The Federal Way City Council conducted interviews of candidates for the Youth Commission and Planning Commission during a special meeting on Oct. 7. Councilmembers questioned applicants about school activities, community service and postsecondary plans before indicating a preferred slate to be forwarded for formal appointment at the next regular meeting.

For the Youth Commission, councilmembers interviewed four students from local high schools and a running-start student at Highline College. The candidates and their stated backgrounds: Jaden Marzan, a junior at Decatur High School and ASB secretary who served an internship with Federal Way Public Schools information technology services; Justin Sin, a junior at Decatur High School and Community Relations officer in ASB who also leads CAPA activities and plays varsity tennis; Diana Favela, a Decatur senior, Key Club president and aspiring architectural designer who urged a school speed-limit zone near her campus; and Isabella "Bella" Nguyen, a Vietnamese American running-start student who tutors writing at Highline College and volunteers at a hospice.

Council discussion focused on how each candidate would contribute and on continuity: members considered seniors' limited tenure on the commission and discussed whether a running-start student who spends substantial time at college should serve as a voting member or alternate. By council consensus during the meeting, councilmembers signaled they would advance Diana Favela, Jaden Marzan and Isabella Nguyen as voting youth commissioners and name Justin Sin as an alternate; the council president said final appointment would occur at the next regular meeting.

For the Planning Commission interview, Malin Barnes, a recent Federal Way homebuyer and active U.S. Coast Guard information-technology specialist, described a long-standing interest in land use and said she would prefer the Planning Commission seat (she also noted interest in arts). John Fife, a local business owner whose company provides ground transportation for maritime crew and technicians, interviewed for an alternate role. Council discussion concluded with Malin Barnes to be placed on the Planning Commission and John Fife to be designated as an alternate; as with the youth appointments, the council indicated those placements will be formalized at the next regular meeting.

Councilmembers emphasized that interviews are advisory to the formal appointment process: the council president repeated that official appointments would be made at the council's next regular meeting and candidates would be notified.