The city of Federal Way has filled a new position that will focus on planning a special community celebration for the city’s 25th anniversary and enhancing public outreach.
During the Council meeting on Tuesday, Mayor Jim Ferrell introduced Steve McNey, the city’s new community outreach coordinator who will support the communications office under the direction of Chris Carrel, communications and government affairs coordinator.
Carrel said the scope of his duties has significantly increased over the past year, “and that’s been an issue in terms of the amount of work that needs to be done and the existing communications set up … This will really address a need in communications.”
In addition, he said the mayor has set an “aggressive goal” for the city to reach out to the public in existing and new ways.
McNey’s duties will include constituent outreach and service, ramping up the city’s social media and website, a four-year-old system that the city may redesign.
“Our goal as a city is to constantly work to be more accessible and responsive to the public,” Ferrell wrote in a news release. “In 2014, we greatly increased those efforts through public events, neighborhood meetings and providing more information to the public. Steve will help us build on these efforts to reach more of the people we serve.”
McNey will also plan for the city’s 25th anniversary celebration — a festival-type event set for the end of July, Carrel said. The city is still working out the details of the event.
McNey is familiar with the Federal Way community. He has served as Ferrell’s campaign manager, and most recently managed communications for King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer.
Ferrell said he is “thrilled” to bring someone with McNey’s experience and talents to the city’s team.
“Steve understands Federal Way because of his work with King County, and because he is raising his family here,” von Reichbauer wrote in the news release. “He wants his three boys to not only grow up in Federal Way, but have the opportunity to work here and raise their families here as well.”
The city will pay McNey $31.25 per hour for this temporary, sixth-month position. However, the city will re-evaluate the position after the anniversary event in July. Carrel said the city could potentially keep McNey on staff permanently.
“There’s nothing ruling that out at this point,” he said. “The purpose of the position is to address our needs to communicate and outreach to the public. Another part of Steve’s role will be constituent services, responding to requests and needs of the public. I can guarantee those needs won’t go away, so that’s something we will re-evaluate.”
