April 2008

The North Highline Fire Station heated up April 3 when the unincorporated area council hosted Burien City Manager Mike Martin.

Martin presented council members with three partial annexation options and a "no-annexation" option that he proposed earlier in the week to Burien lawmakers.

Each option would have Burien annex an area of unincorporated North Highline with more than 10,000 residents - about one third its total population.

Residents within an area targeted for annexation would eventually have the opportunity to cast an up-or-down vote.

Martin

An open letter to the Seattle Port Commission and Ching-Pi Wang, Department of Ecology:

Over the years there has been much discussion and litigation threats over contamination in water from Sea-Tac International Airport.

In the most recent edition of the Times/News there was a great deal of optimism about the bright future that Burien might have as well as the possible annexation. However, the city of Burien would be wise to be sure that it knows what it has before it adds more land mass to its borders.

Burien faces the addition of a large multi-family dwelling on the immediate border of Seahurst Park, the Emerald Pointe Condos/Westmark.

Proposed land use change?

Public hearing?

If the above is part of our system, how come so many times "the cart comes before the horse?"

The building or land uses are put "to the use" without due process! Sometimes no process occurs because the public is not aware that such proceedings should happen-consequently they are bypassed by the "powers that be."

Churches are a compatible use in residential neighborhoods-following the actions determined from a "public hearing."

How come we have a church meeting Sundays at Glacier High School?

Meet Margie Ellis

Well, chances are you have already met her. When she and husband Bill lived here for 30 years Margie worked at the Five Corners Black Angus restaurant and performed for hundreds of stage show patrons.

Now living in Happy Valley in Sequim she is still in local show business. She is shown here in her role in the Clare Booth Luce Broadway hit play The Women.

I recently received from a good friend living in West Seattle, a picture of a woman "re-painting" the Alki Tavern Sign.

I would like to set the record straight: Danielle Bolar is not the artist who painted the original sign on the tavern. I am. My name is Gary Daum and I painted it back in 1978 when Gil and Larry McLynn (brothers) owned the tavern.

This letter is to advise my friends and clients that my wonderful greyhound "Beau" has passed away.

For the last year and a half, he has been my constant companion. He started coming to work with me every day after his partner "Bella" died. He was a very calm, kind and mellow influence in the office. He met many young children and was instrumental in helping some of the children over their fear of big dogs. He was always a gentleman. He was my companion, friend and legal assistant all rolled into one. I will miss him forever.

The capstone to Jim McDermott's embarrassment of Seattle is placed.

No, not the Hussein-funded junket of useful idiots to Baghdad in 2002.

No, not his Baghdad pronouncement that "the president would mislead the American people..." (How conveniently McDermott and his acolytes lament a loss of worldwide prestige that they themselves scripted!)

No, McDermott's capstone is his $1,750,000 total bill for legal fees and civil penalties, combined with 10 years of spilt ink and our annoyance in his self-absorption.

Back in '98 McDermott should have thanked h

The grocery bag fee

By Richard Conlin

On Wednesday, April 2, Mayor Greg Nickels and I announced a joint proposal for a 20-cent "green fee" on all disposable shopping bags at the city's grocery, drug and convenience stores, along with a ban on foam containers in the food service industry. Legislation to implement this program will be considered by the council this spring, and these waste prevention measures will take effect Jan.

When the Burien city manager came to give three options to the people of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, he met resistance to any idea that parts of the region should be annexed to different cities, with one person invoking the prayers of a now deceased leader of the Highline council.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin last week presented Highline council members with three partial annexation options and a "no-annexation" option that he proposed earlier to Burien lawmakers.

Each option would have Burien annex an area of unincorporated North Highline with more