It’s official.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin submitted his resignation on Thursday, June 20. His last day on the job will be July 24.

He will become the city administrator in Lynden, reporting to an elected mayor. It is the same type of position he held in Kent before coming to Burien.

In Burien, Martin is chief executive of the city. He is overseen by an elected city council, which selects one of its members to serve as mayor. Burien Mayor Brian Bennett presides at council meetings and represents the city at ceremonial occasions.

While Burien’s population of 45,000 is considerably larger than Lynden’s 12,000 residents, Martin will supervise about the same number of employees.

Also, Lynden’s annual budget is larger than Burien’s. Lynden’s yearly budget is $55 million while Burien’s two-year budget is $72 million.

Martin says he has some suggestions to Burien lawmakers on the transition process, which he will present at the July 1 council meeting. The council is expected to appoint an interim city manager and wait until a new council is sworn in this January before making a permanent choice.

Martin faced an uncertain employment future in Burien. The council was split 4-3, with the current majority supporting him.

However, three of the four Martin supporters are up for re-election. Bennett opted out of running again but Council members Rose Clark and Joan McGilton face stiff election challenges. Martin critic Jack Block Jr. is also running for re-election.

In an interview with the Highline Times, Friday afternoon, June 21, Martin declined to say he is bailing out of Burien.

“This is a really good city with really good people,” Martin said. “It is time to move on. I have an opportunity, I couldn’t pass up in Lynden.”

Martin was also a finalist for a post in Lakewood, Pierce County before he withdrew his name in favor of the Lynden offer.

Martin noted Lynden is in a beautiful setting. It sits in a broad valley five miles south of the Canadian border filled with dairy, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry farms. Some businesses sport a Dutch/European theme, complete with windmills.

“They are very, very nice people,” Martin observed.

Martin said his biggest accomplishment in Burien was getting the city through the big recession without cutting staff and instituting very small tax increases while maintaining a high level of service.

He says the city has a bright future.

He points to the Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA) as a “game changer.” The city is planning to redevelop the area near Sea-Tac Airport between South 152nd Street and South 136th Street. Plans are for airport-related businesses.

Martin also says that with the lawsuit against the former developer settled and a new developer selected for the vacant Town Square parcels, the city has a “clear path forward.”

He also said Burien’s budget is “among the best anywhere.” The city took $1.1 million from the fund balance to balance the budget but that has been repaid, Martin said.

He characterized his staff as a “high performing organization” and disputed that there has been a high turnover of city workers.

“That is a myth that has been repeated enough that it is believed,” Martin declared.

Overall, Martin said Burien’s next city manager will be well positioned for the future.

Martin characterized the attempted annexation of White Center and North Highline to Burien as an accomplishment that defined the city limits.

“We clarified what the community wanted,” Martin added.

Asked if he would have proposed annexation if he had known how soundly it would be rejected, Martin answered “absolutely.”

In another gentle jab at his opponents, he added, “I am proud of our CARES (animal services) program.”

As for disappointments, Martin noted, “It’s no secret that the political climate was very difficult.”

He characterized the withdrawn Kids and Cops initiative as “an idea whose time had not come.

“The city’s vision can’t be accomplished without the schools,” Martin observed.

He said the city and the Highline School District are beginning to cooperate. The council heard June 17 a proposal for two city programs for Hazel Valley Elementary and Highline High students.

The only real disappointment Martin cited concerned the city’s involvement with it’s minority population.

“We did not make significant inroads into our diverse community,” Martin declared. “It was not significantly addressed and it needs to be addressed in the future.”