Q: Mr. Federal Way, could you list the salaries of major city employees? The salaries might help to explain why our property taxes are so much higher than they were in the early 1980s. This request was prompted by the article about the communications coordinator being “let go.”
A: Mr. Federal Way couldn’t say if city salaries are linked to property taxes. Mr. Federal Way does know that King County property owners have until April 30 to pay the first half of their 2015 property taxes. But Mrs. Federal Way already took care of that for the Federal Way household.
To answer your question, Mr. Federal Way obtained the salary information for the city’s major employees.
Here are the 2015 salaries for the city’s eight directors:
• Performing Arts and Conference Center director, $117,996
• Community development director, $130,008
• Finance director, $138,036
• Parks director, $138,036
• City attorney, $140,076
• Economic development director, $142,104
• Public Works director, $150,216
• Police chief, $157,920
The city also employs five support staff positions for the mayor’s office, including:
• Administrative support (temp position), $12 per hour
• Community outreach coordinator, $31.25 per hour
• Executive assistant to the mayor, $59,340
• Communications and government affairs coordinator, $101,592
• Chief of staff, $147,888
Several staff salaries, unlike Mr. Federal Way’s, also went up substantially from 2013 to 2015. So who got raises? The city attorney now makes $7,392 more this year; the finance director, $16,188 more; the police chief, $22,536; the communications coordinator, $19,452; and the executive assistant to the mayor, $3,728.
That equates to $69,296 in raises for five positions. Mr. Federal Way imagines that the raises have something to do with the city ensuring modern day salaries keep pace with and are comparable to the market. But the raises are a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of the new positions the city is funding this year.
Keep in mind that several years ago, former Mayor Skip Priest cut staff positions in response to the economy. For example, he combined planning and economic development responsibilities under one director.
But Mayor Jim Ferrell dug into city coffers and restructured the Economic Development and Community Development departments last June, which included hiring two new directors to oversee each department. In addition, Ferrell split up Parks and Public Works responsibilities under two different directors. He also created two new staff positions, including chief of staff and the Performing Arts and Conference Center director.
Mr. Federal Way is not a mathematician, but these positions amount to increased salary costs of over $543,000. That doesn’t include the re-addition of four positions in the Community Development Department the council approved last April. The city estimated that the developmental specialist position would cost the city $63,586 annually; the associate planner position, $77,485 a year; building inspector, $79,240; and code compliance officer, $73,757. That’s a grand total of $294,068 for the four positions.
This list is not exhaustive of all raises and new positions and is only a glimpse of what Mr. Federal Way has garnered rom reading the Mirror and compiling information from staff. But a hefty new $1 million in spending for the city this year better amount to more benefits for the community.
Mr. Federal Way will watch to see if these new faces at City Hall will rake in more businesses, crack down on code violators and ensure things such as our parks are in top-notch condition.
Q: Mr. Federal Way, did Federal Wayans donate enough money to make you leave the Mirror?
A: Last month, Mr. Federal Way challenged residents to oust the Mirror’s most beloved columnist, and Mr. Federal Way is not talking about Mr. Bob Roegner.
Mr. Federal Way asked all 91,000 Federal Way residents to each donate a buck, which the Mirror will donate to Sound Alliance, who are trying to build a day shelter for the homeless in Federal Way. Mr. Federal Way pledged that if the Mirror collects $91,000, this columnist would stop writing in these pages. Did the Mirror reach their goal? Not even close. But Mr. Federal Way is touched that several people donated to the cause and asked him to keep writing, while others said they wouldn’t donate money because they don’t want to see a talented columnist go.
“Please, please don’t go away,” wrote one resident who mailed in $1. “Your words grate on the blackboard every now and then. But, we do need them!”
In total, the Mirror raised $24 — $21 of which came from two elected officials. This doesn’t surprise Mr. Federal Way, as 99 percent of his words are critical of elected officials.
So Mr. Federal Way is here to stay. And if you still want to donate to the cause, the Mirror’s editor will keep a jar on her desk for a couple more weeks in case you want to come into the office, throw a dollar in the jar to benefit the homeless or throw more encouraging words Mr. Federal Way’s way.
Q: Mr. Federal Way, do you plan to help paint Federal Way on April 25 to make up for all of the sly innuendos you’ve smeared across these pages?
A: None of your business.
Email your question to mrfederalway@federalwaymirror.com.
