For the past couple of years, I have wanted to start an editorial board for the community of Federal Way. The time has come to make this a reality.

Recently, we have been interviewing candidates who expressed an interest in becoming part of this community endeavor. One of the main purposes of this all-volunteer board is to give The Mirror greater exposure to the community with five additional constituents who bring depth and expertise in a variety of fields. As a group, we will discuss broad measures that affect Federal Way and will write editorials that bring these issues to light.

This board will be held accountable by a democratic vote. To that end, my vote as the publisher will simply count as one vote, no more or no less than any of the other editorial board members. As we move forward, we hope you will find this board to be a valuable tool that helps make Federal Way a better place to work, play and live.

Your seven-member editorial board will consist of two staff members, along with five community members who serve a one-year term:

• Rudi Alcott, publisher, Federal Way Mirror

• Andy Hobbs, editor, Federal Way Mirror

• Joann Piquette, retired and a community advocate: As a longtime resident of Federal Way, Piquette has served on a number of boards, most notably the Federal Way Arts Commission, Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) and the Federal Way Coalition of the Performing Arts. An avid sports fan, Piquette has worked as a sports editor and in broadcasting, advertising and public relations.

• Matthew Jarvis, business owner: Jarvis is a managing partner of a local small business. He is a chartered financial consultant (ChFC) and is a numbers guru. He has served on the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce board and serves on the boards for Friends of the Hylebos and St. Francis Hospital Fellowship. He is an Eagle Scout, a longtime resident of Federal Way and is married with three children.

• Nandell Palmer, author: Palmer is author of “Blessings at Your Fingertips.” He is a small business owner, holds a degree in journalism and has written extensively for a number of newspapers and magazines. He enjoys tennis, is an accomplished chef and sings in a four-part harmony chorus. Palmer is married with three boys.

• Bob Dockstader, retired attorney: Dockstader was a career corporate attorney, working for 32 years until his retirement in 2006. Since then, he has served on a number of boards including the Federal Way School District’s Four Year High School Study Committee, Federal Way Chorale, as an elder with his church and as a board chairman of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chaplaincy. He volunteers at Olympic View Elementary and sings with the Federal Way Chorale.

• Mel West, business owner: West was a Navy submariner for more than nine years. After that, he had a decade-long career in the banking industry working for a local credit union. He owns a consulting firm that works primarily with other small business owners. Because of his varied background, he believes he has learned to have an open mind and to draw conclusions based on the facts.

You, as the community, will play a vital role in this process and we look forward to your continued participation. Part of the commitment to be part of this board was that each member would be accountable for the actions of the board as a whole. The email address editorialboard@federalwaymirror.com will distribute all messages to everyone on the board. Please feel free to contact us with any issues.