The Burien City Council voted 5-2 on Nov. 6 to designate the full North Highline unincorporated area currently under study as a potential annexation area.

Council members, who based their action on the understanding that this option provides the most flexibility in determining a possible annexation of this area, also voted 5-2 to amend the Burien Comprehensive Plan to include the designation.

Mayor Joan McGilton, Deputy Mayor Jack Block Jr., and Council members Rose Clark, Sally Nelson and Gordon Shaw voted for both the potential annexation designation and the comprehensive plan amendment.

Voting against both motions were Council members Sue Blazak and Lucy Krakowiak.

In another major move, council members voted 6-1 to negotiate a contract with Mike Martin, who was chief administrative officer for the city of Kent from 2000 to 2005, to become Burien's new city manager.

Martin is one of six finalists recently interviewed for the position.

Krakowiak cast the lone dissenting vote.

If Martin is hired, he would replace former Burien City Manager Gary Long, who resigned effective Dec. 31, 2005.

Assistant City Administrator David Cline has served as interim manager since then.

Approval of the North Highline potential annexation area completes a year-long extensive community outreach effort in cooperation with Burien and North Highline residents as well as Seattle and King County.

Council members studied several different potential annexation area options, reviewed financial data, held numerous public meetings, and listened to hours of debate from the residents in both areas before making the decision.

The lawmakers who supported the designation for North Highline said it will enable them to get a more detailed analysis of the costs, and to fully review the pros and cons of the any annexation of the area.

"I am moving forward to get a full analysis of the costs and how we might be able to deal with them," said Clark.

Nelson stated, "This will allow us ample time to review the pros and cons of all options."

Designation of a potential annexation area is a required first step in the annexation process, announcing the city's official intent to consider the annexation.

It does not obligate the city to annex and there are no requirements related to when the annexation must occur.

Burien can decide later to void this decision if it is determined that the annexation is not financially feasible or is against the community's interests.

The council also voted to authorize a contract with a consulting group, Berk & Associates, to conduct a study of the financial and related impacts of annexation of the full study area, and impacts of no annexation.

This study will include a financial analysis of a city-operated police force, and the cost for the Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department (Fire District 2) to provide fire and emergency services under both scenarios.

In addition, it will include a long-term financial model that can be changed to reflect different assumptions, such as projected increases or decreases in city revenues and costs over a 15-year period.

Lawmakers approved language that directs Burien to begin negotiations with King County over what financial and other incentives will be offered to the city to help pay for providing services and capital improvements in any annexed area. These incentives will be considered as part of the new financial analysis.

After the financial analysis is complete, the council will decide whether to proceed with additional annexation-related work, including more discussions with North Highline and Burien residents and businesses about the benefits and costs of annexation.

If the city decides after the financial study to proceed with the annexation, residents of the annexation area would vote on the annexation, probably in November 2007.

If approved, the actual annexation would not take place until 2008 or 2009.

Burien, King County and Seattle under a Memorandum of Understanding between the jurisdictions have studied North Highline annexation jointly over the past several months.

Seattle also is interested in annexing all or part of North Highline and could still designate its own potential annexation area later this year.

The memorandum agreement committed Burien and Seattle to work together, share information and create a plan that best serves North Highline residents.

In a recent letter to Burien Mayor Joan McGilton and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, County Executive Ron Sims acknowledged Burien's leadership during this process. Sims praised the collaborative effort and offered his assistance in moving a final decision on annexation forward.

The potential annexation has significant financial implications for Burien whether North Highline were to be annexed by either Seattle or Burien.

If Burien annexes North Highline, the city would face a significant shortfall to pay for basic services. If Seattle annexes the area, Burien would lose the current financial and public safety benefits of sharing police and fire services with North Highline.

North Highline currently is served by King County government as an unincorporated area.

King County has recommended that the area become part of a city through annexation, because county officials say they cannot afford to keep providing urban-level services to the area.

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council last year conducted a study that indicated it was not financially feasible for North Highline to form its own city through incorporation.

The potential annexation area includes White Center, Boulevard Park, Beverly Park, Salmon Creek, North Shorewood, Top Hat and the South Park industrial area, with a total population of about 31,000.