Burien lawmakers are still talking, not voting on White Center annexation.

A special meeting is being held Monday, Sept. 19 to talk about annexation some more. At the Sept. 26 regular meeting, the council is asking for more public comment.

"There are too many questions about in the air," Councilman Jack Block declared at the Sept. 12 council meeting. "Making a commitment is premature."

Councilman Gerald Robison, a north Burien resident, was the only lawmaker on Sept. 12 to urge quick action on annexation.

"We have a saying in real estate, 'If you sleep on it, you'll never sleep in it,'" Robison, a real estate attorney noted.

"We are not buying a home, we are talking about a community," Block replied. "We need a managed approach."

Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak asked staff for more information on the actual financial costs of north Burien versus the costs that had been projected before annexation.

After hearing reports on financial impacts and crime, the council concentrated Sept. 12 on the impact of annexation on special districts.

The council received a letter from board chairman Gary Hobbick, from the Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department outlining the board's concerns.

Hobbick noted that any area annexed by Burien would become the responsibility of the department, also known as King County Fire District #2.

He said the North Highline Fire Department (King County Fire District 11) has accumulated LEOFF 1 pension and medical liabilities in excess of $1 million. LEOFF 1 is a more generous pension plan than current firefighters have.

Funding the increased liability from general funds means there is less money for fire and emergency aid.
Hobbick suggested the city or King County contribute mitigation funds.

He also said Burien has no funds to renovate the two North Highline fire stations. He noted Burien voters just passed a $25 million bond to build two new Burien stations.

"It would be onerous to ask the current citizens of Burien to pay additional monies over and above the current voter approved bonds, " Hobbick wrote.

He added that Burien's headquarters station deploys one engine and one aid car from its headquarters station while the North Highline station has just one engine but handles 25 percent more calls.

The Burien fire district does not have enough funds to add an aid car for North Highline to bring the area up to Burien's equivalent service, he added.

Representatives for Highline water and sewer districts indicated they generally support Burien annexation or annexation would not adversely affect their business.

Some districts said they could lose some customers if Seattle annexed the area. Revenues may have to be made up from the remaining customers, they noted.

Burien lawmakers also heard an upbeat assessment from PTA parent Meg Van Wyk on the Highline district's new elementary math program, Math in Focus/The Singapore Approach.

She said recently reported math test scores for Gildo Rey Elementary in Auburn, which uses the math program, were better than in the Mercer Island School District. Gildo Rey has 67 percent students of color and an 80 percent free and reduced lunch student population.

The program uses a visual approach that doesn't rely on students being proficient in the English language, she added.

"This is going to keep kids in Burien," Van Wyk declared. "I hope this puts us on the map."