Three times a year, in the Regency Room in PLU’s Anderson University Center, there is an 8 a.m. meeting called Mid-County Leadership. This meeting began several years ago as a chance for the two school districts and PLU to get together and talk about pertinent issues within the unincorporated, urban area south of Tacoma. Since these areas have no city councils, the meet ups were particularly useful. First, to understand what challenges the community is facing and then to form a cohesive voice to the County and State governments and the general public to find solutions.

Today, January 29, was the second meeting of the school year and the first since the general election where several new County officials took office. This meeting also falls during the Legislative session, so PLU’s President Alan Belton was not present. He was in Olympia on legislative business.

In a brief hour and a half, significant stories of the condition of the community, the school districts and local government leaders are revealed. Before all that, the attendees get a chance to identify themselves and what organizations they represent. This is a useful tool for conversations following the meeting when people get to connect with a significant potential partner in problem solving.

The first update was from Dan Lee, Vice President of Community Relations at PLU. Dan spoke about upgrades happening in the Science and Technology Building on campus. There are preparations taking place for the new Partnership for Health Innovation and medical center to be built later. The University is still raising money to fund the project that will be located on the site of the former golf course. PLU is working with Pierce County Parks on developing the easements to connect to the Trails project in the area that will eventually be part of the County wide trails through the valley between South Prairie and Puyallup. They are also working with the tribes to preserve a portion of the Parkland Prairie that is heavy with native camas plants, a significant traditional food source of local indigenous people.

Next was a brief update on projects of the Tacoma Rescue Mission with Duke Paulson. They have two major Capital projects, the Good Neighbor Village in Spanaway and at the main mission campus in Tacoma.

Then, the group got to meet the newly elected Pierce County Sheriff live and in person. Keith Swank gave a bit of life history, where he grew up, his foray into life in the Army, stationed at Fort Lewis. After his initial active duty service, while on unemployment and attending the University of Washington, he applied for a job with the City of Seattle Police Force. He ended up working night shifts on the force while he attended classes during the day. He worked in Seattle for 33 years before running for Pierce County Sheriff. He is still getting to know a lot of the deputies and has chosen his former opponent Lieutenant Cyndie Fajardo as his assistant Sheriff.

Commissioner Robert Homan and Central Pierce Fire Chief Dustin Morrow followed with information about the proposed fire district merger. At the direction of the three Boards of Fire Commissioners, Central Pierce Fire & Rescue (CPFR), Graham Fire & Rescue (GFR) and Orting Valley Fire & Rescue (OVFR), are asking voters to create a new regional fire service organization through an equal collaboration legally known as merger. This decision follows extensive collaboration focused on improving efficiency, reducing costs and improving service quality. Voters in Orting and Graham will vote on the merger April22, 2025.

Lance Goodpaster, Superintendent of the Franklin Pierce School District presented impacts that lower enrollments and budget shortfalls were affecting the district budget. There are specific areas where the state funding models are not reflecting the reality of how schools currently have to operate, particularly in poorer neighborhoods in Parkland.

Jay Brower, formerly Community Connections at Bethel is now the Superintendent at the Eatonville School District. Jay was present to give some information on Eatonville’s needs. They are proposing to upgrade their track, field, and stadium.

Last up was Brian Lowney of the Bethel District. He briefly showed photos of schools completed, and soon to be completed from recent bonds. The new Bethel High School is well into the construction process and scheduled for the 26/27 school year.

But this article isn’t really about all the things they described or announced were underway. It is really about the people who are part of these key projects and organizations, taking a small amount of their time every few months to connect with each other.

These moments, no matter how brief, help forge relationships between otherwise separate silo operations. They meet, and suddenly one approaches the other with how they can assist with that problem and a community wide solution begins.

At times, there are complaints, like Tom Seigel’s list of services lacking in the unincorporated urban areas. As others begin to echo those complaints, a chorus, rather than a voice in the wilderness, begins. It is at that moment, solutions dawn, and projects begin.

They say heroes are made, not born. The process that makes them is sometimes quiet and simple as a handshake after a short meeting. The intrinsic value of making connections is real.