Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Reporting on the Action
It's a challenge to keep track of everything going on in Lakewood. One of the more helpful summaries around is the city's annual report. The 2006 report is now available as a PDF file.
The report is 24 pages, but it's worth a look - or at least keeping on hand - if you have a question about what's going on with different aspects of cityhood.
You'll learn, for example, that in 2006, the Community Development Department "processed over $87 million in new building permit valuation – the most construction activity since incorporation. It exceeds 2005 construction activity by 22 percent."
You'll learn the parks department "created several partnerships to offset program costs and generated revenue to offset youth programs, park reservations, athletic field use and special events. Received over $1.2 million in grants and donations to offset program development and operations."
You'll learn crime as a whole is down 13 percent; and property crime is down 17 percent. (Property crime was a big issue for me in my 2003 campaign, so that statistic is very gratifying).
That said, gangs are a big problem throughout Pierce County. The report says "Lakewood’s violent crime rate of 8.3 incidents of part 1 violent crime (murder and non-negligent homicide, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault) per 1,000 citizens remains fifth highest in Washington." (If there is a bright side to this statistic, maybe it's that people will be less likely to disagree with me than they were in 2003 that we need more police officers on the streets).
Meanwhile, you'll learn that the Public Works Department "Retimed over 40 traffic signals and designed a signal timing coordination program for the City’s four major corridors (Gravelly Lake Dr., Bridgeport Way, Tacoma Way S. and Steilacoom Blvd.) which has resulted in overall travel time savings for City travelers of over 1,100 hours per day.
With the exception of the crime stats, I chose these highlights somewhat randomly. There is a lot of useful and interesting information in the report. Check it out.
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The report is 24 pages, but it's worth a look - or at least keeping on hand - if you have a question about what's going on with different aspects of cityhood.
You'll learn, for example, that in 2006, the Community Development Department "processed over $87 million in new building permit valuation – the most construction activity since incorporation. It exceeds 2005 construction activity by 22 percent."
You'll learn the parks department "created several partnerships to offset program costs and generated revenue to offset youth programs, park reservations, athletic field use and special events. Received over $1.2 million in grants and donations to offset program development and operations."
You'll learn crime as a whole is down 13 percent; and property crime is down 17 percent. (Property crime was a big issue for me in my 2003 campaign, so that statistic is very gratifying).
That said, gangs are a big problem throughout Pierce County. The report says "Lakewood’s violent crime rate of 8.3 incidents of part 1 violent crime (murder and non-negligent homicide, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault) per 1,000 citizens remains fifth highest in Washington." (If there is a bright side to this statistic, maybe it's that people will be less likely to disagree with me than they were in 2003 that we need more police officers on the streets).
Meanwhile, you'll learn that the Public Works Department "Retimed over 40 traffic signals and designed a signal timing coordination program for the City’s four major corridors (Gravelly Lake Dr., Bridgeport Way, Tacoma Way S. and Steilacoom Blvd.) which has resulted in overall travel time savings for City travelers of over 1,100 hours per day.
With the exception of the crime stats, I chose these highlights somewhat randomly. There is a lot of useful and interesting information in the report. Check it out.
