For Drug Court Month, one family shares a story of resilience
Dakota – Cody to his parents – spent more than five years on the streets and in places like Echo Glen, where juveniles are incarcerated.
In March 2021, with advocacy from his defense attorney, Dakota transferred into King County Adult Drug Diversion Court on residential and other burglary charges.
Thirteen months later, with his parents, defense attorney, and drug court team cheering him on, Dakota graduated from the program with his life remarkably transformed. Click here to read the full story.
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Juneteenth an observed County holiday, June 20
King County government will observe Juneteenth as a new paid holiday for the first time this year, on Monday, June 20.
Last year, King County Council passed two Ordinances and King County bargained Agreements for represented employees to establish Juneteenth (June 19) and Indigenous Peoples’ Day (second Monday in October) as paid holidays starting in 2022 for King County employees who are eligible for comprehensive leave benefits. Click here to read more.
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King County experts have identified the best opportunities to restore salmon habitat, and access new federal investments
A three-year study conducted by King County scientists and engineers has identified the best stream locations to remove barriers that prevent salmon from swimming to high-quality habitat, putting the county in a strong position for new federal infrastructure investments.
The field team of experts inspected more than 3,000 locations where habitat is possibly blocked by county-owned roads and trails. They ranked more than 700 of the identified barriers and determined that completing 50 restoration projects would restore access to at least half of the habitat that is currently blocked. Click here to watch a short video about this work.
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Innovation Award for Equity and Social Justice
The Innovation Award for Equity and Social Justice goes to the Department of Public Health/Environmental Health Services Division – Box Fan Filter Distribution Project.
Wildfire smoke and COVID-19 pose a significant health risk for some people who may not be able to afford an air filtration unit in their home or business. The Environmental Health Services Division of Public Health joined with community partners to distribute low-cost kits of box fans and furnace filters to vulnerable and low-income residents. These kits proved highly effective in reducing indoor air pollution. Click here to read more and watch the video.
Each year, Executive Constantine holds the Performance Excellence Awards, which honor employees and workgroups at King County for their exceptional contributions to performance, leadership, and innovation. These leaders embody the Executive Branch values and strive to reach our True North: Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
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Honoring the fallen
On Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of each May, we honor the more than 1.2 million military personnel who have given their lives in service to our country. We pay tribute to those who bravely answered the call to protect and preserve freedom here at home and around the world. We take this time to also honor the families of those who did not come home.
We owe a debt of gratitude to all who have served, and particularly to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. As a community, we must support their families – and we must stand with our returning veterans, offering the assistance they need to thrive here at home when their military service is over.
The rights and freedoms for which our military personnel have fought are once again under threat in our world. As we reflect on those we have lost, and those who serve today, we can offer only our deep – but inadequate – gratitude for the liberty and security their sacrifice has given us.
On Monday, May 30, I ask you to join me in a moment of remembrance and respect for all who have died in service to our country, and to thank the more than two million active duty and reserve personnel who serve today.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine (he/him/his)
King County Executive
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2022 Employee Engagement Survey results
Dear fellow King County employee,
In March 2022, two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, 8,300 employees shared their experiences of working at King County in the 2022 Employee Engagement Survey.
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. As we work to create a truly welcoming, supportive, and respectful workplace, your responses in the survey are central to realizing this goal.
The last two years have been a period of unprecedented stress, uncertainty, and change. The pandemic has had a huge impact on so many aspects of our personal and professional lives. Organizations across the country are seeing measurable increases in employee burnout and stress and drops in engagement levels – something mirrored in our survey. Our results show that the employee engagement index has dropped five points to 65% in the last 12 months, and the engagement gap between on-site and remote workers has widened.
The results also show that employees are keen for more career development and advancement opportunities. Feelings of burnout are rising, but well-being and belonging – which took a dip in the last 12 months – are trending upwards, a sign that our focus on these two areas has been effective and must be continued.
While we’re not alone in experiencing the impacts of the pandemic, we are committed to addressing them through our action planning process. This year we will bring a focus to engagement and burnout, as well as career growth and development, while continuing our focus on well-being and belonging. I also see a more active role for leadership at all levels in sharing our vision and ensuring our work is aligned to it.
These are just the key takeaways from the survey. You can review all the countywide, department, and division results here on SharePoint. Again, thank you for sharing your honest feedback and please be assured that we will act on what you’ve said.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine (he/him/his)
King County Executive
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King County: Government 101
Girmay Zahilay, King County Councilmember District 2, recently made a video about the difference between city government and county government.
It is a simple, straight-forward, and affable piece that helps break down how King County serves and represents residents in the wide variety of urban, suburban, rural, and unincorporated areas.
It’s not required viewing for King County employees, but it is a good resource to share with friends, family, and strangers who might wonder how county government is different from city government. Click here to watch the video.
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2022 Employee Survey results
The annual Employee Survey is a key tool in our efforts to create a truly welcoming, supportive, and respectful workplace at King County. Employee feedback is essential to realizing this goal.
This past March, approximately 8,300 Executive Branch employees took part in our Annual Employee Survey, which included Sheriff’s Office employees for the first time.
The survey results paint a picture of how employees are thinking and feeling about their roles at King County. The past two years have been a period of stress, uncertainty, and change. So it is no surprise that employee feelings of burnout are on the rise. However, well-being and belonging are trending upwards. Click here to see a brief video about the survey and link to view detailed results by department and division.
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Executive Constantine delivers 2022 State of the County address
Focusing on four priority pillars of work, King County Executive Dow Constantine recently delivered the 2022 State of the County to the King County Council. The address reflected on both the achievements of the last year and the opportunities ahead.
Executive Constantine laid out past successes and future actions in the critical areas of homelessness, public safety and the criminal legal system, anti-racism and pro-equity policies and investments, and environmental conservation and climate change. He also spoke to the ongoing work related to public health, transit, and the creative economy as King County recovers from the pandemic. Click here to read more and watch the address.
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With COVID-19 rates high, what parents need to know about masking and testing
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider
COVID-19 risk for people in our community has increased over the past several weeks. In late April, our case rates put King County into the Medium COVID-19 Community Level. Unfortunately, we continue to receive many reports of COVID-19 cases and clusters throughout the community, including from schools and childcare centers.
With this increased level of COVID-19, parents may be wondering what they should consider for masking and testing right now. Click here to find out more.
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