Metro Transit to become independent department Jan. 1
Shared from King County Council News
King County Metro, recognized this month as the best large transit system in North America, will become an independent County department with Monday’s unanimous approval of legislation by the Metropolitan King County Council.
In September 2017, Executive Constantine announced his proposal to make Metro Transit a stand-alone department rather than a division of the Department of Transportation.
King County has been responsible for public transit since the voter-approved merger of the county with the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (Metro). Metro Transit has been a division of the King County Department of Transportation (KCDOT) since 1994. The adopted legislation will make Metro Transit responsible for all of the functions currently in the Transit Division of KCDOT as well as the Marine Division of KCDOT.
Metro Transit General Manager Rob Gannon
Rob Gannon, who has been the General Manager of Metro, will become the department’s first Director and General Manager when the legislation takes effect on Jan. 1, 2019.
“This change strengthens Metro Transit by giving it the organizational flexibility to meet the rapidly growing needs of transit riders,” said Council Vice Chair Claudia Balducci, who serves as the chair of the Council’s Mobility Committee. “Mr. Gannon has been an effective leaders and I am confident in his ability to continue to build an efficient and adaptable transit service that works as part of an integrated transportation system to improve mobility for all residents in King County.”
“General Manager Rob Gannon is an excellent choice to lead Metro Transit. I trust that he, along with the incredible staff at Metro, will continue providing first-rate transit service while pushing to improve regional mobility,” said Council Chair Joe McDermott. “I look forward to working with Mr. Gannon as we tackle our transportation challenges and opportunities.”
“This department will coordinate and provide more mobility options as it collaborates with other groups, businesses, and cities. Mobility throughout the county is important,” said Council Vice Chair Kathy Lambert. “I know Director Gannon will do an excellent job and that Metro will continue to be a national leader in transit service.”
The legislation also calls for the new Metro Transit Department to emphasize:
• Innovation in the development, planning and delivery of mobility and transit services around the county,
• Performance standards to meet the increasing demand for transit among King County’s residents, and,
• Foundational commitments to equity and addressing disparity through transit services.
The Council unanimously approved Gannon’s appointment as Metro Director at today’s meeting. Gannon who, served as Metro’s Deputy General Manager from 2011 to 2013, has been Metro’s General Manager since 2016.
The riders who board Metro’s 200 bus routes, use a Metro vanpool, walk onboard the King County Water Taxi, or reserve a ride on an Access paratransit van, will not see any changes in service when Metro becomes a county department.
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Pet of the Week: Eggsy
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC
Fall head over heels for Eggsy, our Pet of the Week!
This sweet and loving senior boy would love to cuddle up with you at home in his golden years. Eggsy also loves petting and will knead you in contentment.
Eggsy is a gentle and affectionate boy who likes to take things slow. As one of our “Bashful Blue” personality pets, he may get a little nervous in new situations and would do best in a family who understands he may need some time to warm up. Once he gets to know you, Eggsy will be making “muffins” in your lap in no time!
Eggsy does seem to get colds off and on. He has also been treated for URI, and has symptoms that may continue long-term and may be contagious to other cats. An informational handout is available to potential adopters, and the staff at RASKC will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Regular veterinary visits are always recommended. Eggsy also had some teeth pulled earlier this year, so he may have some special dietary needs.
If you’re looking for a lap cat, Eggsy is looking for you! He is litter box trained, neutered, current on vaccinations, and microchipped. His adoption fee includes a free visit to the veterinarian of your choice and 30 days of opt-in pet insurance through Trupanion.
You can find out more about Eggsy on our website at kingcounty.gov/AdoptAPet, or visit him in person at the King County Pet Adoption Center in Kent.
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Non-Skype voicemail users: reset your password, update your forwarding number
Today, KCIT is upgrading the AVST voicemail system used for automated attendants and voice mailboxes that are not on Skype. The main number in the system to make changes to auto attendant or voicemail recordings and to check voicemail messages will change from 206-296-0400 to 206-477-7799.
Non-Skype voicemail users:
- You will no longer receive messages about any waiting notifications on your phone. You will be able to call in to get messages. If you need message notification, let UC/Telecom know and they can program an alternative method to notify you of messages.
- You must update the destination for voicemail by changing your current forwarding from 206-296-0400 to 206-477-7799.
This is for those of us who are not on Skype. Contact Zita Prior if you need more information.
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Training Spotlight: Stories that Engage – Shaping Workplace Culture One Story at a Time
Our work culture is perfectly organized to give us the results we are currently experiencing. What if people seem to be disengaged, apathetic, or actively undermining a productive workplace? Without awareness, our natural storytelling talents can create a toxic culture of drama and dysfunction. But, with intent, we can shape stories that build psychological and emotional engagement. In this interactive, one-day class, attendees will:
- Learn why people disengage from work.
- Learn how to tap into the power of voice to connect with what we care about.
- Learn five tools to shape our stories with purpose.
- Explore the story-making process.
- Learn to describe the attributes of effective storytelling.
- Learn to shape stories to help you, your co-workers, and your organization engage for better results.
The training session is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 12, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in room 560 of the Administration Building.
Learn more and register on Eventbrite before the session fills up, and visit Learning and Development on KingCounty.gov to learn more about trainings and other opportunities to invest in YOU!
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Training Spotlight: ArcGIS Fundamentals and Intermediate GIS Concepts
It’s time to register for training in Seattle to build your GIS skills. Face-to-face, instructor-led training builds a solid foundation in GIS to advance your career. The King County GIS Center is offering two-day ArcGIS Fundamentals in September and three-day Intermediate GIS Concepts in October.
ArcGIS is a powerful and complex tool for viewing and analyzing data. With so much functionality available in the software, it can be difficult to get started. This 2-day class teaches essential skills for being efficient with ArcGIS. Explore GIS data through ArcMap and create maps to illustrate relationships in the data. Learn methods of displaying data with symbols and text. See how to ask questions of the data and get answers. Audience: This class is primarily for those who want to learn the basics of ArcGIS.
Intermediate GIS Concepts Overview
ArcGIS has much more functionality than simple map display and navigation. It has many tools for collecting, creating, and analyzing data. This three-day class teaches advanced skills for using ArcGIS. See how to connect information between tables and mark locations on the map. Practice managing data files, creating new data, and putting the data to work to generate answers to questions. Audience: This class is for those who already know the basics of ArcGIS and want to expand their skills with the software and with GIS in general.
Register for both classes and save! Five days of training at exceptional value.
What You Will Receive
- 7.5 hours of instruction each day from a CompTIA Certified Technical Trainer (CTT).
- Use of a student PC while in class, with appropriate GIS software and access to training data.
- A TeachMeGIS student workbook (to keep) which includes the lecture slides, exercises, and a DVD of the training data.
- Upon completion, a signed completion certificate which will indicate the CEUs and GISCI points earned.
- KCGIS Center’s 30 for 30 Support—30 minutes of one-on-one instructor phone within 30 days after class completion. This is our commitment to you to help ensure that you can apply your new GIS skills successfully.
Location: 201 South Jackson Street – with convenient public transportation.
What our students say about these classes:
“Great introduction—I liked the combination of lecture, textbook, and exercises. The exercises were especially efficient in touching on many different aspects without going into too much detail. Thanks!”
“Well done. I put my GIS skills to use the first week back on the job. Thank you!”
“Good simple explanations. Tough but doable exercises”
“This class is for anyone needing to make accurate maps containing data appropriate for their needs and to share with others who may not be able to get the information accurately and in one place.”
“I liked that there were a lot of examples along the way. I also liked how the examples started fresh with each lesson. In the past, I’ve been in an environment where the examples built on each other, so if you made a small mistake early in the class, it was difficult to fix later on.”
“Very good class. We covered a lot of material, but the instructor managed to cover it in adequate depth and keep it engaging.”
“This class far exceeded my expectations, boosted my confidence in using ArcMap, and is one I recommend as a model for our other training.”
“Well put together, informative, comfortable, helpful, great!”
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Turning passion for people into opportunities
By Katelin Gladney, Customer Service Intern
Take a walk around King County and you’ll see how residents’ experiences can vary wildly. Some are doing well and benefitting from the strong, tech-fueled economy. But far too many are struggling to even keep a roof over their heads. Finding ways to help those struggling is the mission of King County employee Andréa Akita, Director of Communities of Opportunity (COO).
King County partnered with the Seattle Foundation a local philanthropic organization, to create the initiative aimed at providing equity and social justice to all communities through funding, resources, and strategic partnerships with related organizations.
Communities of Opportunity Director Andréa Akita
Akita studied urban and regional planning, and public administration in college, so she feels her work in King County has been a good fit, and sees the COO initiative as a movement: “Not all the people of King County are receiving equal benefits,” she explained. “People’s health, wealth, and access to opportunities are also being determined by where they live or the color of their skin. Policies or institutional racism prevent certain communities from being on the same level as other more stable communities and we want to be a county that’s working for everyone.”
As COO Director, she works with staff to help create conditions for community partners to identify solutions, and put them into action. “My responsibility is to create a team that is going to be able to listen carefully to community, to make sure they are committed to the COO work, and to make sure we aren’t imposing our values and ideas,” she said.
According to Akita, COO helps communities that are experiencing low unemployment, poor health services, poor housing conditions, and other barriers to stability submit a proposal for assistance. If it’s accepted, staff then helps those communities create a partnership with government and philanthropy partners, and decide how best to work together to change conditions.
King County aims to put money in parts of the county that have been under-resourced, and those that have been unable to access proper care and benefits because of inequitable policies in the past.
Akita started working with King County in December of 2016. Her personal and professional interests have always been about how to create the right kind of community for people to thrive in. “I grew up in Los Angeles at a time when homelessness was growing and most peoples’ response was to avert their eyes and pretend the problem didn’t exist,” she said. Even then, she knew there had to be a way to take action to improve living conditions for those experiencing homelessness.
That desire for everyone to be treated equally led her to get involved in homeless services and community development on L.A’s infamous Skid Row with an organization that was building housing, providing services, creating open space, and working directly with communities and people in need.
The COO initiative now gives Akita a way to transform her passion for helping others into tangible actions that create community-led opportunities and change. “My greatest accomplishment working with COO is being able to work with a great team that is accountable to their neighbors and community,” she said. “We are committed to changing what’s happening now to create a future where more people benefit from the many opportunities in this great county.”
Customer Service Intern Katelin Gladney and Andréa Akita
Editor’s note: Communities of Opportunity has just launched a new website and “the SCOOP” newsletter! Check out https://www.coopartnerships.org/ and sign up for the newsletter while you are there!
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Advice for working in smoky air
You have probably noticed the smoky air in our region. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, the agency that oversees outdoor air quality, is reporting air quality levels as UNHEALTHY for everyone possibly through much of this week. Their latest press release includes more information about what to expect.
Wildfire smoke can cause a range of health problems, including chest pain, coughing, fast heartbeat, headaches, and asthma attacks.
With our current unhealthy air conditions, it’s recommended that you limit your time outdoors. If you are concerned about doing field work in these conditions, please talk with your supervisor about the actions below.
Here are some recommendations while we remain under these conditions:
- Adjust your schedule and perform desk work the next couple days
- Alter your schedule to conduct field work later this week (smoke should improve later in the week)
- If you absolutely must work in the field – reduce outdoor work to a minimum, take frequent breaks in air conditioned locations (e.g., library, community center, grocery store), reduce drive times, close the windows and recirculate air (see below).
- Wearing a face mask can help, but must be worn properly with the correct mask – N95 or N100 – Air mask fact sheet
- Wearing a mask at work.
Here are some additional tips when you’re at home or commuting:
- Stay indoors when possible.
- Limit your physical activity outdoors, such as running, bicycling, physical labor, and sports.
- Close windows in your home, if possible, and keep the indoor air clean. If you have an air conditioner, use the “recirculation” switch. Use an indoor air filter if available.
- If you do not have an air conditioner, consider finding a public place with clean, air-conditioned indoor air, like a public library or a community center.
- Avoid driving, when possible. If you must drive, keep the windows closed. If you use the car’s fan or air conditioning, make sure the system recirculates air from inside the car; don’t pull air from outside.
Additional links that may be helpful:
- WA Dept of Health information on smoke from wildfires
- WA Smoke Blog – real time monitoring and updates with links to all of the regional partners
- Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
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Enhancements to Employee Engagement Survey
No survey in fall of 2018. Next Survey will be spring of 2019.
Annual administration of the Employee Engagement Survey is moving from fall to spring. This and other improvements are being made in response to your feedback.
Employee Engagement Manager Brooke Bascom and Senior Performance Strategy Analyst Vince Vu are the team hard at work enhancing the survey and improving efforts to respond to the data.
“We’re constantly seeking feedback about efforts to improve engagement,” said Bascom, who pointed to some consistent themes:
- The survey is too long.
- Spring would be a better time for the survey.
- Curiosity about what effects engagement is having on our workplace and outcomes for our organization.
“Based on the feedback, we’re going to make several improvements to the survey,” said Bascom. “We’re moving annual administration of the survey to spring starting in 2019, we’re going to make it shorter and we’re going to share more robust analytics.
“We’re also going to try to improve the experience of taking the survey by updating the look and feel and looking at more ways to take it – like on your phone or at a worksite kiosk. We want it to be fun!”
Another enhancement will be the ability to administer shorter, “pulse” surveys throughout the year in order to check in more frequently about how things are going and probe on specific aspects of engagement.
“It’s important that we keep looking at best practices in employee engagement across the industry,” said Vu. “Pulse surveys are something organizations are using to continue the conversation about engagement throughout the year.”
Undoubtedly the biggest challenge in responding to feedback will be trimming the survey. “We will prioritize questions that have a strong relationship to engagement and also those that are used by groups to track progress on engagement through action planning,” said Vu. “Thanks to the information people put into the action plan tracker, we should have a pretty good idea of which questions we need to keep so people can see their progress over time.”
Feedback also pointed to many things that are working, and these will stay the same: the ability to track data trends over time, reports that help you figure out where to focus efforts strategically and the ability to look at data through an ESJ lens.
While preparations are being made for a spring 2019 survey, workgroups remain focused on acting on 2017 results. In the past year workteams, divisions and departments have created 285 action plans to address issues like career advancement, work life balance and how people work together as teams.
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Lift Every Youth graduation: Each one, teach one
Last week, we shared how our Lift Every Youth Employment & Mentorship Program is helping to break down barriers to well-paying jobs and career success for young people through an innovative internship and mentorship program that intentionally prioritizes young people with the greatest needs in Internship program breaks barriers for young people most affected by inequities.
This year’s program participants graduated last week, and marked the occasion with a graduation event with King County Executive Dow Constantine at the Dexter Horton Building.
King County Executive Dow Constantine
“Over the last two years, Lift Every Youth has been a really valuable experience for both the participants and for the mentors,” said Executive Constantine. “It is important that King County can make internship and mentorship opportunities available to young
Metro Transit Intern Isaiah Kofi Mawudeku
people for a number of reasons.”
“We need to show young people – particularly youth of color – that careers in public service, in serving the people, can be both accessible and rewarding. With our commitment to leading with racial justice, we have to nurture our community’s leaders of color, and we have to continue to encourage young people to bring their unique strengths.”
“Before I started this program, I was in a tough position with the juvenile system. I thought it was over,” said Isaiah Kofi Mawudeku, who interned with Metro Transit. “Then I got this opportunity to work with Lift Every Youth. When I first started, I had a lot of doubt. I thought no one was going to understand me. I didn’t think I belonged here. I was letting my past define my future. But the mentors that reached out to me, they connected, they built professional relationships, they could relate to my struggle, they gave me hope and helped me believe in myself again. They helped me understand that I earned my position – that I’m here because I’m supposed to be. It surprised me how easy it was to build relationships with these amazing mentors. I was stepping out of my comfort zone all summer. Now I have a few goals for the school year; strictly A grades, and take advantage of the career center that we have. I want to thank all of the mentors. Thank you for this opportunity.”
Metro Transit Managing Director for Design and Construction Ade Franklin
Metro Transit Managing Director for Design and Construction Ade Franklin was one of the program mentors who enjoyed the opportunity to have Isaiah as a mentee. “There’s an African-American proverb that says, ‘each one, teach one,’ used when working on literacy – particularly in Jamaica – and it’s one of those expressions that has stuck with me. Each one, teach one,” said Franklin. “The students that are here, I was not much different from them. The things that we’ve shared with one another lead me to believe that their capacity to outperform me to reach into places that I have not is certain. Although the proverb is ‘each one, teach one,’ I think some of us have the capacity to do more than that. So find your capacity.”
King County Equity Strategies Manager Arun Sambataro is looking to expand the program next year to welcome 15 interns. Contact Arun for more information about how you and your team can get involved.
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King County uses ACS data to help older Americans with housing affordability
King County uses the American Community Survey data in many ways to support our residents. The following story from King County Assessor John Wilson was featured in the ACS User Data group; which includes users from cities and counties around the nation. This story was put together by the assessor’s office, the Executive Office, and Public Health staff; including Chandler Felt and Susan Kinne.
King County Assessor John Wilson
When I became King County Assessor in 2016, real estate values had been jumping at a double-digit pace annually and housing affordability was headed towards a crisis level—especially for low-income seniors, the disabled, and disabled veterans.
A state-authorized property tax exemption program is available to low-income homeowners over the age of 61, but we thought that King County’s enrollment level was low. We turned to the ACS to identify how many potential applicants were in King County and where they might be located.
The ACS Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) files provided the flexibility to conduct a custom analysis that met our eligibility criteria (homeowner, over age of 61, and household income below $40,000). We found that there were approximately 40,000 households eligible for tax exemption in King County, but only 15,000 households were enrolled in the program at the time of our analysis.
We set in action an outreach plan based on ACS data to increase enrollment. By reaching into certain neighborhoods with large numbers of lower-income homeowners, we were able to increase the number of homeowners applying for the program. After 18 months, the Department of Assessments had brought in nearly 7,500 new applications from potentially eligible seniors and disabled homeowners. That represents a nearly 50 percent increase in a year and a half.
The data from the ACS were invaluable to us and helped many low-income homeowners. I will never forget the older postal worker who came up to me, saying that he had just received his exemption, and that he could finally heave a sigh of relief that he was going to be able to stay in his home.
Employee News 