Browsing Tag
2022 Spring
17 posts
Editor’s Note: Spring 2022
For almost two years, we have had to keep our distance to protect ourselves and our loved ones from a deadly virus. Now that we’ve cautiously begun to emerge from the lonely isolation imposed by the pandemic, finding welcoming spaces to gather with community has never felt more urgent or necessary.
Message from former City Manager Brian J. Wilson
I want to thank the City Council and the community for giving me the opportunity to serve the citizens of Burien over the last four and a half years. It has been an honor and a privilege to return to my hometown, lead an outstanding staff, and implement policy on behalf of the City Council.
New City Council, New Direction
Burien faces the same challenges and opportunities that all Puget Sound communities face. Our policymaking reflects the need to ensure public safety, increase Burien’s supply of affordable housing, provide an environment that allows economic development to flourish, and building a community that is resilient to climate change.
Welcome New Councilmembers
Hugo Garcia, Sarah Moore, and Stephanie Mora were elected in 2021 to the Burien City Council. Jimmy Matta was re-elected for another four-year term. Their first council meeting was January 10, 2022.
Building Burien
The City of Burien is completing the following infrastructure and capital projects in Burien this year. These community investments help build a healthy and livable community for all.
New Storefront Officer Builds Community Connections to Improve Safety in Downtown Burien
Storefront resource centers are based on a community policing model which, in communities where they have been built, has resulted in both real and perceived increases in community safety.
Burien’s LEAD Program Transforms Lives and Improves Public Safety
The Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program provides community-based care for people who commit law violations related to behavioral health issues or extreme poverty, serving as an alternative to punitive enforcement-based responses.
Burien Forward Together
For the past two years, the City of Burien has leveraged federal stimulus funding through the CARES Act and partnered with local nonprofits, community leaders, and government agencies to deliver direct relief to our community, helping Burien move forward together through the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Community Centers Fill Need After Pandemic Isolation
After two years of isolation imposed by the pandemic, we are feeling hopeful as our community is building new welcoming spaces for people to gather. In this issue we highlight several new community centers that have either opened in the past year or will be opening very soon.
Beautiful Building Provides Special Moments for Burien Community
It’s been a challenging two years. Public health guidelines intended to keep people safe from a deadly disease meant community centers, like the Burien Community Center, had to close their doors to the public.