By Nicholas Johnson

Anthony “Tony” Hayes, Nancy Salguero McKay and Rose B. Clark have been selected as Burien’s “Citizens of the Year” for 2022.

The Burien City Council unanimously chose Hayes, McKay and Clark from among nine nominees Monday night (March 7, 2022). The awards are set to be presented during the council’s April 4 meeting, however that is subject to change depending on each recipient’s ability to attend.

The award, established by a council resolution in 2011, serves to officially recognize participation and commitment to the community by public, private and nonprofit entities.

The criteria for this honor are intended to be subjective and broadly construed, according to the resolution, and the award may be for a single contribution in a single calendar year or for a body of work over any period of time. Also, individuals may receive the award only once.

Anthony “Tony” Hayes

Hayes, who opened the Olde Burien restaurant Classic Eats in 2016, has become a pillar of the community, according to Eliot Baker, who nominated Hayes for the award.

“When you go into Classic Eats now, it feels like walking into a home away from home,” Baker wrote in his nomination letter, adding that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hayes hand-delivered 12 prepared meals to Baker’s elderly father, who was struggling to cook for himself.

“He continued to do this without asking for payment any time needed throughout the pandemic,” Baker wrote. “Fact is, he kept a lot [of] people going through the pandemic, including his employees.”

Hayes, who is an alumnus of Highline High School, “has been working really, really hard to ensure that Olde Burien and the city of Burien remains not just a foodie paradise but also connects a lot of the community together,” said Deputy Mayor Kevin Schilling. “I certainly value his hard work, I certainly value his relationship to a lot of different community organizations, and [I] just think that he’s worthy of this recognition.”

Nancy Salguero McKay

Salguero McKay, who is the executive director of the Highline Heritage Museum, has been preserving the stories of the Highline area for the past 18 years, according to Maureen Hoffmann, who nominated Salguero McKay for the award.

“The Highline Heritage Museum opened shortly before COVID-19 hit, forcing the museum to close soon thereafter,” Hoffmann wrote in her nomination letter, noting that Salguero McKay had worked with Cyndi Upthegrove when the museum was still a dream.

“Through Nancy’s creativity, experience and commitment to the Highline area, she found innovative ways to engage with the community online during lockdown,” Hoffmann wrote. “Upon reopening the museum, Nancy instituted programs that reach out to the diverse community around Burien.”

Councilmember Sarah Moore recalled a time when she commented on Salguero McKay’s ability to tell people’s stories and, in response, Salguero McKay said “I don’t” tell people’s stories, “they tell their stories; I’m there so that they can tell their stories.”

Rose B. Clark

Clark, who served as a city councilmember from 2000 through 2003 and again from 2006 through 2013, has a long history of volunteer work in the community, according to Catherine “Kitty” Milne, a former city councilmember herself who nominated Clark for the award.

“Rose’s tireless love and passion with a can-do attitude has contributed greatly to the city of Burien,” Milne wrote in her nomination letter, noting that Clark has volunteered with local schools, helped plan the city’s annual Fourth of July parade, served as a trustee for the Burien Actors Theatre and helped develop the city’s first comprehensive plan as a member of the planning commission.

“Now retired, her love of history has manifested itself in being the founder of the Des Moines Memorial Drive non-profit organization,” Milne wrote, referring to the Des Moines Memorial Drive Preservation Association.

“She has had what I understand to be pretty much a lifetime of serving our city and continues to do so,” councilmember Cydney Moore said of Clark. “I think she’s contributed greatly to our city.”

Others Nominated
Other nominees included longtime Sound Generations Meals on Wheels volunteer Carol Sandoval, President and CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce Andrea Reay, 909 Coffee and Wine restaurant owner Frank Ricci, Highline Schools Superintendent Susan Enfield, councilmember Hugo Garcia, and Adrienne Buckley, who has worked for the city since its incorporation in 1993.

Previous Citizens of the Year include:

 

Nicholas Johnson (he/him) is an award-winning writer, editor and photographer who grew up in Boulevard Park, graduated from Highline High School and studied journalism at Western Washington University. Send news tips, story ideas and positive vibes to [email protected].