Month: November 2021

It’s easy to focus on everything we have lost over the last two years or so.  There’s no question COVID has robbed us of many things - most terribly, people we love.  None of us will emerge from this time unscathed or unchanged. We’ve all learned the importance of being in the moment and having a greater appreciation for experiences we may have previously taken a little for granted. However, it’s useful and healthy to remember the many things we still have. Thankfully, that list is long for me this year, and I hope it is for you, too. First, we have amazing and heroic healthcare professionals. While many of us could work from home and socially distance, most of our healthcare team had to step into the teeth of…

In last week’s blog I wrote about the important work we are doing to reform our criminal justice system to be more equitable for all members of our community. There are many other facets of our society that are ripe for reinvention and reinvestment to ensure fairness and opportunity.  Our educational system is an example of this.  Housing is another.  One more area where we have work to do is in our economy. In short, we must create and provide opportunities for everyone to succeed and thrive in our community. That’s why I am so proud of the new business accelerator program created by our Economic Development department in partnership with the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. In response to the pandemic and the devastating impact on underserved communities in…

  The people of Pierce County need our criminal justice system to ensure all our communities are safe and that the system is fair, just and equitable for every resident. A milestone in this effort, the County’s first-ever Use of Force report was presented to the Council’s Public Safety Committee this week.  The report is the second major research effort by our Criminal Justice Work Group (CJWG) – comprised of key leaders from the Executive’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Department of Assigned Council, and the Sheriff’s Department.  The CJWG’s first report was presented last year and, among other important findings, it documented that Black/African Americans were arrested at a rate disproportionate to their population, in every jurisdiction in Pierce County.  That finding was a key catalyst for this Use…

I have two favorite work events each year.  One is when we celebrate our incredible volunteers!  The second occurred this week – our annual Employee Incentive & Recognition event where we recognize outstanding employee accomplishments and thank long-time employees for their years of service. Because of COVID we were not able to gather in person, but we did host a fun live event from the PCTV studios.  With Chair Young and the indomitable Maura Maye, I had a great time highlighting many of our talented County colleagues. The links below will take you to the individual videos PCTV created to honor each Standing Ovation Award winner and several dedicated long-time employees. While COVID kept us apart, it did not stop us from holding an amazing gift basket drawing to support…