Jackie Moynahan named Interim Division Director of the Housing, Homelessness and Community Development Division
Cross-posted from Cultivating Connections
Jackie Moynahan has been appointed as the Interim Division Director of the Housing, Homelessness and Community Development Division (HHCDD) of the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS). In this role, she oversees efforts around community development, creating and preserving affordable and special needs housing, housing repair programs, and programs providing housing stability support for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Jackie has more than a decade of experience working in affordable housing and began her career in New York City repositioning and preserving struggling affordable housing properties. She has been with the DCHS since 2016. Read the full announcement here.
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Equity in Contracting program helps Metro launch innovative, cost-saving bus shelter solution
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express
Thanks to the recent Equity in Contracting Executive Order managed by the Department of Executive Services (DES), King County Metro is using innovative contracting techniques to address vandalism at bus shelters and save $1.5 million in replacement costs over ten years.
Last year, the King County Council approved legislation that increases contracting opportunities for small businesses owned by minorities, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged people. The county is removing barriers, implementing innovative contracting methods, and taking other actions to make it easier for minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) to contract with King County. The partnership with Metro is the first of many examples to come of transforming the county’s existing race- and gender-neutral contracting program into one that is more pro-equity and amplifies the participation of MWBEs.
Read the full announcement here.
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Health Hero, Debra Baker, reminds us about the ‘Wonder of Now’
For Black History Month, Balanced You is excited to recognize our many talented Black employees in different bodies of work around the county.
Health Hero, Debra Baker, is an Organizational Development Lead in the Department of Human Resources. Her work supports departments, teams, and employees across the county by developing organizational health solutions and plans.
Debra shares about the concept of ‘beloved,’ understanding yourself as one who is accepted and greatly loved, and she describes the ‘Wonder of Now,’ her tips for being in the moment and practicing self-care. Watch this video to hear more of this inspiring discussion.
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Sheriff’s Office Communication Center announces Employees of the Year
Regardless of the type of emergency, virtually every one of them begins with someone dialing 911. In 2021, the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Communications Center answered 527,050 phone calls from people seeking assistance in unincorporated King County and its contract cities. The Center never closes — its employees have been on the job throughout COVID-19, snow storms, forest fires, excessive heat, social protests, and more.
To recognize the great work that takes place in this important department, each year employees nominate and vote on their co-workers who best represent the professionalism and dedication required in their department. The 2021 honorees are:
- Garret Grobler — IT Specialist
- Camron Barth — Call Receiver
- Chris Condie — Dispatcher
- Neil Davis — Supervisor
of the Year
Communications Specialist of the Year
Each year, management selects the Communications Specialist of the Year from the four category winners. After careful consideration, Chris Condie received the honor for 2021. Chris is a 33-year veteran of the Communications Center, recently celebrating that anniversary. Chris’ career at KCSO began in 1989 which, coincidentally, matches his operator number — 89!
When he’s not working, Chris gets out into the wilderness, hiking, climbing, and back-country skiing. The knowledge of local wilderness lands he gains from these experiences has been very useful for the Search and Rescue calls the Communication Center receives. Because there aren’t specific addresses, Chris’ knowledge of trails and landmarks has been crucial in tracking down lost hikers.
Job opportunities available
The KCSO Communications Center is now recruiting for the next Academy. No experience is necessary. Click here to see the job posting for this position or email KCSO911Outreach@kingcounty.gov for more information.
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Temporary subsidized daily parking starting March 1
King County is temporarily subsidizing half the employee cost of parking at the Goat Hill Parking Garage and King Street Center Garage. The subsidized daily rate will be $10, effective March 1, 2022. This subsidized parking replaces the County’s temporary paid employee parking program, which will end on Feb. 28, 2022.
As we begin the gradual transition to our post-pandemic Future of Work model for delivering services, this temporary subsidized rate will be available to employees who elect to drive to downtown Seattle from March 1 through Sept. 2, 2022. Employees who wish to park at either of these garages will pay a $10 daily rate using the process found on this intranet page.
King County agencies will incur the remaining $10 balance of the full $20 daily rate for employees. Please note that in busy periods parking stalls may be fully occupied at these locations.
Motorcycles can be parked for free in both garages during this time, provided they are parked in the designated motorcycle areas and space is available.
Temporary monthly subsidized parking starting April 1
Starting in April, King County will offer a temporary monthly subsidized parking rate that will also be in effect until Sept. 2, 2022. The Facilities Management Division will share information next month on how to sign up for temporary subsidized monthly parking. To get the subsidized rate in March you will need to use the daily parking process.
Employees who receive paid parking as provided in their collective bargaining agreements will continue to do so after this date, per the terms of the agreement.
As a reminder, your employee ID/ORCA card covers your fare on public transportation services. See the Employee Transportation Program webpage for a current list of services that accept your employee ID/ORCA card as fare payment. King County Metro’s all-day, frequent, regional network continues to welcome more riders to transit. After restoring 36 routes in October 2021, Metro will make further improvements in March 2022. Updates include easier access to hospitals and schools, more night service in central and southeast Seattle, and some trip increases funded by the City of Seattle. Metro’s daily disinfecting protocols, contactless payment options, and upgraded air filters will continue indefinitely. Also, guided by community, the agency is hiring more than 50 additional transit security officers and is moving forward with the Safety, Security, and Fare Enforcement (SaFE) Reform Initiative to make transit more equitable, secure, and welcoming.
Click here for full unsubsidized rates as of Jan. 1, 2022.
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Search and Rescue completes avalanche recovery training
Earlier this month, members of the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team completed a comprehensive avalanche recovery and rescue training exercise above the Crystal Mountain Ski Area. The team is comprised of King County deputies and King County Medic One paramedics.
Team members hiked to an area southeast of the ski area, made camp, then deployed on various nighttime rescue scenarios. Included in the exercise was searching an avalanche chute for two missing persons for recovery. In this scenario, a victim needed to be dug out of the snow, medically evaluated, and transported to the base camp using rescue rigging.
Once the Search and Rescue team completed their exercises, the members slept at the base camp in tents or hand-built survival shelters before descending the mountain the following morning.
Members then met Sheriff Cole-Tindall, Undersheriff Anderson, CID Chief Olmsted, and Captain Dauber at the Greenwater Fire Station to discuss the training over breakfast.
While these are extreme conditions to undergo an exercise — temperatures overnight were in the low teens to single digits — the importance of these exercises helps to prepare for unexpected rescues in the event of an emergency.
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Restrictions on in-person work to end for remote workers
By Dow Constantine, King County Executive
For almost two years, approximately one-third of our workforce has been working remotely as we fought to slow the spread of COVID-19. Remote work, where possible, has allowed us to continue to deliver our important services to the community while helping to minimize risk for the two-thirds of employees who have been working onsite and in-person throughout the pandemic.
Thanks to our vaccine mandate and the success of the booster program, and other precautions King County employees and residents have taken, COVID-19 cases are trending downwards, the risk of serious infection is falling, and we are beginning to emerge from the Omicron phase of the pandemic. This allows us to start lifting some of the COVID-19 restrictions we’ve had in place for many months.
I have maintained throughout the pandemic that in-person work for those able to work remotely will only recommence when it is safe to do so, facilities and equipment are ready, and the need from our customers is there. After consulting with Public Health – Seattle & King County and other regional leaders, I am removing restrictions on in-person work for remote workers, effective March 1. In-person meetings and events may also recommence with proper precautions.
Starting March 1, employees must wear a mask in indoor settings and enclosed spaces that are accessible to the public, regardless of vaccination status. This applies to all King County buildings, facilities, and structures that the public can enter, including public lobby and meeting spaces, public indoor recreation spaces, public service counters, and similar spaces open to the public. In areas that are not accessible to the public, employees who are fully vaccinated may remove their mask while indoors. We encourage and support anyone who wants to keep wearing a mask indoors. Masks remain required in congregate settings and health care facilities, including detention facilities and public health clinics.
This change does not mean that everyone must return to their worksites on March 1. It is the first step in the gradual transition to our post-pandemic Future of Work model for delivering services. Departments are now beginning to implement their Future of Work plans, which set out how services will be delivered moving forward, whether that’s in-person, remotely, or a hybrid of both. Your workgroup may be moving to a new building, site, or floor. In the coming days, department leaders will share the plans and expectations for your teams and operations, and these will vary from team to team across the county. For more information about Future of Work plans, please visit our Future of Work intranet site.
One thing we have learned in this pandemic is that conditions can quickly change, and I will not hesitate to reintroduce restrictions if warranted. We are learning to be nimble and must remain vigilant in the face of this virus.
We have learned a lot about the different ways we can operate and deliver services throughout the pandemic, and I am grateful for your ongoing hard work, resilience, flexibility, and commitment to our customers, whether you have been working in-person or remotely. I am thankful that we have now reached a point where we can begin to lift restrictions and look ahead to enjoying many of the activities we used to take for granted.
Please take care of yourself and continue to take measures to keep you, your family, and our community as safe as possible.
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Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention protective measures reduce Omicron outbreak and ensure safety
In response to recent COVID-19 impacts stemming from the Omicron surge, the Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention has prioritized key actions related to the health and safety of employees and people in custody by continuing to maintain modified visitation polices, booking restrictions, and PPE requirements that have been in place since early in the pandemic.
See the full news release here.
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King County receives Crown Communities Award
American City & County has presented King County with the 2021 Crown Communities Award in recognition for efforts in the fight against COVID-19.
This award is testament to the hard work and dedicated service of the employees, community partners and the people of King County. Click here to read the full story.
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Youth-produced videos about importance of vaccines for children and young people
King County’s COVID-19 and Health Equity Training and Capacity Building Program works with young people to educate their peers and parents / guardians about COVID and the COVID Vaccine.
Magdalene and Yuhaniz are two young people who have worked with PHSKC for seven years doing peer and near-to-peer education on vaccines. They created and produced the following social media videos to support this work with an online strategy that connects well with young people and parents.
Watch the videos below to learn more and share on your own social media networks if you choose:
- This first video about the importance of 12 to 17 year olds getting vaccinated was produced and created by young people for young people. Getting vaccinated protects young people from getting and spreading COVID-19. Watch and share on Facebook and Instagram.
- This second video was also produced and created by young people, and is geared to parents and guardians of 5 to 11 year olds to discuss how critical it is to get children vaccinated. Watch and share on Facebook and Instagram.
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