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Burien council directs staff to draft remote-attendance rules and tightens mayoral spokesperson language
Summary
Council members agreed to add draft remote-attendance language (to be prepared by staff and modeled as a starting point on Tukwila's rule) and amended the mayor-as-spokesperson language to require clear distinction between official council action and individual opinions. Several procedural edits (emergency notice supplementation, abstention counting) were also approved for the consent agenda.
After a lengthy discussion on May 18, the Burien City Council directed staff to draft a remote-attendance policy for inclusion in the councilrules of order. Council members debated whether to "model after" another city's language or write Burien-specific provisions; legal counsel said Tukwila's rule would be used only as a starting point and that staff could adapt the language for Burien.
Council members also amended the mayor-as-spokesperson section to clarify that the mayor may communicate official council actions but should distinguish between an official council decision and individual opinions or votes. The council clarified that abstentions are not counted as yes or no votes and that a tie vote fails.
Eileen Kiefer, outside counsel, walked the council through the draft redlines and explained how amendments would be handled procedurally. Multiple council members asked that staff ensure the new language reflects Buriens meeting structure, personnel and any statutory constraints. One council member asked staff to include a brief, transparent notification practice for emergency meeting notices (supplemented by text or phone calls).
The proposed changes to the rules of order will be included in the packet for formal placement on the consent agenda; any member may pull items off consent for full discussion at the next meeting.
Next steps: staff and legal counsel will prepare a draft remote-attendance section and associated redlines for the rules of order to appear in the next meeting packet for council consideration.
