Remarks by Jani Hitchen
279 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 12
- Play at 0:07
“Good afternoon. I'd like to call to order the Pierce County Council. Today is September 15th, 2026. The time is 3.03. If the clerk could please call the roll.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
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“You have seven members present. With seven members, we do have a quorum. Thank you all for joining us this afternoon. In a moment, I'm going to ask Council Member Ayala to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and read a land acknowledgement. Following the pledge, I'll ask that you remain standing for a moment of silence in honor of the men and women that are serving overseas in our military. Please rise if you're able for the Pledge of Allegiance.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 1:59
“Thank you, Council Member Ayala. We are now at section four. We are now at section 4 approval of our agenda. Are there any objections to our agenda as presented this afternoon? Seeing no objections, the agenda is approved. On today's council agenda, there will be multiple opportunities to provide public comment on the consent agenda. You may provide comments on any final action item that does not include items that are placed on the consent agenda for scheduling or introduction. In addition, during sections 8 and 9 of the agenda, we'll take public comment for each ordinance and resolution…”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
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“so close i like it there's been a motion in a second to approve the consent agenda as presented um i do want to um first pause and see we do i did mention that we have an appointment uh resolution that is for tricia migra for um i think council district two is the trisha here or in the zoom room you can raise your hand you're being appointed to the birth to 25 advisory board And it is okay if they are not here. Just want to make sure. Not seeing anyone stand up, so thank you. Anyone who says yes to one of our boards and commissions, we appreciate them because very important. For full…”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 6:13
“No hands raised. I'm going to close public comment, bring it back before the council, and ask that the clerk call the roll on the approval of the consent agenda as presented.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
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“We'll come back to you, Council Member Herrera. We can see you, but we cannot hear you.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 6:55
“Council Member Hitchen? Aye. You have seven ayes, zero nays. With seven ayes, zero nays, the motion is adopted. Thank you. That brings us to, let me turn the page, messages from the executive and there are several There are several ordinances that were signed and approved on August 27th. I'm going to read through these. The first one is O2026-545, which was updating our code claims and actions by and against the county. Ordinance 2026-547, which was a collective bargaining agreement reached with Pierce County Corrections, a detention center non-uniformed group. Ordinance 2026-548, which is a…”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
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Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 16:10
“Thank you so much. Shannon? You don't have to. They just gave me a list. Okay. He's also a member of DAR. I got that from the title. They said I had three speakers. I'm following the directions that I'm given. So thank you for being here, though.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 18:19
“Thank you for your comments and being here. We're going to go to Council Member Kruver for comments first. I'm going to do it that way from now on, everybody, and you're going to help me remember. Council Member Kruver. Thank you, Madam Chair.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 21:09
“Thank you, Council Member Krueger. Other comments from my colleagues on this before we organize a photo? So I will just bring up, I have a pocket-sized constitution that I carry around in my purse. It's been a hot topic of almost contention in the last couple of years. And sometimes it's just good to be able to go fact check with the actual facts. So I appreciate they're giving out constitutions. I think one of the things that the founders really settled on was that we needed to have separation of powers and that we needed to have no one person in charge and so the supreme court's recent um…”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 25:22
“Okay, so we actually have two proclamations this afternoon. So for those of you that are here for business, we are going to also recognize and celebrate by declaring September 15th through October 15th. 2026 Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month in Pierce County, and I'd like to welcome and invite the following individuals to the podium as Council Member Ayala reads it into the record. I'm going to turn her mic on. So we have Aiden Espino, I always say your name wrong, who is a member of the Me Centro team and a fierce ally. And then we have two students that are joining him. We have Aleda…”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 30:28
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 39:31
“Thank you so much. And I didn't read all the way to the bottom of the page. So our ERG, Juntos is here. We have some staff that are part of that. Does somebody want to speak? Is there any member from county staff? There we go. I should read at the bottom of the page. I should know about it as a teacher.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 42:50
“Okay. So, Councilmember Ayala, I'm not sure if you participated in that. I couldn't hear, but do you have any comments?”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 44:14
“Thank you. Any other comments from council members? Council Member Yambe.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 45:22
“Thank you. And then I think we have someone from the University of Washington Tacoma staff. We had students speak, so I was confused.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 45:39
“Is there one person who would like to speak, or are you here just to celebrate and enjoy the...”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 46:52
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 48:24
“Ryan, am I going to mess everything up if I go to the other side so we have three and three? Or does it not matter?”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 49:40
“okay i was like we can put it in the script Okay, so Section 8, we actually have no resolutions this afternoon, so we will go directly to Section 9. We're now at Proposal O2026-526S4. Councilmember Denson, for a motion.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 51:14
“Thank you. And this afternoon we have Mike Kruger, our principal policy analyst, to tell us what this is doing and walk us through several amendments.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 54:46
“Okay, so I know we spent quite a bit of time the last couple months, it feels like, on this, but I'm going to pause and see if there's any questions before we take up amendments. not seeing any, then I am going to look to Council Member Morrell for a motion on Council Amendment number one.”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 55:16
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
County Council · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 56:16
“Thank you. Any other comments or questions on council amendment number one? not seeing any then all those in favor of adopting council amendment number one say aye aye all those all those opposed say nay thank you motion passes thank you that brings us to council amendment number two council member thank you madam chair i move council amendment number two it's been moved and seconded mr krueger can you tell us what this one does”
County Council · Sep 15, 2026