Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Vol 1, No. 3
Disclaimer: these are statements, opinions, and assorted ramblings from
a member of the Lakewood City Council who speaks only for himself, and
in no way, shape, or form for the city or the council. The purpose of
this newsletter is solely to provide unofficial information from one
perspective. For the official city viewpoint and information, visit
http://www.ci.lakewood.wa.us/
PUBLIC TO HAVE A SAY ON POLICE STATION
TRAFFIC PROJECTS
CLOVER PARK CONGRATULATIONS
WALK INTO HISTORY – SITTING DOWN
GOOD NEWS
PUBLIC TO HAVE A SAY ON POLICE STATION
The Lakewood City Council agreed Monday night to let you vote on whether the city should issue bonds to build a
police station.
Way back when, when the city decided to start a police department, many
people had hoped the police could stay inside the current substation.
After all, we have been paying taxes to Pierce County and presumably
have some share of that building. But the building belongs to Pierce
County government, which is asking too much for a building that would need
enlarging and a lot of work. The present building is about 12,000 square
feet; the police need about 31,000 square feet for headquarters and
such things as an area to keep track of evidence as required by the
courts.
For the next two years, Pierce County government will generously rent
the space to its taxpayers in Lakewood; and the city will also use space
in the Lakewood Industrial Park and City Hall. But then the substation
lease expires, and the Lakewood Police Department will need a new home
in January 2007.
A committee of several volunteers looked at a number of possible
locations that are or could be on the market. The volunteers rated several
choices. Their favorites: 10720 Pacific Highway, at the corner of 108th
and Pacific Highway; 4400 100th Street (in the Industrial Park); and
8920 Gravelly Lake Drive (near the intersection with Steilacoom Boulevard
and Lakewood Drive). No final decision has been made, and a lot will
depend on what happens during negotiations. Your comments are always
welcome.
The best guess so far is that the land and station will cost $10.8
million. It would not surprise me if many volunteers arrive to work with
the committee on cutting costs – but that will only go so far. We'll need
a police station. Thus, we'll ask voters to consider a $7 million bond
to help pay for the station; the rest of the cost is expected to come
from other sources that I'll write about next time.
The annual cost of the bond to property owners will depend on the
interest rate at the time we go to market, the term of the bond (20
years) and your own assessed value. The owner of a home assessed at
$150,000 would pay $24 to $25 a year for 20 years to cover repayment of
the bond based on current interest rates.
There is no getting around the fact that this would increase the tax
rate, and few of us like that very much. But even if we had kept the
county on as our police provider, we would have had to buy more space. That
would have eventually cost you as well. The city is saving money in the
long run by cutting overhead and starting its own department. But the
bond request is probably the least-fun part of that process.
August 2006: It's funny to read this posting when you consider what happened afterward. The bond issue lost, and the former city management found a way to pay for a new station without any effect to the city budget. Those of us who thought the bond was at least a reasonable idea felt horrible about the whole thing. It's a good example of why it is wise to recognize that a large group of voters, as a whole, know more than just a few people.
Meantime – what questions can I or someone else answer about the police
station proposal? Hit ‘reply,’ and ask me what comes to mind. I’ll try
to track down as many answers as I can, and you’ll also be helping us
figure out what information we can provide to voters. Once you read the
News Tribune story or the article in Connections and have further
questions, let me know if you have additional questions.
TRAFFIC
A long time ago, back when my summer seemed so reasonable, I promised
you a list of traffic projects that is part of the city’s long-range
plans. Here it is. Now, I’ve been reading lists like these for years as a
hack newspaper writer. Unless you have had that experience, you will
not understand the timing built inside these lists. So let me explain. If
you see a project is slated for construction in the next couple years,
chances are it is a pretty solid deal. If you see a project slated for
construction several years away, that means that the funding plan is
guesswork. The project is on the list, but construction is no sure thing.
