MEETING RECAP
National Mac 'N Cheese Day
By John W. MagnusonSunday, July 16, 2023
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National Mac ‘N Cheese Day
John Magnuson
If you’re anything like me, and I believe there are seven of us, I listened to and watched Friday’s meeting very carefully and I am terribly disappointed there was no mention of it being National Mac ‘N Cheese Day. Perhaps President Mary’s assistants wanted to shield her from the executive responsibilities the day requires. I am drafting a letter of apology to the day’s organizers explaining President Mary’s lapse. Maybe she can be forgiven because The Bastille Day celebration consumed the agenda. The Kazoo version of La Marsellaise is stirring.
Begin with two quarts of water set to boil
As the dinner bell sounded and conversations ceased, all eyes turned to the podium. Paula Olson’s invocation reminded us to be mindful and the pledge by PDG Gordy Quick makes us aware of our patriotism. James Guerrero manned the Paul Harris desk. He collected $720. Barlow Buescher sold raffle tickets and behaved as Sgt. At Arms. Guests included Jennie Weinand, who accompanied husband Jim and Assistant Fire Chief Ryan McGrady was a guest of Chief Jim Sharp.
President Mary announced that she intends to beat Past President Jason on new membership and fines levied! Wow! Nothing like telegraphing your punches.
Add a teaspoon of salt to the water now at a rolling boil
Add the Pasta from the package to the boiling water
Community Concerns Committee Chair, Jan Gee, presented two grant proposals: Communities in Schools Coordinator to Tillicum and Four Heroes - $2, 500 and Lakewood Multicultural Coalition, Mary Moss, Executive Director - $2,000. There was much discussion over the stewardship of money donated and policies about what the club is funding. After discussion, motions were made for each proposed grant, seconded and both grants were unanimously approved.
The Cookie Jar gathered $50 for Barlow’s 50th high school reunion of lots of old folks. (Barlow, you ain’t seen nuthin’ until your 65th HS reunion!)
There was another donation but your scribe wears hearing aids and can hardly hear what he writes!
Remove the Pasta when al dente, drain in a colander and stir in the cheese from the package in a pre-warmed serving bowl
PDG Greg Horn introduced West Pierce Fire District Chief Jim Sharp. Jim hired on as a University Place Firefighter, then Paramedic, Deputy Chief and in 2013 Jim was named West Pierce Chief.
Vision 2020 Plan and the 2019 Operations and Maintenance Levy came before the voters when the pandemic hit. Chief Sharp reported that the plan at that time was ambitious and reimagined emergency medical services. The plan wasn’t set aside but the effects of the pandemic were unforeseeable. One of those effects was the dramatic increase in calls for assistance. In Lakewood, Steilacoom and University Place there were about 18,000 calls. There were 6,500 transports to hospitals. The Vision 2020 Plan was eventually accomplished but not on the schedule anticipated.
One of those accomplishments was the establishment of Squads. A squad is a 2-person pickup truck that is outfitted to perform “low acuity medical calls,” respond to smaller fire calls, and other tasks not requiring a huge fire truck or an emergency medical vehicle. Both of those vehicles require substantial manpower, are expensive to utilize, and if used for an unnecessary purpose, can be unavailable for more serious situations. The Squads are smaller, easier to maneuver, and right now, on duty 12 hours per day versus 24 hours.
There have been 70 new hires since the pandemic began. The retirement rate necessitated more manpower. There is a fifth Medic unit on call in the district. There is a bilingual program director who was originally hired on a grant but is now on the force because he proved to be indispensable. A department grant writer has been very successful in securing grants for programs and equipment. Jim gave examples of nearly three million dollars in grant monies yielding: A heavy rescue truck, 2 paramedics and their training, wildland urban interface firefighting capabilities, and other technology upgrades.
Proposition 1-- Maintenance and Operations levy-- is on the ballot. Jim is often asked about the effect passage of the proposition will have on property taxes. Jim said that it is hard to project because property values go up and down over time and are dependent on the characteristics of the property. He gave the example of a $500,000 house in 2020 had a total fire district tax burden of $1,755. In 2024 projections show a $500,000 house having $1,408 burden. He commented that the opposite can also be true.
