Waterless carwash contract saves 33 gallons per wash 

The “spray on, wipe off” method is the latest and most environmentally sustainable way of washing vehicles, saving 33 gallons of water per car wash, and the Fleet Administration Division (Fleet) is a leader in this effort. Fleet recently finalized a five-year contract with Eco Service USA for fleet vehicle cleaning, after using their service on a pay-as-you-go basis for the last year. The new contract is already helping King County tackle climate change and reduce its environmental impact. Fleet Personal Property Supervisor Russ Johnson oversees the Motor Pool Dispatch Program and the Online Reservation System used by King County employees to check out vehicles. “A component of my role is ensuring vehicles are cleaned… Read More

Summer Interns meet with Executive Constantine 

By Miguel Estevez Osorio and Von Te’Kwan Dalton, high school summer interns for the Office of Equity and Social Justice and Public Health-Seattle & King County (respectively) through King County’s Lift Every Youth Employment & Mentorship Program Pilot. Recently, King County Executive Dow Constantine met with some of us summer interns from King County’s Lift Every Youth Employment and Mentorship Program Pilot, and Performance, Strategy and Budget’s undergraduate and graduate summer internship initiative. Deputy King County Executive Rhonda Berry, Director of Employee Engagement Whitney Abrams, and Arun Sambataro, Equity Strategies Manager with the Office of Equity and… Read More

Executive Constantine makes four staffing announcements

Last week King County Executive Dow Constantine announced that he is assigning additional duties to two members of his Senior Leadership Team and appointing a new Chief Operating Officer in his office. Deputy Executive Rhonda Berry was appointed to lead inter-agency and community coordination and strategy to further reduce the number of youth in detention; Mike Fong, former Chief of Staff to Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, will serve as Chief Operating Officer in the Executive’s Office; and Senior Deputy Executive Fred Jarrett will lead an initiative to explore new and better ways to serve the people of unincorporated King County. The Executive also recently announced that he has appointed Rachel… Read More

Mario Bailey helps youth get back on track with education and employment opportunities 

Crossposted from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Facebook In the early 1990s, Mario Bailey was setting University of Washington football on fire. The Husky Hall of Famer and All American receiver helped take the Huskies to the Rose Bowl twice, scoring four touchdowns at the bowl games and leading the Huskies to a co-national championship in 1991. By the end of his college football career, Mario had shattered several records. He still holds the Husky and PAC-12 record for touchdowns in a season (18), and has the record for career touchdowns… Read More

A message from the department director: Preparing West Point for a growing region 

Crossposted from Clean Water Stories  By Department of Natural Resources and Parks Director Christie True  Over its five decades of operation, the West Point Treatment Plant has been led with one mission: safeguarding our region’s water quality, natural resources, and public health. Over the course of its long span of service, this mission has largely been met.  During a relentless February rainstorm, when electrical and equipment failures led to flooding that damaged critical systems and temporarily reduced treatment capabilities, dedicated employees worked around the clock to restore normal operations. West Point is… Read More

Metro Transit’s largest union approves 3-year contract to ensure a safe, healthy, well-trained workforce

King County Metro Transit today announced that Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 – which represents about 4,100 Metro employees – has approved a three-year labor contract. The contract increases wages by 9 percent over three years, and includes key provisions that will help Metro recruit bus drivers to grow service, as well as improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of the transit system. Altogether, the wage and benefit increases, including an 8.2 percent increase in the county’s health care contributions over three years, add an estimated $80 million to $85 million to… Read More

Creating a diverse workforce pipeline to Public Health 

Crossposted from Public Health Insider  How do you inspire youth to make a difference in their community through public service? Ngozi Oleru, Director of the Environmental Health Services Division (EHS), and Greg Wilson, an EHS Project Manager, addressed this question by exposing diverse students within target communities to new possible career paths and helping to empower new leaders in public health. The program is a step towards the recruitment of a future workforce that better reflects the community that Public Health – Seattle & King County serves.  This partnership with Cleveland High School,… Read More

Wastemobile targets free, safe waste disposal, ensuring healthy, safe communities

Most people think of hazardous waste as radioactive chemicals or harmful medical materials but hazardous waste can actually be a lot of different things, including common household items. When it is time to get rid of waste like antifreeze, gasoline, and even some makeup or other everyday products, it can be difficult to understand what do to do with them. The King County Wastemobile, part of the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program, is here to help. Created in 1989, the Wastemobile helps collect and safely dispose of household waste. The first such program in the nation,… Read More

Eat Well, Live Well this weekend at CHOMP! August 18 and 19

Crossposted from King County Parks Plog Dinner in the Park – Friday, Aug. 18: Kick-off the weekend by attending CHOMP!’s Dinner in the Park on Friday, Aug. 18 at 6:00 p.m. in the historic Willowmoor Farm area at King County’s Marymoor Park. Buy tickets today before they run out! CHOMP! – Saturday, Aug. 19: Enjoy a full day of activities at CHOMP!, King County’s celebration of local farming, food, and sustainability, on Saturday, Aug. 19 at King County’s Marymoor Park. Join King County Parks to celebrate all that is fresh, delicious, local, and sustainable at CHOMP!  from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m…. Read More

Boogie up the Block and the Off the Wall mural competition, August 19

Crossposted from Bytes and Boxes Saturday, August 19, the King County Archives will be participating in Boogie Up the Block, an all-ages urban arts festival taking place on Fir Street in Seattle’s Central Area. Hosted by 206 Zulu and Hidmo, the event will include music, dance, art, food, exhibits, and a kids corner (complete with a bouncy castle). The Archives will be featuring its Ship Canal Centennial exhibit and sharing information about its collection.