Making the King County website accessible for all
This article is featured courtesy of the King County Department of Information Technology To make the King County website more accessible and useful for residents with visual and hearing challenges, King County Information Technology (KCIT) staff met with deaf and blind residents and advocates on April 26 to learn how to make existing and planned websites and mobile apps more user-friendly. KCIT Director and Chief Information Officer Bill Kehoe took part in the conversation, along with the KCIT Business Solutions teams, and King County’s ADA Compliance Officer Melony Joyce. Their discussion was… Read More
Kathmandu to King County: Risk-taking Army veteran finds his niche
Throughout his travels in Nepal, Utah and Washington, Yub Giri has stayed focused on his priorities. First it was pursuing a degree in civil engineering at Brigham Young University. Then he joined the U.S. Army, working as a dental assistant, map reading instructor and Barrack Maintenance Supervisor in addition to other duties. Now he’s intent on making the most out of his Vets 4 HIRE Fellowship, and credits the people he’s met along the way for getting him started on a successful transition to civilian life. “Here at King County people want… Read More
Cutting red tape speeds up hiring process for King County
For human resources professionals, there is nothing more frustrating than overseeing an extensive recruitment process, only to lose your top candidate thanks to unnecessary delays in the hiring approval process. That’s what was happening to King County recruiters when they sought to hire successful candidates above step one of a position’s pay scale. The process often took weeks, with the County code requiring an approval process that often involved 15 to 19 handoffs before it could be completed. It was time-consuming and by the end of it, hiring personnel found that they were losing candidates. “Many people told us it was going to be impossible… Read More
Garden Questions? Call the Garden Hotline
Crossposted from the HazWasteHelp blog Is this the right time to plant tomatoes? Where can I find good soil for my raised beds? How can I win my battle with slugs? Home gardeners and landscape professionals can get expert advice by calling the Garden Hotline at (206) 633-0224, Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Read more at HazWasteHelp
One-on-One: Veterans program builds on military expertise and experience
Adjusting to change can be hard. Moving, starting a family or going back to school are difficult transitions. Returning to civilian life after spending time in the military is equally, if not more challenging, especially when it comes to getting a job. King County’s Vets 4 HIRE Fellowship Program tackles this issue head on, allowing veterans to transition to civilian life by connecting them with skill-building experiences at King County. With each department able to identify and create a fellowship position, the opportunities are endless. Furthermore, the Veteran and Human Services Levy… Read More
Newly-elected assessor works in a King County state of mind
When new King County Assessor John Wilson was elected last November, he was very clear about his goals. “We want to embrace the Executive’s issue of being the best-run government and be recognized nationally as the best assessment department,” he said. “We can do this by setting fair and equitable property values, and creating and sustaining a stable revenue stream for the government to operate.”
Zika in King County: What it means and who should be concerned
Crossposted from the Public Health Insider blog Blood tests confirmed the first case of Zika virus in King County today in a man in his forties who had recently been in Colombia. This is the third case of Zika virus in the state of Washington, all found in people who became infected while in countries that have current Zika outbreaks. We caught up with Dr. Jeff Duchin, King County Health Officer, to find out what this means for people who live here. Were you surprised that we’ve gone this long without having… Read More
RASKC unveils new multilingual support on website
Crossposted from the DES Express blog Serving our diverse community is important for every King County agency. To reinforce Regional Animal Services of King County’s (RASKC) commitment to improving access and delivering better and more direct service, the agency recently unveiled a “version 2.0” website that features multilingual content functionality. Read more at DES Express
ESJ fairs to showcase how we’re addressing equity
Achieving equity and social justice doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes thoughtful intention, a willingness to honestly evaluate our practices, a spirit of innovation, and persistence in the face of obstacles. Throughout King County, committed employees have not shied away from the challenge. In every department, concrete actions are underway to further equity and social justice in how we do business, how we work with the communities we serve, and how we interact with one another. You can find out about these efforts at one of three Equity and Social… Read More
Spring – a natural time for lawns
Use Natural Yard Care tips to create and keep a lush, healthy lawn. This season start mowing about 2 inches high for most lawns, and switch your blade to mulch mow, which chops the leaves into fine clippings for free fertilizer. For lawns in poor condition: aerate, overseed, and top-dress with 1/2 inch of compost. Kasey Keller, Hall of Fame soccer player appreciates that Puget Sound Starts Here with every lawn. Watch his and the new how-to videos at naturalyardcare.info. Brought to you by STORM (Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities) a coalition… Read More
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