Skip to Main Content

Latest Blog Posts

2019 Legislative Town Halls

26th Legislative District Senator Emily Randall Saturday, March 23rd 9:00 am at Olympic College Theater 1520 Ohio Ave. in Bremerton 12:00 pm at Gig Harbor City Hall 3510 Grandview St. in Gig Harbor 3:00 pm at Key Peninsula Civic Center 17010 S Vaughn...
A unique partnership

I talk about the power of partnerships frequently. That’s because I believe in partnerships strongly and see them in action around the County on a daily basis. In all cases, people from different organizations with different strengths, abilities, and...
Farewell, Pierce County

I vividly remember my first day in the County. I didn’t know what to expect! Many of the staff knew me from my work in the community. Those who didn’t wondered who the strange guy was roaming the hallways. About two months after my arrival, we held...
Council Schedule Highlights Week of March 11th, 2019

Monday, March 11th, 2019 1:30 pm Public Safety Committee Jim McCune, Chair Pam Roach, Vice Chair Connie Ladenburg Dave Morell Derek Young This meeting will be broadcast live and replayed on channel 22 (Comcast and Click! Network) and channel 20...
Lights….camera….action!

The character Mike Baxter on the show “Last Man Standing” is a big fan of using vlogs (video blogs) to reach the customers of Outdoor Man. Vlogs are an effective and different way to engage people. For many, watching a short video is much easier...
The power of differences

I have been fortunate to have had many different “careers.” Serving in the Navy in a variety of locations; as a quality leader and operations executive for a manufacturing company; on the Puyallup School Board; in both the Washington State House and...
The Future Of Our Children

Pierce County, a great place to live, work, play and raise a family. But what is it like to grow up in Pierce County? Is it a place where we value children … all children? Most of the children in Pierce County are doing well but I want to focus on...
A world of difference

By now you know that I really like and appreciate history – and the people who have confronted significant challenges and overcame them. So, have you heard about the amazing life of Dr. Nettie Asberry? I must admit I had not until we shared her...
Celebrating Black History Month

Every February, we celebrate Black History Month to honor the contributions and accomplishments of African-American pioneers and visionaries. On the national level, historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks are often the focus...
Council Schedule Highlights Week of February 18th, 2019

Tuesday, February 19th, 2019 9:30 am Human Services Committee Connie Ladenburg, Chair Marty Campbell, Vice Chair Douglas G. Richardson Dave Morell Derek Young This meeting will be broadcast live and replayed on channel 22 (Comcast and Click! Network)...
Frozen

In the movie, Frozen, ice queen Elsa sings “the snow never bothered me, anyway!” Well, it may not bother Elsa, but it sure made life miserable for our residents. Thankfully for them, we had an amazing group of County employees – and some equally...
Council Schedule Highlights Week of February 11th, 2019

As we dig out from the snowstorm and prepare for the next, I anticipate that this schedule will change. While a couple of us can probably make it to work safely, we need to be thinking of constituents, staff, and councilmembers who are traveling from...
2019 Snowmageddon

Thanks to Mother Nature, this week’s blog will be shorter than normal. I would to thank everyone who will be working this weekend and in the days ahead to keep our residents safe. From our Sheriff’s Department to Emergency Management,...
Universal Home Visits for Washington

In 2017, Superior Court Judge Kitty-Ann van Doorninck approached Rep. Laurie Jinkins and me with concerns over rapidly increasing dependency and removal rates in Pierce County. While the neglect and abuse of children has many causes, we’ve seen a...
Without a home

We all know that some people in our nation, state, and communities are struggling with homelessness. The federally required annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count gives us a snapshot of those people throughout the nation. In Pierce County, we conduct...
Council Schedule Highlights Week of January 28th, 2019

As the Council gets into full swing with our first retreat day, I’ll also be busy in Olympia. The session is still taking shape but county issues continue to dominate the agenda such as behavioral health and housing. Monday, JANUARY 28th, 2019 1:30pm...
Hola!

Hola! My name is Maia Espinoza and I’m the new Director of Constituent Services in the Executive’s Office. My primary job is to make sure that constituent matters that come directly to our office are routed to the correct department so that issues...
A powerful lesson

What if I told you students in Puyallup can graduate with an RN degree by age 20?! It’s true! The Puyallup School District has teamed up with Clover Park Technical College to offer a nursing program that begins in high school and finishes in college...
Boom town

I love it when people outside of Pierce County invest in our community and our residents! I love it even more when people who are already here decide to re-invest! 40 years ago, far-sighted community leaders set aside 500 acres in Frederickson for a...
2019 Council Leadership and Committee Appointments

At the first Council meeting of the year, we have our organizing votes electing leadership and making committee appointment. The Rules Committee is responsible for scheduling and administrative functions of the Council. It will be led by:...