Neary-Sighted

Not bad for the second-largest city in Washington's second-largest county.

The annual report for 2010 in Lakewood is pretty cheery. I'm afraid to read it, you have to click on that link and let a PDF light up your computer screen. The curse of a PDF is that it's hard to search from the Internet, but the document has a lot of good information. It's worth the time to plow through it. I'd encourage you to look at it.

The one thing you can't put in a political, polished annual report are the political victories. There are three of them that amaze even me, and I fought for all of them.

If you think back to 16 years ago, we were not even a city; you could not talk about clout. During the past year, Lakewood won some major victories at the federal, state and local level.

County: We stopped an illegal tax. Hardly anyone knows about this, but the country tired to impose a bizarre flood control tax on your property (if you own property here). Lakewood led the legal challenge to stop it. More reading here.

State: Our neighbors at Camp Murray decided they knew what was good for Lakewood and demanded Lakewood authorize a particular new route into the facillity. On behalf of the people of Tillicum - as well as the need to plan appropriately for all the people who drive I-5- our city demanded proper planning. More info here

Federal: And then there's the whole Amtrak proposal (that's it's popular name, though it's a project of the state Department of Transportation). This is the equally bizarre plan to spend millions to save Portland-Seattle commuters a couple minutes. And maybe we won't win. Two massive layers of government, federal and state, are pushing. But the state and federal government agreed to properly plan and evaluate. Now the decision has been pushed off until 2012. More info here about the past; and then more info here about the future

Lakewood cannot claim all the credit for all three of these developments, but in each of these cases, Lakewood was at the center of the effort. That's a record of 3-0 dealing with governments much vaster than a government of a city of 60,000. Not bad.

Of course, these three things are not done. The victories are all temporary. That's the nature of politics; it's hard to call a proposal ever dead. All the proposals are still alive in the heart of government bureaucrats and politicians outside Lakewood. The county may yet try to tax us, the state will use its leverage to demand change at Camp Murray, and all sorts of levels of government will pound on us to accept more dangerous and disruptive rail traffic. Who knows who will 'win,' if there is a win.

The good news is that 15 years into cityhood, Lakewood is there to engage. Sometimes we'll win. Sometimes we'll lose. There's a city to participate and advocate in the discussion and on behalf of us, the citizens - that's the only 'win' we can count on, and it's a big one.
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It's about time people start announcing they want to run for council this year for a term in 2012-2015. There will be at least one open seat.

You know, the old Walter would have written thousands of words about my retirement, about the city, etc. Today you get the short version. "I was so much older then; I'm younger than that now," as Dylan wrote. I'll keep it simple.

Eight years is plenty. We've done great things as a city: Seen the right of initiative granted to citizens. Seen the birth of a police department that not only has done the city proud in umpteen ways, but also - with all Lakewood - survived everything the Seaven Seas of Hell threw at us in November 2009. Seen more businesses (while some went away; d*^# this economy) There's a tenuous appreciation of our unique history. We're much more focused on trying to create jobs in the town, because we want jobs for our youth and tax revenues to hire more police, strengthen the roads and maintain the parks.

More importantly, I've been around for the maturity of a city. Eight years ago, the new city was a nasty, bitter political mess, reflecting the early teenage years of cityhood. Very few people with any sort of positive outlook on life were going to run for office.

I still wonder what the heck I was doing out there in 2003, the first time I ran for office. Hey, I'm not naive. I don't flatter myself. The people who approached me about running in 2008 probably approached dozens of people before me. But few people wanted to run for office in 2003 because elections were full of smears and personal insults. That's what made me a great choice in 2003 and, to an extent, in 2007. I didn't mind the insults and the campaign. I rather enjoyed it. It really helps to remember that while leadership is sincere and important, and governing is a call to excellence, the stage of politics itself is partly theater. Somehow as your blood, muscle, brain and heart are called to leadership, you have to remember you're also playing a part on that big stage. If you take the acrimony and defeats personally, you catch fire and eventually burn out. That's not the right approach.

