Protect pets from Fourth of July fireworks

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC

Fireworks are beautiful to look at, but they can be scary for our pets. The bangs and booms are hard on their sensitive hearing, and even the calmest pet can get upset by the unfamiliar loud noises.

To help your pet cope with the noise from fireworks, and reduce the chance that it runs away, Regional Animal Services of King County offers these tips:

Keep your pet secured indoors in the quietest room of your home while fireworks are audible. You can also use soothing music or television as a distraction. Some pets will stay calmer when placed in a secure crate in a darkened, quiet room.

Read more at Tails from RASKC

Featured Job: Information Technology Division Director

Closing date: Continuous (Until Filled)

Salary: $114,920.00 – $145,683.20 Annually

Job Type: Appointed

Location: King County Elections – 919 SW Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057

Department: Department of Elections

Description: With a growing commitment to providing an accessible voting experience to the residents of King County, the Department of Elections is looking for a dynamic and visionary leader to manage the daily operations of the Information Technology Division. Just like industry leaders in our region, we are looking for an out-of-the-box thinker, who will break down barriers and challenge us to continuously improve. We are looking for a high-quality executive who is an innovator and change agent with the ability to leverage our resources to maximize our talent and results.  The primary goal of this position will be to make decisions leveraging technology and resources to maintain high customer service levels while implementing strategies and guiding principles which align with the business needs.  This leader will interface with internal management, state/federal and regulatory agencies, as well as County department and agencies.

Learn more about this position or view all available jobs.

Wastewater Treatment Division: From intern to process analyst

As shared from the DNRP WTD Watermark Newsletter

Jessica Tanumihardja recently joined West Point [treatment plant] as the newest process analyst. Prior to WTD, Jessica was an engineer-in-training at Northwest Water Systems and earned her graduate degree in environmental engineering from the University of Washington.

Jessica first learned about WTD by meeting HR staff at a college job fair. “They were really nice and friendly so I applied for an internship  in project management.” Jessica worked with Project Manager Erica Jacobs and others during her internship.

After graduating, Jessica received emails about King County jobs. “I saw a post for a process analyst,” said Jessica. “I had such a good experience during my internship, and really liked the people and work environment, so I applied. I also felt comfortable because I already knew some of the systems!”

Read more about Jessica’s journey from intern to King County employee in the latest issue of the Watermark newsletter (PDF), which also features articles on water education, transferring knowledge and celebrating 50 years of the West Point treatment plant.

New role for Paula Harris-White

Crossposted from DES Express

paula-harris-whiteMany of you know Paula Harris-White from her service as the Department of Executive Services’ Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) Manager, heading up King County’s annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration, working with the Civil Rights Commission, or managing the Employee-Based Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) Committee.

Now, Paula has been named the Workforce Equity Manager for King County, working out of the Human Resources Division (HRD). In her new role, Paula will serve as a subject matter and technical expert in the areas of workforce equity, racial justice, fairness, and opportunity.

Read more at DES Express

Social Media Spotlight: Public Health – Seattle & King County Twitter

TwitterProfilePicMLKonlyPublic Health – Seattle & King County works to protect and improve the health and well-being of all people in King County, WA state.

Follow Public Health – Seattle & King County on Twitter today!

Click here to view all King County social media pages.

Kudos! King County Metro Transit Manager recognized in Public Fleet Hall of Fame

John Alley- Goverment FleetJohn Alley, King County Vehicle Maintenance Section Manager, was one of a select group of public sector fleet professionals inducted into the Public Fleet Hall of Fame this year. John received the honor for being an industry leader and pioneer who has significantly contributed to the public fleet profession. The award is sponsored by the National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA).

John has 49 years of experience in the fleet industry. He is a retired colonel who served 30 years in the  U.S. Army, and worked for the Washington State Patrol and the City of San Diego prior to coming to King County.

Those honored are chosen by a combination of industry professionals via an online ballot and Government Fleet magazine staff. To be eligible, individuals must have at least 20 years of experience in the industry, 10 of which must have been spent working for a public fleet. John and other inductees were recognized at The Honors Celebration at the Government Fleet Expo and Conference (GFX) on June 21. Read more at Government Fleet magazine.

In the above photo, John Alley appears to the far right, with the other inductees from this year’s Public Fleet Hall of Fame 2016 class.

Kudos! King County Sheriff’s Office appreciated for keeping community safe

KCSCO PrideMarchers in Sunday’s Pride Parade took to Twitter to show their gratitude for the presence of King County Sheriff’s Officers who helped ensure that all participants enjoyed themselves and had a peaceful day.

This user tweeted “Thx for being out w/the community 2day @kingcosoPIO esp to keep hateful protestors at bay #PrideSeattle #LovesWins”

Kudos to KCSO for being one with the community and keeping the people of King County safe and secure!

Watch new video series on Professional Development and Career Growth

Welcome to “Hot Topics,” our new video series where we look at topics that matter to you, the employees of King County. For the first edition, we are focusing on one of the biggest issues that employees raised in the 2015 Employee Survey and Equity and Social Justice workshops: Professional Development and Career Growth.

This edition of “Hot Topics” is comprised of four short videos that includes an overview by King County Executive Dow Constantine and segments featuring employees discussing their careers, the County’s professional development services and programs, and their experiences with these services. Closed captioning will be available soon.

You can watch each segment individually or as one 20-minute show below:

Hot Topics

Get more career development information and resources on the Hot Topics webpage.

Thank you to all the employees who participated in the videos and shared their stories and experiences.

King County celebrates Pride as one

Crossposted from DES Express

Thanks to everyone who came out on Sunday, June 26 to participate in the Seattle Pride Parade! Dozens of us marched as One King County in the bright sun with beautiful new rainbow banners, demonstrating our commitment to equity and social justice. We’re already looking forward to 2017!

Pride (2)

Environmental Sampling and Reporting goes Lean

Crossposted from Lean In King County

Completing environmental reporting for the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill is a complex process. With complicated record keeping, a long distance from sampling location to laboratory, and equipment and software challenges, the group responsible for environmental sampling and reporting knew there had to be a better way.

The first improvement they made involved transportation. On a normal day, the group would collect their samples at Cedar Hills and then send two trucks to the lab so the samples could be tested.  The team realized if they consolidated the samples only one truck would have to make the 90-minute drive to the lab. Measurement of this initiative shows this effort works 97 percent of the time, saving 90 minutes of staff time each day the group samples at Cedar Hills.  Though this improvement project only addressed Cedar Hills, the staff will consider applying their methods at other locations.

Read more at Lean In King County