Life Cycle device replacement milestone
The King County Information Technology (KCIT) Customer Support Services Provisioning team has deployed its 2,000th life cycle device replacement in August. LAN Administrator Daniel Co performed the deployment, bringing replacement equipment to Metro Administer Sara Stefano (pictured). The team is working towards replacing all Windows 7 devices by the end of the year, when Microsoft stops supporting it.
The team has almost doubled its monthly deployment numbers in the past two years, from an average of 235 a month in 2017 to an average of 461 a month in 2019. “The team has greatly matured in the past few years, and they’re making great strides,” says KCIT Enterprise Manager Harry Clark.
The deployment team emphasizes the most important aspect of the process is ensuring users are present at the time of deployment. When users are not present, it slows the process considerably, since the deployment team can’t address any individual needs or issues.
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Training Spotlight: Defensive Driving
Defensive Driving, multiple dates: Dedicated to enhancing driving skills, reducing collisions and controlling insurance costs, this course focuses on accepting personal responsibility while operating a motor vehicle. Knowing why your vehicle performs the way it does, and understanding key concepts of safety, can reduce your chances of serious injury. A key objective of Defensive Driving training is to influence a person’s driving behavior. This we attempt to achieve through classroom interaction with not just the instructor, but with the other students as well. This certification is valid for 3 years. Register and learn more.
View more training and development opportunities at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.
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Featured Job: Project Program Manager III
Salary: $86,344.54 – $109,446.48 Annually
Location: Seattle, WA
Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Department: DNRP – Natural Resources & Parks
Job Number: 2019PM10524
Closing: 9/15/2019 11:59 PM Pacific
The Solid Waste Division (SWD), Recycling and Environmental Services (RES) section is recruiting for an enthusiastic team player to serve as the primary resource to RES for management and analysis of numerical data, including project expenditures, budget balances, and county-wide solid waste and recycling tonnage data. The position will require data analysis skills, knowledge of contract management, development of budget documents, and the ability to work closely with multiple individuals and groups, including SWD Financial and Planning staff, solid waste staff from city and state agencies, and privately-owned hauling companies.
This position will develop and manage the RES section budget, create and reconcile budget reports, manage Oracle reports, work directly with SWD finance staff, communicate regularly with the Hazardous Waste Management Program finance staff, communicate with RES staff regarding contracts, contract amendments and reconciliation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial data.
This is a professional position; work is performed independently and in close coordination with the section supervisors and manager. The incumbent will be a key contributor to the success of the RES section and SWD. Strong communication skills and a desire to contribute are needed for this position.
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
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King County Executive and DNRP Director recognize employees at annual picnic
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) held their annual employee picnic on the patio of King Street Center Thursday, Aug. 29, and were joined by some special guests.
King County Executive Dow Constantine and DNRP Director Christie True thanked employees for a job well done and announced raffle winners. The department also hosted its own version of “Family Feud”, “Survey Sez” with Solid Waste Division Director Pat McLaughlin as host, and Deputy County Executive Rachel Smith was the head of one of the “families.”
The picnic was a great opportunity to thank DNRP employees for their many achievements this year. Their hard work and professionalism was also recognized by King County voters, who recently approved the 2020-2025 Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Space Levy.
Image by Isabelle Trujillo, Communications Intern at King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
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Pet of the Week: Bernard
Bernard is a 5 ½ year-old, male, shorthair gray tabby cat (A579142). His personality color is RED, meaning he is a spirited cat with a fun-loving personality. Bernard is outgoing, playful and energetic. He may be sensitive to handling and can get overstimulated, so he would do best with a family who knows when to give him a break. This fun guy loves to play and can sometimes be rough and rowdy. He gets along with some other cats, but may be too much for others. He has also lived with a small dog in the past and would do well with a dog who is tolerant of his play style. Bernard has tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency (FIV), which means he should live as an indoor-only cat.
Read more at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet.
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Southbound SR99 corridor buses routed to Fourth Avenue, improving evening commute
West Seattle, Burien, and neighboring area bus riders will see more consistent travel times starting Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. After monitoring travel and transit times for buses on First Avenue and identifying significant impacts for commuters, officials from King County Metro and Seattle Department of Transportation announced a service revision that takes southbound buses off First Avenue and on to a pathway that utilizes Second Avenue and Fourth Avenue South.
Metro will establish a long-term stop on Second Avenue Extension South between South Washington Street and South Main Street to replace the southbound stop at First Avenue South and South King Street.
Read more in the official press release.