Now, don’t get too excited either way. These plans change. This is just
a roadmap of where the city plans to go with road construction
(roadmap. Get it? Alright, never mind) I, for one, told the council that I
won’t approve the plan without streetlights for the Ponders area. The
arson at Café 99 is a final straw. That area needs to be lit up like Santa
when too many people leave him eggnog. Your suggestions, preferably
without any references to eggnog, are most welcome. You can send me a note
by hitting ‘reply,’ or fire off an e-mail to the entire council by the
city link above.
New construction on arterial streets
Right turn lane from Gravelly Lake Drive to Interstate 5, from Nyanza
Road to I-5. Widening bridge, new signs. 2006-2010.
Reconstruction of Gravelly Lake Drive and Steilacoom Boulevard and
Lakewood Drive intersection, 2005.
Lakewood Drive right turn lane to South 74th Street, 2005.
Widen Custer Road to provide left turn lane at Custer and John Dower
Road, 2007-2010.
Widen Bridgeport Way from Flannegan Road to 700 feet to the south to
provide standard lane widths, 2005.
New construction: sidewalk projects. Includes, curbs, gutters, and
sidewalks.
Pacific Highway from Bridgeport to the railroad bridge. Both sides of
the road, to include bike lanes and streetlights, 2005-2006
Pacific Highway from the railroad trestle to 108th Street SW,
2005-2006.
Bridgeport Way, Steilacoom Boulevard to 59th. East side only, to
include street trees. 2005.
Steilacoom Boulevard, Custer to 88th Street. North side. 2007-2010.
Lakewood Drive, Steilacoom Boulevard to 1,200 feet north, West side.
2005.
Sentinel Street, from Steilacoom Boulevard to near Steilacoom High
School. 2005.
87th Ave. SW, from Steilacoom Boulevard to Fort Steilacoom’s golf
course. 2005.
Northeast corner of Steilacoom Boulevard and Lakewood Drive, 2005.
Bridgeport Way, 59th Avenue SW to city limits (a joint project with
University Place that would extend on their end to Cirque Drive),
2005-2006.
Steilacoom Boulevard, Bridgeport Way to Fairlawn, south side.
2006-2007.
100th Street SW, Gravelly Lake Drive to 59th Avenue, 2006-2010.
Lakewood Drive, from the south side of Lakewood Community Center to
Steilacoom Boulevard, 2005.
Lakewood Drive, east side, from the north side of YMCA to Steilacoom
Boulevard, 2005.
Bridgeport Way, 59th Ave SW to Steilacoom Boulevard. 2006.
Bridgeport Way, Steilacoom Boulevard to 83rd. 2006-2007.
Bridgeport Way, 83rd to Custer Road. 2007-2010.
Gravelly Lake Drive, 100th Street to Bridgeport Way, includes
additional streetlight s from Wildaire to 100th. 2006-2010.
Steilacoom Boulevard, South side Lakewood Drive to 615 feet east, 2005.
Bridgeport Way, Custer to Meadow Park Road, 2008-2010.
Bridgeport Way, Meadow Park Road to North city limits, 2008-2010
Traffic signals
Motor Avenue and Whitman Street, 2007.
Washington Boulevard and Interlaaken Drive, 2006.
Street lighting
Steilacoom Boulevard, Farwest Drive to 87th Ave SW, 2005.
Resurfacing
Bridgeport Way to Burlington Northern RR bridge, 2005.
Pacific Highway, Bridge to 108th St SW, 2005.
Gravelly Lake Drive, Nyanza Road to Bridgeport, 2006.
Pacific Highway, 108th Street to 512, 2006.
If something on this list looks strange or incomplete, you might be a
victim of the infamous Neary typing skills. Feel free to look up the
original document at
http://www.cityoflakewood.us/Departments/Public%20Works/6yearTransportation.pdf
There is a lot more detail there.
CONGRATULATIONS TO CLOVER PARK
Clover Park School Board member Connie Coleman-Lacadie told the council
on Monday that the Clover Park School District’s WASL scores have
continued their annual increase again this year: various scores rose from 15
to 27 percent among fourth- and seventh-graders. That’s fantastic.
