Month: November 2019

It’s a short week so I’m treating you to a short blog! For those of you old enough to remember David Letterman and his Top Ten lists, I’ve compiled my own list of things I’m thankful for. In no particular order… 10. National Adoption Day - Last week at Juvenile Court,  14 children were placed in their forever homes!  It was an amazingly touching event for these children and their new families – and extended families and even neighborhoods coming to support and celebrate.  That brings the total number of children connected with permanent families at 354 in 2019! 9. Ice Bumper Cars – We are one of only 13 places in the U.S. where you can have this kind of fun on the ice! Check out what Evening Magazine had…

Having the ability to make choices is a foundation of freedom and dignity.  It is a powerful principle that drives us – and as I look at Pierce County, it both motivates and challenges me. You can even see the word “choose” in our mission statement: “A vibrant Pierce County where people choose to live, work and raise a family.” Recognizing that people have choices - investors, employers, employees, residents – means we need to always challenge ourselves to be the best for our community. I spoke at the South Sound Summit hosted by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber last week and talked about the power of “choices.” I hope everyone is aware that I am working hard to recruit new investment in Pierce County to bring family wage jobs.  Simply put, if…

When the public speaks, all of us in government should listen carefully. We are public servants who owe our greatest respect to our fellow citizens and taxpayers. Last Tuesday the public we serve spoke loudly and clearly when they voted to approve Initiative 976, which reduces the cost of car tabs. In Pierce County, it was approved by nearly two-thirds of the voters and, remarkably, was passing in the vast majority of precincts in Pierce County (see below). The statewide measure also passed in nearly every county in Washington, except for King, Thurston, and four other counties. [caption id="attachment_2082" align="aligncenter" width="762"] Credit: Joe Izenman[/caption] Before the election, King 5 reporter Drew Mikkelsen asked me if I was going to vote for the initiative. I said “yes” because I’m frustrated that…

On Wednesday, we gathered as a community to symbolically break the ground that will form the foundation of the new Crisis Recovery Center (or CRC) that will be built in Parkland. It’s been estimated that 1 in every 5 people will experience a behavioral health challenge at some point in their life. That’s why I’m so grateful to know that help is on the way for our friends, neighbors and family members in crisis. The video below will tell you more, but I want to take a moment to recognize the many groups and individuals who came together to create a place of healing and wellness for our community. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC3tzg5BYnQ[/embedyt] Steve O’Ban on the Executive team headed up the effort to secure funding and get the project off the…

Most of you know that I am inherently optimistic. I look for and hope for the best in people and situations.  However, in this job I have had to adjust my approach slightly to “hope for the best but prepare for the worst!” For example, I am very excited that our local wildland fire season has ended with the fall rains and cooler weather.  It was a very mild fire season and we did not have either the fires or smoke in Pierce County like last year.  (Please keep our friends in California in your thoughts as they are battling several serious fires and related power outages.) But as the fire season fades into the background, floods and winter storms step up to take its place! That’s why I’m especially…