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Latest Blog Posts

New Programs to Fight Pierce County’s Opioid Epidemic

Delivering the right service, at the right time, in the right place. – Derek Young, Pierce County Council Consciously and unconsciously, we build barriers to recovery for people with substance use disorders. When surveyed, 70% of people suffering...
The Birth to 25 Advisory Board Needs You!

This past April, the Pierce County Council passed Ordinance 2019-6 which established a 19-member Birth to 25 Advisory Board (B-25 Board) for Infant, Child, Youth, and Young Adult Development. The B-25 Board shall propose to the County Executive and...
Chambers Creek Regional Park- Central Meadow Study

Pierce County Parks and Recreation is conducting a feasibility study for an event stage in the Central Meadow at Chambers Creek Regional Park. Mark your calendars for the final open house for the feasibility study: Tuesday, August 6. Based on...
Making Investments in Affordable Housing

Those of us in local government often look to the state for assistance in providing services to our residents. Counties have limited capacity to raise money for needs such as police, courts, jail, prosecutions, indigent defense, juvenile court,...
A rescue effort

You’ve probably heard the stories of victims who unwittingly become trapped in human trafficking schemes. Sometimes, a victim of trafficking is a vulnerable person trying to escape a difficult or dangerous life in their homeland. They fall prey to...
Clearing up confusion on the Affordable Housing Tax Credit

– Derek Young, Pierce County Council After the Legislature stepped up to meet the demands of the housing crisis, Pierce County and Tacoma, along with local governments from across the state, are implementing Substitute House Bill 1406. The new law...
Hello, Pierce County!

Greetings from the bunker! (That’s my affectionate name for my office here on the first of 1305 Tacoma Avenue South. Let’s just say I’m well insulated.) My name is Heather Moss and I thought I’d introduce myself to folks out there who used to hear...
Stepping up when broken down

I first learned of a problem with the Steilacoom/Anderson Island ferry service at 7:23 on Sunday night. Fresh off my own vacation, my mind immediately went to the folks spending a beautiful weekend on the island and wondering whether they could get...
A taxing job!

Did you know that in Pierce County we have 330,000 properties on our tax rolls that generate about $1.4 billion each year? And, were you aware that the Assessor-Treasurer’s (ATR) office collects taxes on behalf of 75 taxing districts in the County?...
New Funding for Housing in Pierce County

– Derek Young, Pierce County Council This Monday the Council’s Rules Committee will consider a bill I sponsored, Resolution 2019–95. It signals the County’s intent to take advantage of a sales tax revenue sharing program created by the State with ....
Greetings from Canada!

I frequently brag about the natural beauty in Pierce County! From our islands in the Sound to Mount Rainier, it can hardly get better. But, occasionally I like to get even more remote – and sometimes that leads me north to Canada. There are...
Never forget

Early last year, Executive Dammeier and Council Chair Richardson proposed, and Council approved, the funding needed to create a new memorial for Pierce County’s fallen first responders. Too many of our police officers, fire fighters and military...
Someone to look up to

As a school board director, I came to appreciate the challenge of naming a new school or prominent facility. I can think of no higher honor than to have your legacy immortalized by a community. The naming demonstrates a community’s values and...
Are your ears still ringing?

Whew – what a day! It started early and ended late! My morning was spent representing Pierce County in the classic Independence Day parade in DuPont. Council Chair Doug Richardson was also “repping” since DuPont is in the Mighty 6th. This community...
Council Schedule Highlights Week of July 1st, 2019

– Derek Young, Pierce County Council Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019 9:30 am Human Services Committee Connie Ladenburg, Chair Marty Campbell, Vice Chair Douglas G. Richardson Dave Morell Derek Young Regularly scheduled meetings are broadcast live and...
Swept away

Our Sheriff’s deputies have some pretty amazing places to do their work. Given the miles and miles of shoreline surrounding us, as well as the many rivers and lakes in our county, rescuing folks in the water is a critical tactic. Our crack Swift...
Council Schedule Highlights Week of June 24th, 2019

– Derek Young, Pierce County Council Monday, June 24th, 2019 10:00 am Rules Committee Douglas Richardson, Chair Connie Ladenburg, Vice Chair Dave Morrell, Executive Pro Tempore Regularly scheduled meetings are broadcast live and replayed on channel...
A human touch

Every day, I have challenging conversations with our colleagues and those outside the County about our work to build a brighter future for the people of Pierce County. Many of those conversations revolve around more and better jobs, safeguarding and...
Council Schedule Highlights Week of June 17th, 2019

– Derek Young, Pierce County Council Monday, June 17th, 2019 10:00 am Rules Committee Douglas Richardson, Chair Connie Ladenburg, Vice Chair Dave Morrell, Executive Pro Tempore Regularly scheduled meetings are broadcast live and replayed on channel...
Counting everyone once, only once, and in the right place

Counting everyone once, only once, and in the right place. It’s easy to see the parallels between election administration and the decennial census. That’s one reason I’m so passionate about the 2020 Census. The April 1, 2020 event is just around the...