Our city is moving from those tumultuous teen years to adulthood. Now it's time for me to take my turn off the stage. Lakewood has matured gracefully. I have no doubt any number of fine people will announce for Position 7. I've no doubt it will be a campaign about qualifications and issues. This is the time for a two-term councilman to rotate off, and maybe join a citizens' advisory board if they will have me.

It is actually very important, as I look around at older cities, that we have the kind of city where some former City Council members stay involved. One should not burn out of the Lakewood City Council and never be heard from again. One should contribute what one can, and then return with lessons learned to other parts of civic engagement. At recent events in Federal Way and Auburn - two cities that have their act together - I was struck with how many former council members were around, playing various roles.

I have final words for the 6,000 people who voted for me in 2003 and the 6,500 who voted for me in 2007. Thank you. Imagine seeing your name on a ballot, and trying to imagine hundreds and hundreds of inner and external conversations about you. I am very humbled. Grateful. Honored.

I've done my best. Sometimes I made a huge difference for the better - changed a conversation, an outcome, a movement. Other times I failed. Sometimes I really knew better, and just didn't act appropriately. Other times, man, I never saw what hit me. All times, I did the best I could.

Thank you.

That said - the term ain't over yet. I'm here until Dec. 31. Bring on the next issue, please. I'll still have a few more words to write for my loyal readers, both of you.
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The Lakewood Landmarks and Heritage Advisory Board has designed the Old Settlers Cemetery on Washington as a protected landmark.

Normally, designation is meant to preserve a building's historic appearance in perpetuity. So a cemetery is an unusual designation. In some ways, this is more of an honor than an act of historic preservation. It's hard to imagine someone coming up with a plan to change the area: for example, relocate the graves and put housing there, for example. Still ... such a change could be proposed, and now it would be swiftly turned down.

Those of you with our Lakewood history book will recall that the last photo in the book is of Steve and me standing in this cemetery. The cemetery has lost many, many gravestones over the years. And while Pierce County Parks owns and cares for it in their fashion, there's no cemetery district to preserve and maintain it. Old Settlers Cemetery is like an hourglass whose sands of memory are slowly fading. The gradual loss of history in Lakewood is is why everyone has worked so hard to maintain the Lakewood Historical Society: so that what remains of our heritage can be preserved and interpreted for this and future generations.

The rest of this blog post is a report that historian Steve Dunkelberger put together for the nomination process. I wanted to include it so the names of those in the cemetery can be searched on the Internet. And ... it's interesting. Sorry for the funky look of the document, as I did some cutting and pasting.


The 4.24 acre (originally 5 acre) site contains the graves of
settlers from the area dating back to 1855, when it was established by a
donation of land from Frank and Lena Clark for free burials of
pioneers only and their descendents. About half of the burial sites in the
cemetery are unmarked by grave stones or markers, which have likely been
stolen during the passing decades. The land was formally (with legal deed
transferred filed with Pierce County) donated by the Clarks on Jan. 7, 1881
for $54.

The largest cluster of grave markers can be found on the Northwest
corner of the property, farthest from the site’s border with Washington
Boulevard. Clark was a lawyer in the area when he donated the land used for
the cemetery, although there are currently no known records of any burials
there. It was reportedly an open field cemetery until workers from the WPA
first fenced off the property after complaints that horses and riders knocking
over gravestones in the 1930s. The fence was been repaired and
restored several times during the passing years. The first verifiable burial
at the site (from the date on the stone marker) was July 25, 1855. Many
stones are either missing, unreadable or broken. The most recent known grave
at the site shows Mary Holt, who was buried there in 1965.

