Annual conference for administrative professionals, June 21 and 22

King County is participating this year as a sponsor in the 2017 T.R.A.I.N Support Staff Conference, taking place June 21 and 22. The conference is open to employees of public agencies who work in an administrative, departmental, customer service or office support role.

Registration for the conference opens May 8, 2017. Click here to register then, or download this PDF for more information about the conference.

Upsizing or downsizing your home

Are you ready to move up to a bigger home or downsize to a smaller one? This seminar is presented by HomeStreet Bank to help you learn what it takes to sell your existing home, how to determine the market value of your home, what improvements pay off, and how to crunch the numbers to budget for your next home.

There are two classes available:

  • Thursday, May 11, noon to 1 p.m., Chinook Building
  • Tuesday, May 16, noon to 1 p.m., King Street Center

To register for these classes you can call the Hometown Hotline at 888-425-6990, or go online to www.homestreet.com/kingco.

King County Archives receives the AKCHO 2017 Technology Award for its online exhibit, “Responding to AIDS”

Crossposted from Bytes and Boxes

aids projectThe King County Archives was chosen as winner of the Association of King County Heritage Organizations 2017 Technology Award for its online exhibit, Responding to AIDS: The Seattle-King County Department of Public Health, 1982-1996.

The AKCHO Technology Award is “presented annually to an organization for an outstanding project that pairs technology with local history and provides an inspiration or a model for the heritage community.” We are honored to be among this year’s AKCHO award recipients, listed here: 2017 AKCHO Award Honorees.

Read more at Bytes and Boxes

New videos showcase diversity of careers, people at King County

King County is releasing a series of new videos that showcase the diversity of career opportunities at the County and the people who work here.

One of those employees is Deborah DeQuier-Bowden, Dental Supervisor for Columbia Public Health Dental Clinic.

“I get out of bed, come in here, because I know that I’m going to make a change, or I’m going to make some kind of good effort in somebody’s life today,” Deborah says in the video. “It makes me happy to help people. That’s one of the reasons I got into public service.”

King County offers a wide range of rewarding careers that provide an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people across our communities.

We are also working to become racially diverse and culturally responsive at all levels of the organization, which will help us provide equitable, high quality services to all our communities, as part of the Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan. Watch the video.

DCHS developing 5 enhanced shelters for homeless individuals, families 

Shared from the DCHS Touching Base Newsletter  

white-center-sheet-donations

Liz McDaniel of Mary’s Place was thrilled to accept 30 sets of sheets from the employees at King County Department of Community and Human Services for the tuck them in sheet drive.

The first of five enhanced shelters for homeless single adults and homeless families opened in March, and two more are moving forward!

White Center – The Family Shelter at White Center operated by Mary’s Place is open and providing safe, temporary housing for about 30 people (parents and children), which is the current capacity. Thanks to the Evergreen Aquatics Center, additional shower capacity is available just a short distance away. Construction is currently under way at the site, including plumbing additional onsite showers. Once that work is complete, the shelter capacity will stretch to about 70 residents. The shelter is open 24/7 with onsite case management and a range of other services. Meals are provided and families have the privacy of their own space for sleeping, in addition to common spaces for eating, socializing, playrooms for toddlers and homework tables for school-age children and youth. The community remains involved in the shelter, with a community work group meeting taking place in May to talk about operations to date. A community open house will be scheduled for early June. This location will house homeless families for about two years while planning gets under way for the permanent use of the land, likely a combination of human services and permanent housing in conjunction with Communities of Opportunity.

Kenmore – A community meeting sponsored by the City of Kenmore, Mary’s Place and King County has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 18 at 6 p.m. at the Northshore Fire Department Headquarters at 7220 NE 181st Street in Kenmore to discuss a proposed 24-hour resource center and family shelter. The shelter would be located on county-owned land, the vacant King County Sheriff’s precinct at 18118 73rd Ave NE in Kenmore. Representatives from Mary’s Place will talk about the services that Mary’s Place provides and how this shelter will help address the homelessness crisis in our region.

Bellevue – The Bellevue City Council voted on April 17 to move forward with planning for the Eastside Men’s Shelter and Supportive Housing project on land owned by King County near both the Eastgate Public Health Clinic and the Eastgate Park-n-Ride. The Council also agreed to a 45-day exploration period to determine the viability of two potential alternative sites for the shelter – the Lincoln Center office building at 515 116th Ave. NE and the future Eastside Sound Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility at 1899 120th Ave. NE. At the council study session on May 1, the City Council will review and comment on a set of criteria for this exploration. Bellevue is committed to a new 24/7 homeless men’s shelter with permanent housing above. Some Bellevue residents have voiced strong opposition to homeless men and the siting of a shelter in the proposed neighborhood.

Two more enhanced shelters are in the discussion and planning stages. Stay tuned!

For more information, contact Valerie Kendall with DCHS’ Housing and Community Development team at 206-263-9076 or valerie.kendall@kingcounty.gov.

To learn more about what DCHS is doing in our community, read the most recent issue of the Touching Base Newsletter (on SharePoint).

