Employee News

Posted on December 22, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

Volunteer registration now open for Count Us In 2019

All Home is now seeking volunteers for Count Us In 2019, the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count of people experiencing homelessness. The count will take place in the early hours of the morning of January 25, 2019 from 2 a.m.-6 a.m. The core purpose of the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count is to collect data on the needs of people experiencing homelessness in our community. The count also provides an excellent opportunity to increase awareness of homelessness and to spark action. A successful and accurate PIT Count is an essential component to informing the system response to the need in our community and to ultimately making homelessness rare, brief and one-time. Register here.

Posted on December 22, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

Employee experience: Housing affordability in King County

At King County we are a 15,000 strong workforce of people committed to serving our 2.2 million residents, but like many in our community, some employees are facing an unprecedented challenge in finding and keeping a home they can afford in the county in which they work.

As we continue to identify strategies to tackle the shortage of affordable housing in our communities, we want to hear from employees: What is your experience as a King County employee trying to buy or keep a home close to your work? What challenges do you encounter? What barriers do you face?

If you would like to share your story, please email us at KCEmployees@kingcounty.gov and let us know your experience. Your ideas and perspectives will help us identify and shape policies to provide sufficient affordable housing units and home ownership opportunities for all King County residents.

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Lilia Cabello Drain

“Keeping things simple” with the new Deputy Director of Local Services

Crossposted from Inside Transportation

The newly appointed Deputy Director of the Department of Local Services adheres to a fundamental rule when working to solve problems.

Don’t complicate things.

“I like to keep things simple,” Danielle de Clercq says. “Break it down to the basics. The simpler we can define the problem, the easier it is to solve.”

De Clercq’s approach has helped the Dutch-speaking, outdoor enthusiast empower people throughout her 30-year career. Whether she was shepherding the exponential growth of a solid waste startup, administering health education grant applications worth millions of dollars, or consulting on management and operations for companies, de Clercq has always focused on helping staff maximize their effectiveness and make their lives easier.

De Clercq (pronounced de-CLERK) brings those years of experience to Local Services, a department dedicated to improved delivery of government services to the 250,000 residents and businesses of Unincorporated King County. In addition to her ability to manage day-to-day operations and execute projects, Local Services Director John Taylor says it is de Clercq’s relationship with people that makes her the right person for the job.

“Danielle’s unique ability to empower people to improve their work lives to get the most out of their jobs is amazing,” Local Services Director John Taylor says. “Her ability to truly understand people is one of her biggest intangibles and is exactly what Local Services needs as we focus on delivering services to Unincorporated King County.”

John Taylor Confirmed as Department of Local Services Director

Crossposted from Inside Transportation

The Metropolitan King County Council on Monday gave its unanimous approval to the appointment of John Taylor to lead the newly formed Department of Local Services that is set to begin operations at the beginning of the year. Taylor, appointed by County Executive Dow Constantine in October, now formally serves as the director of the department that will better coordinate and deliver direct services to the nearly 250,000 people who live in unincorporated King County.

“John has worked in the unincorporated area and has already established wonderful working relationships with the citizens he will be serving in this new role,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert, who co-sponsored the appointment.

More tips for getting around SR 99 closure

Matching commuters with carpool apps

As the region prepares to face regional congestion starting after the evening commute January 11, 2019, with the closure of SR 99 through downtown and the permanent closure of the SR 99 Viaduct, King County Metro is partnering with carpooling apps Scoop and Waze Carpool to help match commuters and provide more mobility options to area employees!

For a limited time, riders earn discounts and drivers earn bonuses by following these four easy steps:

Download a free carpool app (Scoop or Waze Carpool).
Enter your trip locations and times.
Get matched with neighbors or co-workers going your way.
Book a ride and enjoy the benefits.*

More information is available at kingcounty.gov/carpool. *Service areas, pricing, and features vary across apps.

For commuters heading to, from, or through Seattle, this program creates another travel option to mitigate commute impacts. With expected traffic delays during peak hours, commuters who are unable to telecommute or use transit can help reduce their stress by leaving their car at home and sharing rides with others.

West Seattle commuters can use the new Ride2 Transit app offering on-demand rides to and from King County Metro bus routes and Water Taxi sailings. Ride2 is part of a package of new services including additional Water Taxi sailings, shuttles, and parking options during the Viaduct closure.

To learn more about the upcoming closures and how to best prepare, visit our Get Ready! page and King County’s Employee Transportation page to check out the benefits offered to you and explore your options.

Maximizing your time

If adjusting your schedule, working at an alternative location, teleworking, or taking vacation are options for your job for any of this period, please discuss these beforehand with your supervisor. We have existing policies that address attendance and work schedules, and a website with our telework policy, forms and templates that can assist your planning.

Also, try to limit meetings with external partners and people coming from outside Seattle during this period, or conduct meetings using Skype for Business (formerly Lync), as arriving on time will be very difficult.

