The city council career of Mike Park has become the closest thing to a political dynasty as ever existed in Federal Way's short history.

In a unanimous vote last Tuesday from the seven-member council, Park set a new first for the city with his second appointment to the municipal government's top position. Since incorporation in 1990, only Park has sought and successfully won reelection as Federal Way's mayor.

Four years removed from his first term as mayor, Park saw the opportunity to reclaim his old job.

Instead of campaigning, Park said, council members interested in running for mayor test the political waters before diving headfirst into the race.

"A council member will show interested in being elected mayor," said Park, "and find out what kind of support they have within the council."

Once that council member finds a favorable climate for a run at the position, Park said, "They work to build council consensus around a nomination."

This strategy has helped the city council award unanimous votes for Federal Way's mayor in every election but 1995, when Skip Priest became mayor after a majority vote, 5-2.

Park served as Federal Way's mayor in 2000 and 2001, its deputy mayor in 1998 and 1999, and now holds the position until the end of 2007.

According to city ordinance, Federal Way's local government operates on what Park called a weak mayor system. The mayor presides over council meetings and serves as the city's spokesperson, as well as other diplomatic duties.

The council selects mayor and deputy mayor from within its ranks, and each position serves a term of two years.

During the swearing in ceremony last Tuesday, three council members-Jeanne Burbidge, Linda Kochmar and Eric Faison-began their four-year terms. The new council also unanimously selected Jim Ferrell as Federal Way's deputy mayor.

"As a mayor, I believe I serve as a consensus builder," said Park, Federal Way's new figurehead, in an interview from City Hall last week. "I'll try to weigh council and staff concerns and maintain balances."

Park took the reins of his new job the second City Clerk Laura Hathaway switched his placard with outgoing mayor Dean McColgan's during last week's council meeting.

"Federal Way is facing a lot of challenges in the future," said Park as he outlined the goals he hopes to accomplish in the next two years. "We should be working towards deepening our cityhood."

Like most members of the council, Park believes that maturity stems from the development of a robust economy. He puts a high priority status on economic development, particularly around Federal Way's city center.

With the help of the Leland Group, an economic development consulting firm, the city will begin a new era of downtown development and refurbishing, sparked by a $5 million development incentive package imposed late last year by the council. Park said the council will begin working with developers to bring mixed-use and multi-level buildings to the city center.

"We're looking to forward to partnering with the private sector to bring these types of facilities to downtown," Park said.

Additionally, Park said the council will tackle the task of appointing a new city manager that will help Federal Way realize those economic aspirations.

But the 2007-2008 biennium budget-implemented next fall-stands as the biggest near-term obstacle to test newly elected Mayor Park and his council.

"We are expecting some financial gap in revenue and expenses," admitted Park. "It's probably the biggest challenge we're facing."

Park said as mayor, he and the council will also deal with what he called "annexation issues" of the 21,000 or more residents living east of I-5 in unincorporated King County.

"We plan on examining this region as a potential annexation area," Park said.

When looking back on his first term, Mayor Park said he plans to limit his role as a legislation initiator the second time around.

"By pushing my own initiatives," Park said, "I'm not doing what I can to build a consensus (within the council)."

The mayor said his position as mediator puts him at a political disadvantage in his role as a council member, but said he accepted those limitations as part of his new job.

"My goal is to be a bridge builder between the council, staff and the community," Park said, "that will work towards the betterment of the city government."

"I believe the citizens of Federal Way are proud of our council," Park said. "We may not always agree on every issue, but we are a hard working group."

As mayor, Park added, "I'd like to maintain those balances." Federal Way, he said, maintains an efficient and stable municipal government by sparing itself the controversy and feuding that plagues the councils of neighboring cities.

Park, a South Korean-born American citizen and Federal Way resident for 27 years, said his heritage gives him a particularly keen insight into the needs of the city's large Korean community. However, as mayor, he said, Park plans to do no specific lobbying for one interest group over another.

"My goal is to represent the entire citizenry of Federal Way," Park said, "not specifically for the Korean community, or the Latino, or the Ukrainian."

In 1992, Park-not then involved in city government-helped initiate the first quarterly meeting between the city and Korean American interest groups. He later served as chair of the board for the Korean Association.

"But being a native born Korean American," Park added, "I'm very familiar with their issues."