City of Lakewood

City Manager's Weekly Info Bulletin 5/16/08

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Category: Weekly Info Bulletins

Published on Thursday, 15 May 2008 17:00

• Building Permit Valuation almost $36 million to date this year: Building permit valuation for projects including new construction, additions, and remodels for April 2008 totaled $6,061,223. For January through April, building permit valuation totaled $35,824,657. Of special note was the issuance of one of the Lakes High School building permits on May 5th at $34,219,362. Other large projects are currently in the plan review process, and it is anticipated that building permit valuation by the end of May will exceed $90 million.
• Qwest Rebates Complete: The adjustment for customer credits for the City's utility tax overpayment by Qwest Corporation was completed on April 18th. The rate billed for the recovery was returned to 6.00% for customer bills processed beginning April 19th, and corrected tariffs have been filed with the WUTC.
• American Lake Improvement Club: At the annual meeting of the American Lake Improvement Club on May 13th, the city manager presented an update on the City, and the parks director and police chief spoke on the status of American Lake Park, the boat launch, and proposed police coverage for the upcoming summer season. The City and ALIC members have worked cooperative over the last several years, and lake safety and police coverage have increased. About 45 residents were in attendance.
• Business License Revocation Notice: The City issued a business license revocation notice to a 230-unit apartment complex located in American Lake Gardens on May 15th, and the owners have 10 days to appeal. The revocation process was initiated as a result of abnormally high calls for police service, including prostitution/robbery, multiple firearm violations, multiple counts of domestic violence/aggravated assault, mental health issues, homicide, attempted suicide, shootings, and illegal narcotics sales. The City’s intent is to halt the violence and the victimization of good tenants by placing conditions on the operation of the apartment complex, and to ensure compliance with the tenant landlord laws. Positive steps have already been initiated and the respective parties appear to be cooperating. However, this process allows the City to initiate steps to close the apartment complex if necessary.
• Legal Department coordination with Puyallup: Representatives of the City Legal Department met with the Legal Department at the City of Puyallup to review and observe how their department is organized, the division of duties, and how they function on a day to day basis. The City of Puyallup will be moving into their new city hall in August 2008 and have invited our Legal Department back for another visit after their move. Members of the City of Puyallup Legal Department are planning a visit to Lakewood in the near future.
• Sound Transit presents to city managers: At the monthly meeting of the area city managers/administrators this week, Sound Transit staff presented the strategic plans and options for ST2 and the impacts to Pierce County cities. There will be open house sessions in June at locations in Tacoma and Sumner.
• Vision-setting workshop: Members of the City’s citizen advisory committees participated in three focus groups on May 14th to discuss their views of the City’s vision for the future. Two members of each committee took part in the exercise to provide input to the development of a City vision statement.
• Waughop Lake treatment: The experimental calcium hydroxide treatment of Waughop Lake to control algae growth proved to be unsuccessful as an algae bloom exists and the Tacoma-Pierce Co Health Department will be posting the lake accordingly. This project was funded by a DOE grant as an experimental lake treatment proposal.
  

City Manager's Weekly Info Bulletin 5/2/08

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Category: Weekly Info Bulletins

