City of Lakewood announcement.
The final meeting of the year began with public comment and approval of the consent agenda. Notable were the authorization for up to $12.2 million in bonds to be sold to finance capital improvement projects, and the approval of various capital improvements projects to be funded with Transportation Benefit District revenues.
The City Council approved the formation of a Tree Advisory Ad Hoc Committee. The committee will be tasked with the review and refinement of Lakewood Municipal Code rules for tree preservation. It will be comprised of up to 13 members representing diverse stakeholder perspectives on the issue of tree preservation. The council briefly debated on its composition to ensure balanced representation.
Long-Range Planning Manager Tiffany Speir reviewed proposed expenditures of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Through Jan. 15, 2022, the City is applications from third parties for qualifying uses of these funds to address the economic effects of the pandemic. The City has a budget of approximately $13.8 million in ARPA funds.
Approved expenditures included:
- Pre-eviction services (Tacomaprobono)
- Services to disproportionately impacted communities (Rebuilding Together South Sound)
- Services to disproportionately impacted communities (Boys & Girls Club)
- Services to disproportionately impacted communities (Rebuilding Together South Sound)
- Services to disproportionately impacted communities (YMCA)
- Technology to support court operations during COVID-19 (Lakewood Municipal Court)
- Improvement of Lakewood City Hall HVAC system to comply with new state legislation (City of Lakewood)
- Installation of handwashing stations at Lakewood parks without bathrooms (City of Lakewood)
- Study to reconfigure City Hall to free third floor for rent (City of Lakewood)
- Issuance of retention bonuses for police officers (Lakewood Police Department)
- Recovery of costs related to COVID-19 exposure protocols and procedures (City of Lakewood)
To conclude the meeting, individual council members reflected on the year’s achievements and the 25th anniversary of the City of Lakewood.
Happy Holidays.
Next Meetings:
- Jan. 3, 2022 (Regular Meeting)
I was just perusing the Suburban Times this morning and looked through the Lakewood City Council summary for its 20 December 2021 meeting.
Are there issues with the Lakewood City Council? Here’s just the tip of the ice berg.
Take a look at what’s going on with your/our money in a spending spree with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Much goes to upgrading city hall and other properties. Who’s getting rescued? Looks like spending intended to garner support and votes through local government “pork”.
How about Council meetings going virtual only right after the Board’s virtual only meeting on 13 December? Wonder where they got that idea from! A new trend to isolate the public from its government?
Transportation funds that were supposed to go to road maintenance instead going to spendy unrelated projects: you’re paying for it with a $20.00 surcharge to your car tags! We’re talking about $11,600,000 in new bonds to finance round-abouts, curbs, gutters and sidewalks and apparently not a penny for road maintenance which was the original intent of the “transportation benefit district” (TBD). Once you establish a “slush fund” for one alleged reason it becomes so easy to dip into it for something else.
Did you know about the CPSD ”Warriors of Change” event where 30 students were paid $500 each to attend a 6 week program last August that “….. highlighted student proposals for change in the community, which included addressing teen voice and choice by increasing access to programing, addressing lack of access to healthy food and youth’s relationships with law enforcement.” Have to wonder if there’s an after action report. I’d love to see the program outline; sounds like it might be EDI oriented. Using the innocence of children to push calculating adults’ agenda.
It is also instructive to review the Council’s minutes for the Clover Park School District Board’s reports to find out what the District is putting out for public and Council consumption. Nary a word about academic issues. This is another opportunity to get the word out about the real status of the District vs. “happy face” anecdotal accounts of isolated individual successes. Nothing about District academics, discipline or any other substantive issues affecting the District and City.
This proclamation has to take the cake! Separation of church and state? By the way………..Hindus and Muslims are still at each others’ throats. It’s the reason there are three separate countries on the subcontinent: India, Pakistan and Bangledesh.
CITY OF LAKEWOOD PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Lakewood City Council conveys best wishes toThe Supreme Pontiff of
Hinduism, Jagatguru Mahasannidhanam, Bhagavan Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam,recognized
as the 1008th living incarnation of Paramashiva as per Sanatana Hindu Dharma (“Hinduism”) and
by His predecessors of enlightened masters and adepts, coronated as the 1008th Acharya
Mahamandaleshwar (the head for all spiritual leaders) of Atal Akhada (ancient apex body of
Hinduism), and ordained as the 293rd Guru Mahasannidhanam (Pontiff) of Shyamalapeeta
Sarvajnapeetam; and
WHEREAS, Hinduism demonstrated as a living enlightened civilization, showing the
possibility of peaceful co-existence amongst people despite fundamental differences in their
preferences and realities, that global peace is achievable and sustainable– beginning with
individual peace and awakening of innate powerfulness and powerful cognitions; and
WHEREAS, The SPH stands as the unifying force for the 2 billion born and practicing Hindu
Diaspora worldwide and established the Hindu State, KAILASA to protect, revive and preserve
Hindus and Hinduism from persecution around the world in over 100 countries who have endured
untold, multi-level, social, political, intellectual, religious, cultural, linguistic, economic, legal, digital
– persecution; and
WHEREAS, The SPH founded KAILASA Uniting Nations, for the past 27 years, this
international body has been responsible in building relations, bridging dialogs, inspiring leaders,
uniting nations towards acknowledging the Hindu policies which are universal, life positive as
referenced from the ancient text of Hinduism; and
WHEREAS, the City of Lakewood congratulates KAILASA and The SPH for having enriched
and enreached more than one billion individuals over the past 27 years; and
WHEREAS, the City of Lakewood thanks The Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism, The Sovereign of
the Sovereign State of SHRIKAILASA and pays tribute and express its appreciation for the
contribution of KAILASA for its contributions to the enrichment and betterment of life for our
residents.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Lakewood City Council does hereby
proclaim January 3rd, 2022, Incarnation day of The SPH, as KAILASA’s SPH Nithyananda Day,
thereby honoring the 45th Celebration of the Revival of the Sovereign State of SHRIKAILASA,
the Ancient Enlightened Hindu Civilizational Nation, the First Nation of Hindus.
PROCLAIMED this 20th day of December, 2021.
_____________________________
Don Anderson, Mayor