Make the most of Fleet

If using a Fleet vehicle. consider extending vehicle reservations in Fleet’s Dispatch Reservation System, also known as INVERS, by 30-60 minutes to allow for additional travel time. Your agency will not be billed for the extra time unless it is used. If you have any questions related to the use of county vehicles during the closure, please contact your supervisor.

As always, be sure to contact Hossein if you have any employee transportation questions.

This is a map of the SR 99 closure through downtown Seattle. For more information visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/realign99.

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Lilia Cabello Drain

King County wins award for using Microsoft HoloLens to train staff at West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant

King County Information Technology (KCIT) has been recognized for using Microsoft’s HoloLens mixed reality device to train operators at a wastewater treatment plant. Partnering with Microsoft and local tech startup Taqtile earlier this year, KCIT launched a project that provides training to employees working at the West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, ultimately winning a Digital Edge 50 Award for Digital Transformation. The County will be honored at the AGENDA 19 Conference hosted by CIO.com in March.

“We’re thrilled by this national recognition,” said King County CIO Tanya Hannah. “Our fantastic partnership with the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks as well as Microsoft and Taqtile software allowed us to collaborate with so many experts on this solution.”

Read more at Geekwire.com. You can also learn more in this video below.

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Lilia Cabello Drain

Taniguchi: The end of an era means new beginnings

Crossposted from Inside Transportation

(Note: Below is an email that Director Harold Taniguchi sent to all Department of Transportation employees.)

Dear colleagues,

At the end of this month, the nearly quarter-century history of our King County Department of Transportation will come full circle.

The department was first created by Executive Gary Locke in 1996 to bring together the related functions of Transit and Roads in King County under one roof called Transportation. Other lines of business were added, and over time our staff strength grew to more than 5,000 today. It is a bittersweet moment as the Department of Transportation now must evolve again, to meet the business needs of the 21st century.

Featured Job: Senior Marketing Communications Strategist (Marketing and Sales Specialist III)

Salary: $77,315.26 – $93,468.34 Annually

Location: Seattle, WA

Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week

Department: Department of Transportation – Transit Division

Job Number: 2018EE09024

Closing: 12/25/2018 11:59 PM Pacific

King County Metro’s Marketing and Service Information Unit in the Customer Communications and Services Section of the Mobility Division has a Senior Marketing Communications Strategist (Marketing and Sales Specialist III) position available. This is a senior, individual contributor position responsible for owning marketing strategy and implementation directly related to the success of critical mobility solutions for people who live or work in King County.

Learn more about this position or view all available positions.

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Lilia Cabello Drain

Go Public with Marcus

This is the third installment in our video series featuring employees talking about why they chose a King County career. As part of King County’s recruitment efforts we are highlighting how employees feel empowered through their jobs to make a difference in our community. Here meet Marcus, Criminal Justice Policy and Strategy Section Manager. Learn more about our careers at www.KingCounty.gov/jobs.

Posted on December 18, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

Navigate around the SR 99 closure

Starting January 11, 2019, after the evening commute, SR 99 through downtown Seattle will close for approximately three weeks, and the SR 99 Viaduct will permanently close, so make sure you visit kingcounty.gov/getready to review your options and find out which routes are affected.

This week, we’re highlighting the King County Water Taxi for employees living in West Seattle, which provides a quick 10 minute sail from Seacrest Park to Downtown, departing every 20 minutes during commute periods. Metro is adding a second vessel at commute times during the closure to increase capacity. Shuttles are available from the West Seattle Junction and Alki Beach to Seacrest Park. Biking to the dock? Lock up your bike to a rack or bring it aboard. And remember, all of these services are free with your King County Employee ID/ORCA card!

Starting today, Dec. 17, West Seattle commuters will be able to use the new Ride2 Transit app offering on-demand rides to and from King County Metro bus routes and Water Taxi sailings. Ride2 is part of a package of new services including additional Water Taxi sailings, shuttles, and parking options during the Viaduct closure.

Here are some other tips to avoid congestion:

Consider adjusting your schedule, working at an alternative location, or teleworking if these are options for your job. If you wish to make alternative work arrangements for any of this period, please discuss these beforehand with your supervisor. We have existing policies that address attendance and work schedules, and a website with our telework policy, forms and templates that can assist your planning
You may wish to take vacation for some of this period. If so, please discuss with your supervisor
Try to limit meetings with external partners and people coming from outside Seattle during this period, or conduct meetings using Skype for Business (formerly Lync)
Stay and play: Explore downtown businesses, restaurants, shows, and more after work while you wait out the worst traffic
Share the ride: Register for a Vanpool or Rideshare with King County Metro
Walk or bike
Set back-up plans for picking up and dropping off children at school, reaching appointments on time, and meeting commitments such as deliveries or event attendance
Before heading out the door, get real-time traffic information about the SR99 closure on your phone with the WSDOT traffic app and by tracking #Realign99 on the WSDOT Traffic Twitter feed
Visit King County’s Employee Transportation page and our Get Ready! page to check out the benefits offered to you and explore your options. Be sure to contact Hossein if you have any questions