TACOMA, Wash. – Community members are invited to take a survey now through August 31 to provide feedback on the City of Tacoma’s Neighborhood Council program.
With an ongoing focus on fostering deeper levels of community engagement, and supporting government transparency and accessibility, the City’s Neighborhood Council Standards and Guidelines are reviewed every five years along with possible amendments to Tacoma Municipal Code 1.45.
Tacoma currently has eight Neighborhood Councils, and one overarching Community Council, supporting Tacoma’s diverse communities and engaging with the City on neighborhood issues, concerns, and priorities identified by community members. More information on the City’s Neighborhood Council program, including a link to the survey and instructions on how to take the survey, is available at cityoftacoma.org/neighborhoodcouncils.
Community members with questions about the survey, or who would like to receive or provide information in an alternate format, can contact Keegan Buckley in the Neighborhood and Community Services Department at neighborhoodcouncils@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5634.
Here’s an interesting article in today’s Suburban Times about Tacoma neighborhood councils which could be replicated in Lakewood as an adjunct to both the city council and CPSD Board.
It takes the individual, individuals and organizations, via neighborhood councils and/or parent teacher associations, supported by elected “champions” to wield political power and effect needed change. Without it you are at the mercy of elected officials who may, or may not feel the pulse of the community…until election season.
Lakewood has its citizen advisory boards but these are oriented towards specific government functions: transportation, development, public safety, etc. This is commendable but internal to city government functions. What’s missing is the external organization, outside government, that gives voice to community geographical needs. To my knowledge Tillicum’s neighborhood association is the only active neighborhood “council” in Lakewood. There are several other geographical areas within Lakewood that deserve such representation.
Unfortunately CPSD has very few such organizations and even less interest in them. A public records request to CPSD on PTA contact information yielded only 5 PTAs among over 20 schools (several of which were defunct) and a lack of interest in same because “they are private organizations”.
This needs to change and neighborhood councils are a step in the right direction. Such neighborhood council formation and support will have a systemic impact upon governmental bodies. The only problem for elected officials is once such councils are established elected officials will have to listen to them!
John Arbeeny
Lakewood CARES