Year: 2020

I can’t imagine there is a person who isn’t relieved that 2020 is almost over. While there have been many wonderful events - babies were born, partners were wed, birthdays were celebrated, and puppies were adopted - the losses were much more difficult. Families lost loved ones, left to mourn without communal memorials or funerals. Many in our community lost their jobs and favorite restaurants closed. Too many of our neighbors are barely hanging on to their homes. The mental health impacts of the pandemic are just starting to emerge. While we can’t know fully what lies ahead, 2021 holds promise.   As the COVID vaccine rolls out – even though it may take several months to get to everyone – we can see a brighter future on the horizon. So,…

Hopeful holidays So many of our traditional holiday activities have been cancelled. Whether it is a large family dinner, a neighborhood gathering, baking cookies with a grandparent or a large church service, these and many other things that mean the holidays to you won’t be happening in this strangest of years.  (However, Fantasy Lights is setting records for attendance!) I get it. We won’t be enjoying our “Cousins’ Christmas” or Candle-lit Christmas Eve Service either.  But that doesn’t mean that we can’t adapt or switch up how we celebrate. I asked a couple of employees to share how they are changing up their holiday traditions this year. Dawn Thomas of Finance is Jewish and just finished celebrating the seven nights of Hanukkah: Typically, Hanukkah would be spent getting together with friends and…

I learned a lot last Wednesday afternoon at the Human Services’ “Years of Service Celebration.”  For instance, Sarah Lacombe is a big fan of the musical Hamilton, as am I.  And, if I had to pick a song from Hamilton that best described my reaction to listening to the recognition of these dedicated employees, it would be “Blow Us All Away,” because I was blown away by their service - and as examples of all that you have done in 2020 for our community. Heather Moss and her leadership team highlighted and thanked the teammates who were celebrating 5-year increments of service.  I have attached a copy of their PowerPoint presentation so you can see what I saw. Combined, these 24 employees had more than 250 years at Pierce County,…

It has never been more important for Pierce County to have strong, effective public health services. Our community’s health and wellbeing have been taken to the brink by the pandemic. There is not one aspect of our lives that hasn’t been touched and diminished, if not destroyed, by COVID. Even with vaccinations starting in our county, the impacts of the pandemic are far from over - especially those that stem not from the disease directly, but from the consequences of battling it.  As we enter the holiday season, the mental health impacts for our community are only now starting to become fully apparent. Earlier this week, the County Council voted on a proposal designed to ensure our community has robust health services in Pierce County for the long-term, after the…

I love to learn.  I want to grow intellectually, to keep my brain healthy, to challenge my preconceptions, and to be better prepared to do my job.  Learning helps me be ready for the challenges that lie ahead and makes me a better person.  Beyond work, I am currently reading How to Behave so Your Dog Behaves to get ready for our new puppy who arrives at the end of month! So, to increase awareness about the strategic value of learning in organizations, I happily declared December 7-11, 2020 as Employee Learning Week in conjunction with the Association of Talent Development (ATD). Employee Learning Week is an opportunity for us to demonstrate a commitment to talent development and showcase the important link between developing your skills and achieving organizational results. Developing…

  Imagine yourself in a hostile “alien” environment, where gravity is different, and your survival depends on the limited air supply you carry on your back.  Now, further imagine you can’t see anything and have to navigate through pipes filled with obstacles, that require you to remove your air supply, just to get through! It sounds like a scene from a horror movie or the latest new video game, but it actually was part of the “confidence course” for our Pierce County Metro Dive Team.  Acting Dive team Commander Detective Brent Van Dyke explained that those are realistic situations his team may face in the Puget Sound, lakes and rivers of Pierce County.  He wanted his divers to have experienced those challenges in training, so they are prepared for what…

  We’ve lost so much this year.  Our young people have lost their schools, we’ve lost live music and sporting events, and for now we’ve even lost the ability to enjoy a meal in a restaurant. Worse than that, of course, are the lives lost.  Whether from COVID, a fire, a car accident or simply the natural end of a long, well-lived life, there are big holes in the fabric of our community, and we grieve every single person who has left us. So, what’s there to be thankful for at Thanksgiving this year?  In a word, plenty! While so much has been taken away from us, I’m also mindful of a few things we’ve gained.  At the top of that list is a greater appreciation of what it means to…

