King County Elections receives national recognition
King County Elections was honored by the Election Center, the National Association of Election Officials, in the organization’s annual Professional Practice Paper Awards for 2022. The Election Center’s Professional Practices Program is a celebration of best practices from jurisdictions around the country and the U.S. Territories. Read more.
Washington State Fair discounts for King County employees
Employees can save on tickets to the Washington State Fair, Sept. 2-25. Click here for instructions on how to purchase your discount tickets. Once you log in to the Corporate Perks portal, your discount pricing will be unlocked. There is no need to enter an additional discount code. See all available King County employee discounts on the Employee Discount webpage.
King County is removing nearly 2,000 toxic-coated pilings from the Harbor Island shoreline
The King County Solid Waste Division is removing a derelict timber dock from the mouth of the Duwamish River, supporting a regional effort to clean up historic pollution and restore shoreline and aquatic habitat. The $8.1 million project, led by King County’s Solid Waste Division, is removing a 72,700 square-foot dock and its 1,800 timber pilings coated in creosote, a chemical once used to preserve wood that is harmful to water quality and marine life. The project contributes to a regional partnership committed to cleaning up historic pollution in the industrial corridor of… Read More
Executive Constantine announces a combined $8.2 million for community-led projects
King County Executive Dow Constantine recenlty announced two grant funds worth a combined $8.2 million for 37 community-led projects that will increase access to open space and parks, expand recreational facilities, and help protect and restore floodplain habitat. The King County Council approved the plan to allocate both grants, which are funded by the voter-approved King County Parks Levy. Read more.
Enjoy late summer and Labor Day weekend hiking with Trailhead Direct
Trailhead Direct – the popular transit-to trails service offered by King County Parks and King County Metro – offers convenient, eco-friendly adventures for late summer hikes as well as service during Labor Day weekend. Check out the route schedule and trail information, and watch the video below.
Executive Constantine announces King County’s first-ever Wildfire Risk Reduction Strategy
King County has developed its first-ever Wildfire Risk Reduction Strategy, a set of 12 recommended actions to improve preparedness, response, and recovery as the region experiences hotter, drier summers due to climate change. The strategy’s recommended actions are organized around three guiding priorities: Make King County forests more resilient to wildfire, reduce risks to communities and infrastructure in the wildland-urban interface, and enhance emergency response. Read more.
Gone but not forgotten – Indigent remains ceremony Aug. 24
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider Every few years, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office (KCMEO) hosts a unique memorial to ensure that every King County resident is remembered. The KCMEO’s Indigent Remains Program provides burial for King County residents who have died without resources or family to claim their remains for a proper burial. The next ceremony to remember these individuals will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 11 a.m. at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Renton (100 Blaine Ave NE). It’s open to any member of the public who wishes to pay their respects. Read more.
Celebrating our award-winning treatment plants
Cross-posted from Clean Water Stories All five of King County’s wastewater treatment plants received 2021 National Association of Clean Water Agency’s (NACWA) Peak Performance Awards, honoring multiple consecutive years of compliance with state and federal effluent permit limits. Special congratulations go to Brightwater for earning its first Platinum award for five years of compliance – and to Vashon for Platinum with 11 years of compliance. Read more.
Executive Constantine announces coalition to tackle behavioral health crisis in King County
A coalition of elected leaders, health care professionals, crisis responders and community organizations announced they will develop a broad policy approach to improving the state of behavioral health availability and sustainability for King County. Read more.
King County recognized for innovative approaches
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Recently, the Centre for Public Impact released Reimagining Public Value: Our Learning Journey in King County. The report details King County’s efforts to reimagine and reinvent the way it approaches public value, breaking down long-standing internal and external barriers in order to build a thriving, equitable county. Read more.
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