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The innovative, city-county partnership that Lakewood had begun in 1954 is based on contracting for city services from county agencies and private industry.
Lakewood’s “contract plan” for local government in 1954 was soon copied in a wave of incorporation movements in Los Angeles County, and later throughout the state. Today, the contracting plan Lakewood began shapes the future of one-quarter of California’s cities and dozens of cities in all parts of the nation and even in other countries. Lakewood’s contribution to local government innovation is often called the “Lakewood Plan” or “contract city” form of local government.
Rather than creating its own police and street maintenance departments, John Todd, then a young attorney in private practice, showed supporters of Lakewood’s incorporation in 1954 how the city could contract with county agencies to continue these services, just as the county had provided them before. Todd also predicted that, as Lakewood’s needs evolved, the city could sign contracts with other public agencies and private companies to provide new services more efficiently and at a lower cost. Todd’s prediction was accurate. Today, Lakewood contracts for services from the county, private industry, and non-profit agencies, and participates in several special districts, most notably for fire protection and library services.
Todd’s vision of contracting as a cost-effective and flexible form of city government was a persuasive point in selling incorporation to voters. When incorporation triumphed at the polls in 1954, John Todd — the “Father of the Lakewood Plan” — joined the new city council members around the conference table as Lakewood’s first city attorney when the first council meeting began. He still holds the job.
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