Posted inPolitics

Goat Hill Residents Motivate City Into Action Over Speeding


This map highlights the Goat Hill neighborhood where residents are upset about speeding cars.

by Ralph Nichols

Burien city officials recently decided on a combination of solutions designed to alleviate safety concerns of local residents by mitigating speeding through the Goat Hill neighborhood over the ridge west of Ambaum Boulevard at SW 130th Street.

Goat Hill residents have complained for over a year about motorists speeding along the corridor that, heading west, follows SW 130th as it curves into 16th Avenue SW to SW 131st Street, then goes to Shorewood Drive where it continues in a northwesterly direction through the subdivision.

Repeated complaints and requests for action from the neighborhood led to a meeting about the speeding problem…

Posted inPolitics

King County Executive Candidates Speak At Burien Forum

by Ralph Nichols

Crime – including a high level of gang activity – is an ongoing concern in the Highline area, along with the rest of King County, especially at a time when multi-million-dollar budget deficits have forced staff reductions in the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices.

And not surprisingly, all five major candidates for King County executive told the King County Police Chief’s Association on Thursday that public safety is the primary responsibility of county government. They spoke at a forum at the Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien…

Posted inLaw, Politics

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

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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Posted inPolitics

City Keeps Mike Martin On, Requires Amended Contract

by Ralph Nichols

The Burien City Council imposed on Monday (May 11th) strict “alcohol-related conditions” with which City Manager Mike Martin must “comply fully” if he is to retain that position. Martin is scheduled to be arraigned in King County District Court Friday on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.

The conditions are included in an amendment to Martin’s contract (download and view PDF here), which was approved without discussion with a 6-1 vote by city lawmakers. Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak, who publicly called for Martin’s ouster following his arrest for allegedly driving under the influence, cast the dissenting vote. She also cast the lone vote against Martin when the council hired him as city manager in January 2007.

Here’s a portion of the amended contract…