To the Editor:

Not only did the group Accountability Comes to Town not send an actual representative of their group to the elected mayor forum, they sent a duo notorious for not bothering to research facts.

I couldn't write fast enough to record the various misstatements they made, but will attempt to correct a few.

They harangued about the 56 businesses they claimed left Federal Way because of the state highway median. They couldn't "find their list" and couldn't name one departed business.

They neglected to mention that the Phase I median construction of Highway 99 resulted in 31% fewer accidents.

But that wouldn't promote their reasoning, would it? They focus on negatives only and blame City Council. They also never mention any new businesses that are moving in.

They claim the city's purchase of the AMC site was opposed by the citizens, but the council bought it anyway. Really?

That vacant theater site has been an eyesore for years, a blank pallet for graffitti taggers.

To then sell it for about $2 million more than the city paid for it seems like an excellent return on investment.. Or am I missing something?

They obviously have no clue of the excellent work that current manager Neal Beets has done or is doing.

Having had considerable connection with all the past city managers, I personally consider him at the top of the list. An elected mayor, who becomes the CEO of the city, would have a near impossible task to replace the strong support he's gained in the

community.

The A.C.T group missed an opportunity to offer their arguments in a reasonable presentation instead of with the caustic diatribe we witnessed from two misinformed people who disassociate themselves from A.C.T.

Accountability was absent from ACT's side of the debate.

Vote NO to this ill-conceived elected mayor issue February 19th!

Joann Piquette

Federal Way