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15 Minutes with Airport Director John Parrott
Meet new King County International Airport Director, John Parrott, as he talks about moving from Alaska to take the reins at Boeing Field.
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September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and National Recovery Month
Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer, King County Executive Office
This month, as we observe National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and National Recovery Month in King County, we’re highlighting the importance of mental health and wellbeing to our ability to live well and thrive.
When we lose someone to suicide, it has a deep and profound effect on us. We can all help prevent suicide, and during National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, I encourage you to learn how to recognize the warning signs and what resources are available to help people in crisis.
For National Recovery Month, we join others around the nation in celebrating the millions of people who are in recovery from mental health and substance use disorders, reminding us that treatment is effective and people recover.
Inspiring stories of those building a life in recovery are found all around us—at work, at home, and in our communities. This year’s national theme is “Together We Are Stronger,” and I am proud of our collective strength and the powerful ways we support one another every day.
In this year’s Employee Engagement Survey, we asked about workplace stress for the first time, and more than half of employees said they feel excessively tense or stressed out at work. That number shows that we need to be mindful that stress at work is real and can affect the way that we act and feel.
Effective and compassionate resources are available for you, a loved one, or a colleague, 24 hours a day, and many people have found hope and support through them:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
- Making Life Easier: Call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-888-874-7290 (for King County employees and their families). Making Life Easier has counselors available 24/7 and can help in a crisis as well as get you or anyone living in your home set up with counseling (8 free sessions).
- Crisis Connections: 24-hour crisis line: 866-4CRISIS (427-4747).
- Crisis Text Line: Text trained crisis counselors about anything that’s on your mind. Free, 24/7 and confidential. Text HOME to 741741.
- For immediate crises, call 911 right away.
You can also download this resource sheet to learn more about mental health benefits, programs, and self-help tools available to you.
Please look out for yourself and for one another this month and every month, and know that help is always available and recovery is always possible. Together, we can do even more to spread the message that hope, help, and support are available. Together we are stronger.
Sincerely,
Whitney Abrams,
Chief People Officer
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2019 Balanced You Worksite Fund recipients announced
The Balanced You Worksite Fund is a competitive process brought to you by King County’s Department of Human Resources. The purpose of the Worksite Fund is to empower employees to make creative improvements to improve the health and well-being at their worksites.
Today, Balanced You released the list of 2019 Worksite Fund recipients. This year, King County received over 150 applications and is investing over $100,000 in 44 projects reaching employees across the county.
Projects are funded in a range of categories, including mental health. Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being.
It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health can be improved by Worksite Fund projects that focus on physical activity, nutrition, and social connection. Examples of projects funded this year to directly improve the mental health of King County employees include:
- Wellness rooms at offices across the county
- A Peacemaking Circle Introductory Workshop at the Department of Natural Resources and Parks
- A First Responders’ Mental Health and Wellness Conference hosted by King County Sherriff’s Office
- Reflective supervision training at the Department of Public Health
- Therapy dogs for clients and staff at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
- An arts- and story-telling focused cultural-competency training at the Department of Human Resources
While the Worksite Fund opportunity is now closed for 2019, Balanced You supports employees’ mental and physical health in many ways throughout the year. Contact Balanced You to learn more.
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Balanced You Worksite Fund: Investing in Your Health and Well-Being
Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer, King County Executive Office
Dear employee,
As we continue our efforts to make King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive, we are also working to make our worksites more supportive of the health and wellbeing of all employees.
One way that we are doing that is through the Balanced You Worksite Fund, a competitive process brought to you by the Balanced You team and part of our Investing in YOU strategy.
In 2019, the Worksite Fund’s second year, we received more than 150 applications totaling almost $580,000 in requests, and we are investing just over $100,000 in 44 projects reaching worksites throughout the County. They cover a wide range of categories, including mental health, nutrition, physical activity, workplace environment, and social connection. Click here to see a full list of projects we are funding this year.
In addition to awarding applications with Worksite Fund dollars, Balanced You partnered with your leadership to identify department funds and other funding streams that will help bring your projects to life.
We intend to offer the Worksite Fund opportunity again in early 2020. Eligible projects that did not receive funding in this round are welcome to reapply. While the Worksite Fund opportunity is now closed for 2019, Balanced You supports employees in many ways throughout the year. Contact Balanced You to learn more.
I applaud your interest and enthusiasm in creating positive, healthy, and equitable change in our worksites.
Sincerely,
Whitney Abrams,
Chief People Officer
Employee News 