City manager announces finalists for community development director

"Federal Way's new Community Development Services director will be charged with fulfilling the City Council's vision of a thriving downtown.On Thursday, City Manager David Moseley announced the position's five finalists. They will be in Federal Way Jan. 11-12 for interviews with City Council members, city department directors, Community Development Services and Public Works employees, Planning Commission members and residents. The new director should be on the job this month or February.The finalists are: Patrick Doherty, manager of Seattle's Design Review Program; Ronald Henrickson, community development director for Blaine, Minn.; Steve Lancaster, Tukwila's director of community development; Kathy McClung, Federal Way's interim Community Development Services director; and Rick Smith, Pasco's director of Community and Economic Development. Seventy-five people originally applied. Former Community Development Services director, Stephen Clifton, is now the city of Edmonds' community services director. At Moseley's recommendation, the council decided not to renew its contract with the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce for an economic development director. Debra Coates left that $75,000-a-year position to take another job in August. An in-house person focused on economic development means more direct oversight by the council, Moseley said. A lot of the city's economic development vision is based on a vision of developing a downtown core, Moseley said. Therefore having someone who really sees their job as both current and long-range planning and completing that vision of the Comprehensive Plan is the best way to get it done. A yet-to-be-hired assistant city manager will also focus on economic development. "

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