Published on Thursday, 01 May 2008 17:00

• "Safe Routes to School" Grant Application for Park Lodge: In partnership with Clover Park School District and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, the City submitted a Safe Routes to Schools grant application for Park Lodge Elementary School. The scope of the grant includes sidewalk and crosswalk improvements around the school, education programs to provide incentives to encourage students to walk/bike to school, and enforcement to provide additional targeted enforcement for speeding and failure to yield to pedestrians. Grant selection will take place later this year with funds becoming available in July 2009. Total grant requested is $321,000
• Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast: The City hosted a breakfast at CPTC this week to honor its many volunteers who assist in most departments and serve on our citizen advisory committees. The theme was "Essential Piece" of the community, and there were about 100 in attendance.
• State Attorney General visits City Hall: Attorney General Rob McKenna presented a workshop on the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) to a group of about 50 area citizen advisory committee and city councilmembers at Lakewood City Hall on April 30th, at the invitation of Mayor Doug Richardson. He also presented a session on Identity Theft, which offered free document shredding services for interested citizens.
• State Auditor visits City Hall: Auditor Brian Sonntag participated in a meeting with several city managers representing the State City Managers Association at Lakewood City Hall on April 30th, at the invitation of the Lakewood city manager, who is also the WCMA president. The discussion focused on communication about state auditing standards and the new initiative on performance audits.
• Parks Director Receives Award: Parks and Recreation Director Mary Dodsworth received the Professional Citation of Merit award at the Washington Recreation and Parks Association conference last week in Kennewick. This is the second highest award given as part of WRPA's recognition program.
• Fort Lewis: A Growth Installation forum: A workshop on the projected growth of Fort Lewis was sponsored by the Tacoma-Pierce County and Lakewood Chambers of Commerce on May 1st at the Clover Park Technical College student services center for about 200 attendees. Governor Gregoire was a keynote speaker, as was Patrick O'Brien, Director of the DoD Office of Economic Adjustment. The city manager was a speaker on the panel about transportation, and there were also panels on housing and education.
• Soldiers' Care Package Update: City staff delivered the first 50 care packages to the 4-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team's rear detachment, which is welcoming the brigade's advance party back to Fort Lewis on Saturday. Wal-Mart has generously agreed to pay $5,000 toward this effort and will present the check at the City Council meeting on May 5th. Additional resources (cash, materials/packages, and volunteers) are still needed. Call Melody at 983-7769.
• Police Officer - Hero: Officer Dustin Carrell stopped traffic on April 28th to help a mother duck and her ducklings safely across SR-512. Since then his heroics have been featured on Channel 4 news, CNN, and in the News Tribune and have prompted dozens of phone calls and emails from around the world, including Italy and France.
• Claudia Thomas Recognized: Councilmember Claudia Thomas was recognized by the Washington Association of School Administrators in Fife on April 25th. She was nominated by Supt Al Cohen of the Clover Park School District for her outstanding service to children and the youth education. She was also awarded a Certificate of Municipal Leadership in April from the Association of Washington Cities.
• Agency Assist at Mt Tahoma High School: Tacoma PD requested our assistance in securing the outer perimeter at Mt. Tahoma H.S. while the school was in lockdown. They arrested a 15-year old male for possession of a loaded .32 caliber revolver. Other involved subjects were detained, but none had a gun. Supposedly, the subject with the gun brought it for use at a fight that was to happen at a Lakewood business after school.
• Helping a Local Family in Need: CSO Dawn McGinnis of LPD and Mike Turner of Lakewood Fire took it on themselves to help out the family who was devastated by the fire on Addison two weeks ago. The father is a double amputee in a wheelchair. Dawn found them a new place to live with suitable wheelchair access. Mike sponsored a birthday party at Chuckie Cheese for the boy, who celebrated his 7th birthday about a week after the fire. Animal Control Officer Correne Buck found the family a small dog that would be suitable for their new home.

City Manager's Weekly Info Bulletin 5/8/08

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Category: Weekly Info Bulletins

