Highlights from the weekly report (April 3) from City of Lakewood Manager, Andrew Neiditz to the Mayor and Council Members:
Legislative Update: The State’s legislative session is projected to end on April 26th, though that is subject to change. Between now and then, the Senate and House biennial budgets need to be reconciled. At this time, the House budget includes $462,000 for Western State Hospital community policing that would be provided by the City of Lakewood. The Senate budget includes $800,000 for Fort Steilacoom Park barns. The State of Washington owns Fort Steilacoom Park, though the City maintains and operates the park on its behalf.
Police and Fire present CERT course: CSO Gail Conelly assisted Lakewood Fire in presenting a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) course to the staff at the Child Study Treatment Center on March 26th. There were about 20 staff in attendance. She will also assist Lakewood Fire in presenting the CERT course to Lakewood residents from March 31st through April 9th, with approximately 26 residents currently registered. The course will enable the students to help other residents in their neighborhoods in the event of a disaster. This is the first scheduled session of CERT classes with more to follow.
Sewer Project Contract Bidders Site Tour: Public Works will hold a contractors meeting with the ALGs/Tillicum Sanitary Sewer project potential bidders on April 6th at 10:00 am at the Tillicum Community Center. The purpose of the meeting is for staff to provide a guided tour of the project area and answer any questions the contractors may have about the project. There are 26 general contractors presently on the plan holders list. We have reserved 3 busses for the tour. Bid opening on the project is April 14th.
Contractor to change camera signal heads: Redflex, the City’s vendor for the photo enforcement program, will have its contractor changing out the signal heads at the South Tacoma Way and SR512 intersection on Monday night, April 6th. They will have rolling lane closures starting at 7pm. The changing out of the signal heads from incandescent bulbs to LED bulbs will improve photo accuracy associated with the red light running photo enforcement operation at that intersection.
Sound Transit Opens Bids on Rail to Lakewood Project: Three contractors were pre qualified to bid the M St to Bridgeport Way rail reconstruction project. Sound Transit says the bids received looked good but they are still in the process of evaluating them. Construction on the project will hopefully commence in May.
City Employee Honored at “Champions for Youth” Breakfast: Desiree Winkler, Transportation Division Manager in the Public Works Department, was honored as one of the Lakewood community’s outstanding mentors of the year on March 25th for her dedicated work with a Woodbrook Middle School student
Rain Gardens to be installed in the City: As an element of the City’s storm water NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit, the City holds public educational seminars. Last year, the City held a series of three Natural Yard Care Seminars. Following this year’s seminar on the Rain Forest, the City was approached by a non profit group wanting to install rain gardens within the city. A rain garden is a shallow depression in a yard planted with a variety of flowers, shrubs and grasses that “don’t mind getting wet.” A rain garden acts like a native forest by collecting, absorbing, and filtering storm water runoff, while protecting the local waterways. These types of gardens are one of the most versatile and effective tools in a new approach in managing storm water called low impact development (LID). The installation of the rain gardens would be done by volunteers who would also do the maintenance. Their installation will satisfy some of the public outreach and education requirements associated with the City’s NPDES permit. The only commitment the City is to guarantee their upkeep for two years. The city offered two sites for the installation of a rain garden which are City Hall and in the landscaped island at the intersection of Dekoven/Meadow Road SW. It is anticipated the installation of the rain gardens will occur on May 8th and 9th.
DV Kiosk at City Hall: 70 temporary protection order petitions were submitted in the first quarter of 2009 from the third floor Domestic Violence (DV) kiosk.
Police Station Grand Opening: Citizens are reminded that the City will host a ribbon-cutting at the new Lakewood Police Station (9401 Lakewood Drive SW) on Wednesday, April 15th at noon. Refreshments and an open house, which will run until 4 pm will follow the ribbon-cutting.
Chief Farrar to speak at “Coffee with the Mayor”: On Friday, April 10th from 7:30-8:30 am, Police Chief Bret Farrar will update the community on the City’s gang unit. Refreshments are provided. Coffee with the Mayor is a monthly event conducted at the Saint Clare Hospital Resource Center at 4908 112th Street SW. The City is very appreciative for Saint Clare Hospital’s ongoing support for this popular communications program.Your browser may not support display of this image.