CITY MANAGER'S INFOBULLETS: Active Shooter Training, Healthy Start and Lake Waughop

• Proposed lake management plan for Lake Waughop: The City is applying for a Centennial Clean Water Program grant through the State Department of Ecology.  The purpose of the grant request is to prepare a lake management plan for Waughop Lake located in Ft. Steilacoom Park.  Waughop Lake has excess nutrients in the water and sediment and as a result has frequent toxic algae blooms.  A lake management plan will help determine what efforts are needed to improve the water quality and restore the lake to a more usable condition.    

• City Hall Art Exhibit: A new art display by photographer Cindy McNabb is currently exhibited in the first floor elevator alcove of City Hall. Ms. McNabb’s photos are a mix of close-ups and natural scenery taken on her travels throughout the United States. The art exhibit is sponsored by the Lakewood Arts Commission.

• CSRT provides active shooter and personal safety training to DSHS employees: In cooperation with local businesses and other government entities, CSRT supervisor Lt. Steve Mauer gave a response to active shooters and personal safety training presentation to DSHS employees on October 24th and 26th. The presentations were made to two groups of 40 or more employees.  The presentations were well received and help our citizens to be better mentally prepared in the event of an emergency.

• WSAMA Fall Conference: City Attorney Heidi Wachter and Assistant City Attorneys Anita Booker-Hay and Matt Kaser attended the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys Fall Conference October 17-19 in Spokane.  Ms. Wachter currently serves as the Chair of the Civil Topics Committee and Ms. Booker-Hay currently serves on the Criminal Topics Committee.

• Ass’t City Manager attends Point Defiance Rail Bypass Environmental Analysis Workshops:  Ass’t City Manager Dave Bugher attended both Point Defiance Rail Bypass Environmental Analysis (EA) workshops conducted on October 24th and October 25th, and provided brief testimony outlining deficiencies in the EA at the public hearing on October 25th.  Mr. Bugher stated that the project proponents, the Federal Railway Administration and the Washington Department of Transportation should modify the EA and include mitigation, or instead prepare an environmental impact statement.  The City of Lakewood will also be submitting a letter before the close of the comment period on November 9th. 

• Healthy Start Program begins: Lakewood’s award winning Healthy Start Program began at Tyee Park Elementary on October 24th. This program was recognized by the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) with a Municipal Excellence Award in 2012. The program features a nutritious snack that includes uncommon fruits and vegetables. After the snack, the children do a few minutes of journaling followed by warm-up exercises, large group games and nutrition lessons. The students learn the values of sportsmanship, fair play, teamwork and striving to perform at their personal best. A second program will begin in January, 2012 at Oakwood Elementary.

• CSRT provides training at Landlord Fair: CSRT member Gail Conelly gave a presentation on Crime Free Housing, as well as Crime Prevention topics at a Landlord Fair sponsored by the VASH (Veterans Administration Supporting Housing) Program through the VA Hospital on October 23rd. VASH representatives work with Section 8 Housing to coordinate housing for homeless veterans in the community. The Landlords were able to learn about the VASH program as well as speak with representatives from Section 8 Housing and Pierce County Fair Housing.

• CSRT attends West Pierce Fire and Rescue Safety Fair and Pumpkin Patch: CSRT Staff Gail Conelly attended the West Pierce Fire and Rescue Fall Safety Fair and Pumpkin Patch. There were several activities for kids, including learning about water safety, helmet fitting, and child passenger safety (along with a car seat check), examining the fire and police apparatus, using a fire hose, and at the end, choosing a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. It was a successful event with many children dressed in their Halloween costumes.

• WSBA Seminar: City Attorney Heidi Wachter and Assistant City Attorney Matt Kaser presented at a Continuing Legal Education Seminar on Advocacy in Administrative Law sponsored by the Washington State Bar Association on October 24.  Ms. Wachter was elected section Chair at the annual meeting which followed.

-Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz