Times/News

Burien's street-light saga appeared to inch closer to a resolution last week.

Seattle City Light has told Water District 49 that on Wednesday, Sept. 28, it will pull the plug on street lights within the district unless $100,000 in delinquent charges from the past three years is paid by then.

The district used to charge its customers for street lights, then paid City Light. However, the district stopped collecting this money in 2002.

No one has collected for street-light service during the past three years.

But, Commissioner Earl DeWitt told the Times/News, "Water District 49 did not have a contract (with City Light) to be a billing agent in perpetuity."

In addition, "We're not assuming any blame because we gave them six months" notice and they kept the lights on" for three years after the district stopped billing customers.

DeWitt said it appeared that to avoid the potential termination of street-light service, the city of Burien would pay up to half of the outstanding balance.

The water district would pay a third of the delinquent amount.

This would leave about $17,000 for City Light to absorb.

Water District 49 commissioners have said they will resume billing their customers for street-light service and making payments to City Light.

But this does not include billing their customers for the past three years.

DeWitt suggested the commission could change its mind about getting back into the street-light business unless City Light drops its claim against the district for payment of the full $100,000.