MEETING RECAP
Sunday, January 9, 2022
By: Eric T QuinnBack to Zooming
THE LAKEWOOD KEY for January 7 2022 meeting
President Jim Rooks (PJ) rang the virtual meeting to order at 12:30 PM. Paula Olson gave the invocation. PJ led us in the Pledge.
Making the Meeting happen: Rob Erb and his tremendous set-up crew have their time off until we get back to our in-person meetings on February 11. Leanna Christian once again played the virtual co-host. John Lowney recorded fines. Eric Quinn played the scribe. Monitoring PJ’s Gaffes: Greg Rediske. (Note: Is he called PJ cuz he led the Zoom meeting while wearing his pajamas?)
From Rodney Dangerfield: “My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.”
As for the Foundation Desk: Please Mail in or pay online any contributions until we are back in person, thank you!
Assistant District Governor Tony Camoroda was our one visiting Rotarian.
We had one guest, Marisa Terry, the Club’s proposed candidate for a Global Grant Scholarship.
PJ recognized the Puffins:
Carl Bronkema, Rachel Mazoff, Steve Saalfeld
Jamie Simons, James Osundwa, Wendy McGowan, Connie Coleman-
Lacadie, Anthony Veliz, Bob Martin, Andy Phillips, Angela Connelly, and soon-to-be new members Linda McDermott and Dwight Williams
As to the Health and Wellness Report, Eric Warn was not present so PJ gave a report. John Warner is recovering well from surgery.
Above: John Warner….Get well soon!
Assistant District Governor Tony Camoroda gave a Presidential Citation to Past-President Mark Edgecomb. Mark gave special thanks to Greg Rediske for his assistance in helping him establish goals for the Club. He also thanked the Lakewood Rotary Board and the entire membership for a successful year. Mark was an outstanding Past President and remains an outstanding member.
Above: Mark Edgecomb got kisses and a Presidential Citation
Speaking of individuals, Rodney Dangerfield once said: “When I was born the doctor came out to the waiting room and said to my father, ‘I’m very sorry. We did everything we could…but he pulled through.’”
Bob Bruback gave an announcement on behalf of the Community Concerns Committee. The CCC want to give a $2,500.00 donation to Communities in Schools in Lakewood. This organization serves a variety of students, including many that are in the midst of poverty, in assisting them through the issues that they are facing. Rick Selden made the motion to make the $2,500.00 donation, and a second was made. The motion carried unanimously.
PJ introduced two new members: Dwight Williams (Sponsor: Phil Eng) and Linda McDermott (Sponsor: Leanna Christian). He reminded them to follow the Four Way Test: Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to All Concerned? Will it build good will and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? They of course were handed the standard packet including an invoice for their dues. (Actually, I think Greg Rediske went above and beyond and brought them all the stuff at their homes!)
Dwight thanked the Club for welcoming him. He appreciates the community focus. Dwight grew up in Pittsburgh. He served in the Army and was commissioned. Then he was stationed at Fort Lewis, and he has since lived in Washington for over 40 years. He and his wife have two children. Dwight has been active in various community organizations. Welcome to you, Dwight!
Linda is very excited to be a member of Rotary. Linda has been associated with the military in one form or another for most of her life. Her father was in the military and her husband is a West Point grad. Linda and her husband have two girls and one boy. She has served on the Board of Directors for Lakeview Light and Power and a variety of other community organizations. Welcome to you, Linda!
Greg and Mary Horn introduced the Club’s candidate for a Global Grant Scholarship, Marisa Terry. Marisa went to Charles Wright and Bellarmine. She is currently a senior at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She will be going to Queens University in Belfast, Ireland, next year. Marisa thanked everyone for welcoming her. She is finishing up her degree in International Relations and Environmental Studies. She wishes to have a service-oriented career. Greg and Mary said they are extremely proud of Marisa.
Tom George discussed the India Mammography Project. The Club has been working on this project under the guidance of Rose Stevens, Mark Edgecomb and Tom. We have been working on this project for approximately a year. The mammography machine was recently delivered to the hospital in India. John Lowney had a question about the project. As Club Treasurer, John indicated that the Club has a balance of $6,600 that has been earmarked for the India project, and he wished to know the plan for spending that. Tom stated that the donor is willing to part with the money so it can be allocated to another water project. Problem solved!
As for Fines and Generous Giving, Carl Bronkema gave $25.00 for his alma mater, Baylor, kicking Ole Miss’s butt in football.
