Letter to the Editor: Why I Support Yanah Cook for Pierce County Council

Yanah G. Cook is running for Pierce County Council District 3, and I want to share with you why I will be voting for her. She has lived with her family in Pierce County for 28+ years and has a long track record of giving her time and energy to our communities. She is a small business owner, micro-farmer, and a property owner that understands the issues facing our rural citizens. She also currently serves as the Vice Chair of the WSDCC Small Business Caucus where she advocates for the small businesses and farms that make our communities thrive.

Yanah has a long history of public service. Before she retired, she spent 17 years working as a public servant for the Washington State Department of Transportation in Contract Plans and Right of Way and she was co-coordinator of fundraising for the Combined Fund Drive and the “Well Fed, Well Read” community programs. After retiring she was committed to give back to her community and continued to work volunteering to help those who need it most. Volunteering as a strong advocate for the people of Pierce County working to support school and fire levies and bonds to make sure schools have the funds to educate our children, and for our first responders to have the funds to enable them to do their jobs safely. I know personally she has volunteered all over the district making sure our residents are registered to vote to help make their voices heard. In 2016 she was elected as a Precinct Committee Officer where she still advocates for her neighbors to make sure they have the support they need to be civically active. Her volunteer service doesn’t end there, in 2019 her passion for the district prompted her to become the first ever Volunteer Lobbyist for the 2nd Legislative District, where she can lobby our legislators to make sure our District’s concerns are being considered in the State government. She is also a member of Graham Business Association and the new GFE (Graham, Frederickson, Eatonville) Rotary.

Cook is committed to protecting the people of rural Pierce County from unchecked irresponsible development that over the years has heavily impacted our water rights, infrastructure - roads, schools, first responders, and our commutes. Yanah is the candidate that will bring a new bold face to the county government and challenge the status quo that her opponent stands to maintain. If you are like me, the past eight years has proven that keeping things the same will be to completely allow the erosion of our rural quality of life. I will be voting for Yanah G. Cook this November because she stands to make rural Pierce County a safer, better place to live.

If you’re interested in meeting Yanah and sharing your thoughts about Pierce County government, join me at the Ohop Grange on April 3rd from 6-9 pm for her “Listening to Community” event. She would love to hear your thoughts.

Bob Akervick
Eatonville