Chief Sharp lives his name: sharp! Always prepared, always on point, and always on time. He is a pleasure to listen to. Thanks for a great presentation.
Raffle – Honorary Member Carole Wier, present with us in person, got the winning ticket, a white chip, and $5.00
Serve the Mac ‘N Cheese with your favorite beverage. Maybe chop a little fresh chive from your garden atop. Enjoy and next year let’s hope Rotary Leadership acknowledges this important day!
call for help! five Rotarians run the yard is happening on Saturday, July 22nd but they are two Rotarians short. anyone interested in some fun yard work, contact eric quinn for more information.
Mark your calendars:
7/18 – 5:00 PM Board Meeting TCGC
7/23 – Movie – Mission Impossible then dinner at TCGC, 18 tickets available
7/28 – Picnic At The Park – No Meeting At TCGC, No Zoom, Regular Meeting Will Be At Fort Steilacoom Park At The Pavilion Starting At 11:30 – Bring Family, Especially Grandkids For Fun & Games
7/30 - 90th Birthday for Gen. Harrison at TCGC 253 988 7654 for reservations
AUGUST – MEMBERSHIP & NEW CLUB DEVELOPMENT MONTH
8/3 - Family Picnic (Club Barbecue & Boat Cruises On Steilacoom Lake) – At Holly Hedge Estates – Family & Friends Welcome. Hand cut steaks by John Lowney. $20/adult and $10/children under 18.
8/5 – Beer Stock At Ski Park Lake (Also Known As Pints For Polio) – See Greg Horn For Details
8/5 – Rotary International President – Gordon McInally – Function At Murano Hotel In Tacoma – Evening
8/9 - Pierce Rotary clubs Rainiers BBQ and Game – see Bill Potter/Mary Horn
8/12 - Rainiers game for USO – 30 seats available, $10 each
8/20 – 22 – Annual Reeder Roaster Romp
8/22 – Lakewood Rotary Board Meeting – TCGC – 5:30 P.M.
9/23 – Nourish – food Pack. More Details to come
John Magnuson
If you’re anything like me, and I believe there are seven of us, I listened to and watched Friday’s meeting very carefully and I am terribly disappointed there was no mention of it being National Mac ‘N Cheese Day. Perhaps President Mary’s assistants wanted to shield her from the executive responsibilities the day requires. I am drafting a letter of apology to the day’s organizers explaining President Mary’s lapse. Maybe she can be forgiven because The Bastille Day celebration consumed the agenda. The Kazoo version of La Marsellaise is stirring.
Begin with two quarts of water set to boil
As the dinner bell sounded and conversations ceased, all eyes turned to the podium. Paula Olson’s invocation reminded us to be mindful and the pledge by PDG Gordy Quick makes us aware of our patriotism. James Guerrero manned the Paul Harris desk. He collected $720. Barlow Buescher sold raffle tickets and behaved as Sgt. At Arms. Guests included Jennie Weinand, who accompanied husband Jim and Assistant Fire Chief Ryan McGrady was a guest of Chief Jim Sharp.
President Mary announced that she intends to beat Past President Jason on new membership and fines levied! Wow! Nothing like telegraphing your punches.
Add a teaspoon of salt to the water now at a rolling boil
Add the Pasta from the package to the boiling water
Community Concerns Committee Chair, Jan Gee, presented two grant proposals: Communities in Schools Coordinator to Tillicum and Four Heroes - $2, 500 and Lakewood Multicultural Coalition, Mary Moss, Executive Director - $2,000. There was much discussion over the stewardship of money donated and policies about what the club is funding. After discussion, motions were made for each proposed grant, seconded and both grants were unanimously approved.
The Cookie Jar gathered $50 for Barlow’s 50th high school reunion of lots of old folks. (Barlow, you ain’t seen nuthin’ until your 65th HS reunion!)
There was another donation but your scribe wears hearing aids and can hardly hear what he writes!
