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Meet the City Hall Park Neighborhood Outreach Team
By Katie Rogers, Department of Community and Human Services Updated Oct. 6, 2022 While downtown, you may come across people in blue coats assisting our unsheltered neighbors around City Hall Park. These people are part of the City Hall Park Neighborhood Outreach Team, a one-of-a-kind program funded through the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) within the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS). Robert Ewanio, a King County employee since 2013, supervises the outreach team and is a familiar face around City Hall Park. He took a Special Duty assignment last… Read More
Celebrating our 911 staff National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
This week we are recognizing King County’s 911 Communications Center employees and the KCIT employees who support the 911 system during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, Sunday, April 10 through Saturday, April 16. 911 Communications Center employees are the primary link between people who desperately need help and people who provide it. The King County Sheriff’s Office handles 911 calls from unincorporated King County, contract cities, Metro Transit Police, King County Airport Police, and Regional Animal Services of King County. More than half a million people rely on the County’s call receivers,… Read More
King County launches new safety plan for downtown campus
King County has launched a new plan to create a safe, more welcoming environment around County facilities in downtown Seattle. The Civic Campus Safety Plan brings new and augmented resources to King County’s downtown Seattle footprint – bordered by 3rd Avenue, Yesler Terrace, James Street, and Sixth Avenue – with the goal of making the central campus a welcoming space where every person can thrive. Under the plan, expanded security and custodial services include: Additional Sheriff’s Deputies to provide regular patrols on foot and bicycle between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday… Read More
Thank you for participating in the 2022 Employee Engagement Survey
By Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer I want to sincerely thank you for participating in the 2022 Employee Engagement Survey. This past year has been challenging, and your feedback is essential in giving us the insights and information we need to be a supportive, inclusive, and respectful workplace. This year more than 63% of employees spoke up in the survey. Now your feedback, comments, and results are being reviewed and analyzed and we will share more detailed information and next steps with you in May. We are focused on creating a workplace… Read More
New recruits graduate Sheriff’s academy
Congratulations to Cameron Decker and Kenton Robillard, who were recently sworn in as new deputies by interim Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. Both Decker and Robillard received additional acknowledgement to include The Partner Award, which is decided upon by their classmates and peers, and the Overall Award for the highest scores in academics, including shooting. The King County Sheriff’s Office continues to recruit officers and staff for a variety of open positions. Click here to view opportunities.
Eco-friendly spring cleaning
The warmer weather and smell of blossoming trees has us in the mood for spring. It’s time to open the windows, clear away the clutter, and start the new season off fresh with a good, deep spring cleaning. From inside to out, King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks wants to help you wipe away the winter dust in a way that’s good for the planet and for you and your family. DNRP is sharing eco-friendly spring-cleaning tips and tricks across all of the department’s social media channels this week, like… Read More
Finalists announced for King County Sheriff as recruitment moves into the final phase
Following three rounds of interviews with the hiring committee, three candidates have been selected to move into the final phase of the recruitment process for a new King County Sheriff. In the final phase of the selection process, the candidates will meet with members of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, King County employees, labor representatives, and contract city representatives and engage with the community in a separate series of public forums prior to a final interview with Executive Constantine. Click here to read the full announcement.
Nonprofit application cycle and workshops
For over 30 years, King County employees have been giving to participating nonprofits of their choice through the Employee Giving Program. This past year we pledged nearly $2.4 million! For nonprofit organizations to benefit from this program, they must apply annually and meet the eligibility requirements — even if they have participated in the past. Nonprofits are encouraged to join a workshop before applying. Participants in a workshop are more likely to submit error-free, eligible applications. Tuesday, April 12 at 9 a.m. Register here. The application deadline is May 4, 2022. Click here for additional information.
