The Mirror’s editorial board endorses the following candidates in the 2015 general election:

Council, Position 1

In the race for Federal Way City Council, Position 1, the Mirror endorses incumbent Lydia Assefa-Dawson.

Her opponent, Mark Greene, needs more experience before running for the City Council and should better understand the position he is running for.

Assefa-Dawson, who was appointed to the council in 2014 to fill a vacant position, is human-services oriented, works well with others and is a reasonable voice on the council.

Born and raised in Ethiopia, she suffered a tragic accident as a baby, which resulted in her legs being amputated. She has faced tough challenges throughout her life and has developed a positive approach to handling problems — an attribute that is helpful in local government.

She came to the U.S. 30 years ago, earned her master’s degree and raised three sons who currently attend college. Assefa-Dawson works for the King County Housing Authority, where she offers financial services for survivors of domestic violence.

Now that she has been on the council for over a year, we encourage her to develop a deeper understanding of the issues and be more involved in the community. Assefa-Dawson has the ability to be an exceptional council member and we hope she’ll put more work in during her next term to become even more seasoned.

The Mirror recommends voting for Assefa-Dawson for City Council Position 1.

Council, Position 5

For Federal Way City Council Position 5, the Mirror endorses Mark Koppang.

Julie Hiller, his opponent, is very professional, exhibits determination, has strong fiscal experience, dares to challenge issues she thinks are wrong and offers a thoughtful alternative. We strongly encourage Hiller to run for the City Council again in the near future after she gets more involved on city boards or commissions.

Koppang has prepared himself well for a seat on the council through all of his involvement. He was chair of the Federal Way school district’s Citizens Superintendent Search Committee, and is currently chair of the Parks & Recreation Commission, chair of the Independent Salary Commission, and current member and former chair of the Civil Service Commission.

Koppang will be valuable to Federal Way residents as he vows to focus on bringing family wage jobs to Federal Way. He is determined, well-organized and has shown a strong commitment to service, which will serve the city well. For City Council Position 5, the Mirror recommends voting for Koppang.

Council, Position 7

For Federal Way City Council Position 7, the Mirror endorses Dini Duclos.

Duclos has brought her business acumen to this seat since 2007 as the former CEO of the Multi-Service Center. She has vowed to watch the costs of the Performing Arts and Events Center closely and said she will task the city with making monthly budget reports available to the public.

Duclos knows the issues very well, is committed to moving the city forward and has shown herself to be a hard working, thoughtful and effective City Council member.

Her opponent, PK Thumbi, also has the potential to be an asset to the city with more experience, training and help.

Duclos brings a wealth of knowledge about the city and has earned another term on the council.

Lakehaven

In the race for Lakehaven Utility District Position 3, the Mirror endorses Peter Sanchez.

Richard Peterson, his opponent, has a firm grasp of budgeting and has experience managing a business. However, he needs to demonstrate more community engagement before he runs for political office again.

Sanchez has direct knowledge of sewer operations as an employee of the Southwest Suburban Sewer District and exhibits a sound understanding of water and sewer issues.

He has shown his commitment to serving the community as he regularly attends Lakehaven board meetings and would serve the community well as a Lakehaven commissioner.