North Highline Unincorporated Area Council members gave a preliminary recommendation on Nov. 3 that North Highline annex to Burien.

Ten council members approved the recommendation with Doris Tevaseu opposed and Karen Veloria abstaining.

The recommendation came despite protests from some audience members, who asked council members to postpone a decision.

They said North Highline residents have not had enough time to study annexation or incorporation as a separate city. Some said Seattle is better equipped to provide social services for immigrants and low income residents.

Council members emphasized their action was just a preliminary step with many more meetings scheduled for public comment.

Nesbitt Planning & Management Inc., which was hired by King County to analyze North Highline governance options, will get reaction to the recommendation from 1,500 area residents in a door-to-door survey.

Meanwhile, the Burien Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 15, concerning annexation policy. It will begin at 7 p.m. at Burien City Hall, 415 S.W. 150th St.

The following day, King County will host a governance open house at Mt. View Elementary School, 10811 12th Ave. S.W. County staffers are billing the meeting as an "Annexation 101" class for those who have just started studying the issue. The "community conversation" is from 7 to 9 p.m.

Another public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Evergreen High School, 830 S.W. 116th St., on Monday, Nov. 21.

Then, at the North Highline council's regular meeting on Dec. 1, council members are expected to make a formal governance recommendation.

Council member Steve Cox, who also serves as a King County Sheriff's deputy, outlined the case for annexing to Burien.

He said the county sheriff's office, which already contracts with Burien for police services, is superior to the Seattle Police Department.

The sheriff is also elected, while the Seattle police chief is appointed by the mayor, Cox noted.

He added that North Highline residents are satisfied with the county's fire department, which also serves Burien. If the area were annexed by Seattle, it would be served by a different fire department.

Roads and the general appearance are also better in North Highline and Burien than in Seattle, he added.

"Delridge and South Park in Seattle have gone downhill and I don't see them improving," Cox declared. "Since Burien incorporated, it has improved greatly and the city has a lot of good ideas for its future."

Councilwoman Judy Duff said the 32,000 residents of North Highline would have more local control by joining Burien with its population of 31,000.

Seattle's population is about 600,000.

"There wouldn't be anybody from North Highline on the Seattle City Council," Duff said. "It would be too expensive to campaign in Seattle."

Melinda Bloom was among several North Highline residents imploring the council not to choose Burien.

"We need services in this area. Burien can't handle or provide them,." she said. "Look in the yellow pages for services and compare the number offered by Seattle and Burien."

Veloria, who began serving on the council three months ago, asked to delay the recommendation vote.

"The conversation is just starting for residents," Veloria noted. "To narrow it to one city tonight is hard to do."

However, veteran council members argued that the unincorporated area's council has been studying the governance issue since 1997.

Council members also reluctantly voted to not pursue incorporating the area as a separate city. They concluded that potential tax revenues would be far less than funds needed to provide services.

Burien City Manager Gary Long, who attended the meeting along with Burien Planning Director Scott Greenburg, commented, "It was important that they made a decision. They have a lot more work to do and so do we."

He said that Burien could have preliminary work toward an annexation policy completed by the end of the year.

Deputy Burien Mayor Joan McGilton, appearing before a campaign forum on Nov. 2, said 90 percent of the Burien residents she has talked to while doorbelling for re-election are opposed to annexing North Highline.

Officials have emphasized that annexation will not occur without a public vote.