Federal Way city officials are considering discontinuing the city's highest-level collaboration with the Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce. This potential change, involving an annual $15,000 sponsorship, emerged during budget discussions at a special council meeting held on October 6. The Federal Way City Council and Mayor Jim Ferrell deliberated whether to reallocate these funds to alternative programs designed to support local businesses.
City Administrator Brian Davis confirmed that the “pivotal partnership” represents the highest tier among the city's four engagement levels with the Chamber. Mayor Ferrell raised significant concerns, stating that the Chamber of Commerce has refused to collaborate with Federal Way Economic Development Director Tanja Carter. Director Carter further elaborated that previous contracts with the Chamber included specific deliverables, but these had been removed because they were “consistently not being delivered.” Mayor Ferrell also pointed out the Chamber's membership numbers, noting that it has fewer than 200 members despite there being approximately 6,700 businesses within the city. He starkly characterized the organization as “a shell of what it once was,” questioning the allocation of taxpayer money to an organization he believes is “failing.”
The debate among council members revealed differing perspectives on the partnership's future. Councilmember Linda Kochmar advocated for maintaining the relationship, expressing the belief that the city should “be above the fray” and continue its involvement with the Chamber. She underscored the need for the Chamber to “work on behalf of our city” and for the city to collaborate with its businesses. Councilmember Martin Moore echoed this sentiment, also favoring the continuation of the partnership. However, Moore suggested a fresh start, proposing a review of expectations for a pivotal partnership to establish clearer communication and a path forward. He emphasized that an opportunity to continue working together still existed.
Conversely, other council members suggested reallocating the funds. Councilmember Melissa Hamilton argued that ending the specific pivotal partnership program would not preclude future collaboration and communication between the city and the Chamber. She advocated for directing the $15,000 towards initiatives that would provide “tangible, visible and measurable” support to the business community, offering the storefront recovery program as an example. Hamilton noted that the current appropriation supports an “undefined” comprehensive program of work outlined in the Chamber's contract. Councilmember Les Sessoms agreed that reallocating the money could better support local businesses while still pursuing other avenues for collaboration with the Chamber.
Councilmember Lydia Assefa-Dawson expressed concern about the potential negative perception of ending the partnership. She stated that “the optics are horrible if we don’t do this” because both the city and the Chamber share an interest in Federal Way's economic vitality. Assefa-Dawson suggested that reaching a broader range of businesses could be a specific deliverable incorporated into any future contract with the Chamber. Mayor Ferrell, however, challenged the idea of maintaining funding purely for appearances, especially when, in his view, the organization's performance was lacking.
Despite the strong opinions, several council members indicated they were working to schedule a meeting with the Chamber. Ultimately, the council reached a consensus to defer a final decision on the partnership until after such a meeting takes place. Councilmember Hamilton highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that three weeks had passed since the last discussion about arranging this meeting, and the timeline for making a budget decision was tightening. She concluded by reminding her colleagues that the discussions involved “taxpayer money,” and their duty was to decide “how best to use that money.”
When later contacted, Rebecca Martin, CEO and President of the Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce, provided no comment regarding the ongoing discussions.