Speaking of kicking butt, Rodney Dangerfield had a dog: “Some dog I got too. We call him Egypt because he leaves a pyramid in every room.”
The Program:
Above: Photo of Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County Executive
President-Elect and Lakewood Mayor Jason Whalen introduced Bruce Dammeier, the Pierce County Executive. Bruce was elected to State Senate in 2012 and served there through 2016. He became the Pierce County Executive in November 2016 and was just elected to a second term. He is a small business owner located in Lakewood—Printers Northwest. Jason reminded us that of course, Lakewood has no B&O tax, so Bruce is a wise businessman. Bruce is a member of Rotary #8 in Tacoma. He has served on the Boards of Goodwill Industries and a variety of other community organizations.
Bruce thanked Mayor Whalen for the introduction. He asked whether Jason had to pay a fine as a new mayor. He also noticed a variety of familiar faces in the virtual crowd. Bruce loves his job. The last few months have been pretty dynamic given the snow and the record-low temperatures. Another issue that we have had to address is the number of unhoused individuals that needed to be relocated to temporary shelter.
There has also been a huge COVID testing spike arising out of concern with the Omicron variant. The testing site at the old emissions testing location has been running strong for the last nine months, and there is a new testing site on the Washington State fairgrounds. Omicron is different in how transmissible it is, as Bruce is sure we are all aware of. The emergency departments in a variety of hospitals are understaffed and very busy. And this is not unique to hospitals. It is an issue in a variety of sectors and industries. Although Omicron is not necessarily deadly, it is putting a lot of people on the sidelines. The hope is that Omicron will peak in mid-to-late January. Bruce reminded us that the best course is to get vaccinated and boosted.
Pierce County’s two-year budget was just passed. There are a lot of positive things going on in Pierce County right now, specifically with respect to collaborative partnerships. Bruce stated that one of the best partners that Pierce County has is the City of Lakewood, which steps up to the plate regularly. The City of Lakewood was highly involved in the South Sound Housing Affordability Partnership with Pierce County, which we discuss further below. Bruce understands the importance of economic opportunity. The Pierce County BIPOC Business Accelerator promotes entrepreneurship among people of color in our community. More info on that here: https://www.pcba.biz/
Additionally, as we all know, housing prices in Pierce County have skyrocketed. We are working on ways to address that, which include but are not limited to providing for many other forms of housing. We are particularly focused on housing for the elderly and the unhoused. The South Sound Housing Affordability Partnership is made up of 14 government agencies, which again, Lakewood and Pierce County are a part of. We need more public-private partnerships. We need a private solution to delivering an affordable house. More information on the South Sound Housing Affordability Partnership here: https://www.piercecountywa.gov/7052/South-Sound-Housing-Affordability-Partne
Then there is the issue of homelessness. This is very significant in our community. The current solutions are not working. As Bruce put it so well, Pierce County does not believe in the approach of “enabling people to live in squalor.” We must take a comprehensive, transformational and restorative approach. There are a lot of people that want to help, but they have to believe that their money or other giving will actually direct people to the right path.
Bruce closed his presentation by saying that Pierce County persevered and benefited economically despite the Covid crisis. He then opened it up to questions.
Jason Whalen asked about the testing center at the emissions site being closed indefinitely. When can we expect something else to open up? Bruce indicated that, generally, the emissions site was testing 200 to 500 people a day. But last Sunday, 1700 people were tested on that site. This is creating traffic congestion and impacts to local business. So Pierce County is pivoting and is opening testing sites in Spanaway Lake Park, hopefully on Monday, and another testing site exists at the Washington State Fairgrounds.
Bill Potter inquired how the Club may become more involved in Human Services. Bruce informed Bill that Steve O’Ban is the person to speak with about this as he is the guru in human services at the County Executive’s office..
Rick Selden commended Pierce County’s efforts in working toward solutions on affordable housing and homelessness.
Steve Saalfeld had a question about homelessness. He wanted to express that a lack of education plays a major role in homelessness. He inquired about how education may play a role in combating homelessness. Bruce again stated that the Community First Village in Austin, Texas provides a great model for integrating members of the community. That is a key part—community engagement and education—in combating homelessness. More on Community First Village here: https://mlf.org/community-first/
David Swindale inquired about a recent policy brief from the Governor recommending legislation that mandates affordable housing in the form of precluding single-family residential zoning. Bruce stated that he had a meeting about that this morning in order to address this potential new mandate. The Governor’s policy brief is located here:
https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/Homelessness_PolicyBrief_Dec14.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Thank you, Executive Dammeier for a thoughtful and engaging presentation. We value your experience and contributions to the community.
