Vision for Federal Way’s future | Letter to the editor

Published 4:53 pm Tuesday, September 1, 2009

I thought the opening line of Bob Roegner’s Aug. 19 article was great: “Oh what a tangled web we weave.” Indeed does anyone remember the next line? “When first we practice to deceive.”

The basis of the argument that Federal Way Works has used against ACT (Accountability Comes to Town) is that electing our own mayor would cost more money. That simply isn’t true. We paid off a very expensive contract when our last city manager was terminated and we already employ two assistant city managers. Why haven’t either of those men stepped into the vacant position?

The members of ACT have no desire to be esoteric, Bob. No, we’d prefer everyone understand why these changes are need to be made. It turns out you’ve illustrated that point for us, however.

Thank you for your excellent description of the infighting that goes on in our Federal Way City Council chambers. It’s a picture perfect example of why we need one person who is strong enough to oversee how things are done. A strong mayor could get the council to focus on what is in the city’s best interest instead of fighting over their “favored candidates.”

ACT’s true motivation is not and has never been to “install our own person in the mayor’s chair,” but when someone comes forward who shares our beliefs and has the guts to support our ideals, we’d be stupid if we didn’t encourage them to participate. I guess you’d have to say we operate on the “may the best man win” theory.

If some of the potential candidates are willing to side with us now, perhaps it’s becoming apparent that a change is needed, before we have to buy out any more expensive expensive contracts for someone who never could actually have a “vision for the future of Federal Way.”

Tara A. Talley, Federal Way