Walter again: There's also a report that a Beatrice
Johns was buried on site in 1992. A couple years back, the Lakewood Historical Society has a fascinating program by a woman who buried her father, a descendant of a French trapper and a Native American mother, in the cemetery. She couldn't find anyone to give her permission to bury him in Old Setters, so they just went ahead and did it. I don't recall other particulars, so if anyone does, let me know and I'll amend this blog post)

CheriePeterson conducted a survey of the visible grave sites in the cemetery in
1999, and that information was verified in 2004. That information is available
below and at:
http://www.interment.net/data/us/wa/pierce/oldsettlers/gravelly.htm

??,
Olive May,
no dates, granddaughter of (unreadable), (Lamb on Top of Marker)

??, Ray M., no last name, 1898, d. 1906, Son

Albert, Francis A., b. 1862, d. 1925

Anderson, Robert L., b. 2-16-1897, d. 1-19-1946, Tn. Pvt. 61 Pioneer
Inf.

Andrews, Henry (Corpl), no dates, Co. I 1st U.S. Dragoons

Andrews, Louis Valentine, b. 1862, d. 1960, Brother

Andrews, Rosalie Latour, b. 1864, d. 1946, Mother

Andrews, Thomas Jefferson, d. 1902, Baby

Arneman, Mr., no dates, wooden markers

Arneman, Mrs., no further info

Baker, H., b. 1900, d. 1923

Barnes, Annie G., b. 9-2-1867, d. 11-1900

Barnes, Archie R., b. 1900, d. 1919

Barnes, Charles Arthur, b. 1887, d. 1931, wooden marker

Barnes, Harry, b. 1824, d. 1888

Barnes, Henry, b. 1865, d. 1922

Barnes, Jack Archie, b. 2-18-1933, d. 5-8-1992, Loved by all his
family, Beloved Brother Merchant Seaman

Barnes, Jane, b. 6-1-1856, d. 11-27-1890

Barnes, John George, b. 1857, d. 1927, wooden marker

Barnes, John H., b. 1898, d. 1917

Barnes, Joseph, b. 1853, d. 1928

Barnes, William E., b. 4-21-1891, d. 12-7-1971, WWI,Wa. Cpl. 115
Spruce Sq.

Bates, Elizabeth, no dates, w/o J.S.R.

Bates, J.S.R., no dates, h/o Elizabeth, Co B 32nd Oh Inf.

Baunsgard, Jean M.(Miner), b. 1887, d. 1946, d/o Milo & Maggie,
(ashes of)

Benston, Adam Jr., b. 11-26-1846, d. 10-28-1941

Benston, Adam Sr., b. 11-17-1823, d. 3-25-1912

Benston, Alfred M., b. 1-13-1883, d. 5-10-1910

Benston, Benjamin I., b. 5-4-1886, d. 7-30-1901

Benston, Ella, b. 1-24-1881, d. 2-28-1896, d/o Wm.,Jr. & J., stone
very worn

Benston, Elmer, b. 9-3-1890, d. 9-8-1922

Benston, Harvey, b. 1892, d. 1903, wooden marker

Benston, Harvey, b. 8-27-1892, d. 2-2-1907, stone marker

Benston, Ida A., b. 7-20-1888, d. 10-23-1900

Benston, James, b. 1877, d. 1900, s/o Janet & Adam,Sr.

Benston, Janet, b. 8-21-1835, d. 6-7-1899, w/o Adam,Sr., m/o Janet
& James

Benston, John L., b. 2-6-1874, d. 10-27-1899, Gone But Not Forgotten

Benston, Joseph, b. 9-29-1879, d. 7-22-1910

Benston, Sarah, b. 3-16-1855, d. 7-20-1943

Benston, Walter, b. 1895, d. 1933

Benston, William H., no dates, wooden marker & small homemade
stone marker

Benston, William, b. 1-1-1845, d. 10-13-1899

Bleeker, James A., b. 1884, d. 1940, plaque on a huge rock

Bleeker, Mary Warren, b. 1882, d. 1960, plaque on a huge rock

Bonney, Emma J., d. 10-9-1882, 6y 11m 9d, d/o S.A. & E., lamb on
top

Bonney, George W., d. 2-1-1890, 2y 7m 1d, s/o S.A. & E.

