Prior to its incorporation in February of 1996, the City of Lakewood was a suburb of Tacoma, the second largest city in the state. Now preparing for its 15-year celebration, Lakewood has developed into a city of about 60,000 people and has greatly improved its infrastructure, crime and economic development over the years.
The city's political structure is comprised of a seven-body city council that includes a deputy and mayor. There is a City Talk, which is an opportunity to meet the mayor and an informal time to have coffee with the mayor and discuss what's going on in the Lakewood each week. Lakewood is 19 square miles. It is rich with ethnic diversity and is home to Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base, which employ more than 34,000 people with a net impact of $2.2 billion, according to Wikipedia.com.