Welcome Back Bash to Celebrate County and City Employees
Fellow Public Servants, It’s time to celebrate your great work in support of our residents and communities! Thank you for all you have done to serve the people of Seattle and King County during a time of significant challenge. We were the first in the nation to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, but because you stepped up with courage, dedication, and hard work – even while lives and livelihoods were upended – our region is recovering and reopening. To celebrate you, and all public employees, during these unprecedented times we are throwing a… Read More
King County rolls out the state’s first battery-electric heavy-duty truck built in Renton
King County – already a leader in the transition to bus fleets powered by clean energy – is now the first organization in the state to operate a battery-powered heavy-duty truck manufactured at Kenworth’s plant in Renton. It will be one of the first Class 8 battery-electric trucks in North America operated by a waste management agency. Along with King County Metro’s progress toward electrifying its bus fleet, King County is a leader in the transition to zero-emission vehicles that reduce air and noise pollution. Read more.
Executive Constantine moves Free Youth Transit Pass forward, aiming for implementation in time for school
In his State of the County address last month, Executive Constantine touted the great work of King County Metro and acknowledged key investments for the future, including the Free Youth Transit Pass that will connect youth to the freedom of transit throughout our region. The proposed free youth transit pass builds on King County’s many years of success in providing ORCA passes to middle and high school students during the school year, and also stretching into summertime for those who most need travel support. By adopting a year-round free youth transit pass… Read More
Innovation Award for Sustainability honorees
The Innovation Award for Sustainability goes to the Department of Natural Resources and Parks/Water and Land Resources Division – Lones Levee Setback and Floodplain Restoration Project. The 1,600-foot-long Lones Levee on the Green River had fallen into disrepair and no longer provides adequate protection from flooding and erosion. The Water and Land Resources Division worked with landowners and tribes to build a new, stronger levee that restored functional floodplains, improved salmon and native fish habitats, and supports forests and greenspace. Click here to learn more and watch the video of the presentation. Each… Read More
Celebrating Pride and the fight for equality
Dear fellow King County employee, Happy Pride Month! Every June we celebrate Pride and honor the fight for equality and equal rights for LGBTQ+ people that began in June of 1969 with the Stonewall Riots led by trans women of color. Pride is a time to recognize the accomplishments and many contributions of LGBTQ+ people to our communities here in King County and around the world, to our shared history and our shared future. It is a time to reflect on the adversities that LGBTQ+ people have faced throughout history and their… Read More
Innovation Award for Equity and Social Justice
The Innovation Award for Equity and Social Justice goes to the Department of Public Health/Environmental Health Services Division – Box Fan Filter Distribution Project. Wildfire smoke and COVID-19 pose a significant health risk for some people who may not be able to afford an air filtration unit in their home or business. The Environmental Health Services Division of Public Health joined with community partners to distribute low-cost kits of box fans and furnace filters to vulnerable and low-income residents. These kits proved highly effective in reducing indoor air pollution. Click here to read more… Read More
Honoring the fallen
On Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of each May, we honor the more than 1.2 million military personnel who have given their lives in service to our country. We pay tribute to those who bravely answered the call to protect and preserve freedom here at home and around the world. We take this time to also honor the families of those who did not come home. We owe a debt of gratitude to all who have served, and particularly to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. As a community, we must… Read More
2022 Employee Engagement Survey results
Dear fellow King County employee, In March 2022, two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, 8,300 employees shared their experiences of working at King County in the 2022 Employee Engagement Survey. Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. As we work to create a truly welcoming, supportive, and respectful workplace, your responses in the survey are central to realizing this goal. The last two years have been a period of unprecedented stress, uncertainty, and change. The pandemic has had a huge impact on so many aspects of our personal and… Read More
King County: Government 101
Girmay Zahilay, King County Councilmember District 2, recently made a video about the difference between city government and county government. It is a simple, straight-forward, and affable piece that helps break down how King County serves and represents residents in the wide variety of urban, suburban, rural, and unincorporated areas. It’s not required viewing for King County employees, but it is a good resource to share with friends, family, and strangers who might wonder how county government is different from city government. Click here to watch the video.
Executive Constantine delivers 2022 State of the County address
Focusing on four priority pillars of work, King County Executive Dow Constantine recently delivered the 2022 State of the County to the King County Council. The address reflected on both the achievements of the last year and the opportunities ahead. Executive Constantine laid out past successes and future actions in the critical areas of homelessness, public safety and the criminal legal system, anti-racism and pro-equity policies and investments, and environmental conservation and climate change. He also spoke to the ongoing work related to public health, transit, and the creative economy as King… Read More
Employee News 