Photo by Russell Albert Daniels/American Indian Magazine.   The 2002 movie “Windtalkers,” starring Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach, highlighted the unique contributions made by Navajo code talkers during the Battle for Saipan in World War II.  Having been to the Chief Leschi Schools Veterans Day Assembly, where every child shakes the hand of every veteran present, I am familiar with the service of local Native veterans – and how they are honored within their culture. But I was humbled and inspired to learn that Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Hawaiian Natives have fought with the United States in every war since the Revolution - even before they were officially declared citizens in 1924! To recognize, honor and remember that strong tribal tradition of military service, a permanent memorial was dedicated…

Running for elective office is never easy.  Running for elective office while in the throes of a once-in-a-century pandemic is something else altogether. My hat is off to everyone who put themselves out there and campaigned for office.  Win or lose, the experience is amazing and humbling.  Election campaigns by their nature can also be divisive – the incumbent has to run on their record, and the challenger needs to make the case for change.  The voters need to know what the differences are between the two candidates are so they can ultimately make their choice. Thanks to our residents - and I hope that includes some of you – I had the honor to be “re-hired” as County Executive.  Now that I’ve had a few days to reflect on…

I discussed my proposed supplemental budget with the Council yesterday and will formally submit it to them next week. Simply put, I think with it we are breaking new ground.  Not only is it the first mid-biennial budget ever in the County, but, more importantly, we are proposing significant changes to how we deliver a fair and equitable criminal justice system. First, the good news.  The impact of the pandemic has had less of a financial impact this year than we had feared.  However, that relief is tempered by the realization that what awaits us in 2021 is a great deal of uncertainty.  So, in light of this we have kept adjustments to a minimum.  With one important exception - some significant changes that helps ensure fair and equitable treatment…

            Like much of 2020, Halloween won’t look the same as it has in the past. For example, taking kids trick or treating in the neighborhood is problematic and, despite perfect Saturday night timing, parties for grown-ups are out the window. But, leave it to creative, fun loving County residents to come to the rescue! If you haven’t already heard about it, it’s not too late to join the folks across the county participating in “candy chutes” for trick or treaters. The goal is to design and create a “chute” to deliver candy to the kids so that everyone stays 6 feet apart. Take a look: Brilliant! The group has a Facebook page and a network map of participating residents so check it out. The…

                        The evening when we honor our outstanding employees is one of my favorite nights of the year.  The Employee Incentive and Recognition (EI&R) reception gives us a fun way to hold up and appreciate some amazing examples of public service innovation, creativity and dedication in action. Along with my trusty co-host, Council Chair Doug Richardson, and the “hostess with the mostest”  Maura Maye, we spent Wednesday evening celebrating this year’s recipients of Standing Ovation Awards and thanking our long-time employees with Years of Service recognition. I’ve included the links to the great videos we showed throughout the evening so you can learn more about the fantastic projects. Entrepreneurial Climate We announced the winners in the Entrepreneurial Climate category,…

Amazon Prime Day shoppers weren’t the only ones saving money recently.  Thanks to some hard work, smart timing and favorable markets, we have saved our sewer ratepayers nearly $25 million! Gary Robinson and Wolf Opitz of the Finance department saw that the current low interest rate environment provided an opportunity to refinance an existing long-term debt that paid for the wastewater treatment plant, and a small amount of road project debt. The refinancing got a great response from investors who saw the County’s excellent credit rating and reputation for sound financial management and flocked to buy the County’s bonds. Changes in interest rates help show the value of refinancing the debt, the interest rate on the larger sewer bond dropped from 4.91% down to 2.37%, and the road bond rates…

        For more than a year, a group of mayors and other elected officials have been meeting to create regional solutions to the challenge of affordable housing.  The group, co-chaired by Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, Councilmember Connie Ladenburg and myself, is known as SSHAP - or the South Sound Housing Affordability Partners. I’ve been pleased that we’ve had great attendance with a very engaged group of mayors from throughout the County. The SSHAP group has been meeting monthly - that is, until COVID-19 hit, and we had to quickly switch our attention and work to dealing with the pandemic. Although we aren’t out of Phase 2, yet, I’m thankful that SSHAP has recently begun meeting, again. In fact, our latest gathering was this week. Of course, the…

