After hitting the streets with petitions and posting signs around town for two weeks, members of the Burien Residents Against Annexation Political Action Committee talked back to city hall at the July 17 council meeting.

Filling the council chambers, many of the community activists wore "I Love Burien" t-shirts as they hoisted signs and applauded and cheered during a succession of anti-annexation comments.

"People are emotional about this issue," said PAC member Sharon Oliger. "People are angry and upset that they can't vote."

PAC member Peggy Sharkey presented the council with 1,265 signatures of residents against annexing the North Highline unincorporated area. Seventy-five of the signatures were from businesses owners.

Members of the citizens group are unhappy with council members for not letting Burien residents have an advisory vote on the annexation issue.

Should Burien annex North Highline, it would "dash the hopes of many of us who thought we were turning this city around," said PAC member Robert Howell.

Residents and business owners in North Highline opposed to annexation by Burien also urged the city council not to take that action.

"I am at a loss why Burien wants to continue the annexations," said Boulevard Park resident Butch Henderson. "Boulevard Park and North Highline need to go to Seattle."

Using visual aids, White Center business owner Sharon Maeda held up a list of services Burien had to offer, as listed in the phone book, then held up the much larger list of Seattle services and asked how Burien could provide the same level of services.

But among the anti-annexation comments, some support was voiced for annexing North Highline.

If Burien were to annex the area, it "would be getting a good deal on real estate projects," said Georgette Valle, a former city councilwoman and state legislator.

Valle listed projects that King County had recently funded in the North Highline area, including road upgrades, improvements to Des Moines Memorial Drive, grants for technology, and new sidewalks.

Mayor Joan McGilton had to ask the audience to be respectful to speakers when some shouted for Valle to sit down after she spoke beyond her time limit.

Other speakers were emotional about the possibility annexation of North Highline by Burien.

"Please stop what you're doing," said David Feinberg, a Boulevard Park resident.

Claire Henson, another North Highline resident, pleaded with tears in her eyes for Burien not to annex and to let Seattle take the neighborhoods.

"Most of us feel like unwanted stepchildren," said North Highline resident Don Webb. "It's an isolated island and no one wants to help us."

Citizen comments continued for 90 minutes.

"The only thing that I request is that everyone keep an open mind when looking at the information," said Councilmember Jack Block Jr.

Should Seattle annex all of North Highline, Block warned that different fire and police cultures of Burien and Seattle would be operating "back to back."

On July 31, Burien officials are scheduled to meet with representatives of the Seattle Mayor's Office and King County to discuss goals of annexation.

Block recommended going into the meeting with four boundary options.

"Let the city of Seattle know that we have options on the table," Block said.

However, Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak shot down that idea.

"It would be wiser to go in without options and work out goals that council and staff have come up with," said Krakowiak.

Burien shouldn't go to the meeting with boundaries set up but rather keep the full annexation area on the table until after the July 31 meeting, said Councilmember Gordon Shaw.

Councilmembers Sally Nelson and Sue Blazak were also against the four boundary options.

The July 31 meeting is a private meeting between the officials.