Correction: In the print version of this article, the Courier-Herald misreported that Pierce County’s Business Accelerator program helped 600 businesses open in 2024. This is incorrect; 600 businesses have opened in the last three years. The article has been updated.

Ryan Mello has been to Buckley many times as a conservationist to keep the area beautiful — but his visit last Thursday was his first as the new Pierce County executive.

Mello, who was elected to his position last November, met with several groups from the city to get an idea of what’s on the mind of Buckley’s movers and shakers on March 25.

Perhaps it seems odd for the head of the county to get as far away from the action as possible, but “We care about every corner of Pierce County,” he said in a one-on-one interview. “We really do, so we wanted to demonstrate by being here in person early on in our time serving that we believe in one Pierce County and that every community needs to be safe and strong.”

The first place Mello visited was the Mount Rainier Creamery, where he ordered a white chocolate mocha before speaking with owners Ryan and Haylee Mensonides about their success and struggles with opening and operating a small family business.

One of the difficulties the Mensonides stressed the most was how long it took for them to open.

“… [F]rom the city level to the county level, at the state level, we have to make it easier for small business,” Ryan said. “… it took us three years to get this open…. McDonalds was open in [months]. because they have a team. They know how to work the regulations.”

The couple also said that the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s rules are unclear and open to subjective interpretation, which led to them nearly being unable to open during last year’s 50th Buckley Log Show, when thousands of people come to the city for the annual logging industry celebration.

“… [T]here’s no consistency on where the law is or what the rules are,” Haylee said. “And I think most people would make it work once you [have] a complete set of rules, very clear cut that’s common sense that then people can follow and be expecting that instead of being ready to open on opening day and someone comes in upset or has a bad day and just him ruin your whole opening.”

The meeting wasn’t all negative — the Mensonides also lauded numerous agencies for grants that allowed them to get their equipment and especially praised the local community, whose funding and support allowed their business to go from dream to reality.

“We’re blessed. God’s been good to us. It’s been a battle. We persevered, but we’ve had a lot of people to help us… so we’re thankful,” Ryan said.

In the one-on-one, Mello agreed the county can do better to clarify and streamline policies to make it easier for small businesses to do, well, business.

“There’s lots of issues we’re learning about, how the health department can be a better partner is helping to site business and not be an impediment,” he said. “Folks are fine to comply with [regulations]… so we have work to do as a governing member of the health department to make sure that they’re more clear and consistent with that they do and how we support businesses.”

After seeing the Mensonides, Mello sat down to talk with the Buckley Fire Department, officials and staff from Buckley, Carbonado, South Prairie, and Wilkeson, as well as members of the Buckley Chamber of Commerce.

Two points seemed to have stuck out at that meeting for Mello — how these small cities and towns need more funds to provide basic services, and concerns about public safety.

Providing clean water, flood protection, dealing with wastewater: “These are… basics that small towns are having a hard time keeping up with,” Mello said, noting that COVID-era American Rescue Plan funds helped with this, but those funds are no longer available.

The county is also having a funding issue. Like King County, the vast majority of Pierce County’s general budget — 76%, Mello said — is invested in the criminal justice system, from police officers to public defenders.

That means, with the county facing a $20 million structural deficit, it’s likely that money will be cut from these departments.

“It’s a big, complicated criminal justice system, but it’s three-fourths of our general fund, and our revenues are not keeping up with the expenses,” Mello said. “… It’s a real challenge.”

Mello is following closely two proposals in the state legislature that could help balance the county budget.

First is a one-tenth increase to the sales tax.

“It’s something that’s not getting a lot of attention right now, but that’s a penny on $10,” Mello said, adding the average Pierce County consumer would see a $50 annual increase in spending.

There’s also a property tax lift being evaluated, that would allow government entities to collect a maximum of 3% more in property taxes than previous years, as opposed to the current 1% rate; Mello said raising the property tax ceiling would cost under $1 a month for the average Pierce County homeowner.

“The vast majority of that would go to the criminal justice system, making sure we have enough prosecutors… to hold criminals accountable, enough law enforcement officers, enough staffing in the jail,” he continued. “… Is that level of service worth 96 cents a month…? I hear ‘yes’ from folks.”

Although times are lean, Mello said that 600 businesses started in Pierce County over the last three years, thanks to the county’s Business Accelerator program — which is just one way the county provides aid to small business owners.

“And many of those small businesses are out here in Buckley, Bonney Lake, Wilkeson,” he said, mentioning the Mount Rainier Creamery and the Wilkeson Simple Goodness Sisters soda shop.

Mello said this was a successful trip in getting to know Buckley on a different level and establishing personal connections with various officials and community members.

“More than anything, we want to be a listening ear and hear what’s on the minds of leaders here… they direct our work,” he concluded. “We’re here to listen and here to understand how we can be a good partner.”

Photo by Ray Miller-Still After a roundtable with the movers and shakers of Buckley, city Council member Ron Smith takes a moment to talk to Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello about law enforcement issues.