The biggest political story emerging in Federal Way may not be the one you think it is.

History likely will look back to this era and identify the two biggest political stories as the groundbreaking for the Performing Arts and Events Center, and Sound Transit’s selection of Interstate 5 over Highway 99 as the preferred route into Federal Way for light rail. And they are certainly major news events.

The events center has been a long-held dream of many in the community, but also one of the most polarizing issues in the community for two decades. New Director Theresa Yvonne will be under a microscope as many will watch to see how the budget works and whether the facility will be an economic asset or a financial drain. That alone will keep it in the public eye for several years.

The light rail selection was also controversial and, as with the events center, we may not know for several years if the correct decision was made. Keeping the costs down won out over providing service to needed population groups and on-location service to Highline College. Will the next generation applaud our fiscal conservatism or question our sanity for excluding service to people who need it?

Mayor Jim Ferrell sits in the biggest chair in town and everything he does, good and bad, is magnified by his position. But, for every accomplishment — and there have been several — there is always a counterbalance of poor decisions or behavior that overshadows the accomplishment. He pushed the events center and the downtown park, but he also contributed to the controversy surrounding each. And there were those moments of temperamental behavior. Both sides of the mayor raise his profile as a newsmaker.

But the biggest story of the year isn’t about an individual, but a gender, and the emergence of a strong set of women leaders. There has always been a cross section of gender leaders in Federal Way’s public life, but it appears that strong leadership-oriented women with their own goals have started to put a mark on the community.

The selection of school Superintendent Tammy Campbell brings star quality to the leadership of the district. She brought a new spirit of cooperation, compassion and a belief that ALL students matter and we can get away from our stormy past and our fear of growth by working for a common good.

While lacking Campbell’s velvet glove and smooth consensus style, Joann Piquette has shown that pure tenacity and conviction, and even some bullying, can pay off as she deserves most of the credit for the events center moving from a dream to reality.

Teri Hickel had been a community volunteer for several years, but never held office before. Now she will serve a one-year term in the state House of Representatives and run for re-election next fall. More significantly, she will have her own stories to match her husband Tim’s, from the good old days when he was in the Legislature. If she has the staying power, she could become a true future leader.

But the person Hickel defeated, Rep. Carol Gregory, more than demonstrated her right to be included with the movers and shakers of her gender as she guided the school district through an incredibly rocky time as president of the school board and helped bring stability at a needed time. She then served a productive and successful year in the state House of Representatives.

Then there is Republican state Representative and former Mayor Linda Kochmar, who joined with Gregory on several issues that brought benefit to Federal Way.

Even though Ferrell occupies the mayors office, community speculation has at least three women considering giving him a race. Deputy Mayor Jeanne Burbidge isn’t one of them, although she may decide she would like to be deputy mayor for another two years. Or it could be relative newcomer Susan Honda, who led most of the questioning of the events center.

Completing her first year as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce, Becca Martin is going to push and pull this town into that great big world outside Federal Way where we can truly make an impact. She is driven to ensure people know who we are, where we are and what we have to offer.

Although she may be low profile, editor of the Federal Way Mirror Carrie Rodriguez has already put her stamp on the community and demonstrated she is fair and balanced. But she hasn’t been shy about challenging politicians and institutions when their lack of transparency, or their behavior has undermined the public good or even embarrassed us. At the same time, Rodriguez has also directed stories of warmth and compassion that show the best of our community.

Quite a group of women leaders we have. Who will join them? Where will they take us?

Federal Way resident Bob Roegner is a former mayor of Auburn: bjroegner@comcast.net.