This week, Burien resident Charles Schaefer filed a lawsuit against the City of Burien, accusing it of violating Washington’s Public Records Act (PRA) by withholding key documents related to the 2023 evaluation of City Manager Adolfo Bailon. Schaefer (no relation to BTB Founder/Publisher Scott Schaefer), a former chair of Burien’s Planning Commission and a public advocate for transparency, submitted the lawsuit on Oct. 31, 2024, seeking full access to records he claims the city improperly withheld and alleging the city failed to comply with the PRA’s public interest mandate. The complaint, filed in King County Superior Court, outlines Schaefer’s effort to obtain all council and staff feedback on City Manager Bailon’s performance evaluation.