Chief Family Court Judge Tanya Thorp: Family Court is some of the most important work we do
If you ask Judge Tanya Thorp what she wishes everyone knew about Family Court, she’s quick to answer: we have so many services available. And when 76% of the cases arrive with no or only one attorney, that’s really important. Learn more about Family Court in this nine-minute podcast. Listen now.
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Join King County at the 40th Annual Washington Women in Trades Fair, May 10
Join King County Facilities Management Division, Department of Natural Resources & Parks, Department of Transportation and others at the Seattle Center for the 39th Annual Washington Women in Trades Fair this Friday, May 10 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center. Learn more about the fair at the Washington Women in Trades website.
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King County Metro, Sound Transit reach agreement to continue integrated rail operations and maintenance through 2023
King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Member Dow Constantine announced that King County Metro and Sound Transit reached an agreement to continue operating and maintaining the Link light rail system for the next four-and-a-half years, and potentially up to 10 years. The agreement was sent to the King County Council and Sound Transit Board’s Executive Committee this week for consideration.
King County Metro has operated and maintained Sound Transit Link light rail since it launched in 2009. If approved, the new agreement will continue the dependable service to the region through Dec. 31, 2023, and potentially through December 2029.
“Integrating Metro and Sound Transit operations is a key priority for me, and this agreement continues the strong partnership between both agencies to serve the region with reliable rail service for years to come. As both Link light rail and bus ridership increase, we are meeting demand and making sure service is as seamless as possible,” said Executive Constantine.
Read more in the official press release.
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Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed the month of May Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in King County, and encouraged all residents to “join in this celebration of the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in King County and the United States.”
“Despite economic hardship, restrictive and exclusionary laws, pervasive racism, and attacks on civil rights, Asian Pacific Americans have lived in the Pacific Northwest for generations and contributed to every major industry and profession in this region, playing an essential role in making King County one of the most vibrant and culturally rich regions in the United States,” Executive Constantine said in the Proclamation.
Read the full Proclamation below.
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Check out what’s new at City Hall Park
The weather looks great this week to enjoy lunch outside or a short walk to pick up some delicious barbeque. This spring and summer, you can get lunch from a food truck at City Hall Park on the south side of the King County Courthouse. Trucks will be there from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. several days a week, including LT’s Famous BBQ today, and Odin Star burgers and sandwiches Wednesday.
Haven’t been to City Hall Park lately? Check out the new colorful Adirondack chairs and music from the “Busker of the Day.” Depending on the day, a food truck will offer barbeque, cheesesteaks, burgers, sandwiches, or Native cuisine. Some offer vegetarian, vegan, paleo, and gluten-free options. For a complete schedule and menus, go to www.seattlefoodtruck.com and enter “Pioneer Square” in the location tab.
King County is also working with Seattle Parks and Recreation to bring more games, activities, and even a few lunchtime concerts to City Hall Park this summer. We’ll bring you details of those events in Employee News.
The food truck effort is part of the Courthouse Vicinity Improvement effort – a partnership between King County, the City of Seattle, and community partners – to improve the safety and cleanliness around the Courthouse so that everyone is able to enjoy the park. So come out and enjoy the outdoors and support these local businesses!
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New and Improved Engagement Survey Report Saves Nearly 70 Trees!
Say goodbye to the days of printing out 100+ page engagement reports! Based on your feedback, this year the County made the shift to a new engagement survey vendor, Confirmit. Part of the many perks of Confirmit was the ability to view engagement results electronically, rather than paging through hundreds of pages of a PDF. Now, instead of struggling to flip through pages of tables, users will have the ability to interact with electronic tiles like a dashboard. Managers and supervisors will have access to the online tool, and reports at the Department and Division level will continue to be available on the intranet.
Making this shift to online reports saves approximately half a million pages of paper from being printed each year – and that’s a conservative estimate!
In all of our work, we try to be responsible stewards and do our part to protect our environment – it’s one of the main things that makes this region special. Making a simple change like going from paper to online can have a substantial impact.
Interested in the numbers?
Look for the employee survey results coming Tuesday, May 21.
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New Senior Leadership Team video featuring Casey Sixkiller, Chief Operating Officer
We’ve been featuring the members of Executive Constantine’s Senior Leadership Team in a new video series, and the latest video with Casey Sixkiller, Chief Operating Officer, is now available.
In this video we spotlight Casey, what he does in his role, and what brought him to King County.
Click the image below to watch the video. You can also watch the previous videos featuring Chief Performance Officer Gary Kurihara, Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams, and Director of the Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget Dwight Dively, or see all the videos on this webpage. Look for the remaining videos over the next couple of months!
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Celebrating your service during Public Service Recognition Week
Dear fellow King County employee,
King County Executive Dow Constantine
This week we celebrate your work and the work of every public servant during Public Service Recognition Week, May 5 – 11, 2019.
We all come to public service from different places, with unique perspectives and diverse skills, but the one thing we share is a desire to serve our community and make things better for the people who live here today, and for those who will follow.
In my 2019 State of the County address, I spoke about the vision that drives me to do the work that I am so passionate about, my “True North”: Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
This statement captures the essence of our work at King County, and what is at the heart of public service. It serves as a navigational point that we can set our sights on, define our policies and decision-making by, and work together to reach.
Each day I see examples of your efforts and ideas that move us closer to our True North. You work hard every day to make King County a welcoming place, to improve the lives of the people who live here and the people who move here for a better life, and to give them all the best shot at success.
Thank you for everything that you do for the people of King County. I am proud to lead this County and proud to be your colleague in public service.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine
King County Executive
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Tech Tip: Targeted attacls
How to access the training:
To start your Cyber Security Awareness Training please login at:
https://sso.securingthehuman.org/kingcounty/
Your account for Securing the Human:
- Username: King County email address
- Password: King County email password
For more information about Cyber Security please visit our Sharepoint site:
https://kc1.sharepoint.com/teams/ITISRC/ISRCPUB
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Did you know you had this benefit? Employee discounts
Many businesses partner with King County to offer employees discounted products and services. These services range from hotel and rental car discounts to gym and technology discounts. Learn more about all the discounts you are eligible for at www.kingcounty.gov/employeediscounts.
Employee News 