Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell shared a reflective State of the City address Feb. 13, highlighting accomplishments of the past, present and future.

“Federal Way is peaceful and naturally stunning. It’s also bustling with potential. Part of what I want to talk about today is how Federal Way is a city on the rise,” Ferrell said during his speech at the Performing Arts and Event Center.

The evening opened with a performance of the National Anthem by the Federal Way Chorale, a presentation of the colors by the Todd Beamer Air Force JROTC, and a performance by Sacajewea Middle School’s Blackhawk Choir.

Ferrell started his presentation by placing Federal Way in the context of place and time.

“Think about the progress of a civilization for a minute,” Ferrell said. “For as long as people have been gathering, they’ve been gathering by means of transportation, often rivers or railroads.”

Describing Federal Way’s namesake, Ferrell continued, saying “we straddle I-5, a modern day river. A modern day river of commerce and movement that flows through our city and beyond. This is the most important metaphorical river west of the Mississippi, and we happen to live right on top of it. It shapes everything in front of us.”

He added that with Federal Way’s location in between the two major international ports of Seattle and Tacoma and the airport, “we are perfectly positioned to truly rise in every sense of the word.”

Ferrell highlighted the importance of maintaining a city that is “clean, safe and inviting.” To achieve that, he credited the city’s responsive graffiti team and a change from a reactive to proactive code compliance strategy at the city, resulting in 284 violations, five major cleanups and the removal of 600 shopping carts.

He also shared updates on future developments, such as the finalizing of the Town Center 3 (TC3) development agreement this year and breaking ground on the city’s new Operations and Maintenance Facility, which is scheduled to be complete in 2026.

Ferrell shared that the Performing Arts and Event Center is only five years away from being completely paid off. He also highlighted the coming light rail.

This future also includes a continued investment in current small businesses. Ferrell said the city celebrated 3,088 business license renewals and the addition of 1,282 new businesses this past year.

In public safety wins, the mayor celebrated the change in a police pursuit law this year that led to a dramatic 52 percent decrease in vehicle thefts. The city also saw a 38 percent decrease in robberies, he said. He also celebrated the increase in total funded officer positions with the Federal Way Police Department to 154.

The mayor continued by showcasing successes in each city department through the efforts of their leaders and staff. A few of these notable events included the the renaming of the Alderbrook Park to Conna Park, renovations at the Federal Way Community Center, a strong financial strategy, and city-sponsored events like the Arts Explosion and annual tree lighting.

“I believe Federal Way is currently in the process of development and refinement, building and sculpting. We’re still waiting for its final form to be revealed, but we’re putting the love and care and hard work to ensure that Federal Way reaches its full potential and continues to be a place all of us feel pride to live and work in,” Ferrell said. “I’m eager to report to you that…the future of Federal Way is strong.”

Ferrell was introduced by short speeches from King County Councilmembers Girmay Zahilay and Pete von Reichbauer. Zahilay highlighted the importance of working together throughout the county to find regional solutions.

“King County, as a region, is vast. If it were its own state, it would be the 37th largest state in the United States, with 2.3 million people across 39 different cities. And what happens in one part of the county impacts all of us … we share common challenges and common opportunities,” Zahilay said.

As part of the evening, dozens of local organizations and businesses hosted information booths outside the auditorium during the event.

Emergency Management Outreach Coordinator Sharon Green was helping spread the word about the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) program at the Mayor’s State of the City address Feb. 13, 2025. Photo by Bruce Honda

Many community groups were represented at tables in the Performing Arts and Event Center in Federal Way during the Feb. 13 State of the City address. Photo by Bruce Honda.

FWPS Superintendent Dani Pfeiffer and King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer at the State of the City address Feb. 13. Photo by Bruce Honda.

The Todd Beamer Air Force Junior ROTC at the mayor’s State of the City address Feb. 13. Photo by Bruce Honda.

The Federal Way Chorale performed the National Anthem on Feb. 13. Photo by Bruce Honda.