Weekly Info Bulletins

City Managers Weekly Info Bulletin 5/22/09

Details: Category: Weekly Info Bulletins; Published on Friday, 22 May 2009 14:57

May 22, 2009
WEEKLY INFO BULLETIN
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Andrew Neiditz, City Manager

Lakewood Memorial Day Event: Lakewood citizens are invited to participate in the official Pierce County Veterans Advisory Council Memorial Day Service on Monday, May 25th at 2 PM in Mountain View's New Veterans Memorial Section. The Brass Quintet of the First Corps Army Band at Fort Lewis will highlight the ceremonies along with Master of Ceremonies, Dennis Jones, and this year's keynote speaker (TBD). For your convenience, plenty of free parking and seating will be available.
Tillicum/Woodbrook Sewer Ground Breaking: On Thursday, May 28th at 10 am, the City of Lakewood will conduct a ground breaking ceremony in Tillicum in the vacant lot behind "Kings Barbershop" on Maple St. SW (just west of Union Ave). Attendees are invited to park at the Tillicum Baptist Church near the corner of Washington Ave and Maple St, about a block away. Refreshments will be provided.
Sex Offender Policy Board (SOPB) update: The city manager, who is a member of the SOPB, attended the "Sex Offenders in the Community" subcommittee meeting at the Attorney General's office in Seattle on May 21st, at which the issues of housing and public education were addressed. The subcommittee will conduct a meeting in Lakewood City Hall in August to include officials from other cities with concerns about policy in this area.
Pierce County Gang Symposium: The Pierce County Gang Symposium will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2009, from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., at Pacific Lutheran University. The keynote speaker will be National Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske. Registration opens on April 27, 2009. Registration fee is $55. To register and view workshops www.safest.org or call (253) 272-6824.
EDB of Tacoma/Pierce County hears from new Commission director: A presentation by Egils Milbergs, the executive director of the Washington State Economic Development Commission, was on the agenda of the May 22nd meeting of the Economic Development Board in Tacoma. The emphasis is on collaboration and innovation, especially entrepreneurialism, to weather the storm during this recession. Lakewood is a contributing participant in the EDB, and the city manager is an EDB boardmember.
New Traffic Signal: The new signal at Motor Ave and Whitman Ave is scheduled to become operational on May 28th.
City participates in School District facilities planning: This past week the Clover Park School District (CPSD) Facilities Advisory Committee met and forwarded its recommendations to the School Superintendent. Assistant City Manager/Community Development Director Dave Bugher is a member of this committee. The recommendations will be submitted to the CPSD school board and the CPTC Board of Trustees at a joint meeting.
Lakewood Senior Center hosts Mother's Day Tea: The Lakewood Senior Activity Center held its annual Mother's Day Tea on May 7th, with 70 ladies celebrating in their garden party finery. There were beautiful table decorations including hat boxes with photos of the different decades and tiny origami shoes and purses hand-made by the committee members who showed off their talents. The theme of this year's Tea was "Fashion through the Ages". Many participants were dressed in their favorite era, we were treated to Madonna, a member of the Partridge Family, and some 60s and 70s outfits, as well as outstanding examples of the Flapper era through the 40's by our Members.
Kid's Fishing Event: 500 kids participated in the Kid's Fishing Event on Saturday, May 16th under sunny skies. The first fishing session began at 9:00am and the event concluded at 3:00pm. The children received a t-shirt, rod & reel, and they kept two fish that they caught all for only $5. The event is sponsored by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Cast for Kids, Clover Park Kiwanis, Trout Unlimited, Puget Sound Anglers, Boeing Fish Club, Pierce County Parks, and Lakewood Parks & Recreation. Many of the participants were present for the dedication of the boat launch and commented on the seaplanes and the unique car/boats that were part of the ceremony.
Assistant City Manager speaks at Lakewood Area Shelter Association Board of Directors Meeting: Assistant City Manager/Community Development Director Dave Bugher spoke to the Lakewood Area Shelter Association Board of Directors this past week. Mr. Bugher provided information on City housing and homeless policies. He also reviewed the City's Community Development Block Grant program, general fund human services, and the status of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
Tillicum/Woodbrook Sewer Extension Open House: On May 20th, Public Works held open house meeting on the Woodbrook/Tillicum Sewer project at the Woodbrook Middle School for the purpose of answering questions the community may have on the pending construction work. About 20 residents attended.
Space still available in Lakewood 101: A reminder that the City will conduct Lakewood 101 at the new police station (9401 Lakewood Drive SW) starting at 5:30pm on Wednesday, June 3rd. This year's focus will be on public safety and economic development. Previous "Lakewood University" students are welcome to attend and participate in the new curriculum. Doors will open at 5pm with refreshments. RSVPS are requested at 589-2489 or citymanager@cityoflakewood.us.
Memorial Day Reminder: City hall will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2009 in observation of Memorial Day. The City Council will meet on Tuesday, May 26th at 7pm in the Council Chambers.

