Would a blue-ribbon panel to analyze annexation of the North Highline Unincorporated Area ease tensions in Burien?

That's what lawmakers wondered on Sept. 25 as they discussed creating such a group in an attempt to reduce polarization between city council members and a group of community activists opposed to annexation.

Annexation foes recently threatened to recall Burien council members who vote to annex part or all of North Highline.

A blue-ribbon panel would create an opportunity for more community involvement, said Interim City Manager David Cline.

Added Councilwoman Rose Clark, it would allow for "less formal dialogue than at a council level."

"I voted against a full PAA [potential annexation area] in 2005 because of no community involvement," said Mayor Joan McGilton.

That vote went against a PAA so lawmakers could go through a process of engaging the community, said Councilmember Gordon Shaw.

Left unanswered, however, was what the process would be for selecting members for such a panel and, if created, whether the annexation study would occur before or after a council vote on a PAA.

Some council members were wary of creating a panel and how the information it develops would be distributed.

"The selection process might be fraught with people thinking we were placing them to support," a full PAA, said Shaw.

Councilman Jack Block Jr. added, "It might be perceived that we're manipulating" in choosing people for the panel.

The reason for creating the panel, said Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak, is that the community is not looking to be sold on the council's final decision on annexation, but how it arrives at that decision.

But, said Clark, "This is still an information gathering mode. It's not to sell them (the community) on a point view."

Be careful not to sell the decision, said Shaw, and instead have the community feel a part of the decision-making process.

In the wake of multiple allegations that misleading information and numbers about police and fire services are coming from a few Burien residents, the council voiced concerns that correct information is not being distributed by these annexation opponents.

People read the numbers, don't like what they see and so they attack the credibility of those providing the numbers, said Block.

Petitions opposing annexation have been circulated by Burien Residents Against Annexation, which has issued the recall threat against council members.

"I'm wondering about the quality of information that is being given to those signing petitions," said McGilton. "It (the recall) sounds like a threat to me and I'm not very happy about it."

Council members also reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the annexation process between the Seattle Mayor's Office, King County and the city of Burien.