Month: December 2021

It is the season for holiday songs on the radio, Pandora, and Spotify.  I can’t imagine you haven’t heard “Let is Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow” at least once.  This iconic song starts out with these lyrics: “Oh, the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so delightful And since we've no place to go Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow” I hope that was the case for you and your family this week.  With few power outages, school out, and remote work possible for some, I hope the snow was a beautiful change to our normally wet winter weather routine. The snow also was a huge barrier and potentially dangerous to some of our residents that had “places to go” (like essential workers,…

We all know that 2020 was a difficult, exhausting year.  I know I expected 2021 to be a bit easier, with us well on our way to recovery.  As I wrote in last week’s blog, I was wrong! The past 12 months have taught or reinforced important lessons - about ourselves, our community and our world. 2021 taught us the importance and power of connection.  We went months without seeing people we love, without a hug or handshake, and without meaningful human interactions. That loss is not quickly filled but it has been wonderful to safely gather, again.  Two weeks ago, our church held the Christmas Concert – with both the children and adult choirs.  Even with everyone masked, it was reinvigorating to see people I hadn’t seen in person…

At the end of the year, I always take the time to reflect back on the challenges we faced and what we accomplished.  For 2021, I thought back to where I was a year ago, with 2020 finally wrapping up and looking forward to the new year.  Here are three things I did not see coming that we had to confront in 2021: Vaccine Boosters. I was eager for the vaccines to be widely available and COVID to fade away by early summer.  I did not expect the Delta Wave in September and the need for booster shots!  I am “boosted” and hope you are too! The Great Supply Chain Disruption. So many things we need at work or at home are being delayed! The Great Resignation. A variety of…

One of the old classic holiday songs made memorable by Andy Williams describes this month as “the most wonderful time of the year.”  (If you have no idea who Andy Williams is, you can Google him!) And, it is a wonderful time of the year, thanks to our hard-working Parks department. With delightful activities like the beloved Fantasy Lights or the new Ice Lights at Sprinker, there’s something for everyone who wants to get out of their house and enjoy some wonderful moments with family and friends. Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park is the largest holiday drive-through display in the Northwest, featuring nearly 300 elaborate displays and thousands of sparkling lights. The beautiful two-mile drive along Spanaway Lake has become a memorable tradition for the entire family. Be sure to…

On Tuesday, I joined a group of our County colleagues who are investing in themselves and our ability to better serve our community - at the latest “graduation” from our Leadership Certification program.  This talented group of employees included veteran leaders, new leaders, and aspiring leaders.  It ranged from people in formal leadership positions, like department directors, to informal leaders.  The class included people from 15 departments throughout our County team.  What they had in common was their belief in themselves and the importance of leadership as a skill to be developed.  And they knew becoming a better leader would help them in both their professional and their personal lives. More than 160 people have earned the Bronze, Silver, or Instructor leadership certifications in this year alone.  I can’t thank Mary Ransier…