City Managers Weekly Info Bulletin 5/15/09

Details: Category: Weekly Info Bulletins; Published on Friday, 15 May 2009 14:25

May 15, 2009
WEEKLY INFO BULLETIN
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Andrew Neiditz, City Manager

Lakewood Memorial Day Event: Lakewood citizens are invited to participate in the official Pierce County Veterans Advisory Council Memorial Day Service on Monday, May 25th at 2 PM in Mountain View's New Veterans Memorial Section. We urge you to attend and be a part of this important observance in memory of those who have given their lives for our country. The Brass Quintet of the First Corps Army Band at Fort Lewis will highlight the ceremonies along with Master of Ceremonies, Dennis Jones, and this year's keynote speaker (TBD). For your convenience, plenty of free parking and seating will be available. Information is courtesy of www.mountainviewtacoma.com.
American Lake Park Boat Launch Opens this Weekend: This is a final reminder that the grand re-opening of the American Lake Park boat launch will be held tomorrow (Saturday, May 16th) at 10:30am. Launch fees remain at 2007 levels. An automated pay station will accept exact cash or credit card payment of $10.00 per single launch. At City Hall, you may purchase a season pass ($80.00 for Lakewood residents or $100 for non-residents) good for an unlimited number of launchings through the end of the year. American Lake Park is located at 9222 Veterans Drive SW. Come celebrate the culmination of a $1.2 million two-year renovation project. The launch will open to the public at Noon - following the dedication ceremony.
City involvement in Washington Economic Development Association: Economic Development Manager Ellie Chambers-Grady participated in the selection of Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell Governmental Affairs to serve as the new management firm for the Washington Economic Development Association (WEDA). Ms. Chambers-Grady will also begin serving a two-year term as President of WEDA beginning June 4th at the WEDA 2009 Spring Conference in Chelan, WA.
City Awarded Grant by U.S. Department of Justice: Lakewood was notified today that it was the recipient of a JAG Byrne Recovery grant to partially fund three police officers for a four-year period in addition to assorted equipment. The City is awaiting word from another federal grant (COPS CHRPS Recovery) that would ensure full coverage for the officers.
Woodbrook/Tillicum Sewer Project Outreach: On Wednesday, May 20th, the Public Works department will host an open house from 6:00-7:30 pm at Woodbrook Middle School. The community will have an opportunity to get their questions answered about the impending construction work. Eight hundred (800) notices for the meeting were sent to all property owners, businesses and tenants directly affected by the project. Additionally, in an effort to educate young people about the dangers associated with playing near or "hanging out" next to construction sites, staff will be making presentations at both the Woodbrook Middle School and Tillicum Elementary school.
Tillicum/Woodbrook Sewer Ground Breaking: This key milestone in the City's history is scheduled for Thursday, May 28th at 10 am in Tillicum near the corner of Union Avenue SW and Maple Street SW. Refreshments will be provided. More specific information such as suggested parking areas will be provided in next week's bullets.
Lakewood 101: A reminder that the City will conduct Lakewood 101 at the new police station (9401 Lakewood Drive SW) starting at 5:30pm on Wednesday, June 3rd. This year's focus will be on public safety and economic development. Previous "Lakewood University" students are welcome to attend and participate in the new curriculum. Doors will open at 5pm with refreshments. RSVPS are requested at 589-2489 or citymanager@cityoflakewood.us.
Memorial Day Reminder: City hall will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2009 in observation of Memorial Day. As such, that week's City Council meeting (Study Session) will be held on Tuesday, May 26th at 7pm in the Council Chambers.
Lakewood Police Officer Completes Marathon: Officer Michelle Hector ran in the Tacoma City Marathon and took 5th place overall for the females (total of 105), but 22nd overall for both genders (total of 271). Her total time was 3 hours, 22 minutes and 44 seconds. This is well within the qualifying time for the Boston marathon which for women is 3 hours and 40 minutes, and is no small feat.
Seatbelt Enforcement: In a show of regional law enforcement solidarity, every law enforcement agency participating in the Nighttime Seat Belt patrols, including Lakewood, will have officers on the roads on Thursday, May 21 - the official start date of the spring enforcement patrols. In Pierce County, law enforcement from the Bonney Lake, Fircrest, Lakewood, Milton, Puyallup, Sumner, and Tacoma Police Departments and the Washington State Patrol will be participating in the collaborative effort with the assistance of the Tacoma/Pierce County DUI/Traffic Safety Task Force. Statewide, approximately 70 law enforcement agencies are participating in the Nighttime Seat Belt patrols between May 21 and June 7.

