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NEWS | Roadway collapses due to water main break; 10 homes affected [2]
VOL. 17, NO. 39
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Cornfield: Governor discusses McCleary [6] Roegner: Council elects to determine new deputy mayor [6] SURVEY | Pros and cons of marijuana retail in Federal Way [7] COMMUNITY | Girl, 8, who helped fire victims named Mirror’s Citizen of the Month [10]
SPORTS | Todd Beamer wears FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 | 75¢ down Kent-Meridian in win [4]
POLICE | Somebody has been laying in my bed: Family finds bloody man in their home [12]
Initiative aims to give citizens a say on PAEC spending BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ editor@fedwaymirror.com
I
f you are outraged the City Council approved the largest project in city history last year without your official say — get your pens ready. Federal Way residents Matthew Jarvis and Byron Hiller filed a citizen’s initiative with the city on Tuesday that would prevent the cost of operating the nearly $33 million Performing Arts and Events Center from becoming a financial burden to the city, according to the measure. If approved, the initiative would limit the amount the city can spend on subsidizing the project to no more than $100,000 annually.
The city attorney has five days to apHiller said in a media release. prove the legality of the citizen’s initiative. However, Mayor Jim Ferrell said they lack If approved, Hiller and Jarvis will evidence. “And I have to tell have six months to collect all the “That’s baseless. That is baseyou that if there required signatures, which they less,” he said during a phone estimate to be 3,500. The measure was an effort to try interview, as sirens blared in the would then go before voters on the and rollback or stop background while he walked to general election ballot in Novem- this project now, it his next meeting in downtown ber 2016. would be the worst San Francisco during a business “Despite the city’s assurances recruitment trip on Friday. financial calamity that the [events center] will be self in the history of the Ferrell said he hasn’t been funding, we are concerned that provided “anything other than city.” this will become yet another City Mayor Jim Ferrell just pure conjecture and assumpCouncil pet project that diverts tions on the part of Byron Hiller huge amounts of money from and Matthew Jarvis in regard to public safety and infrastructure,” Jarvis and this. [The city is] not approaching this with
Group seeks funds for homeless day shelter
assumptions.” In fact, Ferrell said that is the reason why he put together his Blue Ribbon Panel of experts to examine facts and decide whether the events center project was feasible. Based on those findings that the panel presented in May 2014, the council unanimously approved the events center. The mayor emphasized the city has already spent $8 million of taxpayer money to move forward with the events center. “We have accumulated $16 million of money — $16 million of money,” Ferrell said, noting the project will bring jobs and economic development to Federal Way. [ more PAEC, page 22 ]
Federal agency proves VA whistle-blower’s misconduct claims against center BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@fedwaymirror.com
BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@fedwaymirror.com
A group is seeking donations to open Federal Way’s first day shelter for the homeless by early 2016. With plans to ask the City Council for $50,000 this year and another $50,000 for 2016, the Federal Way Day Shelter Coalition also needs $55,000 to retrofit a proposed 2,000-square-foot space near the Multi-Service Center. To help close the monetary gap, the coalition is launching a fundraising campaign called “Bags of Hope.” “We’ve given presentations on this project in the last several months,” said coalition member Jackie Blair. “We’ve given them to about 20 faith organizations and service organizations.” [ more SHELTER, page 3 ]
Concern for the Hungry Above, Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell (second from right) and City Council members join students during the Mayor’s Day of Concern for the Hungry on Saturday. Volunteers at various local grocery stores collected food donations during the day to benefit the Multi-Service Center. Photo courtesy of Bruce Honda
Left, South King Fire and Rescue staff volunteer with students. Photo courtesy of Shelley Pauls
11TH ANNUAL
OCT 9-11 , 2015
nts Center Washington State Fair Eve PUYALLUP, WA
LUE FREE PARKING ENTER AT B
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The Department of Veteran’s Affairs should have terminated the Federal Way Veterans Center’s team leader after a whistleblower exposed misconduct at the center last year, according to a U.S. Office of Special Counsel letter sent to Congress and President Barack Obama last Thursday. But instead, the agency provided training and letters of reprimand to the team leader and her regional supervisors — actions not in line with the Veterans Affairs’ ethics policy. “I do not find that verbal counseling and letters of reprimand are sufficient disciplinary actions in light of the serious misconduct at issue,” wrote head of the Office of Special Counsel Carolyn N. Lerner to the president, noting that their regulations indicate removal is an appropriate penalty. The team leader also received positive performance reviews for 2013 and 2014. Whistleblower Jonathan Wicks, a former clinician at the center, discovered that employees at the center lied about clinical time spent with clients, failed to contact veterans who requested counseling services and used a paper log [ more CLAIMS, page 28 ]
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