By Matt Wendland, www.BurienDaily.com

Eric Mathison, former editor of the Highline Times, became the newest member of the Burien City Council’s Parks & Recreation Citizen's Advisory Board after a unanimous vote by the seven members of the Burien City Council at their meeting on the evening of Monday, September 16th.

Mathison announced his retirement from the Highline Times and decades of journalism just over one month ago as he approached his now passed 66th birthday on August 22nd. Eric left a record of 13 years as the editor of the Highline Times, leaving him second only to the late Reid Hale who left Robinson News after 18 years of editing.

In an interview in the days following his appointment to the City of Burien’s Parks Board, Mathison gave this statement:

“Once I retired as the editor of the Highline Times, I wanted to find a way to stay involved in the community. My family has always been part of the community and actually donated what is now Mathison Park. I was practically born to be on the parks board since I grew up in what's now one of our parks. It seemed like a good fit.”

Mathison will immediately begin his four-year-term serving on the Parks & Recreation Citizen’s Advisory Board. Mathison joins previously appointed Jackie Smith, Daniel Mendes, Ed Dacy, Sheryl Knowles and Robert Johnson. According to the City of Burien’s website, “The purpose of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is to advise and make recommendations to the City Council regarding recreational programming and the acquisition, promotion, improvement, maintenance, and use of City Parks.”