We Are Back-Recap on the Last 7 Months

Welcome back to the Hitchen Post. For those of you that are new to this blog, please look here for my other posts during my first term in office. The goal of this blog is really to provide more information than is reasonable for a newsletter. It also allows me to provide additional narrative, links and even photos & videos to showcase the work I have been up to on behalf of District 6.

Due to the rules in our Pierce County Code, I was required to stop all communications on May 1^st, 2024, using county resources due to being a candidate for office. However, I have been very busy and wanted to share some highlights of legislation, activities, and events that I have been part of in the last 7 months during the communications blackout.

May:

I had the opportunity to join some of my colleagues, community leaders and the leadership of Family Promise of Pierce County in the opening of their Day and Emergency Center. Though not quite in District 6, their ability to support families in unstable or crisis times, is a huge win for all.

Franklin Pierce School District held a community wide summit at PLU to invite those from throughout their school district to learn about the work the district is doing and their planning to improve the greater community. They understand that while the students in the classrooms for 7 hours a day have needs met, they want to see how to support them when they go home. This journey continued throughout all of 2024 and will pick up in 2025.

We celebrated Memorial Day in our community once again with a moving ceremony in Lakewood. Bringing volunteers from youth and veteran organizations from across the county to raise flags, lay wreaths, and honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice. In addition, the town of Steilacoom recognized and laid a wreath at their town hall, and DuPont pulled together their annual Wear Blue and Remember.

June

When we lost a great leader in Catherine Ushka, there was a need to fill the role of Chair of the Tacoma Pierce County Board of Health. I had been acting as Chair in her place while she battled cancer, and when we lost her, it really was a blow to the Board, the health department staff and the greater community. I was honored to take on the role as Chair, and with hiring of our new Director and Medical Officer, along with choosing a new Vice Chair, it was busy time. The department and leadership have been doing an amazing job of getting out, learning from staff and the many communities across the county.

July

While there, I was honored to be appointed as one of 6 vice-chairs to the Human Services and Education Steering Committee, and serve as Pierce County’s representative on the Large Urban County Caucus, Veterans and Military Services Committee and the Immigration Reform Task Force. I always come back from these events with ideas for policy, questions for department and Council staff and possible solutions or opportunities.

Mid July, I also had the chance to join Lakewood city leaders in welcoming the delegation from Gimhae City, one of Lakewood’s sister cities located in the Republic of Korea. Gimhae Deputy Mayor Kyon Won Ahn and several other representatives were able to tour our community and be introduced at the International Pavilion Stage during Summerfest.

August

An exciting time for District 6 in August was the official opening of the outdoor features at Sprinker Recreation Center. If you have not seen the new play structure, spray park (though it is a little cold right now) and outdoor sport fields and shelters, you should take a trip. Sprinker has always been known for ice skating, the skate park, ball fields (sometimes very muddy) and trails.

The new amenities are fabulous and while visiting a week after the opening I had a family drive up and ask me, “Is this free?” and I could proudly answer, “Yes!”  I know our tax dollars and grants went to make this a reality, to see families gathering for birthday parties and picnics, see parents and teens working out while kids are at play and just hear the laughter from the young and young at heart made it worth it! Thank you to all our partners that worked so hard, and I can’t wait to see what we do next on the inside.

In preparation for our summer supplemental budget, the Council held a special study session that included a tour of several different kinds of temporary housing. Part of this learning was to help the full Council understand temporary housing communities that were being successfully implemented across the county. I had the chance to see one in action in Tacoma. This was all due to the idea that properties in unincorporated Pierce County could also be used for these types of support, and at the time this was not an allowed use.

This led to some legislation that was vetoed and returned to the Council including land-use policy and our supplemental budget. It was incredibly frustrating, as this meant the county was not allowing these types of facilities in the unincorporated areas, which left this responsibility solely to cities. It simply made no sense then, and it is a goal of mine as we move into 2025 to continue to work on being a partner in this. Temporary housing communities can be one of the most effective ways to get our unhoused neighbors to accept services and can be centered around the unique needs of individuals or families.

September

October

The second District 6 Apple Squeeze was in Steilacoom. Councilmember Grasher and many in the community got ready to kick off Fall and prepare for the season. I can say that both Steilacoom and Anderson Island produce amazing cider.

For those that have followed the news, you might have caught a new opportunity coming to the Parkland area. Pacific Lutheran University is entering into a partnership with MultiCare and Washington State University to create a medical facility that serves the community and provides hands-on teaching experience at every level. It will truly be a remarkable addition and resource for Parkland, Spanaway and the greater unincorporated Pierce County. If you want to learn more, or have questions please visit this website: PLU Health Innovation.

November

Along with finally having time in my schedule to get my COVID-19 and Flu Booster, it was time to work on our once a decade Comprehensive Plan and our mid-biennial budget. The reality is that the one committee I am not a member of, Community Development and Environment Committee, has been working on our Comprehensive Plan for months, but the details were finally making it to the full Council and some of the specific communities I represent.

Our mid-biennial budget which was adopted on November 26^th including funding for several organizations in District 6, initial funding to complete the planning work for a bridge to cross the Chambers Creek Canyon, funding for mobile substance use disorder treatment and some additional staffing in areas of need within county government. All of our American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding has been allocated by the end of this year, and it was our last opportunity to really shift any of those funds. But there was very little need to move these incredibly important and one-time resources around.

Closing Out 2024

As we wrap up 2024, we will finalize the Comprehensive Plan, and I will start working on 2025. We have some changes on the Council, so while I will still be here, two of my colleagues were elected to serve in other parts of county government.

If you have made it to the conclusion, I want to thank you for taking the time to walk through several months of events, policy work and celebrations. I have learned so much over the last four years, and I am excited to see what the next four years brings.

Thanks for reading the Hitchen Post,