“We need a new city council,” stated a handful of disgruntled voters four years ago.
Federal Way Public Schools Superintendent Rob Neu needed a game changer and may have found one as he recently recommended a controversial grading system be discarded.
Usually that phrase is reserved for the opening of the Olympic Games. However, it may have a new meaning as the Federal Way City Council and Mayor-elect Jim Ferrell try to figure out how to work together.
Other suburban cities have had the “strong mayor” system for more than 100 years.
The anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s death caused me to reflect on his expectations that the “best and brightest” should serve their government.
According to voters, the local election theme for 2013 turned out to be “frustration, change and Democrats.”
There was almost too much going on in the elections to write about everything. So I saved a couple of questions I received until now.
This is the last weekend for ringing doorbells, and the ballots are being cast. It is now time to figure out who might actually win some of these election races.
It wasn’t an easy decision for Jim Ferrell to run for mayor a second time.
Mayor Skip Priest is a proud man who has devoted much of his adult life to serving the community and wears his affection for Federal Way like a badge of honor.
A few months ago, the community and city council were embarrassed in the regional media when it was discovered, by The Mirror, that the city council had appointed a local chiropractor to an advisory board.
The race between appointed incumbent Diana Noble-Gulliford and candidate Martin Moore should be the closest of the three city council races, and provides some interesting contrasts.
Kelly Maloney made the biggest bang of any of the Federal Way City Council candidates in the primary after her unexpected 17 percent win over second-time candidate Mark Koppang.
On the surface, the race between incumbent Jeanne Burbidge and John Fairbanks for the Federal Way City Council would appear to be a mismatch.
The races for Federal Way School Board may be the most interesting in several years.
Two recent events have shaken the summer doldrums out early — and started a community discussion about the priorities and direction of the district just as the fall election season gets under way.
School starts next week and with it begins the general election season, when more voters start to pay attention to the candidates.
When you start out in politics, one of the first lessons you learn is don’t annoy old people, or appear to pick on animals or children, and particularly not in an election year.
There were some surprises in the numbers. In politics, if the incumbents attract less than 50 percent during the primary, then they are considered potentially vulnerable, as it serves as a bellweather for funding and support. Above 50 percent, they are considered in good position, and it will be an uphill battle for their opponent.
Three years ago, the citizens of Federal Way voted to replace the council-manager form of government — where a professionally trained city manager is the chief administrative officer — with a mayor-council form of government, where the mayor is separately elected and replaces the city manager as the top city executive.