Tech tip: Tools for remote access for phones and network
Monday’s snow day serves as a good reminder that KCIT has several tools to help you work remotely.
- If you aren’t at work and need to change outgoing voicemail, these step-by-step directions (on SharePoint) walk you through the process. Consider printing them and taking them home with you.
- These Frequently Asked Questions are a quick reminder of everything we can do remotely simply by logging into https://owa.kingcounty.gov and https://sharepoint.kingcounty.gov
- And finally, if this is the first time logging into the King County system using the above portals, the Secure Mobility Client document details the specific software requirements you need on your personal device to securely conduct county business. (Hint: you probably already have them on your home computer.)
Questions? Just ask your friendly IT ambassador: Jamie.holter@kingcounty.gov
Share this:
Social media spotlight: The Downstream Blog
The Downstream blog brings you news about King County’s water and land and how we’re managing and protecting these most valuable natural resources today and for the future.
Follow the Downstream Blog today!
Click here to view all King County social media pages.
Share this:
H&R Block discount
King County employees can receive special discounts on tax preparation products and services at participating H&R Block or Block Advisors offices as well as details on special pricing on software and online programs. Visit this site for more information.
See all available discounts on the Employee Discount Webpage.
Share this:
Upcoming PeopleSoft webinars for managers
The Business Resource Center (BRC) is implementing a new educational opportunity for King County Managers. Periodic one hour webinars will be conducted via Skype to share predominately PeopleSoft based educational information.
The first webinar offered is titled Top Five Manager Self-Service PeopleSoft Issues. Below are the available dates and times. You are invited to register for the webinars on Eventbrite.
- Thursday, February 9 from 3 to 4 p.m.
- Tuesday, February 14 from noon to 1 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 15 from 9 to 10 a.m. OR 4 to 5 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 22 from noon to 1 p.m.
Participation in the Skype webinar is available from a hardwired computer within the King County firewall. Do not use a wireless connection as it may degrade the experience for all participants. Space is limited so register now.
Share this:
Heavy rain leads to river and urban flooding
Heavy rain has fallen across King County today, melting much of the snowfall from earlier this week. Several area rivers, including the White and Tolt rivers, could exceed flood stage as rainfall and snowmelt flow into the drainage basin.
In addition, urban street flooding has been reported in many areas of King County. If you see a roadway covered with water, do not drive through it. Turn around, and find an alternate route. To help reduce street flooding, make sure storm drains in your neighborhood are clear of fallen leaves and other debris.
Monitor the latest forecasts, and visit the King County Flood Warning Center’s website for information about river flooding.
For this information and other updates, visit KC Emergency News.
Share this:
Water Taxi’s Ron Panzero wins national safety award
Crossposted from The Captain’s Blog
Pictured: from left, Paul Brodeur, Marine Division Director and Ron Panzero, Operations and Maintenance Manager.
Keeping riders and crew safe is Job 1 for us here at King County Water Taxi, so when a national organization recognizes one of our team member’s efforts, we humbly accept the accolades.
Ron Panzero, Operations and Maintenance Manager for the Marine Division, was awarded the Roger Murphy National Marine Safety Award, for his work to improve safety by demonstrating, enhancing and contributing to the Water Taxi’s overall safety efforts.
He received the award Tuesday at MariTrends 2017, the Passenger Vessel Association’s (PVA) Annual Convention held this year in Seattle. The organization is dedicated to serving as the voice of the passenger vessel industry.
Read more at The Captain’s Blog
Share this:
NASA testing (really cool) flight software at King County International Airport/Boeing Field
Crossposted from The Centerline
Flight Bag
If NASA’s newest technology to increase airline efficiency and reduce air traffic delays eventually takes flight, remember that King County International Airport/Boeing Field played a small role in helping it go mainstream.
How? By hosting one of the coolest games of “Follow the Leader” we’ve ever seen.
NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate is in the Northwest testing airborne flight deck interval management software. That’s a mouthful, but basically it’s technology that can help pilots better space their approaches into airports so air traffic controllers and airlines can pinpoint when planes will land, literally to within a few seconds. It’s part of a series of flights known as Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration, or ATD-1 in NASA speak.
Share this:
King County, City of Maple Valley partner to invest in clean water and community
The City of Maple Valley recently completed one of the 26 projects funded in part by the County’s most recent Water Quality Improvements Projects grant package. The project significantly reduces contaminated stormwater runoff from 216th Avenue Southeast, a busy arterial, into local salmon creeks.
“Improving water quality is good for both King County residents and the environment,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn, who has been looking forward to seeing the results.
In addition to the installation of curbs, gutters and permeable landscaped medians, those results include using four modular wetland systems, a type of green stormwater infrastructure, to collect and treat surface water and reduce the amount pollutants flowing into Cranmar Creek – a tributary of Jenkins Creek. Both creeks provide critical habitat for Coho salmon smolt.
“These modular wetlands are designed to filter out 80% of the sediment that normally wash straight into nearby waterbodies,” said Elizabeth Louden, WaterWorks Grant Administrator with DNRP’s Wastewater Treatment Division. “We’re pleased this grant made a difference, and the City of Maple Valley could make a significant improvement to local creeks.”
For more information on this project, including before-and-after photos, visit the City of Maple Valley’s Capital Improvement Projects site.
King County Wastewater Treatment Division’s mission is to protect public health and enhance the environment by collecting and treating wastewater while recycling valuable resources for the Puget Sound region. Wastewater Treatment funds are used to support projects that improve water quality and invest in community partnerships. Funds are awarded directly by Council through the WaterWorks Grant Program for the 26 Water Quality Improvements Projects. For more information, contact Elizabeth at 206-477-4297 or water.grants@kingcounty.gov.
Share this:
Employee navigates “hire-to-retire” transition for others
Working in benefits planning to help those who are retiring can be a challenging job. With an aging workforce, there’s always work to be done and a new person to transition into retirement.
Carmen Johnson, a Retirement and Benefits Navigator, has happily taken on this task, enjoying the work she does to help outgoing King County employees start a new adventure in their life.
“I find it so rewarding,” she said. “It’s an emotionally and mentally challenging time for people and I get to help them through it.”
With an average of ten thousand people turning 65 in the United States each day, according to the Pew Research Center, many things need to be done to ensure employees can easily transition from “hire-to-retire.”
Part of a retirement team, Carmen has been with King County since 2012 and in her current role for almost two years. She got involved right away in learning all about the many things that impact retirement.
“There’s a lot to learn,” she said. “Social security, Medicare, VEBA, PERS – and laws and programs change constantly, so it is a continuous process of educating myself.”
“But I don’t really have any negatives to my job. I really enjoy helping people.”
Staying up to date on current policies, while also working with employees to retire means there’s never an average day. Carmen also works with the New Employee Orientation (NEO), Verification of Employments (VOE), processes paperwork for both new hires and retires and also schedules out the Medicare and Social Security employee workshops.
These workshops are an exciting part of her work, in that she can meet employees from all across King County and get to know each of them and their retirement goals. Carmen facilitates at least two workshops a month.
“I enjoy meeting people from all over the county and helping them through all of their varied situations,” she said. “It’s great to get out of the office and learn about the wide variety of employees that help make the county run.”
“I can’t do that at another employer and I like it a lot.”
Carmen looks forward to providing even more opportunities to retiring employees this year. She and the retirement team are working to keep employees engaged and excited about the shift to retirement, by giving them the tools and education needed so that they will be taken care of long after their time at King County ends.
“We’ve got more training workshops planned and we’ll be updating the website to be more informative,” she said. “We know we’re going to see a lot of people retiring in the next few years and we plan to be prepared.”
For information about benefits planning, visit the Benefits, Payroll and Retirement section of the King County website or contact kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov.
Share this:
United Way free tax preparation available
Tax season is upon us and King County would like to highlight United Way of King County’s free tax preparation services as a convenient option available to you, your family members, and your community! Tax time can be stressful and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be; consider taking advantage of this free service so you can avoid costly tax preparation fees and maximize your refund.
United Way offers free tax preparation services at over 27 locations throughout King County and online from now through April. Households making under $64,000 can have their taxes prepared by a certified tax preparer, plus they can get connected to other community resources and public benefits.
There are two easy ways to file:
Online: File your taxes online for free with United Way’s My Free Taxes tool if your household makes under $64,000 at www.MyFreeTaxes.com.
In-Person: Locations can be found throughout King County with convenient hours to meet your schedule. No appointments are needed. To find a location near you, languages available, a list of what to bring, and other details, visit United Way’s website at www.FreeTaxExperts.org or call 2-1-1.
Employee News 