Lakewood youth board to present annual work program to City Council and raise youth transportation barriers

The Lakewood's Promise advisory board will present its annual work program to the Lakewood City Council on Monday, June 16, with board chair Alice leading the presentation and several members planning to attend.

The board plans to front-load accomplishments from the past year'including the youth summit, workshops and trainings'and then outline plans for the remainder of the year. During its internal preparation meeting, members and staff identified transportation to youth events as a recurring barrier they intend to raise with council and to request guidance or resources to address.

Board members said the joint-packet page submitted to council should summarize accomplishments and the work program. Alice (the board's designated presenter) and other members agreed to draft a script and one-page joint document for the council packet. Joyce and others offered to attend the June 16 joint meeting to support the presentation.

Board members described transportation as a practical limit on participation: young people and families without cars have trouble getting to events such as the youth summit, pavilion-based activities and late-night programs. Carrie told the group the issue has recurred at multiple events and suggested the board propose specific, implementable measures rather than a citywide fix. Suggestions discussed included targeted shuttles or van pools for specific events, door-to-door or near-door pick-up points for youth, and a short study to map origin neighborhoods and costs.

Participants identified potential partners and constraints. Pierce Transit staff (Tammy) and the city's risk-management and schools could offer technical help or partial resources; Michael Vargas, identified in the meeting as an assistant to the city manager, was described as coordinating a pilot youth academy and as a potential staff contact. Board members noted insurance, liability and driver-background checks are practical constraints for any vehicle-shuttle plan; they said parent waivers or contracted shuttle vendors would be required if city employees cannot transport youth under existing policies.

On budgeting, staff and members cautioned the city's current two-year budget is largely committed and that any new recurring expense would require an action plan and funding request. The group discussed presenting either a request for a targeted pilot or a council-directed study that would produce specific cost estimates and a recommended set of pilot routes or event shuttles.

The board directed Alice and Shannon to draft the one-page joint-packet page and a short presentation script, circulate it to members for feedback, and submit it ahead of the council packet deadline. The board also agreed to gather input from its youth council members this summer to map travel origins and identify high-priority events for any pilot.

Board members said they will seek Pierce Transit to help facilitate a focused transportation work session or community conversation; they cautioned Pierce Transit can advise but may not provide a full operational solution. The board recommended engaging groups that already serve youth, including the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club and school-district programs, when building an action plan.

Looking ahead, the board plans to present accomplishments and to ask council for either (a) permission and limited budget to run a pilot shuttle for selected events, or (b) council direction and resources to commission a cost-and-route study to create a fall recommendation.