Executive calls for historic investment to connect the region with high-capacity transit
In his 2016 State of the County address on Monday, King County Executive Dow Constantine called for an historic investment in high-capacity mass transit to ensure the region’s long-term prosperity amid rapid population growth. His strategy to improve mobility includes Sound Transit 3, an initiative he proposed for the November ballot in his role as Chair of the Sound Transit Board. It will expand light-rail service to connect Seattle, Everett, Tacoma, Redmond and Issaquah, as well as West Seattle and Ballard. It will also build a new tunnel in Seattle with stations… Read More
IT Governance: What it is and why it matters
This article is featured courtesy of Bill Kehoe, Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Technology Governor Inslee’s investigation into the Department of Corrections’ early prisoner release issue cited “IT Governance” as a key contributing factor. What exactly is IT Governance? In short, it analyzes the need, researches the solution, takes advice from public and private sector experts, and creates an open environment to expose and fix errors quickly. More technically, IT Governance is an approach to IT solutions that integrates business needs, technology trends, innovation, best practices and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC)… Read More
Walk in the Shoes of a King County Employee – Family Law Facilitator Program
My job as King County Executive requires advocating for and balancing the needs of residents, employees, and the region as a whole. My years as an attorney working on behalf of clients taught me that fighting it out until there is a winner and a loser is usually less productive than figuring out what would work best for everyone involved. So I was excited for my first Walk in the Shoes this year – with legal staff in King County Superior Court’s Family Law Facilitator Program.
Join Exec for 12th Man flag-raising Friday at noon
The Seahawks begin their playoff run on Sunday and we’re kicking off their drive to the Super Bowl by raising the 12th Man Flag over the King County Administration Building! Join King County Executive Dow Constantine at noon on Blue Friday, Jan. 8, as he raises the 12th Man flag in the Administration Building Plaza (Fourth Avenue side, 500 Fourth Avenue). If you are on break or at lunch, or not working at this time, you are welcome to put on your Seahawks gear, join in the flag-raising and help fire up… Read More
One King County for ending sexual exploitation and trafficking
Dear fellow King County employee, We’re fortunate to have a talented workforce dedicated to making King County a more just, more equitable community – a place where people’s rights are protected and everyone has the opportunity to achieve his or her full potential in life. As we showed when we helped nearly 200,000 residents sign up for affordable health insurance, we’re most effective at improving people’s lives when we work together as One King County to achieve a common goal. Now, I want to apply that same collective approach to confront a… Read More
Walk in the Shoes of a County Employee – Jacquie Hermer, Public Health Nurse
For my most recent Walk in the Shoes of a County Employee, I visited Jacquie Hermer, a Registered Nurse in Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Nurse Family Partnership Program (NFP). The program pairs young, low-income, first-time moms with registered nurses from pregnancy through the critical first 24 months of a child’s life. That collaboration helps transform the lives of the mothers and their children, providing support and parenting guidance for a healthy pregnancy, and the best possible start in life for the baby. This program aligns with two important areas… Read More
Executive meets with employees, volunteers who are “a voice for children”
In neglect and abuse cases involving children, a vital role is played by a group of volunteers known as CASAs. King County Executive Dow Constantine recently visited some of the employees and volunteers from the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program in Kent to learn more, and thank them for their care and support of children going through traumatic times. A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a trained volunteer who represents the best interests of children up to 11 years old who have allegedly been abused and/or neglected as they are… Read More
Executive brings together funding partners to help maintain public health services in Auburn
King County Executive Dow Constantine today announced that he has brought together funding partners from local cities, tribes, nonprofits, and companies to help maintain services at the Auburn health clinic for the next two years. He will work with the Metropolitan King County Council to identify the additional funds needed to continue operations during the 2015-2016 biennium. The Auburn Public Health Center – which includes satellite offices in Enumclaw and the Muckleshoot Reservation – provides health services to 10,000 clients, 97 percent of whom live below the federal poverty line. The Public… Read More
Ebola outbreak and Annual Giving Drive
Dear fellow King County employee: As you know, the Ebola outbreak has caused devastating loss of life and decimated families in West Africa. The World Health Organization estimates 10,000 new cases of Ebola could occur every week by December if the virus is not contained. With our Public Health department leading the way, we in King County are prepared in the event that the Ebola virus should ever come to Washington State. Our experts tell us that the most effective way to prevent the virus from spreading is to support the communities… Read More
Message from Sheriff John Urquhart and Rhonda Berry, Chief of Operations
Dear Fellow King County employee, King County employees work each and every day to make our community and the world a better place, for ourselves and for our families. Another way we do that is through our King County Employee Giving Program. We are very proud to be this year’s Annual Giving Drive Honorary Co-Chairs. The Employee Giving Program empowers each of us to personally connect to causes we care about, such as providing clean air and water, food, shelter, clothing, counsel, comfort or help in times of crisis. Regardless of what… Read More
Employee News 