The City of Burien announced Thursday afternoon (April 23) that the City Hall/Library lobby doors will be kept open through the end of City Council meetings on Monday nights, even when meetings run longer than the 9 p.m. Library closing time. Recent questions – and a walkout on Monday, April 20 by councilmembers Lauren Berkowitz and Gerald Robison over locked doors – led to the change (read our previous coverage here). “To ensure the lobby is accessible and safe for all who wish to attend the City Council meetings, city staff or uniformed officers will be posted in the lobby area,” reads an announcement. Council meetings can also be viewed on Cable Channel 21 and streamed from the city website. “The City of Burien is a vibrant and creative community, where the residents embrace diversity, celebrate arts and culture, promote vitality, and treasure the environment.” The next council meeting will be a study session on Monday, April 27, starting at 7 p.m.; download the latest packet here (PDF file). For more information, visit www.burienwa.gov.]]>

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27 replies on “City Hall/Library doors will now be left open when council meetings run late”

  1. Oh thank God in heaven above, now that an inadvertent over site has been corrected hopefully the soapbox members of the council can get back to work and serve us, the Citizens of Burien instead of grandstanding and throwing non productive tantrums over trivial matters. Seriously, who comes to a meeting after 9:00PM ? But now you can and be met by a Police Officer who should be out rounding up scumbags instead. Thanks Lauren for getting another Officer off the street just so you drag that meeting on forever.

  2. “The City of Burien is a vibrant and creative community, where the residents embrace diversity, celebrate arts and culture, promote vitality, and treasure the environment.”
    I don’t do any of that stuff and neither do many others. And I don’t think it’s any of the city’s business to make such a stupid politically correct announcement.
    Just what gives anyone in city hall the right to speak for me or anyone?

  3. Giving into bullies is NOT an option here people…….So sad to see Burien held hostage by people like these council members. How awful for our community.

    1. Following the law is not bullying. RCW 42.30.120 says council members who knowingly violate the law are liable for a fine. It also says the city would be liable for all costs if someone prevails in a lawsuit under the act. Than means not ending the meeting could expose the city to liability.

      1. This whole matter seems like a bunch of kids on the playground, some bullies and some snot nosed ones running to the teacher to rat.
        I do not think that ANYONE on the council knowingly violated the law nor intended to. The procedures being followed ad apparently been in place long before the current council members, particularly the new ones that Lee and Joey hold in such distaste.
        Their were procedures in place for those who entered late to get into the meeting. It does not seem unreasonable for people to think that the meetings which started at 7PM would still be going after 9PM. Equally one might assume that after two hours very few people (other than Joey) would even think that the meeting would still be dragging on and demand/expect entrance.
        Had those on the council who had an issue with this calmly presented the city with several options to ensure the door is open on those rare occasions when the meetings go on beyond 9PM, the matter could have been solved peacefully and rationally.
        Instead there is grandstanding to first keep the meeting going on long enough for Joey to charge up with his cameras and record this horrible injustice for all to see and protest.
        Walk outs, anger, recriminations – is this really what is going to get the city of Burien working together to deal with REAL issues?

  4. I am glad this came to a quick ending before they had to call in some protesters…….Once the protesters arrive it becomes serious. Thanks Lauren for keeping your people out of Burien to solve this matter. Good job everyone, I feel like the council accomplished something this week. If it wasn’t for the you tube video we might not of ever known of this violation and threat. Great job! What’s next?

  5. Chaz Domingoson appears to be a shill for Mr. Martinez. As was previously mentioned in another blog article strand, this was a staged entrapment video and it may not have happened quite as it appears. There is that element of editing that is regularly used to make things appear different than they happened. We really don’t need more of these kind of videos out on yutube. Things that create the illusion of false happenings are not a great job. And there was no threat that occurred around this video.
    Sadly the Council meeting was disturbed by all of the diva melodrama and not as much was accomplished by the Council as could have happened. These ongoing diva moments by a couple of the Council members cost the citizens money. The Council is the elected representative body under State law to speak and work for the citizens of Burien. Tragically some of the members are more interested in their own power plays to get notice than representing all of the citizens.

