If you noticed Federal Way looking especially clean lately, thank your fellow residents and two new city staff members.
More than 80 community members, local leaders and families gathered on Oct. 17 for the city’s Clean Up Federal Way litter pickup event.
As part of the city’s 30-For-30 Initiative, which encourages residents to volunteer 30 minutes of their time in honor of Federal Way’s 30th birthday, the Clean Up Federal Way event resulted in approximately 30 bags of trash collected.
“I was really just so gratified to see many of our residents come out and support their city,” said Mayor Jim Ferrell.
Due to a gradual, but noticeable, increase of trash in neighborhoods, along city streets and main thoroughfares, Ferrell recommended adding the two litter control job positions to the city. Approved by the city council, the two maintenance worker positions began in September and are included in the mayor’s proposed 2021-22 budget.
The total amount in the budget amendment for salaries and benefits is $136,630.80, said Tyler Hemstreet, communications coordinator for the Mayor’s Office. To assist with the job duties, the Ccity purchased a Ford F-450 Ford Super Duty stake-side dually truck.
The litter pickup truck cab and chassis was $56,748. With adding the dump box, lift gate, strobes and traffic safety equipment, the total fully outfitted cost (including the cab and chassis) was $86,984.79, he said.
Working five days a week, the truck is filled about twice a day, Ferrell said, adding that “it’s critical we stay on top of this.” A government’s highest priority is safety, but the citizens of Federal Way “deserve and expect a clean city.”
The 30-For-30 Initiative, and the new maintenance positions, are part of ongoing efforts in a neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach to create a positive reflection of the city, Ferrell said.
For those who would like to clean up an area of Federal Way, the city has litter pickup tools, trash bags and other resources available.
“We just want people to adopt their own neighborhood and join in the effort to make our city clean,” Ferrell said.
