Slow and steady was the theme of the day at Wednesday’s Kenmore State of the City luncheon as city manager Rob Karlinsey took the stage for the second annual event.

“How many of you think Kenmore has reached its full potential,” Karlinsey said. “Kenmore has so much potential, Kenmore is in the process of transforming right now.”

Karlinsey said the three biggest of the six city funds have a combined surplus of $5.5 million, and is set in 2016 to take in more money than it spends for the fourth year in a row.

City services were front and center as Karlinsey talked about the nearly 1,100 various permits and more than 3,000 court filings the city had issued in 2015. Of the more than 3,600 calls last year, 667 of them ended in an arrest.

However, Karlinsey said Kenmore has lower crime rates than most of it’s neighboring cities, particularly violent crimes.

Karlinsey boiled down his development strategy into two phrases: continuous improvement and relentless incrementalism.

“It all adds up over a five, 10, 20 year period where Kenmore is transformed,” he said. “It’s not about turning Kenmore into Bothell or Woodinville or Kirkland… Kenmore has it’s own unique assets.”

Karlinsey pointed to several major projects the city has undertaken in recent years as signs of progress, including investments by Main Street Property Group already pouring around $75 million on downtown projects like Spencer 68 and a coming residential and retail building.

The city’s pedestrian Target Zero Initiative with the goal of ending pedestrian deaths in the city by 2025 was also a point of pride.

“It’s definitely a marathon, not a sprint, but things are happening,” he said.

But one area where commuters along State Route 522 could see development come in more rapidly than expected is around 61st Avenue Northeast, as the city gets set to wrap up construction as early as this fall.

The city has been widening the stretch of road as they create lanes for bus rapid transit, which if the city’s bid is successful, could be included in the regional Sound Transit 3 proposal, and possibly ease congestion along the corridor.

Volunteering has increased in the city during recent years after reaching a low point in 2011 with only 38 volunteer­ hours, up to nearly 2,800 in 2015.

Karlinsey wrapped up by previewing two major upcoming developments.

The city has long sought negotiations with an outside venture to purchase the plot of land known as Lakepointe along the northeastern bank of Lake Washington and the Sammamish River. Currently it is owned by a towing company, but in the future they hope to negotiate a sale, allowing some 1,200 to 1,400 residential units, parkland and business space to be constructed.

The other is the replacement of a bridge spanning the Sammamish River on 68th Northeast.

Northbound lanes were built in the 1970s, Karlinsey said, but southbound lanes were built 40 years earlier. With drivers rerouting down 68th Avenue Northeast to escape tolls on SR 520 and Interstate 405 the southbound lanes have begun cracking.

The bridge could cost up to $30 million but the city has already secured $20 million, Karlinsey said.

Kenmore’s State of the City luncheon was put on by the Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce. In full disclosure, the Bothell Reporter is a community member of the Chamber.