Affordable Housing Week, Citizens of the Year, City Manager Search, Stormwater Code Update, Opioids Settlement, Hybrid Public Meetings
The Burien City Council issued a proclamation in honor of Affordable Housing Week and honored Rose Clark and Nancy Salguero, two of the three 2022 Burien Citizens of the Year. Tony Hayes will be honored at a future meeting. They also heard a progress update on the search for a new city manager, approved a memorandum of understanding related to a legal settlement on impacts of opioids in communities, discussed updates to the municipal code regulating stormwater, and discussed plans to transition to hybrid in-person and virtual public meetings.
Affordable Housing Week Kicks Off with Proclamation
The City Council issued a proclamation in support of Affordable Housing Week, May 8–14. The proclamation outlines actions the City of Burien has taken in support of affordable housing including strengthened tenant protections, participation in the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners, adoption and implementation of a Housing Action Plan and Affordable Housing Demonstration Program, and including affordable housing as a theme of the upcoming Comprehensive Plan update.
Pastor Jenny Partch, a former Burien citizen of the year, and leader of the Highline United Methodist Church’s cold weather shelter and a member of the Community Coalition on Housing, and Angela San Filippo, executive director of the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP), accepted the proclamation.
After accepting the proclamation, San Filippo said:
“We’re so grateful for Burien’s partnership and leadership. The need for affordable, attainable, and accessible housing is greater than ever. Our region continues to experience rapid growth and the sustained housing needs means we need all hands on deck to work together and move beyond merely doing more of the same but to push each other, our neighbors, and our partner organizations to grow and innovate until we are in a place where we all have safe, healthy, and affordable homes.”
Pastor Partch, after accepting the proclamation, said:
“I’m happy that this is being brought to the attention of our city and being highlighted through this proclamation. Many of our local residents are in need of affordable housing and there’s just not enough housing stock. So, it’s so important to be thinking about this and planning for this.”
Pastor Partch also noted that the Community Coalition on Housing will be offering educational events on housing in the coming months.
2022 Citizens of the Year Honored
Earlier this year, the City Council selected three community members to receive the 2022 Citizen of the Year award: Rose Clark, Tony Hayes, and Nancy Salguero McKay. In addition to receiving a proclamation in their honor, they will be featured in the fall issue of the Burien Magazine and will be asked to serve as grandmaster of the Independence Day parade in July, along with the 2020 and 2021 citizens of the year.
Due to a scheduling conflict, Tony Hayes, owner of Classic Eats restaurant, was unable to receive his proclamation. The reading of his proclamation will be re-scheduled for a future meeting.
Former Burien mayor Kitty Milne gave former councilmember and deputy mayor Rose Clark the Citizen of the Year award. When accepting the proclamation, Clark said:
“For me, being a volunteer opened all sorts of doors and opportunities. I learned everywhere that I went, everything taught me a lesson and broadened my worldview. So for all the people out there listening, I would encourage you to look around our community … there are so many opportunities to give some of your time and learn about your community. Eventually, you can volunteer for the Planning Commission and learn how government works, how your City Council works, and then you’re in good shape to become a City Councilmember. Little steps along the way and it all starts with volunteering locally.”
Nancy Salguero McKay, executive director of the Highline Heritage Museum and the state of Washington’s first Mexico-born museum director, said when receiving her proclamation:
“I want to make sure that the honor goes to everyone behind this project, it’s not just one person. It requires a community. It requires people that truly believe in the mission of what we’re trying to do and one of them is to celebrate everyone’s stories, to be able to share them [and] really extend out arms and say … this is a safe space for everyone to be welcome and to be themselves and to share their stories. It’s not just for the present, but also for the future.”
Community Weighs in on City Manager Search, Open House Scheduled for June 9
Cathy Schrock, Administrative Services Director, provided an update on the city manager recruitment process, giving a summary of feedback received from community and employee surveys. From that feedback, GovHR USA identified attributes that the community and city staff are looking for in the next city manager.
The community can follow along and provide feedback throughout the recruitment process by attending public meetings and providing public comment. The full schedule of public meetings can be found at burienwa.gov/CityManagerSearch.
An open house where community members can meet the city manager candidates is scheduled for June 8, 2022. Interviews are scheduled to begin June 10.
City Council Supports Minor Updates to Stormwater Code
The City Council placed on the consent agenda for the next regular meeting minor revisions to the municipal code governing stormwater standards.
Signing of Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Opioid Litigation and Possible Settlement Approved
The City Council approved signing a memorandum of understanding that would determine allocation of money that cities, including Burien, could receive from a possible settlement of a pending lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturers and distributors for the reckless promotion and distribution of opioids.
City Council Meetings Will Support Both In-Person and Virtual Participation
The City Council received an update on plans to operate council meetings in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person and virtual participation.
The City Council approved funding to upgrade the technology, including new meeting management software, audio-visual equipment, and new cameras, in the council chambers in the 2019-2020 budget. The technology upgrade project was completed in early 2020. The technology was originally designed to provide an enhanced experience for people attending meetings in-person, but state-issued public health restrictions prevented the council meetings from being held in person.
In 2021, City staff upgraded the technology in the council chambers again to prepare for both in-person and virtual participation during council meetings. In early 2022, the City was prepared to support both virtual and in-person participation, but a flood from the third floor damaged essential equipment, delaying the launch of hybrid meetings.
After replacing equipment and repairing damage, both in-person and virtual participation in council meetings will be supported starting with the May 23, 2022 City Council meeting.