With Dow Constantine, who represented Burien and North Highline on the county council, as the new King County Executive, Burien officials are expecting improved relations with county government.

The first result of the new cooperation is an agreement announced Jan. 6 to transfer ownership of Puget Sound Park to the city of Burien.

That clears the way for April 1 as the recommended formal date that Burien will annex the southern portion of North Highline.

Voters in the area approved the annexation in August. Burien officials were hoping to complete the annexation on March 2 but decided to hold off because of the dispute over the county's proposed sale of a part of Puget Sound Park to be used as a county library.

The park is located at Southwest 128th Street and First Avenue South. The location is the former site of Puget Sound Junior High School.

With the agreement, April Fools Day is the new formal annexation date recommended by City Manager Mike Martin.

"We thought it foolish to put off something so obvious and inevitable," Martin quipped.

According to Burien Mayor Joan McGilton, the city will hold a series of community meetings to find out what the new North Highline neighbors want.

So what is the fate of a new library at the park site?

Martin insists it will be up to the new residents coming from North Highline.

"The community gets to decide--not the city or the county" Martin declared. "We don't believe in inflicting things on the community."

Along with annexation, Burien is planning to engage in a visioning process, according to Martin.

"As part of that, we will look at the park and ask the residents whether they want a park, library, fire station," Martin said. "It is not a matter of preventing a library; the community has never been asked what it wants."

Martin and McGilton think the agreement could signal a new relationship between Burien and the county.

Besides the potential park sale, the city and county fought over the possible use of the Lora Lake Apartments for low-income housing.

The housing idea was finally scrapped after the ground at the site was found to be contaminated.

McGilton said Constantine has a great understanding of south county cities after representing them on the county council.

"We feel we will be understood," the Burien mayor noted. "He will be an active listener about our needs and concerns."

The park agreement signals a new era in relationships between the county and cities, according to Martin.

"A deal's a deal, and it was the city's understanding of the annexation process that it would receive six parks from the county, including Puget Sound Park," Constantine said. "After detailed discussions, I agree that transfer of the park to the city is the right thing to do and should occur as part of that larger annexation."

Before taking office in November, Constantine asked then-County Executive Kurt Triplett to slow down the proposed sale, in order to have more time to talk to Burien about it.

Deputy County Executive Fred Jarrett met with council members on Dec. 7 to hear the city's position.

The Burien and King County councils must both approve the interlocal agreement.

Martin told Burien lawmakers on Jan. 4 that a census of the newly annexed area must be made and city staffers have to work with state officials to figure out the transfer of state revenues for the newly annexed area,

He also said Burien wants to give businesses in the area a 60-day notice before the formal annexation date.