In the next couple days, ballots are going to arrive in your mailboxes. There are some very major candidates on those ballots, but still, the very most important may be your local elections, in particular, the Pierce County Council. This article is to try to clarify the duties for which you elect that council. It is our hope that you will better understand the value of their resumes. These candidates are certainly more than just a few issues that the News Tribune or other entity decides to highlight before crowning one with their endorsement. For their $107,602 per year salary from our tax dollars, you should delve deeper and consider your inner HR director.

At the end of this article, there is a list of committees which comprise most of the daily duties of your county council members. From this you will see that they appoint many people to boards and commissions. It is helpful that they know many people across their district.  Council members should, therefore, be well involved with their communities. Do they attend various groups, meeting and events that are important in your area? Do you know them? You should.

Many of these groups in which council members are assigned to participate are large boards with other council people and government representatives of other counties and districts, state administrative executives and persuasive business executives. Your county council person should be able to hold their own and better yet, be able to be persuasive in such a strong group of individuals on your behalf. Give your candidate extra points if they have successfully brought forward legislation that required getting diverse representatives on board with a plan of their origin. In legislative talk that’s called being a bill’s ‘prime sponsor.’ A long history of being in office may not be necessary, but being aware of process and being bold enough to promote a cause is.

County council members are called by individuals to assist with making improvements in their district. Whether that is streetlights, stop lights, turn lanes, school zone enhancements, wider roads, assisting the permitting for a skill center or arranging for surface water to be dealt with at an intersection, they need to take calls and understand needs and priorities of their constituents. Beyond that, they need to be able to convince at least 3 other members of the council from other districts to go along with their idea so they can get your improvements passed. You as the voters are the HR managers in charge of selecting someone who listens to your needs, can get along with the team, be persuasive and proactive on your behalf.

Many of the decisions a council member must make require knowledge or skills a council member does not have. Will  your council members seek out expertise and get an educated opinion when it is necessary to get the job done right? Are they willing to admit when they need to consult with experts? Pontificating on issues upon which they do not have credentials is not as useful as being willing to seek counsel at times of doubt.

At this juncture, I will note that as the Post is a news media that is focused on the portion of the county that is not incorporated, we have a niche not filled by the opinions of those who promote major urban centers. When seeing out a council member to represent an unincorporated area, is the person you are voting for willing to stand up to the representatives of business and government of that urban center and speak out on behalf of the needs within the district? Will they speak truth to power or will they unequivocally bend to the will of their party or caucus? What is their track record?   (Ask someone about the history of the town of Kapowsin if you don’t understand this one.)

Pierce County is highly diverse. With the presence of JBLM and the port of Tacoma, our county has attracted a broad multicultural community. Frank Hewins, Superintendent of the Franklin Pierce School District, said they have 95 different nationalities represented in their school district this year. Is your county council person willing to embrace the needs of all their constituents, male, female, young, old, indigenous, Irish, Samoan or anything in between?

The largest employer in the county is the military installation. Does your county council wannabe support the people who defend our nation and those who work as civilians supporting our troops?

Public safety is often tied to economic security. In difficult economic times, crimes are more likely to occur. People who would normally be employed find themselves without means and turn to alternative ways to make a living. Does your candidate support a balanced approach between arresting those who perpetrate crimes and working to enhance the climate for people to make money in legitimate businesses? There is an old saying about each person having two wolves inside them, good and bad, which one will your candidate feed? 79% of the county budget is all about criminal justice. Choose your vote based on how much of that budget you feel would be saved with an ounce of prevention. There is a  saying about a pound of cure.

Yes, this article is not about flood zones, executive budget cuts, or whether to make 5 of 7 agree on whether to raise taxes. On the latter, wouldn’t it be nice if someone just got the economic wheels turning in this county again? We would not need to raise the sales tax at all if we simply could put everyone back to work and they could buy the stuff they all probably want to get right now. Did anyone say this? “We do not need to raise taxes, we need to jump start the economic engine that provides more revenue at the existing tax rate.”