Join Commute Seattle’s Earth Day challenge
During the month of April, pledge to “spare the air” by substituting three car trips with climate-friendly travel choices for a chance to win a $100 gift card. You can enter by committing to use one of these earth-friendly options: Bike Walk Bus/Light Rail Water Taxi/Ferry Carpool/Vanpool Click here to sign up for the challenge. You’ll be asked for some basic information so we can send a few reminders and resources throughout the month. At the end of April, five winners will be randomly selected to receive $100 gift cards! If you have any… Read More
Leadership change at KCIT
Tanya Hannah, King County’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Director of our Department of Information Technology, has announced that she is leaving King County. Executive Constantine appointed Tanya as CIO four years ago, in April 2018, and during that time she has overseen numerous technology projects and improvements at King County to help customers quickly and simply access our information and services. She also helped the County radically change the way it operates and delivers services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along the way the department and Tanya herself received several national… Read More
April is Records and Information Management Month
Humans have been creating records for over 5,000 years. For most of that time, records have been created in similar ways – by entering data on physical objects, like paper (or clay tablets). The advent of electronic records in the late 20th century pushed many of us into rapid change, adapting to new technologies and processes. Most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a quick change in how we work, as many county agencies shifted to electronic processes and made efforts to digitize their physical records and “go paperless”. The King County… Read More
Their mission: Modernize the CFJC’s medical records
As shared from Roll Call: the DAJD newsletter, December 2021 – January 2022 issue A promising shift could soon deliver more streamlined medical care for youth at the Patricia H. Clark Children & Family Justice Center (CFJC). “I can’t tell you how excited I am about having an opportunity to switch over to electronic medical records,” Juvenile Division Director Allen Nance said recently. During the second quarter of 2022, a project team will be migrating CFJC’s paper charts to software developed by Epic, a Wisconsin-based company that’s a leader in the medical… Read More
First heavy-duty mechanics graduate from Fleet apprenticeship program
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Fleet Services management, colleagues and guests gathered on March 3 to celebrate Tina Taylor, Michael Domiquel, and Mason Keselburg for their successful completion of a two-year apprenticeship program. The Apprenticeship Program was designed to solve several problems. First, there is a nation-wide shortage of heavy-duty mechanics, a problem forecast to only get worse as more people retire each year than join the trade. The program is designed to grow the workforce from within to provide an ongoing source of qualified mechanics. The program also allows apprentices to become… Read More
Pilot program offers new ways to turn plastics into new products
A Seattle-King County pilot project will increase the recycling of plastic wraps and bags – known as film packaging – and convert it into new plastic packaging and products, creating a true closed loop system. On Global Recycling Day, there’s a new way for people in Seattle and King County to keep more plastics out of the landfill and recycle them into new products instead. A new pilot program offers a convenient place to drop off plastic wraps, plastic bags, and plastics bubble wrap and mailers, which are not currently accepted in blue… Read More
King County Parks is the largest park system in the nation to earn Salmon-Safe certification
After a rigorous review by environmental nonprofit Salmon-Safe and its independent science team, King County Parks became the largest park system in the country to earn certification. Read the full announcement and watch a brief video about the certification here.
Looking for back issues of the Employee Newsletter?
Want to reread a story? Need to track down the link to a webinar or important resource? Previous editions of the Employee News going back to 2019 can be found here.
Administrative Professionals Day is April 27
Share your appreciation by recognizing an administrative professional today. Register here to attend the virtual recognition and celebration of administrative professionals on Wednesday, April 27 at noon. Event details will be provided. All King County employees are invited to attend. For more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/administrativeprofessionals.
RSVP today for special Trinity Nightclub livestream of Mayors’ Concert for Ukraine and Refugees Worldwide
Tickets are all gone for the April 4 fundraising “Mayors’ Concert for Ukraine and Refugees Worldwide,” but you’re invited to attend a special livestream party at Trinity Nightclub to with all proceeds going to the Seattle Refugee Fund. Please RSVP by 5 p.m. today, using this form so that event organizers can prepare to host this special fundraiser. The event is planned for 7 p.m. on Monday, April 4 at Trinity Nightclub at 107 Occidental Ave. S. in Seattle. Your attendance is strictly voluntary, and employees will not be compensated or receive overtime for attending. The concert will also be… Read More
VIDEO: Executive thanks employees for support of Ukraine giving campaign
King County Executive Dow Constantine was at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Monday evening to see off a load of humanitarian supplies headed to Ukraine to help the people impacted by the Russian invasion. Executive Constantine also recorded a short video message, where he thanked King County employees for their generous support of the special Employee Giving Program for the Ukrainian people. Watch the video below.
King County celebrates Women in Technology Day, March 26
In recognition of Women’s History Month, King County Executive Dow Constantine has issued a proclamation celebrating Women In Technology Day on March 26, 2022. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 25% of jobs in the tech industry are held by women – this is the lowest percentage of women in technology since before 1980. Hispanic and African American women are the most under-represented groups, making up only 4% of the computing workforce, and almost no senior leadership roles.
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