UPDATE: Due to weather and road conditions, organizers have rescheduled the ‘Evening with Austin Bell’ event to Tuesday, March 12:

“In making our decision, we chose to look to the City and follow their lead,” organizers said. “Today they have cancelled all evening activities. While we want to be clear that this was/is not a City sponsored event, we think they have good judgement and did not want to put anyone’s safety in jeopardy.”

ACLU Burien People Power and Merrill Gardens Senior Living have rescheduled the ‘Evening with Deputy Mayor Austin Bell” to Tuesday, Mar. 12, to discuss his thoughts and priorities – and how citizens can make an impact when sharing our concerns with community leadership.

Bell has served on the Burien City Council since 2016, and his term expires at the end of 2019. He has not yet announced whether he’s running for re-election or not.

“We have invited Deputy Mayor Bell to learn more about him as a city official, and about how Burien’s city government works. We will learn what kinds of communication are most effective in working with the city/council – specifically his experiences with hearing from the community.”

Here’s more from ACLU Burien People Power:

Our goal is that community members walk away more confident and skilled at voicing their concerns. There will be time for questions, but this meeting is intended to be less about specific issues, than about how our city works and how we can contribute.

WHEN: Tuesday, Mar. 12, 2019; Doors open at 6:45 p.m., discussion starts promptly at 7 p.m. and wraps up by 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Merrill Gardens, 15020 5th Ave SW, Burien, WA 98166.

About Deputy Mayor Bell
Austin Bell is a fourth-generation Burien area resident with service seeming to come naturally. In the early 1900s, his great-grandfather settled in what would ultimately become Burien. His son, Bell’s grandfather, won a mayoral bid and would have become Burien’s first mayor if the voters had approved cityhood in that election. He has served on the Burien City Council since 2016. He was elected Deputy Mayor in 2018 and continues in that role for 2019.

Bell is currently a full-time graduate student at the University of Washington. He is working on his dual Masters Degree in Urban Planning and Public Administration. Prior to beginning his graduate degree, he worked as a licensed real estate broker.

In his own words:

“Burien is a beautiful community—a place I’ve been proud to call home. Ours is a compassionate, close-knit community, guided by our concern for others and commitment to our neighborhoods. I know that together, we can make our community more connected, open, and prosperous.”

Deputy Mayor Bell serves on the following Boards and Committees:

  • Regional Policy Committee King County (Member)
  • Sound Cities Association (SCA) Public Issues Committee (Member)
  • South County Area Transportation Board (SCATBd) (Vice Chair)

About ACLU Burien People Power:
The ACLU Burien People Power team is part of the ACLU’s People Power – a grassroots member-mobilization project. Through public speaking, trainings, letter writing, candidate forums and public engagement we affirm our American values of respect, equity, justice and solidarity. In our actions we support our community and the rights guaranteed to all in the laws and the Constitution of our nation.

We host monthly meetings to discuss current civil liberties issues, plan future events and focus on our priorities: Immigrants’ rights, Criminal Justice Reform, Youth Engagement.

We are always accepting new members. Tell us what you enjoy doing and we’ll put your skills to work in our local effort to preserve democratic principles.

For more information contact [email protected], or find us on Facebook @BurienPeoplePower.

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