Teachers and kids and parents and all the truly supportive folks in the
district should be congratulated. A lot of us beat up on the school system
pretty good last year over that whole bizarre ‘let’s maybe close
Idlewild’ thing; so let’s be fair and give them credit when we get such good
news. It’s not easy managing schools in this day and time: so
congratulations to everyone on better test scores, and presumably, education.
HISTORIC EVENT
The Lakewood Historical Society will have its 5th annual “Walk Into
History” on Tuesday, Aug. 17. The best thing about it is that you don’t
have to walk at all. You get to sit and eat dessert at the Tacoma Country
and Golf Club. The program will feature the past, present and future of
the one of the most historic entities in town. The event is 7 p.m. on
Aug. 17, and tickets are $25 each. If you’d like to join us, you can
send me an e-mail and I’ll send you a flyer. Or, if you want, send your
check to the Lakewood Historical Society, care of 23 Lakewood Oaks
Drive, Lakewood, 98499. Be sure to include everyone’s name and a phone
number for confirmation.
GOOD READING
Many of you know that another graduate of the Lakewood Journal, Steve
Dunkelberger, has gone on to a fine career at the Business Examiner. The
current issue has an informative special section about Lakewood. I call
it informative because even council members learned for the first time
about some of the plans for the Lakewood Town Center. I don’t think you
can read these stories online, so check out
http://www.businessexaminer.com/ for more information on how to get a
paper.
LATEST COLUMN
Odds are, your neighbor and maybe even you are wrong about something in
Lakewood. We pay a high price in our lives for crime. One price is
fear. The other price is accuracy. Check out
http://www.walterneary.net/columns/8.04.html
COMMERCIAL:
This newsletter is designed to provide quick information, but it is no
substitute for reading The News Tribune and the American Community
Journal. The Journal is a local monthly newspaper produced by the valiant
Ed Kane. If Lakewood will ever have a more frequent newspaper again, the
community needs to show support. So if you can spare $15, PLEASE
subscribe to Ed’s paper – our paper. You can send your subscription to
American Community Journal, 8521 Forest Ave SW, Lakewood, WA 98498. (Be sure
to include your phone number, if only in case Ed or a volunteer can’t
read your handwriting)
Forward this post
Disclaimer: these are statements, opinions, and assorted ramblings from
a member of the Lakewood City Council who speaks only for himself, and
in no way, shape, or form for the city or the council. The purpose of
this newsletter is solely to provide unofficial information from one
perspective. For the official city viewpoint and information, visit
http://www.ci.lakewood.wa.us/
PUBLIC TO HAVE A SAY ON POLICE STATION
TRAFFIC PROJECTS
CLOVER PARK CONGRATULATIONS
WALK INTO HISTORY – SITTING DOWN
GOOD NEWS
PUBLIC TO HAVE A SAY ON POLICE STATION
The Lakewood City Council agreed Monday night to let you vote on whether the city should issue bonds to build a
police station.
Way back when, when the city decided to start a police department, many
people had hoped the police could stay inside the current substation.
After all, we have been paying taxes to Pierce County and presumably
have some share of that building. But the building belongs to Pierce
County government, which is asking too much for a building that would need
enlarging and a lot of work. The present building is about 12,000 square
feet; the police need about 31,000 square feet for headquarters and
such things as an area to keep track of evidence as required by the
courts.
For the next two years, Pierce County government will generously rent
the space to its taxpayers in Lakewood; and the city will also use space
in the Lakewood Industrial Park and City Hall. But then the substation
lease expires, and the Lakewood Police Department will need a new home
in January 2007.
A committee of several volunteers looked at a number of possible
locations that are or could be on the market. The volunteers rated several
choices. Their favorites: 10720 Pacific Highway, at the corner of 108th
and Pacific Highway; 4400 100th Street (in the Industrial Park); and
8920 Gravelly Lake Drive (near the intersection with Steilacoom Boulevard
and Lakewood Drive). No final decision has been made, and a lot will
depend on what happens during negotiations. Your comments are always
welcome.
The best guess so far is that the land and station will cost $10.8
million. It would not surprise me if many volunteers arrive to work with
the committee on cutting costs – but that will only go so far. We'll need
a police station. Thus, we'll ask voters to consider a $7 million bond
to help pay for the station; the rest of the cost is expected to come
from other sources that I'll write about next time.