Bonney, Samuel A., b. 1865, d. 1912, h/o E., f/o Emma J. & George
W., grave has both stone and wooden markers

Bottinger, Amandus C., b. 1-3-1854, d. 2-17-1937

Bottinger, Amandus C.,Jr., b. 1884, d. 1926

Bottinger, Anna, b. 3-12-1855, d. 5-21-1924, Mother

Bottinger, William H., b. 10-8-1890 Tacoma, d. 5-13-1919,
Philadelphia, Merchant Marine, very worn wooden marker

Braget, Arthur H., b. 7-20-1913, d. 7-21-1913, Rest in Peace

Braget, Carl Oscar, b. 9-24-1894, d. 10-3-1902

Braget, Edna A., b. 11-23-1911, d. 5-7-1915

Braget, Mrs. J. H., no dates

Brey, Henry, no dates, wooden marker

Burtschie, Cane Philip, b. 1875, d. 1896

Carlson, Frank A., b. 1869, d. 1949, h/o Isabell, Father

Carlson, Isabell, b. 1877, d. 1960, w/o Frank A., Mother

Cronin, Harriet, d. 10-22-1880, 69y, Gone But Not Forgotten

Cronin, Ole Frost, no dates

Dalgish, Ruth Carlson, b. 6-5-1908, d. 3-16-1988, sis/o Ellen
(Weinand)

Daniels, P.C., b. 5-15-1865, d. 8-2-1893

Daniels, Peter, b. 5-26-1837, d. 12-25-1916, h/o Stine

Daniels, Stine (Eisenbeis), b. 8-23-1838, d. 11-3-1895, w/o Peter

Davenport, Dennis, d. 7-27-1901, 74y 3m 1d, Rest in Peace

Edwards, Albert, Jr., b. 8-26-1922, d. 12-22-1981, Pvt USArmy WWII

Edwards, Rosalie, b. 1899, d. 1977, Sister

Eisenbeis, Fredrick C., b. 10-7-1823, d. 3-10-1902, f/o Stine

Faust, Caroline, b. 2-21-1812, d. 10-10-1892, w/o Jacob

Faust, Jacob, b. 12-28-1822, d. 7-5-1900, h/o Caroline

Frisk, Ole, d. 7-25-1855

Frost, Andrew Jackson, b. 1833, d. 1909, In Loving Memory From Their
Descendents 1988

Frost, Andrew, no dates

Frost, Baby Boy, b. 1910, d. 1910

Frost, Gilbert H., b. 11-10-1809, d. 9-28-1884, Settled in Oregon in
1844

Frost, John A., b. 1872, d. 1927

Frost, Mabel (Robb), b. 4-21-1862, d. 5-7-1940, w/o Walter

Frost, Mary Ann (Perry), b. 1846, d. 1918, w/o Walter C.

Frost, Mary T., no dates, d/o A.J. & Mary Ann

Frost, Walter C., b. 3-21-1860, d. 8-7-1926, h/o Mary Ann

Goranson, Axel Nathaniel, b. 1-11-1865, d. 12-30-1905

Greenwell, Sara Elizabeth (Edwards), b. 1853, d. 1932, wooden marker

Gullion, William Y., b. 2-25-1830, d. 4-28-1902, Until the Day Breaks
& the Shadows Flee Away

Hansen, Marvin, b. 1907, d. 1952, (ashes of)

Hansen, Nels P., b. 1864, d. 1949, Father

Hansen, Sadie L., b. 4-1-1894, d. 12-14-1899, d/o N.P & S.

Hansen, Sissel, b. 1864, d. 1939, w/o Nels P.

