Council Roundup: August 1, 2022

Guatemala Day, Digital Main Street Program, 2023-2024 Budget, Advisory Board Work Plans, Public Art Plan, SKHHP Update
Posted on 08/01/2022
Illustrations of park bench and artist easel.

The Burien City Council issued a proclamation in honor of Guatemala Day, heard about new programs to help local businesses expand their digital presence and encourage community to shop local, discussed staffing updates, approved a letter to the FAA on aircraft fuel efficiency, discussed the 2023-2024 budget calendar, heard an update from South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP), reviewed work plans for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Arts Commission, reviewed the 2023 plan for public art projects and funding, and set the bond amount for the city manager.

Guatemala Day Proclamation

The Burien City Council issued a proclamation commemorating August 6 as Guatemala Day as a celebration of Burien’s Guatemalan community.

Claudia Gatica de Moreno, Cónsul General of Guatemala accepted the proclamation. A celebration at the Burien Community Center is scheduled for August 6, 2022.

Digital Empowerment Initiative Will Help Local Businesses

City staff presented a new major initiative to help Burien businesses boost their visibility online resulting in a more thriving business community. The initiative, which is receiving funding through an economic development grant from the Port of Seattle, will occur in three phases:

  • Digital adoption: City staff are working with a consultant to build a “digital main street” for Burien. The “shop local” website is designed to provide a one-stop location for community and customers to shop from Burien businesses, including micro-enterprises that may not have a web presence of their own. The Burien Eat Streets restaurant directory created to help boost visibility of Burien restaurants during the pandemic will migrate to the new website.
  • Digital inclusion: Specialized outreach will be made to businesses that may need technical assistance. Additionally, the City is partnering with the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle to provide a paid internship opportunity for local youth to teach them branding, digital marketing, and other valuable job skills. The high school age students will then connect with local businesses, assist them with their business profiles for the new digital marketplace, provide a social media “tune up” for any existing accounts, or assist the business owner with the creation of social media channels to help develop an online presence and to promote their business. The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle is currently receiving applications for the Digital Main Street internship. The Shop Local Burien website will officially launch this fall. 
  • Digital literacy: Free marketing workshops will be offered to Burien businesses in both English and Spanish this fall through the support of community partnerships established with both Chase Bank and Grow with Google.

Heather Dumlao to Serve as New City Clerk

It was announced that Heather Dumlao will be the City of Burien’s new city clerk. Dumlao previously served as the deputy city clerk. She has a degree in health informatics from the University of Washington.

2023-2024 Budget Discussions Begin

City staff presented an overview of the 2023–2024 budget process, including a calendar of public hearings and ways for the public to participate. This year’s biennium budget will strive to reflect priorities set by the City’s new strategic plan with the City’s current financial resources as well as the plan to invest $10.8 million of federal pandemic recovery funding.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Work Shares Accomplishments, Proposed Work Plans

The City Council placed approval of the 2022-2023 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Work Plan on the consent agenda for the next City Council meeting. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board also shared their major accomplishments from the last year.

Major accomplishments included providing feedback on a request for proposals to help the PaRCS Department develop a more equitable community engagement strategy in support of the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan, holding a joint meeting with the Arts Commission to explore public art in parks, and learning more about youth programming in Burien.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Work Plan falls into four main categories:

  • Supporting Capital Improvement Plan projects through site assessments and budget prioritization recommendations.
  • Supporting public engagement on Hilltop Park Master Plan and the Green Burien Partnership.
  • Support public engagement, advise, and make recommendations for the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan.

Arts Commission Shares Accomplishments, Proposed Work Plans

The Arts Commission shared their major accomplishments from the last year and presented their proposed 2022-2023 work plan, which the City Council placed approval of on the consent agenda of their next meeting.

Major accomplishments from 2021 include supporting the following projects:

  • Public engagement to inform the development of a long-range public art plan
  • Implementation of murals at Hazel Valley Elementary and at Buena Market near Alcove at Seahurst Apartments
  • Funding support for the Des Moines Memorial Drive Signal Box project
  • Exhibits in the Downtown Art Gallery windows
  • Evaluating and providing recommendations on uses of funding through the Arts and Culture grant program
  • The Arts Commission also supported local arts events and the Burien Creative District planning process.

The proposed Arts Commission Work Plan includes supporting public art planning and maintenance needs, evaluating projects for arts and culture grant funding, staying informed on the work of the Burien Creative District committee, providing support for arts events, as well as researching future programming such as a youth poet laureate program and revisiting artist-in-residence programs.

2023 Public Art Plan Supports Downtown Art, Existing Art Maintenance, and Mural Project in Puget Sound Park

City staff presented a proposed 2023 plan for projects funded by Burien’s Art in Public Places Fund. Projects include funding the Downtown Gallery Program, funding maintenance of current public art, and funding the Puget Sound Park Mural project (if the project is not completed in 2022). The annual budget for funding public art projects is $15,000.

Upon finalization of the Long-range Public Art Plan, the Arts Commission may present the City Council with an amendment to the 2023 funding plan.

The City Council placed approval of the 2023 Public Art Plan on the consent agenda of their next meeting.

South King Housing and Homelessness Partners Update

SKHHP presented an update on progress they’ve made over the last year and requested feedback on their proposed 2023 work plan and budget. The City of Burien contributed $17,250 in 2022 to SKHHP. It was proposed that Burien’s contribution increase to $19,838 in 2023. The proposed work plan includes making progress on current areas of focus, including building funding support, inventorying and assessing housing policies and housing supply, coordinating with developers to understand barriers to affordable housing, and establishing goals and objectives for the next 3–5 years.

Major milestones and achievements from 2021 include:

  • Appointment of inaugural SKHHP Advisory Board.
  • SKHHP Foundation received Washington state nonprofit status.
  • SKHHP Housing Capital Fund makes progress including nine cities signing interlocal agreements to pool a portion of their sales tax to contribute to the fund, funding guidelines drafted, and administrative procedures adopted.
  • Support to six partner jurisdictions to develop and adopt housing action plans.
  • Adoption of state legislative priorities.
  • Awarded Department of Commerce funds for collaborative effort to inventory and monitor regulated and unregulated affordable housing in south King County.

City Council Supports Joint Message to FAA on Aircraft Fuel Efficiency

The City Council approved signing a joint letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supporting their new proposed standards on aircraft fuel efficiency, while also calling for additional progress, partnership, and investment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions near airport communities. The Port of Seattle and the Cities of Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park, and Tukwila may also sign the letter.

Bond Amount Set for New City Manager

The City Council approved a $10,000 bond amount for Adolfo Bailon, the City’s new city manager. State law requires that city managers obtain a bond in an amount set by the City Council and paid for by the City.