The city council decided in a split vote Oct. 5 that a paid lobbyist is not needed to bring federal money to Federal Way.
The council, with deputy mayor Dini Duclos absent, voted 3-3 at a regularly scheduled meeting not to renew its contract with lobbying firm Strategies 360. A majority vote was needed to extend the firm’s contract for two years, for a price not to exceed $140,000. Council members Jim Ferrell, Jack Dovey and Roger Freeman voted to terminate the contract. Mayor Linda Kochmar and council members Mike Park and Jeanne Burbidge voted to keep Strategies 360 on contract for another two years.
Dovey, Ferrell and Freeman told their fellow council members they thought the city could make better use of the money. Ferrell said the funding was equivalent to a police officer position. Dovey said he’d prefer to see it applied in the community.
“I’m just not sure that’s the best bang for our buck,” Dovey said referring to the lobbyist contract.
The City of Federal Way has used a lobbying firm to represent it in Washington, D.C., since March 2005. Strategies 360 was hired in early 2009. Dozens of cities are competing for the same money, said Mayor Linda Kochmar. Without a lobbyist to attend hearings and meet with representatives face to face, it’s hard to convince representatives that Federal Way most deserves the funding, she said. Councilman Mike Park said the contract is valuable, and it’s beneficial for Federal Way to have a vocal federal presence.
“It’s almost like if you don’t do that, you won’t get the money,” Kochmar said.
Ferrell and Dovey both said they didn’t see Strategies 360 as having accomplished anything in the past 18 months that council members themselves could not have accomplished. The firm’s list of accomplishments in Federal Way includes the following:
• Orchestrating an annual lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., in March 2010
• Asked for $2.7 million for the Triangle Project, and won support from Sen. Maria Cantwell and Rep. Adam Smith.
• Helped facilitate the passage of the EB-5 Visa Regional Center designation for Federal Way’s downtown via letters of support and phone calls.
• Provided the city with a list of federal grant opportunities to pursue a Performing Arts and Cultural Center, pending site designation. A site has not been chosen yet.
• Orchestrated an appearance by Rep. Smith at the Triangle Project groundbreaking event Aug. 11.
Annually, at least two council members travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal representatives in hopes of landing funding for Federal Way projects. Ferrell said the city council doesn’t need a lobbyist to set up that meeting, nor does it need a lobbyist to supply a list of grant opportunities. He was unimpressed that Strategies 360 listed among its accomplishments the ability to get Rep. Smith to the Triangle Project groundbreaking.
The city is currently taking steps to notify Strategies 360 that the contract is terminated. The contract legally expired Aug. 10, but the firm was considered to still be representing Federal Way since it was under the impression that the 18-month contract would be extended. City manager Brian Wilson said the contract gave the city the freedom to terminate the agreement at any given moment without explanation. Strategies 360 was not represented at the meeting.