Published on Thursday, 08 May 2008 17:00

• Code Enforcement Case Update: Community Development ended 2007 with a backlog of 213 code enforcement cases, which remained active. As of May 8th, 204 of the property owners with violations have been contacted -- either by correction notice, citation or through the abatement process, and 53% of the violations have been corrected and the cases closed. The remaining case work is varied, with open violations including illegal dumping and garbage, junk vehicles, overgrown vegetation, illegal businesses in residential zoning districts, unsecured properties, and problems with recreational vehicles and mobile homes.
• Public Records Forum in Lakewood: The Association of Washington Cities (AWC) and the Washington Municipal Clerks Association are co-sponsoring a half-day forum on public records, specifically electronic records management at CPTC in Lakewood on June 25th from 9:00 am – Noon. This event is an opportunity to learn the "ins and outs" of state law regarding electronic records, and to hear from the Washington State Archives office about the new rules for using the Digital Archives services. The discussion panel will include the WA State Archivist; t Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC); and a representative of Foster Pepper PLLC law firm. The event is free to local government records management, clerks, and information services employees interested in electronic records management.
• Clean-Up and Paint Over Graffiti Event: On Saturday, May 3rd, about 15 volunteers showed up (despite the drizzle) for Lakewood's participation in the county-wide Safe Streets Paint Over Graffiti event. CSOs Dawn McGinnis and Melissa Wagner helped organize Lakewood’s event, which coincided with the Safe Streets event. The group spent about 3 hours painting several areas of graffiti on the back of the old Paldo World and the back of the 7-11 on South Tacoma Way, as well as the backside of several businesses along Lakeview. Much of the clean-up on the Sound Transit property in the Lakeview area has already been completed.
• Domestic Violence Statistics for April 2008: A total of 23 domestic violence protection order petitions were submitted in April through the 3rd floor kiosk, and the City Attorney’s office filed 71 misdemeanor domestic violence cases.
• Meeting with Sheriff about Jail: The police chief, court administrator, and city manager met with Sheriff Paul Pastor and Corrections Chief Rob Masko this week in City Hall to discuss booking policies and jail space availability for Lakewood. Mayor Doug Richardson and County Councilmember Dick Muri participated in the discussion about alternatives to incarceration and the City’s use of the Wapato Jail in Yakima County as a lower cost option.
• Math/Science Career Day: Police Officers Russell and Novasky represented LPD on May 6th in the Math/Science Career Day hosted by CPTC. The officers gave a presentation to four groups of middle school students showing how math and science are important to the field of law enforcement and traffic investigations.
• Fort Lewis Safety Day: Lakewood Police Motorcycle Officers will be participating in the Fort Lewis Safety Day on May 9th for the second consecutive year. The officers are available to answer questions related to traffic and motorcycle safety, as well as give demonstrations of proper riding techniques in slow speed patterns.
• Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Emphasis: Lakewood Police will host the Pierce County Commercial Vehicle Task Force for the monthly enforcement emphasis on May 15th. This emphasis will take place along 95th St SW in the Lakewood Industrial Park. The emphasis focuses on commercial vehicle inspections to ensure the trucks comply with all equipment requirements and are safe to operate. The property management company supports this emphasis and has given permission to use 95th St SW for the checkpoint.
• City Attorneys Spring Conference: The city attorney and two associate attorneys attended the 2008 Annual Spring Conference of the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys (WSAMA). City attorney Heidi Wachter currently serves on the WSAMA Board as the First Vice-President, and she was named a recipient of the Outstanding Service Award to be presented at the WSAMA Fall Conference.

City Manager's Weekly Info Bulletin 4/25/08

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Category: Weekly Info Bulletins

