At the State of the City Address on Feb. 15 at the Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center, Mayor Jim Ferrell highlighted accomplishments from the last year and shared some updates for the next year.

Painting a vision for the audience of the future, Ferrell showed visuals of the planned Town Center 3 changes. From the one-acre urban park to retail spaces, walkability and a new pedestrian bridge across 320th Street, he described how the Commons mall, light rail construction, the existing PAEC, and the new housing and retail developments will work together to create Federal Way’s new downtown core.

Much of the speech focused on economic improvements and investments. Ferrell described the ways he is “constructing a foundation and adding logs to the economic fire” in the city. Looking to the future, he said, “when it’s complete, people all over our region will stand up and take notice.”

He thanked “the business owners” who “pour their heart and soul into their work in Federal Way. Our city owes them for believing in us.”

Ferrell announced a city website redesign that will launch on Feb. 22 to improve the ease of community members’ interface with city resources and information. Another technological update included a streamlined permitting process that Ferrell highlighted using football metaphors.

“I wanted the permitting process to be like the power sweep — relentlessly pursuing perfection,” he said, in reference to a strategic move utilized by the Green Bay Packers and popularized by coach Vince Lombardi.

The permitting process overhaul has eliminated all paper documents and now allows for application submission and tracking to be done completely digitally. Ferrell also shared that an associate planner has been promoted and an officer manager position has been created, all to make sure the permitting process is a positive experience.

In the spirit of celebrating businesses, Ferrell shared that 1,400 new business licenses were submitted to the city for consideration last year. The number of construction permits was also notable, including an increase of 150 from the year before, totaling over 3,000.

“We’re at a hinge point in Federal Way history. The cranes you see around Federal Way dotting our downtown skyline represent progress and growth. However, public safety is our top priority at the city,” Ferrell said. “Federal Way is committed to improving the quality of life for its residents, businesses and visitors.”

Ferrell celebrated the investment in mobile surveillance trailers, Safe City cameras and the financial approval last year for a total of 150 police officers. He also noted the emphasis operations conducted by the Federal Way Police Department that focused on drug use, shoplifting and shopping carts.

The mayor also shared more financial updates and lauded his city’s finance department for the investments they have made. Over the past several years, he told the audience, they have increased city revenue to $3.4 million each year.

Des Moines Mayor Traci Buxton said the event was “inspiring” and was impressed with the returns on investments by the finance team celebrated by the Federal Way mayor.

Federal Way community member and Executive Director of the South King Tool Library Amanda Miller said that she found the speech “encouraging” and appreciated the “drive and momentum.” She also said she felt there was a “missed opportunity” when talking about the future of Federal Way not to include anything about climate and environmental impacts in these major projects like Town Center 3.

“We’re talking about the future, but not including what the future is actually going to look like,” Miller said. She was referring to statements like that from the Washington Department of Ecology in November 2023 that shared an excerpt from the National Climate Assessment stating “extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, and other climate hazards threaten human health, sense of place, ecosystems, infrastructure, and industries in the Northwest. Impacts across sectors will have cascading effects on livelihoods and well-being.”

The State of the City event also featured the JROTC from Todd Beamer High School, which presented the colors, and the Federal Way Chorale, which sang the National Anthem.

About 80 elementary school students also filled the theater with songs during the event. The Meredith Hill Elementary school choir consisted of 2nd-, 3rd- and 4th-graders and was led by music teacher Dawn Lee. They sang songs in Zulu and Maori languages about peace, love and unity.

The mayor also recognized past and present leadership in Federal Way, local representatives in neighboring cities in attendance and some local heroes. These included Kristin Speakman of Bella Red Salon, historic figures John and Mary Conna, and a local resident Wendell Kuecker, who donated the Brooklake Community Center in 2015.

Ferrell got a collective laugh from the audience when he reminisced about Kuecker’s used car lot that he remembers from childhood that humbly advertised “reasonably reliable used cars.”

Outside the theater, the PAEC’s atrium was filled with representatives at tables from 64 different nonprofits, businesses and community groups. Federal Way community members had the opportunity to mingle and meet before and after the mayor’s speech.

Councilmember Jack Walsh was one of the audience members in the packed theater at the Mayor’s State of the City Address. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

The Todd Beamer JROTC presented the colors and the Federal Way Chorale sang the National Anthem at the Mayor’s State of the City address. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

Mayor Jim Ferrell told the crowd at the PAEC that “the state of the city is strong” at the State of the City address. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

Mayor Ferrell celebrated the number of new business permit applications and construction permits that were submitted to the city in 2023. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror