09/24/2026 Federal Way City Council - Special Meeting

The City of Federal Way held a special City Council meeting on September 24, 2026, focused primarily on reviewing the proposed biennial budget for 2027-2028 across multiple city departments including Parks, Community Development, Economic Development, Emergency Management, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal, and the Mayor's Office. Key procurement-related discussions included capital improvement projects such as EV charger installations, pool renovations funded by a $1.5 million King County aquatics grant, and artificial turf replacement supported by grants. The Parks Department highlighted a $113 million backlog in capital needs and staffing shortages, emphasizing the need for incremental budget increases to address maintenance and service demands. The Community Development Department proposed increasing engineering permitting fees to fund an additional staff member without impacting the general fund. Economic Development reported securing significant grants, including an $850,000 HUD grant, and discussed leveraging outside funding for business retention and attraction. Emergency Management noted grant-funded upgrades to emergency communication centers. The Finance Department detailed staffing shortages and ongoing ERP system upgrades, while the Human Resources Department requested an additional analyst position to improve training and policy updates. The Information Technology Department discussed cybersecurity audits, technology upgrades, and rising costs due to software licensing and hardware inflation. The Legal Department reported increased insurance premiums due to rising liability claims and the need for additional prosecutors and civil attorneys. The council also discussed potential reallocation of unspent ARPA funds and the city’s $15,000 annual partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, noting challenges in engagement. Several motions and action items were planned for future meetings, including fee schedule adjustments and ARPA fund allocation discussions. Overall, the meeting provided a comprehensive overview of departmental budget needs, grant funding, staffing challenges, and capital projects impacting procurement and contracting activities in Federal Way.