The annual cost of the bond to property owners will depend on the
interest rate at the time we go to market, the term of the bond (20
years) and your own assessed value. The owner of a home assessed at
$150,000 would pay $24 to $25 a year for 20 years to cover repayment of
the bond based on current interest rates.
There is no getting around the fact that this would increase the tax
rate, and few of us like that very much. But even if we had kept the
county on as our police provider, we would have had to buy more space. That
would have eventually cost you as well. The city is saving money in the
long run by cutting overhead and starting its own department. But the
bond request is probably the least-fun part of that process.
August 2006: It's funny to read this posting when you consider what happened afterward. The bond issue lost, and the former city management found a way to pay for a new station without any effect to the city budget. Those of us who thought the bond was at least a reasonable idea felt horrible about the whole thing. It's a good example of why it is wise to recognize that a large group of voters, as a whole, know more than just a few people.
Meantime – what questions can I or someone else answer about the police
station proposal? Hit ‘reply,’ and ask me what comes to mind. I’ll try
to track down as many answers as I can, and you’ll also be helping us
figure out what information we can provide to voters. Once you read the
News Tribune story or the article in Connections and have further
questions, let me know if you have additional questions.
TRAFFIC
A long time ago, back when my summer seemed so reasonable, I promised
you a list of traffic projects that is part of the city’s long-range
plans. Here it is. Now, I’ve been reading lists like these for years as a
hack newspaper writer. Unless you have had that experience, you will
not understand the timing built inside these lists. So let me explain. If
you see a project is slated for construction in the next couple years,
chances are it is a pretty solid deal. If you see a project slated for
construction several years away, that means that the funding plan is
guesswork. The project is on the list, but construction is no sure thing.
Now, don’t get too excited either way. These plans change. This is just
a roadmap of where the city plans to go with road construction
(roadmap. Get it? Alright, never mind) I, for one, told the council that I
won’t approve the plan without streetlights for the Ponders area. The
arson at Café 99 is a final straw. That area needs to be lit up like Santa
when too many people leave him eggnog. Your suggestions, preferably
without any references to eggnog, are most welcome. You can send me a note
by hitting ‘reply,’ or fire off an e-mail to the entire council by the
city link above.
New construction on arterial streets
Right turn lane from Gravelly Lake Drive to Interstate 5, from Nyanza
Road to I-5. Widening bridge, new signs. 2006-2010.
Reconstruction of Gravelly Lake Drive and Steilacoom Boulevard and
Lakewood Drive intersection, 2005.
Lakewood Drive right turn lane to South 74th Street, 2005.
Widen Custer Road to provide left turn lane at Custer and John Dower
Road, 2007-2010.
Widen Bridgeport Way from Flannegan Road to 700 feet to the south to
provide standard lane widths, 2005.
New construction: sidewalk projects. Includes, curbs, gutters, and
sidewalks.
Pacific Highway from Bridgeport to the railroad bridge. Both sides of
the road, to include bike lanes and streetlights, 2005-2006
Pacific Highway from the railroad trestle to 108th Street SW,
2005-2006.
Bridgeport Way, Steilacoom Boulevard to 59th. East side only, to
include street trees. 2005.
Steilacoom Boulevard, Custer to 88th Street. North side. 2007-2010.
Lakewood Drive, Steilacoom Boulevard to 1,200 feet north, West side.
2005.
Sentinel Street, from Steilacoom Boulevard to near Steilacoom High
School. 2005.
87th Ave. SW, from Steilacoom Boulevard to Fort Steilacoom’s golf
course. 2005.
Northeast corner of Steilacoom Boulevard and Lakewood Drive, 2005.
Bridgeport Way, 59th Avenue SW to city limits (a joint project with
University Place that would extend on their end to Cirque Drive),
2005-2006.
Steilacoom Boulevard, Bridgeport Way to Fairlawn, south side.
2006-2007.
100th Street SW, Gravelly Lake Drive to 59th Avenue, 2006-2010.
