EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with corrected information about proclamations and the City of Burien’s finance leadership.
From regional transit milestones to fiscal strategies, the Burien City Council addressed several key civic developments during its June 1 meeting.
The evening opened with a celebration of Pride Month ahead of the 10th Annual Burien Pride Festival coming this weekend.
Councilmembers then turned their attention to the future of local infrastructure, reviewing a fully funded timeline for the upcoming Stride S1 Line to Bellevue.
They unanimously approved a new proactive investment strategy to boost city revenue, and established the official process to fill the council vacancy left by Linda Akey.
Celebrating Burien Pride
In recognition of Pride Month, Councilmember Alex Andrade issued an official proclamation alongside many of Burien Pride’s key organizers. The honor sets the stage for a major milestone this weekend: the 10th Annual Burien Pride Festival. Spanning June 5–7, the festival features a variety of celebratory events. Visit the link above for complete details.
Councilmember Rocco DeVito also issued a proclamation for gun violence awareness.
S1 Line To Bellevue
Presenters from Stride Bus Rapid Transit shared that completing the S1 Line, which will run from Burien to Renton and Bellevue, is their next major milestone. Councilmembers were assured that this project is already fully funded, and will not be affected by budget shortfalls that have recently cut plans for some light rail stations.
Not only is the plan fully funded, we are told that it is on schedule to start construction locally this summer and be complete by fall of 2027, with actual service starting in 2028. The buses will be double decker electric buses, with charging stations at the transit centers. Plans for the docking station at the Burien Transit Center include a glass roof panel designed by the same artist who created the existing transit center shelter.
Those interested in following along on the project as it continues can sign up for email updates. These updates will also let people know when road work will be happening and cause potential traffic revisions. Click on the Subscribe button on the Stride project page to sign up.
Proactive Investment Management
Councilmembers heard a presentation from Clearwater Advisory on potentially utilizing the firm for managing the city’s financial assets. Currently, cash reserves are simply held in a local government investment pool, with a very low rate of return. Clearwater would manage the assets a little more proactively, while protecting taxpayer dollars and preventing loss.
Managing money does come with a cost. Clearwater charges .09% for their services, with a discount for the first two years. However, they expect to bring in around $400,000 in revenue each year.
Councilmember Sam Mendez asked about simply putting liquid assets directly in an index fund, which as a personal investor offers the lowest fees. Clearwater presenters agreed that index funds are a great tool and they will be utilized; however they said that Washington State statute doesn’t allow tax dollars to be put in an index fund directly.
Finance Director Casey Headley said this is one strategy of many that she would like to utilize to help the city meet its financial goals. This decision was unanimously approved.
Filling The Council Vacancy
With the departure of former Councilmember Linda Akey, the city has 90 days to fill her seat. Interim City Manager Bob Larson explained the process and the timeline for finding a replacement, which will begin with advertising to the public that the seat is available and opening the application window. The application window will close on June 26, with council interviews to take place mid July. Following interviews, the current councilmembers will select a candidate to fill the vacant position. See link for the full timeline.