    1. “Ray” you can have the original, just swing by whenever. Love your conspiracy theories….
      Also, my “shill” Chaz forgot to throw a #sarcasm on his post, and since you’re so dense John that part probably didn’t sink in.

      1. Joey, this is the first post I have ever agreed with you on. It has never been anything personal but I am laughing that you had to explain my comment to Ray, even though you probably gave it a thumbs down and totally disagree with it.

        1. I think a gave it a thumbs up for originality, especially after I saw Ray “call you out” for being my shill. I think of myself as having a sense of humor and try and find the fun side in things – otherwise what’s the point.
          Joey

    2. “The Council is the elected representative body under State law to speak and work for the citizens of Burien. Tragically some of the members are more interested in their own power plays to get notice than representing all of the citizens.”
      Well said and true.
      Very clearly CM Berkowitz has her own agenda and is using Burien as her stepping stone. It’s wrong and she should resign her position. Immediately. Bringing in protesters to protest the very city she is working for let alone small businesses, creating a hostile work environment for other CM’s & city staff, for bringing a stand off on pressing city business, ect, ect, ect……….How is that working for the City of Burien and it’s citizens?
      Burien voters, while elected her, elected her under her FALSE political stances and Burien voters will not be fooled into voting for any one person(s) who follow her same ideology. She can pat herself on the back for opening our eyes to her and her lapdogs following right on her heels.

      1. Damn her for upholding the constitution, as she understands it (and is being trained to do) and especially damn her for following State Law and that pesky Open Public Meetings Act to the letter of the law!
        I keep hearing how she misrepresented herself… Please explain how she did that. Everyone knew she was pro-annexation and her opponent was anti-annexation (so that’s not it). What else you got?
        (for Ray/John) #sarcasm

        1. Please stop calling everything unconstitutional. The Open Public Meetings Act isn’t part of the Constitution – it’s part of the Washington State RCW.

          1. The “And” in my sentence was denoting a separation of two different issues. The OPMA violation was never stated as being unconstitutional.
            Both the City changing policy (no more locked doors) and my talks with the OPMA ombudsmen lends credence to my “sensationalized” YouTube video.

      2. Had…
        What “FALSE political stances”? Or do you think using a phoney name entitles you to use phoney accusations?

  6. I am sure Joey will also post a second video showing the doors being unlocked last night at 9:57/PM as well to be fair and Democratic.
    #sarcasm

    1. The video I want to see Joey post is the one of people shooting up and bathing in the City Hall/Library complex bathroom. He has said more than a few times that is a protected civil right, much like his Idol CM L.B.

      1. Q A
        Where did he say that? Or do you also believe that a false name entitles you to use false statements?

        1. Joey has used the bathing statement in a post previously on this Blog, feel free to look for the quote within the last discussion about the “door” You can then sleep better knowing that.

          1. I found it for you, it’s when he received the L.B. Bat Signal and rushed down and took, then posted the “locked door video. Preventing bathing is unconstitutional just like locking the door is his “quote”

      2. Actually… filming in a public bathroom is a violation of privacy laws. I wouldn’t recommend ANYONE recording or taking photos in a public bathroom.

  7. Hey why people not following internet rules gosh darn it Hash tags are for twitter only any where else your just saying number sign sarcasm!

  8. Always remember, it’s very important to be outraged over something at all times. No matter how little it actually affects you in your life.

  9. Sally says:
    May 1, 2015 at 7:58 pm
    Mr. Martinez was NOT locked out of the City Council meeting. Someone opened the doors and let him in. He edited that part out of his video, so the story is told.

    1. I think you spelled your username wrong. It’s supposed to be “Repeat” right?

      1. Joey – As a n up and coming young politician, why don’t you answer the statement above rather than turning to a snarky insider’s sort of snip?
        For anyone who reads your comments on this blog, they may come away with the impression of a foul mouthed, cynical smart mouth instead a someone that could be trusted to keep a cool head and represent the voters, not his own angry at the world agenda.

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