Lakewood Drive, from the south side of Lakewood Community Center to
Steilacoom Boulevard, 2005.
Lakewood Drive, east side, from the north side of YMCA to Steilacoom
Boulevard, 2005.
Bridgeport Way, 59th Ave SW to Steilacoom Boulevard. 2006.
Bridgeport Way, Steilacoom Boulevard to 83rd. 2006-2007.
Bridgeport Way, 83rd to Custer Road. 2007-2010.
Gravelly Lake Drive, 100th Street to Bridgeport Way, includes
additional streetlight s from Wildaire to 100th. 2006-2010.
Steilacoom Boulevard, South side Lakewood Drive to 615 feet east, 2005.
Bridgeport Way, Custer to Meadow Park Road, 2008-2010.
Bridgeport Way, Meadow Park Road to North city limits, 2008-2010
Traffic signals
Motor Avenue and Whitman Street, 2007.
Washington Boulevard and Interlaaken Drive, 2006.
Street lighting
Steilacoom Boulevard, Farwest Drive to 87th Ave SW, 2005.
Resurfacing
Bridgeport Way to Burlington Northern RR bridge, 2005.
Pacific Highway, Bridge to 108th St SW, 2005.
Gravelly Lake Drive, Nyanza Road to Bridgeport, 2006.
Pacific Highway, 108th Street to 512, 2006.
If something on this list looks strange or incomplete, you might be a
victim of the infamous Neary typing skills. Feel free to look up the
original document at
http://www.cityoflakewood.us/Departments/Public%20Works/6yearTransportation.pdf
There is a lot more detail there.
CONGRATULATIONS TO CLOVER PARK
Clover Park School Board member Connie Coleman-Lacadie told the council
on Monday that the Clover Park School District’s WASL scores have
continued their annual increase again this year: various scores rose from 15
to 27 percent among fourth- and seventh-graders. That’s fantastic.
Teachers and kids and parents and all the truly supportive folks in the
district should be congratulated. A lot of us beat up on the school system
pretty good last year over that whole bizarre ‘let’s maybe close
Idlewild’ thing; so let’s be fair and give them credit when we get such good
news. It’s not easy managing schools in this day and time: so
congratulations to everyone on better test scores, and presumably, education.
HISTORIC EVENT
The Lakewood Historical Society will have its 5th annual “Walk Into
History” on Tuesday, Aug. 17. The best thing about it is that you don’t
have to walk at all. You get to sit and eat dessert at the Tacoma Country
and Golf Club. The program will feature the past, present and future of
the one of the most historic entities in town. The event is 7 p.m. on
Aug. 17, and tickets are $25 each. If you’d like to join us, you can
send me an e-mail and I’ll send you a flyer. Or, if you want, send your
check to the Lakewood Historical Society, care of 23 Lakewood Oaks
Drive, Lakewood, 98499. Be sure to include everyone’s name and a phone
number for confirmation.
GOOD READING
Many of you know that another graduate of the Lakewood Journal, Steve
Dunkelberger, has gone on to a fine career at the Business Examiner. The
current issue has an informative special section about Lakewood. I call
it informative because even council members learned for the first time
about some of the plans for the Lakewood Town Center. I don’t think you
can read these stories online, so check out
http://www.businessexaminer.com/ for more information on how to get a
paper.
LATEST COLUMN
Odds are, your neighbor and maybe even you are wrong about something in
Lakewood. We pay a high price in our lives for crime. One price is
fear. The other price is accuracy. Check out
http://www.walterneary.net/columns/8.04.html
COMMERCIAL:
This newsletter is designed to provide quick information, but it is no
substitute for reading The News Tribune and the American Community
Journal. The Journal is a local monthly newspaper produced by the valiant
Ed Kane. If Lakewood will ever have a more frequent newspaper again, the
community needs to show support. So if you can spare $15, PLEASE
subscribe to Ed’s paper – our paper. You can send your subscription to
American Community Journal, 8521 Forest Ave SW, Lakewood, WA 98498. (Be sure
to include your phone number, if only in case Ed or a volunteer can’t
read your handwriting)