From the Hip: Laura Inveen, Presiding Judge, King County Superior Court 

Spotlight on Jason Clark, Superior Court Equity and Justice Advocate

Jason Clark

Jason Clark,  Superior Court Equity and Justice Advocate

As Presiding Judge of Superior Court, I was asked to write about the court. We have a lot going on, so it was a tough choice. After giving it some thought, the work being done by Jason Clark, our Equity and Justice Advocate rose to the top. Jason’s work is wide-ranging. He’s responsible for developing community-building and engagement strategies, for planning and policy/program development, and for general planning support for projects related to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.

How does he do all that? Without skipping a beat! In just over a year, his accomplishments have been far-reaching. An example is his work in Federal Way. In response to increased violence in that area, he gathered together community members and local service agencies. This resulted in the formation of the Federal Way Youth Action Team (FWYAT), a consortium of caring folks and organizations that partner to provide youth development and opportunities in the community. Through Jason’s guidance and influence, the FWYAT has formed programs and activities for youth traditionally underserved or overlooked.

Just last week a 13 year old who might otherwise have been referred to the justice system was the beneficiary of Jason’s efforts. Jason had previously asked the King County Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution to provide facilitation services to the FWYAT. He also coordinated with case managers at the Federal Way Multi-Services Center’s Positive Outcome Program (POP). This coordination of services allowed this young man, his guardian, the victim, a member of the community, and his POP case manager to have a successful restorative mediation. The end result included connecting the young man with positive youth groups, a summer camp program, mentoring, and a satisfied victim.

Whether from a community member, judge, probation officer, or service provider, you will hear praises of Jason.  Will Jimerson, a POP case manager says of Jason: “He is not one merely caught up with lip service, but more so with and through life service.” Will describes Jason’s work as lending his development leadership qualities and technical assistance and going beyond the stretch when it comes to community development – “a quiet and confident leader, who everyone looks to when he steps into the room.”

Laura Inveen

Laura Inveen, Presiding Judge, King County Superior Court

Chief Juvenile Judge Wesley Saint Clair notes Jason’s success as a community liaison is in part due to the way he solicits needs as described by parents and youth, not simply those of the system or by institutional players. In doing so, he has been instrumental in creating new avenues for the community to effectively engage in helping families that might be having issues, while at the same time helping community partners navigate the complexities of being a provider for government.

In addition to his work in Federal Way, Jason has focused on Equity and Social Justice training with juvenile court and those involved with the court, as either the trainer or part of a team that coordinates these efforts. He is able to deliver a message that is easily received by all. Superior Court is indeed fortunate to have great employees such as Jason!

Featured Job: IT Services Manager I

Closing Date/Time: Sun. 05/14/17 11:59 PM Pacific Time

Salary: $106,870.40 – $135,470.40 Annually

Job Type: Civil Service, Full Time, 40/hrs Wk

Location: King County Courthouse – 516 3rd Ave, Seattle, Washington

Department: King County Sheriff’s Office

Description: The King County Sheriff’s Office is welcoming all innovative, forward-thinking technological professionals to apply for the position of IT Services Manager I. This person will be leading a team of technological professionals in coordinating and managing all of KCSO’s technology service needs. This strategic thinking leader will be overseeing all IT functions and guiding all KCSO IT staff in day-to-day operations as well as planning and execution. Working in partnership with the King County Information Technology Department, this manager will develop solutions that align with the ever changing IT environment coupled with law enforcement needs across multiple work sites to establish best practices.

Learn more about this position, or view all available jobs.

Social Media Spotlight: King County Metro Transit on Facebook

King County Metro Transit provides bus service to nearly 113 million riders annually in the Greater Seattle area. Visit the King County Metro Transit Facebook page to discuss news and events. For info about transit service disruptions, visit the alerts and updates page, or call 206-553-3000.

Follow KC Metro on Facebook today!

Click here to view all King County social media pages.

Puget Sound Starts Here at the Mariners, May 21

Baseball and clean water meet at the “Puget Sound Starts Here at the Mariners” event on Sunday, May 21 at 1:10 pm.  

Show your support for the environment and get an awesome Mariners/PSSH hat. Kids under 14 can get a Mariners gym bag, and a second-chance Mother’s Day tote bag.

Get tickets at www.mariners.com/PugetSound! More benefits include:

  • For the group that sells the most tickets: Five lucky ticket holders will have their picture taken with a Mariner! For groups larger than 19 people, call Elizabeth McCloskey at 206-346-4519.
  • Tickets are $37 for a main level seat, a savings of at least $10 off the regular price!
  • Have a great time with colleagues/friends/kids, and watch the Mariners compete against the baseball team famous for throwing the 1919 World Series.

Brought to you by STORM, a group of over 80 cities and counties throughout Puget Sound working with King County Stormwater Services to prevent stormwater polluition. Questions? Contact Kyle Masters, STORM Coordinator and King County Veterans Fellow at 206-477-0097.

WTD’s Waterworks Grant and Education/Stewardship Program Lunch and Learn May 15

Join us to hear about how the King County Wastewater Treatment Program’s Waterworks Grant and Education/Stewardship Program are preparing us for the impacts of climate change.

Monday, May 15, from noon to 1 p.m. King Street Center, 8th Floor Conference Room.

All King County employees are welcome, but space is limited. Please sign up here.