Welcome Rebecca Singer, new Solid Waste Division Director

Crossposted from the DNRP newsletter On April 28, Rebecca Singer will start her role as the new Division Director for the Solid Waste Division. Rebecca is a visionary leader committed to achieving ambitious goals in protecting public health and enhancing environmental quality, all while steering towards a sustainable future. Most recently, Rebecca served as the Operations Section Manager in the Wastewater Treatment Division. As the new Solid Waste Division Director, Rebecca will oversee both day-to-day operations and long-term waste management strategies. She will play a key role in advancing equity and racial… Read More

WSDOT e-bike rebate program coming April 9

Attention King County employees, Washington state is preparing to launch WE-bike, an instant rebate program that helps Washington residents purchase certain cycling equipment and electric bicycles, also called e-bikes. On April 9, people across the state will be able to apply online for one of these instant rebates. The programs ends the morning of Wednesday, April 23. More than $4 million is available for instant rebates of either $300 or $1,200 per person, depending on income qualifications. Interested residents can visit the WE-Bike program website ahead of April 9 to check eligibility, learn about… Read More

Now recruiting! King County Metro Equity Cabinet

Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Metro needs new members to join our Mobility Equity Cabinet to help us shape our transit policies, plans and programs. We value your thoughts and opinions! Members of the cabinet will: Gain a deep understanding of Metro as an organization, its guiding policies, services, operations and decision making. Build and strengthen connections in their communities, learn and share about their community’s history, assets, needs and priorities around transit. Shape Metro initiatives and policy updates by collaborating and advising us on key initiatives and policy updates. We… Read More

DAJD manager supports Little Leaguers at Mariners Opening Day

By Noah Haglund, DAJD Communications Specialist IV Seattle Central Little League joined the Mariners Opening Day festivities on March 27, having the honor of saying the two most important words in baseball: Play ball! The league was represented by 70 young people alongside its Coach and President Aaron Parker, who also serves as director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention’s (DAJD) Community Corrections Division. This unforgettable moment before first pitch was a highlight for local players, coaches, and families, as they helped start the Major League Baseball season Seattle Central… Read More

Have your say in the Employee Engagement Survey

The Employee Engagement Survey is in full swing and now through April 21 eligible King County employees (all Executive Branch employees, employees in King County Elections, King County Assessor’s Office, and King County Council who have worked at the county for at least three months prior to the survey and are not an intern or on an STT assignment) are encouraged to share their feedback. Look for an email from kcsurvey@qualtrics-research.com and noreply@qemailserver.com with your custom link to complete the survey. If you did not receive the survey email, please check your email junk or “Other” inbox. If… Read More

King County Security Tips – Malvertising

Visit any website these days and it’s very likely that you will be viewing ads as well. Sometimes these ads can be tempting, with many offering sales, promotions, or freebies to attract more clicks. Ads on certain websites can even be targeted specifically to you based on past browsing history, making you even more likely to click! Remember this: Just because you are on a reputable, well-known website, it does not mean that the ads on the website are safe to click as well. How adspace can become infected: Advertisers do not sell their… Read More

Employee discounts to Parade, at The 5th Avenue Theatre

King County employees can take advantage of a 25% discount to attend the Tony Award winning, Best Revival of a Musical, PARADE playing at The 5th Avenue Theatre, from April 16 through May 4. This North American touring production of the Broadway musical is filled with soaring music and with a timely and heart-wrenching story. To book directly through the website, visit 5thavenue.org/seacity or go to the CALENDAR section of the website and enter promo code: SEACITY to purchase tickets. See all available discounts on the Employee Discount intranet page.

Meditation and mindfulness resources for King County employees

Meditation and mindfulness are techniques used to reduce stress by encouraging a heightened sense of awareness and focused attention. Both approaches share many of the same tools to promote mind and body practices that increase calmness and physical relaxation and enhance overall well-being. There are several meditation and mindfulness resources available for King County employees. Balanced You encourages you to explore these resources to find ones that work for you. Making Life Easier (MLE) Toolkit This meditation toolkit from Making Life Easier (MLE) includes tips sheets, guided videos and audio exercises, and additional resources. Read more.

DAJD recruiters pioneer comic book-style approach

By Noah Haglund, DAJD Communications Specialist IV To attract the next generation of officers at King County jails, the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention’s (DAJD) recruitment team is trying out a novel form of storytelling. “On the Job” uses a comic book-style to show the journey of three wayward young people who tour a jail, meet COs, and overturn their assumptions about working in corrections. By the end, they are ready to apply to work as corrections officers. Created in collaboration with LA-based Hero Projects, “On the Job” was published online in March…. Read More

Safety lessons for Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. At least nine people a day are killed in distracted driving crashes. Handheld and hands-free phone calls and texts, emails, social media, passengers, snacks, and even built-in vehicle touchscreens are just some of the distractions fighting for your attention on the road. Here’s a simple way to think about it: if something requires your hands, your eyes or your attention while you’re driving, it’s a distraction. Distracted driving isn’t just risky for you, it can be deadly for every nearby driver, pedestrian, bicyclist, and worker. Pledge… Read More