Retaining Bill Gates as our commissioner for South King Fire & Rescue is the right choice. Bill has served our fire department for the last six years with outstanding leadership and we need him to continue.

Commissioner Gates brings sound business and finance skills that have guided our fire department to become the largest and most cost effective in our state. Under his leadership our fire district has obtained the best fire protection rating in the state. Only Seattle, Bellevue and Spokane received the same rating.

Commissioner Gates has a remarkable history of service to Federal Way over the last 30 years. He has served as board president for the Boys & Girls Club, the King County Library Board, president of the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce and board president of our local community theater. Bill was active in bringing us the local hospital, the aquatics center and helped create Hylebos State Park.

My recommendation to retain Bill comes from experience, not just friendship. I was a Federal Way Fire Commissioner from 1987 to 1997 and know what it takes to be effective in representing the interests of the people of Federal Way. I have served in many community organizations in Federal Way and know of no better person to represent us as Fire Commissioner for another six years.

Too often the people we elect serve their own interests and not ours. This is not so with Commissioner Gates.

Jack Stanford

Federal Way

President,

Stanford Insurance