The Burien City Council convened on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 for a Special Meeting that began at 4:30 p.m. – an hour earlier than usual.

This meeting saw Councilmember Sarah Moore elected as Deputy Mayor following a more formalized nomination process, a presentation highlighting the success of the collaborative mental health and public safety co-responder program, and City Manager Adolfo Bailon’s report.

The council also held an executive session at the meeting’s conclusion.

Sarah Moore Selected Deputy Mayor

The meeting began with the council selecting their new Deputy Mayor for a one-year term. There are apparently no rules of order for this process, meaning a simple majority vote of those present is all that is required. Last year there was a majority vote after the first nomination, which left any other nominees off the table entirely. This time, by request of Councilmember Alex Andrade, the process was a bit more formalized to allow all nominations to take place before voting.

Councilmembers Linda Akey, Sarah Moore, Stephanie Mora, and Alex Andrade were all nominated for the Deputy Mayor position. Moore received the majority vote with support from Councilmembers Hugo Garcia, Stephanie Mora, and herself. There was then a shifting of positions and nameplates, as Deputy Mayor Sarah Moore took her official seat next to Mayor Kevin Schilling.

The City of Burien operates under a “Weak Mayor” system of government, where the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are not elected directly by voters but are chosen by city councilmembers from among themselves. The Mayor is selected every two years following council elections, while the Deputy Mayor is chosen annually. Burien is governed by an elected city council that sets priorities, approves budgets, and hires the City Manager, who is responsible for managing city staff and operations. The City Manager serves at the council’s discretion. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor have no additional powers or authority beyond their roles as councilmembers; their primary responsibilities are akin to a chair and vice chair, facilitating meetings and representing the council.

Co-Response Presentation

Council heard an update on the Co-Responder program, in which mental health professionals team up with firefighters and police officers. This collaborative program was created in 2021 in order to help handle “high utilizers” of 911. The program costs $125,000 for each mental health professional, and the cost is shared by several organizations. Co-responder teams are available to respond to 911 calls and to check in on higher needs individuals throughout the community six days a week, for several hours each day.

Teams develop rapport with community members via many interactions over hours or weeks. These relationships create the trust needed to help form long-term solutions. Several individuals have taken the opportunity to receive help getting into drug treatment programs–including, just recently, Burien’s highest 911-user. These relationships were also vital in selecting many of the residents for the new Bloomside residential building. Teams also respond to situations within schools, and are dispatched to scenes of death and CPR, where they support onlookers who are dealing with witnessing a tough situation. 

Officers, fire fighters, and mental health professionals spoke during the presentation, describing how helpful the program has been. One said that it restored her own faith in the mental health profession to make a difference in people’s lives. An officer originally from Louisiana stated that in other places, officers have only two options for dealing with difficult situations: sending people to a hospital or to jail. They have no time to work with people on real solutions, as they do with this model.

City Manager’s Report

City Manager Adolfo Bailon announced an invitation to the public to join him at an ongoing series called “Coffee With The City Manager.” He said these events would take place monthly for the next year, and possibly continue perpetually if there is community interest. The first one will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at the Burien Community Center. The topic will be public safety, and several department chiefs will be present, including the police and fire chiefs. More info to come on these events.

Bailon also received Council support to write a letter requesting an investigation into the infrastructure of Seattle City Light, specifically regarding the high volume of power outages in the area.

Executive Session

The council moved into executive session at the end of the meeting, a change from previous meetings when they would hold these private sessions at the start of the meeting.

Video

Watch full video of the council meeting here.

Mellow DeTray is a Seattle native who has spent the last 16 years raising her family in Burien. She has volunteered at many local establishments over the years, including the Burien Library, Burien Actors...

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