will direct the Council’s 2012 Budget deliberations. “But because our revenues are still affected by the economic reality, we are going to have to work smarter and continue the reforms we have been implementing in the 2012 budget process.”

After budget cuts of $25 million in 2008, $93 million in 2009, $56 million in 2010 and $59 million in 2011, King County has been facing a $20 million deficit in its General Fund budget in 2012. King County Executive Dow Constantine today proposed a $5.3 billion budget that includes no cuts to the $648 million General Fund budget, more than three-quarters of which is targeted for law, justice and public safety services.

Councilmember Patterson said the Council will review the Executive Budget Proposal in three separate panels:

Councilmember Kathy Lambert will serve as Vice Chair of the Budget Leadership Team and direct the Public Health and Safety Panel, which will assess the Executive’s proposed budgets for law, justice and public safety agencies along with the departments of Community & Health Services and Public Health.

“I will be looking closely at programs that help keep people from returning to the judicial system and that save money for the taxpayer,” said Councilmember Lambert. “In the past decade, King County has been a national leader in implementation of therapeutic and prevention alternatives to incarceration with Drug Court and Mental Health Court programs. Our new Veterans Court pilot will continue the work of the Mental Health Court by dedicating specialized services for our veterans. They will get the help they need instead of jail time. We see the positive results of these therapeutic programs in creating improvements for people’s lives.”
Councilmember Joe McDermott will lead the Physical Environment Panel, which will review services provided by the Departments of Natural Resources & Parks and Transportation.

“Critical transit service was preserved in our region thanks in part to strong reforms pursued by the County. This year, the Council turns its attention to maintaining county roads which face an eroded tax base and drastic cuts,” McDermott said. “One of the issues the Physical Environment Panel will examine is the proposed Roads Strategic Plan. We will be looking for further reforms in this and other areas.”

Council Vice Chair Jane Hague will serve as Chair of the General Government Panel, which will be responsible for General Fund budgets such as Assessments and Elections, and the County’s internal service funds like Facilities Management, Human Resources and Finance

“Many people in King County are facing a tough economic reality right now,” said Hague. “As they tighten their belts, they expect county government to do the same. As Chair of the General Government Panel, I look forward to examining how we can continue to reform King County internally. I hope to expand on the success we’ve had recently in reducing costs and eliminating waste.”

The panels will begin their review of the Executive Proposed Budget on Tuesday, October 4. All members of the County Council serve on the Budget Committee during the annual review and adoption of the County budget. Traditionally, the Council adopts the County budget the Monday before Thanksgiving.

Starting Thursday, October 13, Councilmember Patterson and the Budget Leadership Team will host three evening public hearings on the 2012 Executive Proposed Budget:

Thursday, October 13 – Pacific Cascade Middle School, 24635 SE Issaquah Fall City Rd, Issaquah
Wednesday, October 19 – Maleng Regional Justice Center, Courtroom 3F, 401 Fourth Avenue North, Kent
Tuesday, October 25 – King County Courthouse, County Council Chambers, 10th Floor, 516 Third Avenue, Seattle
All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. Day-after coverage of the public hearings will be available both online and on King County TV, seen on Comcast and Broadstripe Cable Channel 22. You can also sign up to follow the deliberations through the Council’s 2012 Budget web page, Facebook and Twitter.

WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz reports that Jali Studio in the 9600 block of 16th SW was held up this afternoon. The store owner says the robbers were two men who appeared to be in their 30s, one black, one Hispanic or darker-skinned Caucasian, both with hoodies obscuring their faces. They got away with money, an iPod, and a cell phone. If you have any information, contact King County Sheriff’s deputies, who are investigating, via 911.

(Photos by Deanie Schwarz for WCN)
Yes, you can have a prom on rollerskates – check out Blair and Dina Lydia Johnson from neighboring Highland Park, at tonight’s Rat City Roller Prom, raising money for the White Center Food Bank at Southgate Roller Rink.

MORE PHOTOS ADDED EARLY THURSDAY:
Some of the scenes, also photographed and reported by Deanie:

Davin Kim, raised in White Center and now living in West Seattle, and Maricris Mende of Beacon Hill were getting ready to meet the beat on the floor – with some punchy punch.

