Month: June 2021

Among the descriptions listed by Webster’s, the word “pride” is defined as “a sense of one’s own worth” and “noble self-esteem.”  That makes me picture a person standing firmly with their head held high and their shoulders back - confident in who they are. If you’ve had the good fortune to meet Lucky Bradley, a Grant Compliance Analyst in Human Services, you will see that pride in action. She speaks with a quiet determination and an inner confidence as she tells her powerful, and very personal, story. I had the chance to get to know Lucky at a Human Services “Story Corps” gathering a few years ago. Her remarks made a strong impression on me then, and I’m glad she is willing to share a part of her life with…

  At the “Juneteenth Lunch and Learn” last Tuesday, Delbert Richardson, the guest speaker, was asked, “how can someone who is not African American participate in Juneteenth?”  I loved his response.  He challenged us to both acknowledge it and educate ourselves.  I am working to do both! Part of my effort includes “reading” Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Leadership for Turbulent Times” (Actually, I am listening to it on Audible, while I read another powerful book!). Kearns Goodwin looks at four U.S. presidents confronting extreme challenges and how they responded.  One is Abraham Lincoln and his decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, effective January 1, 1863, freeing the slaves in the states in rebellion. A few points stood out powerfully to me.  First, Lincoln believed it was right and necessary for the…

  There is an old saying that you don’t really know another person’s life until you “walk a mile in their shoes.” I didn’t exactly walk in the shoes of our Sheriff’s department last week, but I got awfully close. Thanks to Sergeant Mike Blair, I had the opportunity to join him, Sergeant Jason Youngman and the Central Patrol Graveyard Shift deputies last week.  They are out on patrol, covering the densely populated parts of unincorporated Pierce County – Parkland, Spanaway, Midland, Frederickson, South Hill and more – while most of us are soundly sleeping. My ride-along began at 8 p.m. and lasted until 3:30 a.m. And, while I’ve had the opportunity to ride with our Sheriff’s Department before, this was my first time seeing our county in the middle…

As we approach the opportunity to “open up” and return to the office, we knew you and your colleagues would have some questions.  And, you did not disappoint! I received a record number of questions from folks in advance of the Town Hall, and you added many more “live” during the Zoom meeting. I think it would surprise no one that the most frequently asked questions were about masks.  Must I wear them? Am I allowed to wear them? Can I ask others to wear them? Here’s the deal: we expect every County employee to treat others with respect - that includes co-workers, customers and our community. While some groups led by other elected officials will have their own guidelines and expectations, for the most part fully vaccinated employees may…