Henderson, Leroy O., b. 10-19-1920, d. 10-25-1920

Hicklin, Emeline (McAllister), b. 1862, d. 1940, w/o John Hal

Hicklin, John Hal, b. 1863, d. 1932, h/o Emaline

Holden, Frances Meyers, b. 1869, d. 1943

Holden, Freling-Huysen, b. 1844, d. 1927

Holt, Joseph, b. 8-12-1881, Haverfordwest, So. Wales, d. 6-19-1946,
Absent >From the Body, Present With the Lord II Cor. 5:8

Holt, MaryAnn, b. 12-31-1881, Aberdeen Scot, d. 1-24-1965, Our Mother,
Her Voice of Him Did Speake, Now He Giveth My Beloved Sleep. Psalm 127

Hunt, Elmer M., b. 3-19-1881, d. 3-23-1890, Our First Born Darling

Johns, Beatrice B., b. 1896, d. 1992, w/o Orville R., O.O.F.A Lincoln
Court #24

Johns, Nathanial Hamilin, b. 1898, d. 1912, wooden marker

Johns, Orville R., b. 1901, d. 1983, h/o Beatrice B., US Army WWII ID
803

Johnston, H.G., Lieut., no dates, Co. B 32nd Oh Inf.

Johnston, Ida, d. 1889, w/o H.G.

Johnston, N.H., b. 11-1-1833, d. 1-31-1898, Our Father At Rest

Johnston, Warren B., b. 7-18-1859, d. 5-3-1933

Keats, no name, no dates, Co. H 8th Ia Inf.

Keetes, Harriet, b. 5-22-1825, Eng, d. 13-4-1895, w/o John, The Lord
Taketh Pleasure in His People He Will Beautify The Meek With a Salvation

Keetes, John, b. 21-1-1825, Eng, d. 3-4-1892, h/o Harriet, Co. I, 32nd
Ia, Co. B Ia Inf., Oh How We Miss Thee At Home

Kimball, Kate (Sanders), b. 12-26-1858, d. 4-17-1944

Kirkland, Floyd, b. 6-6-1886, d. 4-11-1891, s/o A.P. & L.J.

Lindell, Joseph, b. 8-31-1882, d. 10-4-1900, Rest In Peace

Lindell, Nilla, b. 4-28-1842, Altus, Swe., d. 6-4-1909, She Was A Kind
And Affectionate Wife & A Friend AS Well

Marker, Jessie L., b. 5-18-1903, d. 2-10-1904

Marker, William D., b. 9-7-1905, d. 9-7-1905

Mason, Eleanor (Schrette), b. 1886, d. 1915, wooden marker

McAllister, H. B., b. 1851, d. 1932

McAllister, John W., b. 1876, d. 1935, Father

McAllister, Sophia A., b. 1857, d. 1918

McCarther, Scott, b. 1867, d. 1915

McLeod, Hugh, b. b. Scot, d. 7-3-1891, 60y, 48y res., Pierce Co, Wa.

McMurphy, Anna (Niesen), b. 4-15-1875, d. 7-6-1901, w/o J.H.

Melville, Robert, b. 8-12-1842, d. 1-5-1867

Meyers, Fredrick, b. 1825, d. 1911

Meyers, George A., b. 1872, d. 1945, Father

Meyers, Rosa, b. 1873, d. 1955, Mother, Our Beloved

Middleton, Garm, b. 9-4-1900, d. 10-17-1900, s/o R.P. & L.M.

Miller, H. D. P., d. 1934

Miller, Janet (Benston), b. 3-12-1856, d. 8-25-1936

Miller, John H., b. 3-29-1856, d. 6-23-1913, At Rest

Miller, N. G. Blicher, b. b. 8-19-1843, Denm, d. 4-7-1919, Father

Miller, Nicoline, b. b. 6-11-1846, Denm., d. 11-27-1900

Miner, Maggie R., b. 1882, d. 1947

Miner, Milo J., b. 1858, d. 1937

Morgan, Anna Frost, b. 1871, d. 1963

Murray, Hester A., b. 7-1-1837, d. 12-5-1915, Mother

Murray, Isaiah G., b. 8-9-1835, d. 2-7-1911

Murray, Minnie Irene, b. 4-1-1875, d. 2-12-1911, Daughter

Niesen, Bertha (Young), b. 12-13-1887, d. 11-15-1950, Rest Mother Rest
in Quiet Sleep While Friends in Sorrow Oer Thee Weep

