A former TV weatherman helped SeaTac lawmakers get ready for their upcoming television close-ups during a special city council meeting Jan. 9.

SeaTac will begin televising council meetings in March on a delayed basis on the city's government access channel.

Puget Sound Access and Impact Studio Pro, two groups seeking to televise the meetings, will take turns filming the next two meetings as dry runs.

Council members then will choose between the two firms.

Tim Larson, currently communications manager for Sammamish, advised council members not to wear white shirts and to "wear some color under your chin," such as a shirt, scarf or tie.

He also shared an e-mail from his wife, former "Today Show" and local TV news anchor Margaret Larson, expanding on the clothing advice.

"Wear darker and vibrant colors, no patterns, no fussy scarves or jewelry and nothing that would make noise, such as bangle bracelets; for men, rich colors for ties but stay away from complicated patterns," Margaret Larson wrote.

Tim Larson also warned lawmakers not to slouch or look bored when someone else is talking.

"It is my experience that people do a lot better on TV if they keep it simple," Larson noted. "Try to ignore the cameras, be yourself and focus on the people you are talking to."

Larson said Sammamish council members worried before their inaugural broadcast, but "within the first 30 minutes, they all ignored the camera.

"The transition will be a much smaller bump in the road than you expect," he added.

SeaTac will try the broadcasts for a year with a three-person crew staffing three cameras.

Burien and Des Moines currently broadcast council meetings on their government-access cable channels.

Council members also approved a development agreement for the Dollar airport parking lot at South 176th Street and International Boulevard.

Sound Transit took a portion of the lot as part of the airport/SeaTac city center light-rail station and will close the lot's 176th Street access point.

The agreement allows a new entrance and exit onto the boulevard and an option to lease interim parking space for the light rail station. Some zoning requirements will be waived.

The lot owners agreed to make a good faith effort redevelop the lot for mixed use.

"The property eventually will be developed," Deputy Mayor Ralph Shape observed. "Out main interest now is keeping the business going."