CITY MANAGER'S INFOBULLETS: Swap Meet Code Enforcement, Charity And More

• Public Works supports Lakewood Area Shelter Association (LASA): The Public Works Department held a food drive to benefit homeless families supported by the Lakewood Area Shelter Association.  There was an outpouring of support from staff, with the drive collecting enough food to create 60 Thanksgiving holiday dinner baskets during the three-week event. 

• Lakewood Officers’ charitable event at the Old Country Buffet: The Lakewood Officers Charity held its 4th Annual Holiday event at the Old Country Buffet. School counselors from Tillicum, Lakeview Hope Academy, South Gate, South Gate Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), Oakwood, and Tyee Elementary attended and visited with the families they nominated for this event. All of the families are either struggling financially, or facing uncertain medical diagnoses. The event kicked off at 7pm with over 100 participants. Ham and turkey were donated by the Lakewood Officers Charity; the restaurant donated their staff time and home-style cooking. Several uniformed Lakewood police officers handed out stickers and coloring books.

• Workforce Central strategic planning meeting: City staff attended the Pierce County Regional Community Leaders meeting on November 16th, the first of several meetings to be held over the next four months to identify regional priorities and strategies to increase resources for our region. Process, priorities and outcomes were identified. The meeting was hosted by Workforce Central. Upcoming topics will include community development, economic development, and workforce priorities, as well as K-12 and higher education priorities.

• CSRT, Police and volunteers clean up house in Lake City: CSRT received neighbor complaints about a house in Lake City that was overgrown with vegetation and had been burglarized.  CSRT investigated and found that the elderly person who owned the house lived out of state, was in poor health and unable to travel, and did not have the financial resources to bring the property into compliance.  When Officer Peter Johnson became aware of the situation, he gathered a group of volunteers and neighbors who donated many hours to clean up the property, not only improving the neighborhood, but making it less attractive for criminal activity.  

• Swap meet code enforcement:  Lakewood is currently home to one large regional swap meet. Recently, other property owners have expressed an interest in opening new swap meets.  Management issues and substantial growth in the business of the Starlite Swap Meet, since the 2004 closure of the Midway Swap Meet, have resulted in excessive impacts on the community and City resources, required extensive law and code enforcement efforts, and revealed the need for changes to Lakewood’s swap meet regulations.  The CSRT is reviewing the matter and met this week with the Planning Advisory Board to present information and begin a discussion of the issue.  The owner of the Starlite and his attorney were invited to the meeting and provided brief comments.

• 2012 Tourism Matters Meeting & Celebrity Awards: Mayor Richardson was the emcee for the Annual Tacoma Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau (TRCVB) Awards Luncheon this week. Regional tourism goals were shared in a lively, conversational, and story-telling manner. The mayor hosted the celebrity award presentations for “Community Unity,” “Tourism Professional,” “Sports Tourism,” and “Tourism Visionary.” To find out more about the TRCVB and to view the winners, go to: www.traveltacoma.com. Councilmember Whalen also attended the meeting as well as City Economic Development staff.

-Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz