‘Salmon SEEson’ turns 20: Spot fish coming home to spawn in King County rivers and streams
Crossposted from DNRP Field Notes
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Salmon SEEson, King County’s program helping people watch one of the Pacific Northwest’s greatest natural events; salmon returning from the open ocean to the same streams where they hatched to spawn the next generation.
Each fall, chinook, coho, sockeye, and chum salmon, along with the Lake Sammamish kokanee, a native and genetically distinct freshwater population found nowhere else, make their way back to rivers and creeks throughout King County. Read more.
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U.S. Sen. Patty Murray secures funds to expand water taxi’s passenger-only facility in Seattle
Crossposted from the Captain’s Blog
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has announced $22.1 million for King County Metro Transit, and $7.2 million for Washington State Ferries. The funding will support expanding a passenger-only ferry facility in Seattle and operations of rural ferry routes from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands, and Port Townsend to Coupeville. The funding comes from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)’s Passenger Ferry and Rural Ferry Grant Programs. Read more.
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New IT ticketing system, Neurons, now available
King County’s previous IT service management system, Cherwell, has been successfully replaced by a new system called Neurons.
You can access the new Neurons system at helpdesk.kingcounty.gov.
All tickets submitted before noon on Friday, Aug. 14 were automatically moved into Neurons and are now available to view or edit. A video tutorial and FAQs are now available to help employees get familiar with the new Neurons system. Watch the video on this page.
If you experience any issues or need assistance with the new Neurons system, please contact the KCIT Helpdesk at 206-263-HELP.
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Growing new beginnings at CitySoil Farm
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories
At our CitySoil Farm at South Treatment Plant in Renton, growing culturally relevant veggies and fruits to feed the community is only part of the story. Throughout the summer, another kind of growth takes root: young people building confidence, learning new skills, and discovering new possibilities for their futures.
Since 2013, Sea Mar Renacer and the King County Wastewater Treatment Division have been working together to create meaningful educational experiences for youth participating in Renacer’s rehabilitation program. Together, the partnership demonstrates how environmental stewardship and community well-being can go hand in hand. Read more.
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Danielle Hinz to lead FBOD starting Oct. 1
Crossposted from the DES Express
Danielle Hinz will take the helm of the Department of Executive Services’ Finance and Business Operations Division (FBOD) on Oct. 1 after Ken Guy’s retirement.
“The legacy of trust, respect and continuous improvement that Ken has built is a wonderful foundation – and why I’m in FBOD,” Hinz said. “I want to continue to build on that.”
Hinz returned to the county in January 2025 as Deputy Director of FBOD after six and a half years at Amazon. Prior to that, she spent more than 20 years working in public sector procurement roles, including as Chief Procurement Officer for King County from 2014 to 2018. Read more.
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King County named among the best Digital Counties in the nation
In 2026, King County once again earned national recognition by placing second in the prestigious Digital Counties Survey, presented by the Center for Digital Government in partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo).
The Digital Counties Survey evaluates counties across a comprehensive set of 11 different categories, including; strategic planning, cybersecurity, data management, constituent experience, workforce readiness, IT governance, and adoption of emerging technologies like AI.
KCIT plays a vital role in connecting the community to essential government services, and powering the internal systems that make daily operations possible. As agencies increasingly depend on technology to carry out thousands of critical functions, this recognition highlights King County’s leadership in managing and innovating across a large and diverse portfolio of digital assets.
King County’s strong performance reflects our ability to align technology investments directly to County priorities, deliver high‑quality digital services for residents, and maintain resilient, modern operations. This recognition builds on a legacy of excellence; King County previously earned first-place honors in 2017, 2021, and 2022, and consistently ranks among the Top 10 digital counties nationwide.
Congratulations to KCIT and all our partners. Your dedication drives our success in innovation, equity, and technology leadership.
Pictured: Chief Information Officer Stephen Heard accepting the award.
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Updates on the Executive Order ACO-8-32-EO Protecting Immigrants and Refugees in King County
Message from Girmay Zahilay, King County Executive
Team,
Like many of you, I remain deeply concerned about the impacts of increased immigration enforcement on King County residents. Families are facing fear and uncertainty, and I know some of our own employees are worried about what these actions could mean for themselves, their loved ones, their colleagues, and the communities they serve.
As Executive, I want you to know what King County has been doing in response.
Today, I announced that the County is making a new investment of $900,000 in a new public private partnership called the South King County Immigrant and Refugee Futures Fund to prioritize the needs of community members affected by federal policies.
In February, I issued my first Executive Order, Protecting Immigrants and Refugees in King County, to strengthen protections and increase emergency support for King County’s immigrant and refugee communities. Read more.
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Cybersecurity training starts Aug. 24 – look for the email from “KnowBe4″
Starting Aug. 24, KCIT’s vendor “KnowBe4” will send an email to all employees with links to cybersecurity training. This is not a phishing attempt. Annual cybersecurity training is required for all employees and contractors with access to King County systems (even if you took it last year). Training must be completed by Feb. 19, 2027.
In addition to learning cybersecurity best practices, employees will be asked to review the Acceptable Use Policy which explains expectations for using County technology responsibly. The updated policy now includes artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This year’s training also includes a brief course on social media, and reminds employees that that their County employment is a matter of public record. Online comments, personal or professional, can be associated with their role. Employees will also review their responsibility to follow the King County Social Media Handbook and any agency-specific guidance when using social media.
Cybersecurity training is an important safeguard that helps protect vital King County systems; the number of employees that complete training each year impacts our insurance rates. Total instruction time is about 60 minutes. Thank you for doing your part to protect King County! For assistance, contact the KCIT Helpdesk.
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Running and repairing our system, 24/7
Crossposted from the King County Wastewater Treatment Division newsletter
We’re in the second construction season of our Effluent Pump Station Gate Rehabilitation project at West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle!
Last year, crews replaced one of four large gates, each about 8 feet by 8 feet and nearly 40 feet underground. This year, they’re replacing the remaining three. These gates allow us to take individual pumps offline for maintenance without shutting down the entire system that sends fully treated wastewater safely to Puget Sound. That means safer, easier maintenance and a more reliable system.
Construction doesn’t mean we stop cleaning wastewater. Crews work at night when wastewater flows are lowest. They install cofferdams (pictured) to keep the work area dry while a temporary bypass pipe keeps everything flowing safely.
This is one of the many upgrades underway during the dry months that ensure a reliable system and help protect public health and the environment every day! Learn more.
Pictured: Work is underway on the Effluent Pump Station Gate Rehabilitation project at West Point Treatment Plant.
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As he retires, Officer Carlos Duell hopes he set an example for others to follow
Crossposted from the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention newsletter
During 36 years on the job, Corrections Officer Carlos Duell earned a reputation as one of the department’s stalwarts. He was always quick to volunteer for extra shifts. So much so, it was almost like having two officers in one.
“You know, and I’ve worked so much overtime that oftentimes people would say, ‘Hey, man, what shift are you on? Like, how do you work all these hours and not be tired?’”
Duell walked out of Court Detail for the final time with Officer LaVance Davis, who retired the same day. Read more.
Pictured: From left, Correction Officers LaVance Davis and Carlos Duell on their last day.
Employee News 