Niesen, Bertha, b. 1-7-1842, d. 9-30-1901, w/o William, Mother

Niesen, Minnie French, b. 3-19-1883, d. 11-10-1941

Niesen, William, b. 9-20-1843, d. 7-4-1900, Rest Father Rest in Quiet
Sleep While Friends in Sorrow Oer Thee Weep

Richmond, J. Carrie, b. 9-18-1880, d. 5-14-1922, Mother

Roland, Owen, Dr., d. 9-13-1884, 60y

Ross, Betty, b. 1928, d. 1933, Daughter

Ross, Raymond, b. 1891, d. 1949, Father

Schenk, Viola (Bottiger), b. 2-2-1916, d. 10-5-1936

Schnitz F. Adolf, b. 1882, d. 1971, Son

Schnitz, A. Christina, b. 1884, d. 1920, Mother

Schnitz, Ama, no dates

Sears, Asa, d. 7-22-1892, 60y

Sexton, Henry W., b. 1895, d. 1901, s/o Wm. J. & Catherine

Shaw, James Madison Windolin, b. 1844, d. 1906, Co. D 9th ME Inf.

Shaw, Rosemary Winnifred, d. 4-13-1896, 4m

Simonsen, Goren, 7-13-1825, d. 3-27-1898

Smith, Annie J., b. 9-8-1880, d. 21y, w/o J.K.

Smith, Baby, no dates, child of J.K. & Annie J.

Swaker, S. D., no dates

Todd, Almira Jane, b. Mar 16, 1856 Marion Co. Oregon, d. Jan 24, 1883
Steilacoom W.T., of inflamation of stomach and liver, Our little boys sleep
near

Washburn, Mary Jane, b. 1-20-1825, d. 2-20-1887, w/o P.S.

Watson, Bertha, b. 1873, d. 1893

Wienand, Caroline Opstad, b. 1869, d. 1950

Wienand, Ellen M., b. 1903, d. 1970, sis/o Ruth (Dalgish)

Wienand, Mark, b. 1896, d. 1966

Wilcox, Perlia Jean Saunder, b. 1847, d. 1916

Williams, David A, b. 10-13-1877, d. 4-16-1888, s/o D.& J.

Williams, Emmie M., b. 5-11-1886, d. 5-4-1888, d/o D.& J.

Wood, Robert, d. 8-10-1896

Wright, Anni, b. 6-24-1795, d. 2-14-1882

Wright, Israel H., b. 2-16-1815, d. 5-10-1887, The Pioneer At Rest

Wright, Thomas, b. 8-26-1795, d. 6-18-1868

Wright, Will, no dates, wooden marker

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One hesitates to shout this too loudly, in fear of evoking a curse,** but 2010 was a better year than the year before for public safety in Lakewood, Washington. Of course, any crime is bad, particularly if you suffered one. I'm sorry if you did. This post is about numbers and trends.

Read through the slides below, but here's what jumped up at me:

* Violent crime was down 11 percent from 2009 to 2010. When you consider what our police department went through in November 2009, this is truly remarkable and inspiring.

* Property crime was down nearly 15 percent.

* Domestic violence reporters were down 7 percent, which is tribute to a lot of people in nonprofit agencies, at JBLM, here in the city, and throughout the community, as well as of course the police.

* Various kinds of fraud were up 35 percent or more.

I'm glad the city produces these numbers. It would be nice to turn them into action as the council conducts public policy. Sadly, our city council, unlike most governing bodies of our size around the state, does not have a public safety committee of council members. We don't usually talk about these numbers. So the data sort of ends here. However, it's good to know this stuff and if you do talk to people around town about public safety, it's good to have numbers to back up the conversation.

** You think I'm kidding about the curse. The fact that Lakewood had no reported murders in 2010, which is wonderful, was page one news; and then we immediately had a homicide. That's why you didn't read me making any reference to homicides above ...
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