City Managers Weekly Info Bulletin 5/1/09

Details: Category: Weekly Info Bulletins; Published on Friday, 01 May 2009 15:17

May 1, 2009
WEEKLY INFO BULLETIN
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Andrew Neiditz, City Manager

PROAC conducts stolen DVDs investigation: In September 2007, the Police Department's Proactive Property Crimes Unit (PROAC) started an investigation into a subject that was paying boosters to steal DVDs from area retailers so that she could resell them at the Starlite Swap Meet. The subject was eventually identified and located. Several boosters were arrested during the past year who confirmed they were stealing DVDs for this subject but would not cooperate further with the investigation. In March 2009, PROAC was able to identify a person that was willing to sell DVDs to the suspect, presenting them as stolen. The 150 plus DVDs needed for this operation were provided to us by Target Stores Investigation Division, who also assisted with video surveillance during the controlled exchanges. The PROAC unit secured a court order for body wires and audio surveillance was conducted as well. The suspect was recorded ordering DVDs, telling them what stores to avoid and reminding the boosters to not get caught. The investigation netted 3 search warrants, a residence, a vehicle and the swap meet location. The search warrants brought the recovery of over 1,500 DVDs still in the factory wrappers, and the suspect was arrested at the swap meet. This investigation revealed that the subject had cost area retailers between $800,000 to $1,200,000 in product loss and lost sales. The investigation is continuing into other subjects engaged in the same criminal activity based out of other retail locations in Lakewood. The arrested subject was charged with Organized Retail Theft, Possession of Stolen Property and Trafficking in Stolen Property. The Prosecutor's Office is also exploring the charge of Leading Organized Crime.
City Probation Officer honored: Jeanette Matthews was named Probation Officer of the Year by the WA State Misdemeanant Corrections Association.
Military base school facilities tour: The mayor and city manager joined representatives from Congressmen Norm Dicks and Adam Smith's offices, the Clover Park School District, and BCRA on a tour of military base schools on April 30th. The tour included visits to Hillside Elementary and Greenwood Elementary on Fort Lewis, as well as the proposed site of a new middle school on base. A comprehensive review of facilities needs for the growing military population will be a part of the OEA (Office of Economic Adjustment) grant from DoD, in which the City and the School District are participating.
National Urban League CEO presents "The State of Black America": On April 28, the city manager attended the Tacoma Urban League's annual business meeting in Tacoma at which former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, the CEO of the National Urban League, was the speaker. Dorothy Anderson, the local urban league president, discussed with the city manager that Lakewood is in the area served by the Tacoma Urban League, and she requested to meet with us in Lakewood to discuss opportunities.
Tillicum Neighborhood Plan: Following its introduction at last Monday's City Council meeting, the draft Tillicum Neighborhood Plan is now available for public review online at /news-and-events/524-tillicum-neighborhood-plan.html. The draft plan focuses on Tillicum's future in light of the development potential that new sewer service will bring to the community. It suggests a series of actions and general time frames intended to further improvements, both "on the ground" and to the overall quality of life, in the Tillicum neighborhood. The Planning Advisory Board will review the draft plan on May 6, and additional public meetings will be scheduled. Reference copies of the plan are available during regular business hours at the Tillicum and Lakewood Library reference desks and the second-floor lobby at City Hall. Individual copies may be obtained for the cost of reproduction.
Tillicum/Woodbrook Sewer Project Construction Management Team introduction to public: Public Works will be attending the Tillicum/Woodbrook Neighborhood Association meeting on Thursday, May 7 as the first of two such meetings geared towards introducing to the community the city's construction management team for the Tillicum/Woodbrook Sanitary Sewer project, giving them some insight as to how the construction work is to be carried out and to answer any questions they may have. The second meeting will be held later in the month and the department will be specifically inviting those property owners and tenants whose property fronts on the project.
Officers in "Tunnel of Hope" at Oakwood: Neighborhood police team members (two CSOs and three officers) participated in the "Tunnel of Hope" at Oakwood Elementary School on April 14th, in which they greeted the students as they arrived at school and encouraged them to do their best on the upcoming WASL test. The event was sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club Hope Center.
Officers at Southgate talk about bullying and gangs: Neighborhood police team officers went out to Southgate Elementary to present a power-point to a classroom of students on bullying and gangs. In addition to the presentation, pamphlets with crosswords and word finds as well as coloring books on how NOT to be a Bully were handed out to the students and teacher. The children were given information to take home to parents on the serious problem of bullying at school.

City Managers Weekly Info Bulletin 5/8/09

Details: Category: Weekly Info Bulletins; Published on Friday, 08 May 2009 16:51

May 8, 2009
WEEKLY INFO BULLETIN
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Andrew Neiditz, City Manager

Volunteer of the Year Award: The City hosted the annual recognition breakfast for volunteers this week at Clover Park Technical College which was attended by about 135 volunteers. The annual Bill Harrison Volunteer of the Year award was presented to the Springbrook Mobile Food Bank Volunteers for their work providing three days worth of food every Saturday to 125-150 households (totaling more than 500 people) in the Springbrook neighborhood. The other nominations included Lewis Harrey and Sharron Kanter.

Wachter elected president of WSAMA: Lakewood city attorney Heidi Wachter has been elected by her colleagues as president of the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys. Wachter has been Lakewood’s city attorney since 2002.

RAMP reviews transportation projects: The public works director and city manager attended this month’s meeting of the Regional Access Mobility Partnership (RAMP), and a number of transportation projects were reviewed. The recent session of the Legislature did provide funding several area projects including $8 million in Regional Mobility Grant Program funds for the Lakewood-Tacoma Commuter Rail project (D to M Street New Track and Signal). Lakewood also received $321,000 in funding for the Park Lodge Elementary School “Safe Routes to School” Project.

Lakewold Gardens 20th anniversary: This week’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of Lakewold as a gardens facility open to the public was held in the Wagner House, and included remarks by the son of Eulalie Wagner. The city manager attended the reception, and Lakewold is appreciative of the partnership between the historic estate and the City.

AWC Chief Executive Officer selection process: The city manager is a member of the 5-member selection committee reviewing applicants for the CEO position for the Association of Washington Cities (AWC). The position will replace recently-retired Stan Finkelstein. AWC represents all 281 Washington State cities and towns in relation to state and federal legislation, as well as training and development.

City Managers Weekly Info Bulletin 4/24/09

Details: Category: Weekly Info Bulletins; Published on Friday, 24 April 2009 15:19

April 24, 2009
WEEKLY INFO BULLETIN
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Andrew Neiditz, City Manager

"Lakewood 101": We are revamping the former Lakewood University program into a one-evening session, entitled "Lakewood 101"; it will be conducted by city staff on the evening of June 3rd at our new Police Station at 9401 Lakewood Drive SW. This year's theme is "Setting the Conditions for Prosperity" with a focus on economic development and public safety. Doors will open at 5pm with refreshments. Interested participants should RSVP by calling (253) 589-2489 or, preferably, emailing citymanager@cityoflakewood.us.
Towne Center owners coordination: The city manager and senior staff convened a meeting this week with owners of Towne Center properties to discuss updates on properties, needs, and new development potential. 15 participants representing 10 properties were in attendance, joined by the city manager, ass't city manager for development, economic development manager, and police chief. Issues of parking, signage, and coordinated marketing were discussed, as well as the need to review underlying covenants that may discourage new business development in the Towne Centre.
City Clerk on state association board: General Services Director/City Clerk Alice Bush was recently appointed to the position of Board Member of the Washington Municipal Clerks Association (WMCA) after serving as Past President of that Association this last year. WMCA is comprised of over 325 members performing the duties of municipal and county clerk.
Pierce County Auditor meets in Lakewood City Hall: Jan Shabro, the new county Auditor, met with the city manager on April 17th to discuss animal control mutual aid provisions, as well as support to the City in elections and recording.
DUI conviction in municipal court: Associate City Attorney Matt Kaser obtained a favorable verdict in a DUI jury trial on April 22nd. The defendant was observed by Officer Brian Wurts speeding and exhibiting signs of intoxication, and admitted consuming a pitcher of alcohol at a local bar. She was arrested and processed for DUI, supplying samples in excess of twice the legal limit. The jury took about 30 minutes to return a guilty verdict, and returned a special finding that she had a BAC of over .15% which resulted in an enhanced sentence and which will result in a 1 year license suspension.