That’s Steven Hensyel, Rat City Roller Prom organizer, with his prom date, getting their picture taken by RJB Photo. Steve conjured up this roller prom featuring three hours of skating, free skates, PBR on tap, spiked punch and prom photos. This was the first time Steve has organized an event like this and he told WCN that next year will be even better. So, if you couldn’t make it this time, you’ve got a chance next year to support a great cause.

Lots of tuxedos (pale blue and peach were faves) were rented for the night, but few were donning top hat and tails like this guy – spinning with his baton in his mouth.

Above and below, it wasn’t all tuxedos – name the fashion trend of decades gone by and chances are someone at the prom was representing it …

Promgoers also were invited to a pre-func at Company and an afterparty at Mac’s Triangle Pub.

Perhaps the craziest fundraiser ever is happening this weekend in SODO – and its organizers chose White Center Food Bank as a beneficiary – but to pull it off, some help is needed! In case you haven’t already seen this alert on Facebook or Twitter – we’re putting it here online. From Ann Kendall:

The Tomato Battle selected White Center Food Bank as a beneficiary for this upcoming weekend’s battle and we are looking for a few folks to help out. Yes, it does sound messy but we’re not asking anyone to jump into the actual battle. Help is needed with set-up (hanging banners, and other decorating), observing the battle (reporting anything odd to security, checking IDs at entry) and tear-down; 2 hour shifts from 10:30 until 9pm. All volunteers receive a “crew” t-shirt. If interested, contact Ann Kendall at ann@annkendall.com directly.

Find out more about the Tomato Battle – and buy tickets, if you’d rather do that than volunteer! – by going here.

They’re A Punk and His Guitar – and they featured an accordion, too. They were part of the scene on a gorgeous late-summer night on the West Seattle side of White Center, as Café Rozella hosted an event looking ahead to next month’s Seattle stop of the Aviation Justice tour.

Aviation Justice is an advocacy group working to raise awareness of aviation-related issues including aircraft and pollution noise. Its big local event brings two UK activists here on October 26th, 5-9 pm, at Town Hall in downtown Seattle.

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.

Story and photo by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Another White Center medical-marijuana patient collective will be opening next weekend – Saturday, September 24 – at 9640 16th SW. Northwest Cannabis Market (NCM), a private cooperative of patient-farmers and collective gardens, will be the third medical marijuana venue in White Center.

Managed by Michael Keysor, the NCM cooperative formed in April of this year with plans to operate as a weekend-only patient-farmer market in Everett, according to Keysor. That city, however, took action to put the brakes on medical marijuana. NCM began a search for a new “market” location outside of Snohomish County that was more “friendly to patients” and to “provide safe, secure access” to their medicine.

He said rent costs were prohibitive in Seattle, but the White Center space next door to Uncle Mike’s BBQ provided the square footage needed (3,900 sq. ft.) for the cannabis patient/farmers and patient/medible providers to set up tables, farmers-market-style. A testing area for patient members to sample the varieties of cannabis offered by the farmers will also be incorporated into the “market.” However, Keysor said that this is not like the lounge/socializing model which G.A.M.E. Collective (one-half block south at 98th/16th) operates with. He anticipates members/patients will be in and out of the market within 20 to 30 minutes.

The hours will be limited to Saturday and Sunday only, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with uniformed, armed, security on site through a private security firm. Keysor thought it was possible that the hours will be shortened during the winter months, but also that they hoped to eventually be open three days a week at some point. The members must provide proof of their tamper-proof medical-marijuana patient cards at the door, along with ID. Non-member patients with paperwork will be able to become members at the door. According to Keysor, this collective is only the second one in the country to use the “farmers market” collective model. The first, he said, is the Cannabis Farmers Market, which runs periodically in Tacoma and Seattle. Based on that group’s market, Keysor believes NCM will have 100+ patients over the weekend at about 10 patients per hour, but currently there are only eight or nine vendors committed for the opening. He anticipated there could be up to 25, however, as the collective network has about 600 members currently.

Keysor told WCN at the end of last week that he had not yet met with any members of the King County Sheriff’s Office and assumed that they would come to him, but that perhaps he would stop by the Storefront Office to introduce himself. Keysor also thought his business would be good for the neighborhood, particularly the food and restaurant establishments. However, he didn’t want to have his photo published; the picture atop this story is the storefront where he plans to open.

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.