If you are a fan of the science fiction thriller The Matrix, you might think when I mention NEO I am referring to the protagonist played in the movie by Keanu Reeves. While I enjoyed the film, both the cinematography and plot, NEO on my calendar does not refer to the One who will bring peace to the Matrix. But, it is one event that brightens my week! NEO is the Human Resources abbreviation for New Employee Orientation. I make it a priority to participate in all of our NEOs. Pre-COVID, I would try and arrive at the HR Conference room early and talk with our new employees individually where they were sitting.  But with our Zoom NEO, I have incorporated these individual discussions into my welcome with them.  The…

…with liberty and justice for all.  As a kid I repeated the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in school.  Whether during my service on the Puyallup School Board or in the Legislature, I recited the Pledge with sincerity at the start of each session.  And today, our Council begins every meeting on Tuesday with the Pledge, as well as a moment of silence for the men and women serving in the military. What does it mean for everyone to have justice?  And, what will it take for everyone to experience that justice?  Our community and our nation have been wrestling with this in our streets and in our courtrooms over the last several months. Opinions will vary, of course, but I think it’s clear that our society is not and…

The year 2020 has thrown a lot at us.  We started out with mudslides, shifted into a pandemic and we’re still recovering from last week’s wildfires. You may be asking, what could possibly happen, next? Well, sadly, this seemingly doomed calendar year also brought us an environmental mess of disastrous proportions. If you have lived in Pierce County for very long you are very familiar with the name “Puyallup.”  Most of you will know it originates with the tribe of Indians who have always inhabited much of Pierce County. And, they are a key partner with us today. The Puyallup Tribe of Indians works closely with us on environmental stewardship, transportation, economic development, human services and much more. Many of you, like me, may call the city of Puyallup your…

Sometimes history focuses on the losses, like the number of buildings destroyed, the financial toll of a tragedy, and, most importantly, the lives lost. And while it is important to take in the gravity of these situations, it’s equally important to celebrate what was saved. An estimated 17,400 people had been at the World Trade Center on the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and some 87% of them were safely evacuated, thanks in large part to the first responders’ heroic efforts. [caption id="attachment_2559" align="aligncenter" width="3024"] The First Responders' Memorial at the County-City Building honors those we've lost in the line of duty[/caption] When passengers of United Flight 93 knew the country was under attack and their aircraft was hijacked, Todd Beamer and others took action saying, “Let’s Roll.” Flight…

[caption id="attachment_2555" align="aligncenter" width="4976"] Closeup of a key and paper note with Education text[/caption] I don’t think I could believe more strongly in education.  My life has been shaped by my education, from Mr. Dempsey’s 7th Grade class at Curtis Junior High to the Leadership Class at the U.S. Naval Academy, and from Construction Law classes at the University of Washington to Tribal Relations training at Pierce County. These classes have expanded my knowledge, broadened my understanding, and better prepared me for my future. I recently read an article about our own Jeremy Carnahan, wastewater operations supervisor, in “Treatment Plant Operator” Magazine. I have included a link and encourage you to read it, too https://www.tpomag.com/editorial/2020/08/jeremy-carnahan-took-to-wastewater-work-with-a-natural-fascination-for-its-mechanics-and-importance). What stood out to me is Jeremy’s hunger to learn more and become better.  Starting…

COVID-19 has created terrible new problems and worsened some that we’ve already had in our community. One of the areas hardest hit over the last few months is the network of food support for those who are struggling to feed themselves and their families. Organizations like the Emergency Food Network and Nourish Pierce County depend on an army of volunteers to pack and prepare food for distribution. However, most of their volunteers are over the age of 60 and more vulnerable to the ravages of COVID-19. At the same time, due to layoffs and furloughs while businesses have been shut down, there’s an even greater need for food from newly unemployed residents. In other words, it’s a perfect storm. With support from the Council, we have allocated millions in CARES…