Age: 70
Schooling: Master’s Degree in Social Work
How long have you lived in Federal Way: Moved to Federal Way in the spring of 1995 as I wanted to live and work in the same community so I could be more involved as a citizen. My involvement with the city began as soon as I moved here and pre-dates my running for City Council.
Family members: Dwight, my Havanese mix 12 pound dog; Linda Purlee, roommate
Hobbies: Scuba diving, walking the beach and collecting shells and reading
How long have you been in office? I am in my second term on the Federal Way City Council.
Who is your personal hero and why? John F. Kennedy as he was the first president that youth and young adults could relate to. He challenged us to get active and engaged. He made us want to become active, healthy and fit and challenged us to do more than we thought we could. And we did, including a 50 mile hike in one day!
Why are you running for office? Federal Way is at a crossroads. I look forward to working with citizens and the council to create a downtown core that will thrive with the Performing Arts and Events Center. This project started during my first term on the council and was delayed by the Great Recession and a change in the form of city government. I want to complete what we started working on during my first term on the council.
This can become the heart of our city as well as a job-generating engine! I want to move that engine forward. I also am committed to prioritizing public safety, neighborhood integrity and maintaining our beautiful parks. I will continue to work to keep Federal Way a city that residents are proud to call home.
What are the top issues facing the city? Federal Way is at a point where it needs to finalize plans for a solid definition and re-vitalization of our city’s downtown core. We need to reach out to businesses and corporations to help us develop into a city where such entities are drawn and will want to put down roots.
The events center is the first of such ventures in our effort to attract further interest and development, both residential and commercial. Encouraging the development of a four-year college would add both job and educational opportunities for people of all ages, but particularly our younger citizens. We need to assure appropriate growth management for our downtown as well as other parts of our city that is consistent with our goals and ideals.
Growth is a regional concept throughout south King County and Pierce County. We must apply a broad perspective and work with other jurisdictions as appropriate as more and more people move from Seattle southward in search of affordability.
We must assure that service funding follows this movement of people to our area.Our current transportation system is overloaded and the outlook for light rail to reach Federal Way and Tacoma is too far into the future. We must ensure that Sound Transit follows through on bringing rail to and through Federal Way.
We should work with other municipalities to push for the completion of light rail far sooner than is currently estimated.We must continue to provide for the safety and health of our residents through a strong and responsive Police Department. Our police department must be fully staffed with quality officers so they can maintain their high rating on the National Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA). The Federal Way Police Department is one of seven police agencies in Washington state to receive this national accreditation.
Describe how you will specifically bring about change to the agency you are running for: At any agency or place of employment, I have always tried to work with others on issues that effected the work environment or the committees I was on. That included listening to others, asking their opinions and including them as much as possible. It is important for people to feel that they have been listened to and are a part of the process.
When I first started at the Multi-Service Center, the staff had suffered under the former CEO and they were very skeptical of another person coming in. I led by showing that I cared about them as people and knew their value to the agency. As a team-building project, every day after the clients were gone we all worked on improving the work environment by redoing the main entry and waiting room and transformed it into a professional looking place for clients to wait and for staff to enter.
I do this everywhere I have worked and as a part of the council. I used the proper channels to promote ideas to the other council members as well as the mayor and staff. On the council I worked with the finance director to develop and present the first structurally correct budget, without one time funding, to the council for adoption. Since that time the budget has reflected this approach. I have always valued collaboration and team work as that is how I wanted to be treated and I use this approach in my employment and work as a City Council member.
Contact: dini@diniduclos.com
