Burien's city council picked a new mayor Monday night, and he wasted no time taking action on a controversial trespass ordinance.
Voters elected three new councilmembers last year, and they conducted their first official business at City Hall Monday. First was to decide who would be the mayor. Burien has a Council-Manager form of government.
"What that means is the council actually elects the mayor and the deputy mayor," said Communications Officer Emily Inlow-Hood.
By a 4-1 vote, the council chose newcomer Jimmy Matta over Nancy Tosta, who has been deputy mayor twice.
That decision caused a few people, like Cybil Davis, to walk out of the meeting.
"I think it is very arrogant for him to want to be mayor so soon. She is by far and away the most qualified," said Davis.
Back in the meeting, Mayor Matta wasted no time. He voted to suspend council rules to add on to the agenda. That move allowed the council to discuss repealing the trespass ordinance.
The ordinance empowers Burien police officers to issue trespass warnings. The city has rules about the process, but critics say the ordinance is unfair to Burien's homeless population.
After brief public testimony, Tosta raised concerns about how quickly the council was moving on the issue.
"I wouldn't start by saying, 'Let's repeal an ordinance' that I am guessing most of the new councilmembers haven't read," Tosta said.
But the council voted 4-3 to have city staff write a new ordinance that would repeal the trespass ordinance. The city says the council is expected to vote on it at a later date.
