[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The B-Town Blog nor its staff:]

During the first meeting of 2018, the City Council is likely to consider the issue of which Councilmember will serve as mayor. Current Mayor Krakowiak has served honorably in this role for the past four years. I’d like to thank her for her service through often challenging circumstances.
Should members of the Council decide they would like to nominate members other than Mayor Krakowiak to serve in this position, I would like to draw their attention to the experience and dedication of Deputy Mayor Tosta. Nancy has served the City of Burien for many years, including numerous instances in which she has represented and advocated for our City’s interests at the local, regional, state, and national levels (see: http://www.burienwa.gov/directory.aspx?EID=118).
Given the turmoil of the 2017 elections, it’s clear that we need a mayor who can pull together a divided community and lead with the experience, hard work, and know-how it will take to help us maintain momentum and move toward a vision of Burien that successfully advances our community’s collective interests. While I don’t always agree with all of Deputy Mayor Tosta’s positions, I think it’s time that we all move beyond political factions and collectively support an experienced candidate who is clearly familiar with our city’s legislative processes, respectfully listens to all stakeholders and citizens, and seeks to find creative ways to resolve differences between conflicting points of view.
In short, if the council decides to make a change, we need a mayor with a demonstrated history of commitment to the betterment of Burien and clear familiarity with the legislative processes necessary to do so. By way of comparison, some of our neighboring communities have seen the need ensure just that. The City of Des Moines Council Rules of Procedure for nominating its mayor dictate that “each member of the City Council shall be permitted to nominate one (1) person who has previously served on the Council for a minimum of two years, and nominations shall not require a second…Candidates for Deputy Mayor shall have previously served on the Council for a minimum of one year.“
I urge all citizens to contact Council members directly (council@burienwa.gov), attend the Council meeting on January 22nd @7:00PM, and voice your support for the Council member whose experience and qualifications make her the obvious candidate for leading the future of our City: Deputy Major Nancy Tosta.

– Jay Hasbrouck, Ph.D.
Principal, Hasbrouck Research Group

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