From the Hip: Patty Hayes, Director of Public Health
How I Spent National Public Health Week Crossposted from the Public Health Insider blog Last week we celebrated National Public Health Week, my favorite time of year. As the director of the department, I am steeped in public health on a daily basis, but I am always ready to learn more. I met with different staff – people I don’t get to see too often – to find out more about what they do. As always, I was inspired by their work and their dedication to our important mission.
Nationally acclaimed RainWise program brings together mosques, employees and others through green, eco-friendly practices
In just a few years the RainWise program has become a national model for other organizations interested in effectively addressing combined sewer overflows (CSO). It’s well renowned for its fruitful community partnerships and by offering rebates that cover most of the installation costs for rain gardens and cisterns to qualifying property owners. “It’s a great County collaboration with the City of Seattle to showcase our environmental efforts and Best-Run Government initiative,” said John Phillips, King County’s Program Manager for RainWise. “I get calls for more information weekly from all over the country.”… Read More
Metro offers mentorship and career development opportunities
The new Aspiring Leaders Program (ALP), part of Metro’s Partnership to Achieve Comprehensive Equity (PACE) initiative, is designed to expand career development opportunities for staff who want to grow their careers within the agency. While there are many training programs available across the County, most occur during the day and tend to focus on office or administrative work environments. Hourly operational staff in Metro often need to have their positions backfilled to participate which creates a financial disincentive to offer development programs to these employees. ALP is different as it is available… Read More
Kudos! Lost Citizen Aided by Resourceful Wastewater Treatment Division Staff
Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) received a phone call from an elderly woman letting WTD know she appreciated getting help from an employee last week. She was in the Elliott West Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) facility area and wanted to go to the Cancer Care Alliance in the Eastlake area of Seattle. She was lost. One of WTD’s Facilities Inspection and Conveyance staff took out his map, showed her an easy route and reprogrammed her GPS unit as a backup. She said that he was helpful and that he “saved the day.” Kudos… Read More
Cedar Hills Regional Landfill 50th Anniversary Open House
To commemorate 50 years of operations at the award-winning Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, the King County Solid Waste Division invites the public to come tour the facility, hear from division and county leadership and enjoy informative displays. Guests will also have the chance to see some landfill heavy equipment up close and take the “One Less Bag” challenge! This is a great learning opportunity for the whole family – children age five and over are welcome to join if accompanied by an adult. Parking is provided and participants will board a King… Read More
Analyst and PSB Office work to bridge gap between balanced budgets and Best Run Government
“It’s akin to hiking in the mountains with a compass, hike for a while, check your compass, and adjust course, and if there are boulders in the way, we’re going to help and show you a path to go around.” This is how Budget Analyst Karl Nygard describes his work with the Office of Performance Strategy and Budget (PSB) to implement the Best Run Government initiative. While he admits no two days are alike, Karl usually works on budgeting processes for internal service funds for various County agencies, including King County Information… Read More
Save the Date! KCIT Presents Hands on Technology Day – April 13 at the Chinook Building
Our most popular event of the year Want to see the new County laptops? Get your Skype photo taken AND import it into your Skype account? Learn how to go paperless? These are just some of the 10 stations (and dedicated Service Desk teams) at KCIT’s Hands on Technology Day, April 13 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. in the Chinook Atrium. KCIT teams spend the entire afternoon explaining, showing and fixing! Skype for Business Tips and Tricks: 30 minute in-person (and via Skype) tutorials. Session One: Set up a meeting for… Read More
April 10 is Community Appreciation Day – come sample the West Seattle Water Taxi!
Now that the clouds are parting and it’s starting to feel like spring, King County Executive Dow Constantine is inviting you to get out on the water and experience West Seattle’s new water taxi. Sunday, April 10 is Community Appreciation Day, hosted by the King County Marine Division. So bring your friends and family out to Seacrest Dock and get an up-close look at the M/V Doc Maynard and take a ride across the bay to Pier 50. All trips will be free as the water taxi kicks off its summer sailing… Read More
Invite Your Favorite Nonprofit Today
Crossposted from King County Employee Giving Regional Animal Services of King County had a record save rate of 88% in 2015 – an impressive feat by itself – but even more so when you hear the comeback story. And King County Employees have been instrumental to this success, at RASKC, leadership, and including through the EGP. Employees have donated more than $70,000 to the Regional Animal Service’s Donation Funds since they started in the program, enabling RASKC to provide extraordinary medical treatment, education, and spay/neuter services. They were referred to the program by… Read More
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
Employee News 