And in closing, Rodney Dangerfield lamented his upbringing: “I remember the time I was kidnapped and they sent back a piece of my finger to my father. He said he wanted more proof.”
Above: Rodney Dangerfield
Assistant District Governor Tony Camoroda was our one visiting Rotarian.
We had one guest, Marisa Terry, the Club’s proposed candidate for a Global Grant Scholarship.
PJ recognized the Puffins:
Carl Bronkema, Rachel Mazoff, Steve Saalfeld
Jamie Simons, James Osundwa, Wendy McGowan, Connie Coleman-
Lacadie, Anthony Veliz, Bob Martin, Andy Phillips, Angela Connelly, and soon-to-be new members Linda McDermott and Dwight Williams
As to the Health and Wellness Report, Eric Warn was not present so PJ gave a report. John Warner is recovering well from surgery.
Above: John Warner….Get well soon!
Assistant District Governor Tony Camoroda gave a Presidential Citation to Past-President Mark Edgecomb. Mark gave special thanks to Greg Rediske for his assistance in helping him establish goals for the Club. He also thanked the Lakewood Rotary Board and the entire membership for a successful year. Mark was an outstanding Past President and remains an outstanding member.
Above: Mark Edgecomb got kisses and a Presidential Citation
Speaking of individuals, Rodney Dangerfield once said: “When I was born the doctor came out to the waiting room and said to my father, ‘I’m very sorry. We did everything we could…but he pulled through.’”
Bob Bruback gave an announcement on behalf of the Community Concerns Committee. The CCC want to give a $2,500.00 donation to Communities in Schools in Lakewood. This organization serves a variety of students, including many that are in the midst of poverty, in assisting them through the issues that they are facing. Rick Selden made the motion to make the $2,500.00 donation, and a second was made. The motion carried unanimously.
PJ introduced two new members: Dwight Williams (Sponsor: Phil Eng) and Linda McDermott (Sponsor: Leanna Christian). He reminded them to follow the Four Way Test: Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to All Concerned? Will it build good will and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? They of course were handed the standard packet including an invoice for their dues. (Actually, I think Greg Rediske went above and beyond and brought them all the stuff at their homes!)
Dwight thanked the Club for welcoming him. He appreciates the community focus. Dwight grew up in Pittsburgh. He served in the Army and was commissioned. Then he was stationed at Fort Lewis, and he has since lived in Washington for over 40 years. He and his wife have two children. Dwight has been active in various community organizations. Welcome to you, Dwight!
Linda is very excited to be a member of Rotary. Linda has been associated with the military in one form or another for most of her life. Her father was in the military and her husband is a West Point grad. Linda and her husband have two girls and one boy. She has served on the Board of Directors for Lakeview Light and Power and a variety of other community organizations. Welcome to you, Linda!
Greg and Mary Horn introduced the Club’s candidate for a Global Grant Scholarship, Marisa Terry. Marisa went to Charles Wright and Bellarmine. She is currently a senior at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She will be going to Queens University in Belfast, Ireland, next year. Marisa thanked everyone for welcoming her. She is finishing up her degree in International Relations and Environmental Studies. She wishes to have a service-oriented career. Greg and Mary said they are extremely proud of Marisa.
Tom George discussed the India Mammography Project. The Club has been working on this project under the guidance of Rose Stevens, Mark Edgecomb and Tom. We have been working on this project for approximately a year. The mammography machine was recently delivered to the hospital in India. John Lowney had a question about the project. As Club Treasurer, John indicated that the Club has a balance of $6,600 that has been earmarked for the India project, and he wished to know the plan for spending that. Tom stated that the donor is willing to part with the money so it can be allocated to another water project. Problem solved!
As for Fines and Generous Giving, Carl Bronkema gave $25.00 for his alma mater, Baylor, kicking Ole Miss’s butt in football.
Speaking of kicking butt, Rodney Dangerfield had a dog: “Some dog I got too. We call him Egypt because he leaves a pyramid in every room.”
