In response to the articles on North Highline annexation in the July 26 Times/News, I would like to offer this clarification on behalf of the entire Burien City Council.
After studying the potential annexation of the North Highline area for several years, the Burien City Council took the lead in developing a cooperative agreement with King County and Seattle, to gather information that will lead to the best solution for all concerned.
Why are we continuing to discuss this potential annexation?
The City Council's aim is to prepare for change, which is inevitable under any scenario. Whether Burien annexes none or a portion of the North Highline area, or Seattle does, the City of Burien's costs will increase and service boundaries will shift.
The Council has an obligation to understand the potential impacts of annexation on our community's services, such as public safety. When a decision is made, we want it to be carefully considered and based on facts.
The true spirit and livability of a community transcends municipal boundaries and is found in our neighborhoods. Therefore, it is important, in any decision, to recognize well-established neighborhoods and maintain our city's small-town atmosphere.
There will be challenges and opportunities resulting from any decision the Council makes. Whatever the Council decides, we will know, with a reasonable amount of certainty, what the costs will likely be and what we will need to do to ensure the very best outcome for our community.
The Times/News has approached the City with a proposal to have a dialogue about annexation in upcoming issues. The paper will prepare a series of questions for the Council, to provide the community information so residents can fully understand the issues surrounding the potential annexation of North Highline.
We look forward to the opportunity to provide accurate, timely information on this important community issue.
Macintosh HD:Users:eric:Desktop:Ready file:427 McGilton op-ed 8.9
Macintosh HD:Users:eric:Desktop:Ready file:427 McGilton op-ed 8.9