And completely from a suburban-rural perspective, because that is what the Post represents, did your candidate say anything about the economy recovering by providing more jobs in any industry other than building houses? What is their position on growth management? Are they willing to balance rural developments rights with the idea of putting homes where there are already roads, schools, sidewalks, fire stations, parks and medical services?

And the Post’s biggest pet peeve of this year is how few council candidates want to take a stand on the Cross Base Highway. The houses built in south Pierce County over the past 20 years were based on the assumption that this road would be built, but only a disconnected portion exists, attached to the overburdened Spanaway Loop Road. The experts say more jobs would come to Frederickson if there was better traffic flow.

Now tally up your candidates scores and look what they will have to do once you hire them to this well paid full-time job.

Council Standing Committees:

RULES AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

The Rules and Operations Committee shall consider and make recommendations on matters including, but not limited to: Agenda of the Council and Committees, Animals, Assignment of Ordinances, Resolution, and Other Issues to Committee, Bonds, Confirmations of Appointments to Boards and Commissions, Confirmation of Executive’s Appointments of Department Directors, Contracts, Council Budget, County Operations, Data Processing and Communications, Fiscal Issues, Inter-jurisdictional Issues, Intergovernmental Agreements, Purchasing for Council, Rules and Operations of the Council, and Supplemental Budgets.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The Community Development Committee shall consider and make recommendations on matters including, but not limited to: Building, Current Use Assessment, Environmental Issues, Growth Management, Parks, Planning, Shorelines, and Zoning.

ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The Economic and Infrastructure Development Committee shall consider and make recommendations on matters including, but not limited to: Capital Facilities, Franchises, Public Utilities, Public Works, Road Improvement Districts, Roads, Sewers, Solid Waste, Telecommunications, Utility Local Improvement Districts, Water Districts, and Water Issues.

PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

The Public Safety & Human Services Committee shall consider and make recommendations on matters including, but not limited to: Assigned Counsel, Corrections, Courts, Criminal Justice, Probation, Prosecuting Attorney, Public Safety, Sheriff, Health, Human Services Issues, Juvenile Services, and Senior Services.

Other Boards/Commissions/Committees/Organizations that have council representation:

Broadway Center for the Performing Arts/Board of Trustees

Council Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)

Courthouse Security Standing Committee

Economic Development Board (EDB)

Employment & Training Consortium Executive Board

Executive Board of Crystal Judson Family Justice Center

Executive Board of Economic Development Corporation of Pierce County (EDCPC)

Joint City-County Open Space Determination Board

Joint Municipal Action Committee

Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Disability Board (LEOFF)

Law Enforcement Support Agency Executive Board

Lodging Tax Advisory Board

Nisqually River Council

Park District Leadership Task Force

Performance Audit Committee

Pierce County Commission Against Domestic Violence

Pierce County Law and Justice Community Oversight Committee

Pierce County Law and Justice Council

Pierce County Law Library Board of Trustees

Pierce County Regional Council

Pierce County Reserve Officers Board of Trustees

Pierce Transit Board

Public Facilities District Board of Directors

Puget Sound Regional Council Economic Development District Board of Directors

Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board

Puget Sound Regional Council Growth Management Policy Board

Puget Sound Regional Council Operations Committee

Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board

Puyallup River Watershed Council

Rainier Communications Commission

Sewerage and/or Water General Plan Review Committee

Shoreline Citizens Advisory Commission

Solid Waste Advisory Committee

Sound Transit Board

South Puget Sound Council

South Sound 911

Surface Water Management Advisory Board (SWAB)

Tacoma Narrows Airport Advisory Commission

Tacoma-Pierce County Clean Air Task Force

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Board

Thun Field Advisory Commission

Tourism Promotion Area Hotel Commission

Transfer of Development Rights Committee

Transportation 2040 Prioritization Working Group

Transportation REET Allocation Advisory Commission

Washington State Association of Counties Board of Directors

Washington State Association of Counties Legislative Steering Committee

Washington State Association of Counties Urban County Caucus

Water Utility Coordinating Committee

Zoo & Trek Authority (ZTA)