I had the honor and privilege of presenting our first-ever biennial budget to the Council this week. As you will hear me say in the brief video clip below, I believe budgets reflect our values. And, this proposed budget is no exception. (more…)
There is a common thread that weaves this year’s Standing Ovation Award winners together – leadership. In each instance, our colleagues stepped forward and didn’t wait for someone to tell them what to do. Their award-winning work illustrates their success in being proactive, creative and innovative. In the Vibrant Communities category, we recognized two projects: The replacement of the Heritage Recreation Center Field and the Pierce County LIFE program. If you have athletes in your life you are probably familiar with the health concerns over crumb rubber playfields. They have been the subject of medical research for those who come into contact with the little black rubber pellets that kick up when you land on the turf or save a goal. In light of these concerns, Benjamin Barrett in Parks…
Two key surveys have recently been fielded to a couple of very important groups: our employees and our residents. The results have been compiled, and I want to let you know what we heard. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) survey was sent to County employees so that we could learn more about your thoughts on this important initiative. We had a tremendous response! We received nearly 1,000 responses and thousands of written comments – in fact, there was a total of 153 pages. You clearly had a lot on your mind. I’m grateful to all of you who took the time to respond and provide your thoughts – I personally read each and every one of them. I was especially impressed that when we asked you to define “diversity”…
I am a huge believer in the power of transparency. Being able to see something clearly, gives understanding and builds confidence. Those two principles are core to why transparency to our residents and taxpayers is so critical to the work we do. Accountability and trust go along with it - especially in a government setting. An increasingly important part of our work is to be transparent with the public. It’s not always easy to shed light on the operations and actions of a government entity - especially one as large and complex as Pierce County. It requires a significant amount of time. Plus, sometimes it’s downright uncomfortable. But we need to stay vigilant in our obligation to being transparent and accountable to those we serve and who fund our work.…