Remove the Pasta when al dente, drain in a colander and stir in the cheese from the package in a pre-warmed serving bowl
PDG Greg Horn introduced West Pierce Fire District Chief Jim Sharp. Jim hired on as a University Place Firefighter, then Paramedic, Deputy Chief and in 2013 Jim was named West Pierce Chief.
Vision 2020 Plan and the 2019 Operations and Maintenance Levy came before the voters when the pandemic hit. Chief Sharp reported that the plan at that time was ambitious and reimagined emergency medical services. The plan wasn’t set aside but the effects of the pandemic were unforeseeable. One of those effects was the dramatic increase in calls for assistance. In Lakewood, Steilacoom and University Place there were about 18,000 calls. There were 6,500 transports to hospitals. The Vision 2020 Plan was eventually accomplished but not on the schedule anticipated.
One of those accomplishments was the establishment of Squads. A squad is a 2-person pickup truck that is outfitted to perform “low acuity medical calls,” respond to smaller fire calls, and other tasks not requiring a huge fire truck or an emergency medical vehicle. Both of those vehicles require substantial manpower, are expensive to utilize, and if used for an unnecessary purpose, can be unavailable for more serious situations. The Squads are smaller, easier to maneuver, and right now, on duty 12 hours per day versus 24 hours.
There have been 70 new hires since the pandemic began. The retirement rate necessitated more manpower. There is a fifth Medic unit on call in the district. There is a bilingual program director who was originally hired on a grant but is now on the force because he proved to be indispensable. A department grant writer has been very successful in securing grants for programs and equipment. Jim gave examples of nearly three million dollars in grant monies yielding: A heavy rescue truck, 2 paramedics and their training, wildland urban interface firefighting capabilities, and other technology upgrades.
Proposition 1-- Maintenance and Operations levy-- is on the ballot. Jim is often asked about the effect passage of the proposition will have on property taxes. Jim said that it is hard to project because property values go up and down over time and are dependent on the characteristics of the property. He gave the example of a $500,000 house in 2020 had a total fire district tax burden of $1,755. In 2024 projections show a $500,000 house having $1,408 burden. He commented that the opposite can also be true.
Chief Sharp lives his name: sharp! Always prepared, always on point, and always on time. He is a pleasure to listen to. Thanks for a great presentation.
Raffle – Honorary Member Carole Wier, present with us in person, got the winning ticket, a white chip, and $5.00
Serve the Mac ‘N Cheese with your favorite beverage. Maybe chop a little fresh chive from your garden atop. Enjoy and next year let’s hope Rotary Leadership acknowledges this important day!
call for help! five Rotarians run the yard is happening on Saturday, July 22nd but they are two Rotarians short. anyone interested in some fun yard work, contact eric quinn for more information.
Mark your calendars:
7/18 – 5:00 PM Board Meeting TCGC
7/23 – Movie – Mission Impossible then dinner at TCGC, 18 tickets available
7/28 – Picnic At The Park – No Meeting At TCGC, No Zoom, Regular Meeting Will Be At Fort Steilacoom Park At The Pavilion Starting At 11:30 – Bring Family, Especially Grandkids For Fun & Games
7/30 - 90th Birthday for Gen. Harrison at TCGC 253 988 7654 for reservations
AUGUST – MEMBERSHIP & NEW CLUB DEVELOPMENT MONTH
8/3 - Family Picnic (Club Barbecue & Boat Cruises On Steilacoom Lake) – At Holly Hedge Estates – Family & Friends Welcome. Hand cut steaks by John Lowney. $20/adult and $10/children under 18.
8/5 – Beer Stock At Ski Park Lake (Also Known As Pints For Polio) – See Greg Horn For Details
8/5 – Rotary International President – Gordon McInally – Function At Murano Hotel In Tacoma – Evening
8/9 - Pierce Rotary clubs Rainiers BBQ and Game – see Bill Potter/Mary Horn
8/12 - Rainiers game for USO – 30 seats available, $10 each
8/20 – 22 – Annual Reeder Roaster Romp
8/22 – Lakewood Rotary Board Meeting – TCGC – 5:30 P.M.
9/23 – Nourish – food Pack. More Details to come
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