Annexation of the North Highline area dominated conversation, with worries about libraries running a close second at the Burien City Council meeting on Feb 8.

Citizen and council concerns over possible annexation of the northern portion of North Highline to Seattle were voiced. The southern portion will become part of Burien on April 1.

"I'm here because I'm asking you to make sure that when my neighbors vote in November, if that does happen, that they are fully educated about the options in front of them," said North Highline citizen Liz Giba. "It's important that people make decisions based on full information and I'm afraid that silence will allow rumor to take precedence over fact."

Giba said that annexation was a huge decision that will affect thousands of people for many years.

"Please let them know where you stand if in fact you are willing and are interested in having us become a part of your city," Giba said.
"The people of North Highline need to know they are making an educated decision."

Many of the council members expressed that they were eager to work the people within the area of intended annexation.

"I hope that we will examine that issue...its beholden upon us to recognize the people of North Highline as our neighbors and take proactive steps to protect them," said Councilman Jack Block, Jr.

"I'm looking forward to working with that community and letting them know what Burien has to offer," said Deputy Mayor, Rose Clark.

Deputy Mayor Clark and Block were particularly worried about the impact on the White Center and Boulevard Park area libraries.

Clark has worked in libraries for some time and said that in her experience she thinks that youth in lower income areas are in more need of a library than other neighborhoods. The libraries she said were frequently filled after school was out.

Block stressed that he felt it was very necessary for the council to make the King County Library Board cognizant of the impacts any of their new polices would have concerning libraries in unincorporated areas.

Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak who is also on the county library board said that the library system would not be discussing anything until the final stages of annexation were settled.

The council has planned to have another meeting solely to discuss the impact of annexation on the libraries.