Published on Thursday, 24 April 2008 17:00

• Lakewood to host Secretary of the Army and Covenant Signing: The City of Lakewood will welcome senior Army leaders, State and local government officials, civic and business leaders, educators, and others throughout the Puget Sound region next Friday, May 2nd, to sign the Army Community Covenant. The event will be at 2 p.m. at Lakewood's Sharon M. McGavick Student Center at Clover Park Technical College (CPTC). Secretary of the Army Pete Geren will attend the Fort Lewis-area community ceremony at CPTC - just the second Community Covenant event in the nation. Secretary Geren kicked-off this nationwide effort April 17 at the first Community Covenant signing ceremony in Columbus, GA, with members of the Fort Benning community. The event will be held as a commitment of support to the Soldiers and Families of our active Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve. Coordinating the May 2nd event has been a collaborative effort between Lakewood Mayor Doug Richardson, Steilacoom Mayor Ron Lucas and Mr. Jack Creighton, Washington State Civilian Aide to the Secretary Army and other community members.
• Volunteers make Parks Appreciation Day a success: About 400 volunteers participated in Parks Appreciation Day activities during the week of April 14-19, including 300 people who came out to four park sites on a snowy, windy, freezing cold Saturday morning last weekend. In one day, over 1,200 man-hours of labor were spent preparing Lakewood's parks for the spring/summer season. The annual county-wide Park Appreciation Day event offers residents an opportunity to take real ownership in their favorite park facilities. The dedication and commitment of local volunteers to Lakewood's parks is appreciated. Projects were completed at Fort Steilacoom Park, Harry Todd Park, Springbrook Park and the City's newly restored blueberry fields. Accomplishment of the day included: filling four (4) 30 yard dumpsters with scotch broom; filling one (1) 30 yard dumpster with old fencing materials; spreading 30 yards of bark; spreading 30 yards of engineered wood chips in playground; spreading 20 yards of mulch in flower beds; spreading 20 yards of gravel for a new sidewalk; laying 500 feet of form board for a new sidewalk; removing 1000 feet of old fencing; spreading 60 yards of wood chips in the blueberry fields; planting 1200 annuals; planting 20 shrubs; planting one (1) kwanza cherry tree; planting one (1) red maple tree and weeding 1000 feet of flowerbeds.
• CABC Training Workshop: About 30 members of the City's citizen advisory boards and committees attended a training workshop on April 22nd. The session included presentations on open government and parliamentary procedures, and general discussion about committee process and member effectiveness. The feedback from participants' evaluations was very positive.

• Medical Aid Call: Police responded to a residence to assist with a medical aid call where parents had called 911 for their 4 month old baby who was found not breathing and unresponsive. Responders scooped and ran with the baby to MAMC where CPR was continued for over 2 hours before a very weak heart beat was regained but the baby was still not breathing. The baby was then transported to Mary Bridge with the probability of brain damage and/or damage to major organs. Investigation pending.
• Fatal Traffic Accident: In the afternoon of April 20th a collision occurred between a red Ferrari and a Transpro bus shuttle. Initial indication is the Ferrari possibly lost control on Gravelly Lake Dr between Lake Steilacoom and Tower Road, crossed center line, and was struck by the bus. Male driver and female passenger in the Ferrari died at the scene. The bus driver and both passengers were transported with non-life threatening injuries. 
• Domestic violence assault: A female reported she just stabbed her boyfriend who was still in their apartment next door. When units arrived she was waiting in front of the residence. She was detained and the male subject was contacted inside the residence. He was stabbed one time in the head but was alert and talking. She is claiming self defense after being assaulted by her boyfriend. The argument became physical and she grabbed a knife. After he was released from the hospital he was arrested and booked for assault 2 and assault of a child.
• Apartment Fire Addison Street: An officer responding to 108th and Bridgeport for an unrelated call observed flames coming from 109th and Addison. He observed an apartment unit that was fully engulfed. The occupants all got out. The husband is a double amputee and was lying on the ground in front of the residence. The officer picked him up, got him into his wheel chair and away from the fire. The resident suffered a large burn to the back of his neck. Officers kicked in some doors around the fire but the units were empty. The occupants stated they were sleeping and were awakened by their two dogs that were barking. They smelled smoke, could hear glass breaking and evacuated. The unit that caught on fire is a total loss. Two other units also suffered fire damage. Preliminary investigation indicates that something may have been left on the stove.
• Homicide: Early in the morning of April 25th, an apparently gang-related homicide occurred in the Lakeview neighborhood, off of 108th St SW. this morning at 3am. In appears someone brought a knife to a gunfight; one shot was fired. Suspect was caught by police with a gun in his hand attempting to flee the area.