Burien City Council members voted unanimously on Feb. 12 to support the Highline School District's Proposition 1-a four-year replacement levy for educational programs and operations.

The measure will appear on the March 13 special election ballot.

According to school board member Phyllis Byers, the levy dollars make up about 20 percent of the district's budget.

If approved, it will pay salaries and benefits for about 95 teachers and 170 support staff not covered by state basic education funds, she said.

Unlike a bond that pays for school construction and maintenance, the levy covers educational programs and operations, Byers added. It also will help fund materials, student safety and facility operations.

The levy would not be a new tax, but would replace a four-year levy that expires this year.

Burien lawmakers also extended a contract with Shiels Obletz Johnson, the firm that is providing design development services for the joint City Hall/King County Regional Library building in Town Square.

The contract extension for $100,000 in additional services will bring the total cost of design development by the firm to $220,000.

In other business, council members selected the 2007 citizen award winners.

They are:

Community Leader Award - Fay Alpaugh.

Business Leader Award - Ryan Warnes, controller at BBC Dodge.

Educational Leader Award - Cyndi Upthegrove, director of the Highline Historical Society.

Environmental Leader Award - Jean Spohn, a member of the Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services board.

The citizen award recipients will be honored at a dinner and silent auction to raise funds for Discover Burien at the Burien Elks Club on March 2.