The Program:
Above: Photo of Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County Executive
President-Elect and Lakewood Mayor Jason Whalen introduced Bruce Dammeier, the Pierce County Executive. Bruce was elected to State Senate in 2012 and served there through 2016. He became the Pierce County Executive in November 2016 and was just elected to a second term. He is a small business owner located in Lakewood—Printers Northwest. Jason reminded us that of course, Lakewood has no B&O tax, so Bruce is a wise businessman. Bruce is a member of Rotary #8 in Tacoma. He has served on the Boards of Goodwill Industries and a variety of other community organizations.
Bruce thanked Mayor Whalen for the introduction. He asked whether Jason had to pay a fine as a new mayor. He also noticed a variety of familiar faces in the virtual crowd. Bruce loves his job. The last few months have been pretty dynamic given the snow and the record-low temperatures. Another issue that we have had to address is the number of unhoused individuals that needed to be relocated to temporary shelter.
There has also been a huge COVID testing spike arising out of concern with the Omicron variant. The testing site at the old emissions testing location has been running strong for the last nine months, and there is a new testing site on the Washington State fairgrounds. Omicron is different in how transmissible it is, as Bruce is sure we are all aware of. The emergency departments in a variety of hospitals are understaffed and very busy. And this is not unique to hospitals. It is an issue in a variety of sectors and industries. Although Omicron is not necessarily deadly, it is putting a lot of people on the sidelines. The hope is that Omicron will peak in mid-to-late January. Bruce reminded us that the best course is to get vaccinated and boosted.
Pierce County’s two-year budget was just passed. There are a lot of positive things going on in Pierce County right now, specifically with respect to collaborative partnerships. Bruce stated that one of the best partners that Pierce County has is the City of Lakewood, which steps up to the plate regularly. The City of Lakewood was highly involved in the South Sound Housing Affordability Partnership with Pierce County, which we discuss further below. Bruce understands the importance of economic opportunity. The Pierce County BIPOC Business Accelerator promotes entrepreneurship among people of color in our community. More info on that here: https://www.pcba.biz/
Additionally, as we all know, housing prices in Pierce County have skyrocketed. We are working on ways to address that, which include but are not limited to providing for many other forms of housing. We are particularly focused on housing for the elderly and the unhoused. The South Sound Housing Affordability Partnership is made up of 14 government agencies, which again, Lakewood and Pierce County are a part of. We need more public-private partnerships. We need a private solution to delivering an affordable house. More information on the South Sound Housing Affordability Partnership here: https://www.piercecountywa.gov/7052/South-Sound-Housing-Affordability-Partne
Then there is the issue of homelessness. This is very significant in our community. The current solutions are not working. As Bruce put it so well, Pierce County does not believe in the approach of “enabling people to live in squalor.” We must take a comprehensive, transformational and restorative approach. There are a lot of people that want to help, but they have to believe that their money or other giving will actually direct people to the right path.
Bruce closed his presentation by saying that Pierce County persevered and benefited economically despite the Covid crisis. He then opened it up to questions.
Jason Whalen asked about the testing center at the emissions site being closed indefinitely. When can we expect something else to open up? Bruce indicated that, generally, the emissions site was testing 200 to 500 people a day. But last Sunday, 1700 people were tested on that site. This is creating traffic congestion and impacts to local business. So Pierce County is pivoting and is opening testing sites in Spanaway Lake Park, hopefully on Monday, and another testing site exists at the Washington State Fairgrounds.
Bill Potter inquired how the Club may become more involved in Human Services. Bruce informed Bill that Steve O’Ban is the person to speak with about this as he is the guru in human services at the County Executive’s office..
Rick Selden commended Pierce County’s efforts in working toward solutions on affordable housing and homelessness.
Steve Saalfeld had a question about homelessness. He wanted to express that a lack of education plays a major role in homelessness. He inquired about how education may play a role in combating homelessness. Bruce again stated that the Community First Village in Austin, Texas provides a great model for integrating members of the community. That is a key part—community engagement and education—in combating homelessness. More on Community First Village here: https://mlf.org/community-first/
David Swindale inquired about a recent policy brief from the Governor recommending legislation that mandates affordable housing in the form of precluding single-family residential zoning. Bruce stated that he had a meeting about that this morning in order to address this potential new mandate. The Governor’s policy brief is located here:
https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/Homelessness_PolicyBrief_Dec14.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Thank you, Executive Dammeier for a thoughtful and engaging presentation. We value your experience and contributions to the community.
And in closing, Rodney Dangerfield lamented his upbringing: “I remember the time I was kidnapped and they sent back a piece of my finger to my father. He said he wanted more proof.”
Above: Rodney Dangerfield
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