[VIDEO] Burien is Involved in Three Lawsuits. What is Going On?

Mayor Schilling explains Burien's latest legal action against King County.

by Burien-News Reporter. Interview with Mayor Schilling - March 29, 2024: (7:30 minutes)[videopress Ohmh5VvG]Early Friday morning (March 29) - before Burien realized that a homeless man had died - we had to opportunity to catch up with the mayor to ask what prompted Burien's latest legal action against King County.The city council is in the midst of managing public safety, which includes the community at large, plus the rapidly-increasing number of people on the streets. They intend to get homeless people matched up with the services they need, but they also want to protect the public safety of surrounding businesses, residents and visitors.As part of this effort, the council passed an emergency ordinance to limit camping in critical areas at their March 4, 2024 council meeting.However, KC Sheriff Cole-Tindall indicated that she believed the ordinance was "unconstitutional," so by the end of the week, she ordered her deputies not to enforce the ordinance. On Monday March 11, she served Burien with a lawsuit.On March 27, the City of Burien countersued the King County Sheriff for breach of contract in not fulfilling their Interlocal Agreement [ILA].On top of all that, Burien is also being sued for allegedly not doing enough to help the homeless.This interview may help to explain what is happening in Burien, as well as what the mayor and the council hope to achieve.(video and interview by Martin Barrett)EDITOR's NOTE: This interview was given by Mayor Schilling early on Friday morning, March 29, 2024 around 8:00am. The unfortunate homeless-related events of the day only serve to underscore the urgency of resolving topics highlighted by the mayor.