Monday afternoon notes: From annexation vote to float followup

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COUNCIL SAYS “NO” TO ANNEXATION AGREEMENT: We’re working on continuing coverage for this at partner site White Center Now, but it’s worth a note here: The Seattle City Council has just voted 8 to 1 to *not* endorse the recent agreement reached with Burien and two fire districts, setting a framework for the potential annexation process over the next few years; the agreement basically gave Burien first rights of refusal on the southern half of the North Highline unincorporated area, and Seattle first rights on the north half (including most of White Center). We’re continuing to add details from the council discussion to the WCN report here. (5:14 pm note: Added a comment from Seattle mayoral spokesperson Alex Fryer, saying, “The MOU with Burien took some time, but we had an agreement that made sense for all the parties. With the City Council decision today, we’re done with the issue for this year.”)

HAPPENING TONIGHT: Last reminders about three events of note, all on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar: The Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council meets at Cooper Elementary, 7 pm; the Denny Site Redevelopment Design Team meets at the Denny Middle School Library, also 7 pm; and the ARK Park benefit concert (raising money for a privately funded new park on land owned by Arbor Heights Community Church) is happening at Roosevelt High School, also at 7.

“HAVE A HEART” FINAL TALLY: Heather at Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor) tells us yesterday’s event (WSB coverage here) brought in more than $1,700 for West Seattle Helpline and Pencil Me in for Kids.

HI-YU FLOAT HOME SEARCH: West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival president Tim Winston reports that the float has a reprieve (following this item over the weekend) but it’s not forever:

Harbor Properties has once more been gracious and extended our storage of the float through February. However, their project will need us to be out after that.

Regarding use of other currently empty buildings – they are looking for contacts, so even if you don’t know for sure whether something might be available, if you have a contact and can provide that info to Hi-Yu, please call Tim at 206-938-2088.

acemotel February 9, 2009 (3:30 pm)

I’m dying to know who was the Lone Ranger on the annexation vote???

WSB February 9, 2009 (3:31 pm)

Sorry, I’m just adding details on WCN now. Jean Godden. She thinks it’s a great area that would be an asset to Seattle – “and it’s land, which they’re not making any more of.” She made this quirky comparison to annexing Ballard a century or so ago, and saying that White Center and environs have the views to be “another Sunset Hill.”

westwood February 11, 2009 (12:36 am)

This vote by the city council was shameful and selfish. By far the worst comments were by Alki resident Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. His rhetoric about needing to take care of our own problems is laughable. The city has many boutique programs councilmembers have installed over the years. Seattle is the largest and wealthiest city in the state. With Seattle’s huge staff White Center could take off and become an even more vibrant area than it is today. Cities like Auburn, Kent, and Renton are stepping up to annex unincorporated urban areas because it is the right thing to do–the county can’t support them with the taxes they have available. White Center belongs in Seattle, not Burien. This community is artificially divided by Roxbury.

The vote wasn’t even to annex, it was to sign a memorandum of understanding with Burien about a plan to divide North Highline logically. There were plenty of steps to come in the future before any public vote in the area.

What is sad is most of these folks on the council call themselves liberal Democrats. They certainly have a different value system than my understanding of the term. Jean Godden was the only one to do what was right.

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