From the Hip: Othniel Palomino, Chief Administrative Officer, District Court
Implementing change management effectively Managing the process of a major change is one of the most significant leadership challenges that most of us will face in our careers. King County District Court is currently in the middle of one of the most significant organizational changes in its history. We are leaving the 34 year old IBM mainframe based system managed by the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). We manage over 200,000 case filings annually using this system. The project has required us to replace 14 ancillary systems developed over time,… Read More
New detention facility to better serve youth in justice system
“It doesn’t matter who the youth is, one of the things that we can do is that when they come through these doors they can be a kid again.” That’s the goal for Pam Jones, Director of King County’s Juvenile Division, who oversees the operation of the Juvenile Detention Center at 12th Avenue and East Alder Street in Seattle. Jones, who has been with King County for over 30 years, has played a key role in the County’s work to bring down the number of youth in detention. In the late-1990s, the… Read More
King County joins the 100-Day Challenge to tackle youth homelessness
Shared from the DCHS Touching Base Newsletter King, Pierce and Spokane counties have joined together with A Way Home Washington to accelerate local efforts to prevent and end youth homelessness. In Washington state, more than 13,000 people between the ages of 12 and 24 lack a safe, stable place to call home. The recent King County point-in-time count, released by All Home on May 31, 2017, counted a total of 1,498 unaccompanied youth and young adults homeless (up to age 25) in King County on January 27, 2017. Called the 100-Day Challenge,… Read More
Investing in You
Dear fellow King County employee, Over the past few years, we’ve done a lot of work to make King County a workplace that supports you, your ideas and your passion for public service. Through our annual employee survey, Equity and Social Justice focus groups, and engagement action plans we asked you what you need to do your best work and have been acting on what you said. Today I am launching Investing in You, which builds on our employee-focused efforts in Equity and Social Justice, Best-Run Government: Employees and Continuous Improvement and… Read More
Northshore Clinic prepares for move to Totem Lake in June
This June, the Northshore Public Health Center will move from its current location of 25 years in south Bothell to a new location in Kirkland. The new location at Totem Lake offers better access for clients and closer proximity to key health care partners, particularly Evergreen Medical Center. The new site’s services – Maternity Support Services, WIC (Women Infants and Children), enrollment into health insurance, Orca Lift and other services – will be adjacent to a Metro transit center. The move is the final phase in the sale of the Northshore facility. Selling… Read More
Social Media Spotlight: Noxious Weeds Blog
Noxious Weeds Blog provides information and updates on noxious weeds and invasive plants found in King County, Washington, tips on identifying and controlling weeds throughout the year, updates on events and classes, and noxious weed news from around the state and beyond. Our goal is to provide information that is useful for everyone impacted by noxious weeds, from homeowners and gardeners to vegetation managers, restoration workers and landscape professionals. We also include job listings, program news, grants, and other information that we think would be useful to people working on noxious weeds. Follow the Noxious Weeds blog today! Click here… Read More
Featured Job: Industrial Maintenance Electrician
Closing Date/Time: Continuous Salary: $40.53 – $42.50 Hourly Job Type: Multiple job types-career service and/or temp Location: Multiple locations in King County, Washington Department: Department of Natural Resources & Parks – Wastewater Treatment Division Description: This position performs a variety of highly skilled journey-level work constructing, troubleshooting, maintaining and wiring a wide variety of equipment and conducting preventive maintenance programs. This position requires the use of analytical skills in implementing various aspects of process control. The Wastewater Treatment Division is committed to the principles of equity and social justice. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences in our workforce, and are committed… Read More
Kudos! Detention Officer receives MLK Medal of Distinguished Service Award
Juvenile Detention Officer Joseph Townsend was recently awarded the MLK Medal of Distinguished Service award by Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer. The Metropolitan King County Council honor is presented annually to those who make a particularly strong impact on the County, with the hope to encourage others to renew their dedication to serve their community. Townsend was recognized with the award for his mentorship of young people throughout South King County. He coaches the Thomas Jefferson High School baseball team, as well as the school’s nationally ranked Girls Bowling team. Read more in the… Read More
Tech Tip: Multimedia version: Designing with scale in mind
Scale is a large part of design, sometimes literally. In a very basic definition, scale is the deliberate sizing of individual elements. Scale can help us make sense of designs and images, but, scale doesn’t always have to be based on realism. You can size your elements dramatically large or small to create stunning effects and to signal which parts of your design are more important and which are less. For example, check out this poster for the movie Drive. In this poster, the lead character has been scaled up dramatically, drawing attention… Read More
Secure Your Load to prevent road debris and accidents, June 6
In recognition of “Secure Your Load Day” on Tuesday, June 6, a national effort championed by King County resident Robin Abel, the King County Solid Waste Division is encouraging all residents to take the time to properly secure their loads to improve road safety, avoid fees, and prevent litter. A recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that road debris contributes to more than 50,000 traffic crashes every year in the U.S. Of those crashes, 125 people lost their lives. It only takes a few minutes to properly secure… Read More
Employee News 