by Ralph Nichols

Burien City Manager Mike Martin entered a plea of “Not Guilty” on Friday (May 15th) to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol stemming from a minor traffic accident on April 19th. Martin appeared before King County District Court Judge Eileen Kato, who scheduled a pretrial hearing for June 23rd.

Martin, 55, refused to perform field sobriety tests or take a Breathalyzer test when he was arrested following the one-car accident in Burien. As a result, his driver’s license was suspended, as required by state law, when formal DUI charges were filed on May 6th.

On Monday (May 11th), the Burien City Council approved an amended contract for Martin on a 5-1 vote, which imposes strict “alcohol-related conditions” with which he must “comply fully” to retain his position as city manager.

In agreeing to the addition of alcohol-related conditions to his contract, Martin denied committing “any wrongful or criminal act,” but acknowledged “that the facts and circumstances of his arrest may constitute ‘cause’ to terminate his employment under the Original Agreement.”

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3 replies on “BREAKING: Mike Martin Enters “Not Guilty” Plea To DUI”

  1. It's up to the voters, now.

    Martin's lawyer will get him some sort of plea deal. If the Council is willing to enable Martin, the only thing the citizens can do is vote those council members out of office. If these council members win re-election, the citizens of Burien will be saying they don't mind having a dishonest and dangerous person for City Manager.

  2. Wak away, Mike, just walk away. Maybe the next town, somewhere in the midwest, will not have gotten wind of your addictions. I won't tell em, I just want you gone.

  3. Given the description of the accident, I can't understand why the Council feels certain Mr. Martin will be honest and upfront with them in the future. You run into a planter, refuse the breathalyzer test and state emphatically that you have done nothing wrong? Council members must feel their highest priority is to enable Mr. Martin to continue his employment. One has to wonder where the citizens of Burien fall on the Council members' priority list. Mr. Martin has a disease and needs help- which, given his behavior after the incident in Kent- he seems to deny. Council members are enabling him to continue to not take responsibilitty and own up to his actions. I only hope there is not a far more serious third incident in the future. I also wonder, given the tremendous economic challenges the city faces, if this distraction to both Mr. Martin and the Council is in Burien's best interest.

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