Highline Forum

The Highline Forum provides Southwest King County municipalities, educational governing bodies, and the Port of Seattle with the opportunity to share information, interact with outside speakers and other governmental organizations, and work in partnership on initiatives that benefit the residents of Southwest King County.

One elected representative and one senior administrator from the following jurisdictions or institutions make up the membership of the Highline Forum:

• City of Burien – Councilmember Linda Akey and City Manager Adolfo Bailon
• City of Des Moines – Councilmember Matt Mahoney and Interim City Manager Tim George
• City of Federal Way – Mayor Jim Ferrell and Councilmember Lydia Assefa-Dawson
• City of Normandy Park – Councilmember Jack Lamanna and City Manager Amy Arrington
• City of SeaTac – Councilmember Joe Vinson and City Manager Carl Cole
• City of Tukwila – Councilmember Armen Papyan and Policy Analyst Laurel Humphrey
• Highline College – VP for Institutional Advancement Josh Gerstman and External Relations Shakira Ericksen
• Port of Seattle – Commissioner Fred Felleman and Aviation Managing Director Lance Lyttle

An elected representative from the Port of Seattle (Commissioner Fred Felleman) and a jurisdiction or institution co-chair (Des Moines Councilmember Matt Mahoney) moderate the meetings.

Sign up to receive Highline Forum updates by email, including meeting agendas and summaries.

Review the Highline Forum Operating Procedures

2024 Meeting Schedule and Dates

The Forum meets six times a year. Meetings are typically held on the fourth Wednesday of January, March, May, July, September, and November from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Meetings are hybrid: we meet in person, or you may attend virtually on MS Teams. To attend the Teams meeting, please email Dave Kaplan and put “Highline Forum RSVP” in the subject line. He will provide you with the link to the meeting as the date draws closer.

Note regarding public comment

Those who wish to provide public comment will have the opportunity to:

1. Deliver public comment via email: All written comments received by email to Kaplan.D@PortSeattle.org will be distributed to Forum members. 
2. Deliver public comment via Microsoft Teams: To take advantage of this option, please email Kaplan.D@PortSeattle.org with your name and the topic you wish to speak to by 9:00 a.m. PT on the Wednesday of the meeting. You will then be provided with a link to join the Teams meeting.

This process will be in place until further notice.

2024 Meeting Materials

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

(Hybrid: Federal Way City Hall — City Council Chambers and via MS Teams)

• Meeting Agenda — REVISED: Highline Forum March 27, 2024 Meeting
• Meeting Presentation: Host presentation — City of Federal Way Update
• Meeting Presentation: Washington State Tourism presentation
• Meeting Presentation: Burien's Tourism Program presentation
• View video: "A Burien Kind of Day," City of Burien, Washington
• Meeting Presentation: City of Federal Way tourism presentation
• Meeting Presentation: Explore Seattle Southside presentation
• Meeting Presentation: City of Tukwila tourism presentation
• Meeting Presentation: City of SeaTac tourism presentation
• Meeting Presentation: Highline College hospitality and tourism presentation
• Additional Presentation: Port of Seattle tourism presentation

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

(Hybrid: SEA Airport Conference Room 5A – Airport Office Building and via MS Teams)

• Meeting Agenda – REVISED: Highline Forum January 24, 2024 Meeting
• Meeting Presentation: Port of Seattle host presentation – Land Stewardship Plan Update
• Supplemental Material: Combined 2024 State Legislative Agendas (Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Highline College, Highline School District, Normandy Park, Port of Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila)
• Supplemental Material: Combined 2024 Federal Legislative Agendas (Burien, SeaTac, Port of Seattle)

2023 Meeting Materials

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

(Hybrid: SeaTac City Hall — Riverton Room and via MS Teams)

• Meeting Agenda: Highline Forum November 15, 2023 Meeting
• Meeting Presentation: City of SeaTac host presentation
• Meeting Presentation: WSDOT SR 509 Puget Sound Gateway Project presentation
• Meeting Presentation: Sound Transit Update presentation
• Meeting Presentation: Port Economic Development presentation
  • Community Business Connector Resource Directory and Resources
    The Community Business Connector Program allows businesses to get customized business resources to help them achieve their goals. Get started by using the Community Business Resource Directory or complete a quick questionnaire to request direct assistance from a Business Connector.
  • International Public Market Feasibility Study Update
    In spring of 2023, the Port of Seattle and King County hired New Venture Advisors to conduct an International Public Market Feasibility Study to determine if an International Public Market (IPM) is the right fit for our community and region. The Phase 1 Report is now complete and the community is invited to review and submit comments and questions. Review the research findings here and submit any questions or comments using the Google Form by November 20, 2023.
• Meeting Presentation: Port Part 150 and Land Use Compatibility Study presentation
• Meeting Presentation: StART Update

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

(Hybrid: Des Moines Police Department meeting room and via MS Teams)

• Meeting Agenda: Highline Forum September 27, 2023 Meeting
• Meeting Presentation: City of Des Moines host presentation
• Meeting Presentation: 2023 SEA Activity and Travel Outlook
• Meeting Presentation: South King County Community Impact Fund

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

(Hybrid: Highline High School, Room 2006, and via MS Teams)

• Meeting Agenda: Highline Forum July 26, 2023 Meeting
• Meeting Presentation: Highline School District host presentation
• Meeting Presentation: Port Workforce Development
  • View YouTube video of Jobs in Aviation: Aviation Maintenance Technicians
• Meeting Presentation: Highline College Global Trade & Supply Chain Workforce Development
• Meeting Presentation: ANEW Workforce Development
• Meeting Presentation: City of Burien Workforce Development

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

(Hybrid: Highline College, Building 2 and via MS Teams)

• Meeting Agenda – REVISED: Highline Forum May 24, 2023 Meeting
• Meeting Presentation: Highline College Update
• Meeting Presentation: 2022 StART Annual Report
• Meeting Handout: 2023 StART Washington, DC Fly-In – FAA Reauthorization Policy Priorities

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

(Hybrid: The Conference Center at SEA, Room 5D and via MS TEAMS)

Select to view directions to the meeting location.

• Meeting Agenda: Highline Forum March 22, 2023 Meeting
• Meeting Presentation: Port of Seattle Update
• Meeting Presentation: BEST Alliance Anti-Human Trafficking presentation

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

(Hybrid: Federal Way City Hall and via MS TEAMS)

Select to view a map of the meeting location.

• Meeting Agenda: Highline Forum January 25, 2023 Meeting
• Meeting Presentation: City of Federal Way Update
• Meeting Presentation: 2023 State Legislative Agendas
• Supplemental Materials: Combined 2023 State Legislative Priorities (Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Highline College, Highline School District, Normandy Park, SeaTac, Tukwila, Port of Seattle)

Please visit the Highline Forum Meeting Materials Archive for documents published in 2022 or earlier.