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Celebrating you and your work during Public Service Recognition Week
May is Mental Health Month
How the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency impacts your employee medical and pharmacy benefits
Reminder: WA Cares Fund payroll deductions begin in July
News
Kudos! Congratulation on award for leading healthier lives
On June 10 we celebrated winning the Harvard Innovations Award, awarded to King County for our Healthy Incentives Program. We had a great time remembering all of the things that make this program unique and, for some of our employees, life-saving. The “What’s Your Reason” video that our co-workers put together is just the tip of the kind of creativity that led Harvard to award us this prize. Harvard Professor Stephen Goldsmith, who presented us with the plaque, told us we won not necessarily because we saved money but because we did it in… Read More
Kudos! Christine Nguyen, Customer Service Specialist III, Records and Licensing Services Division, DES
Good day, I was overseas for a year and when I returned, decided to get some personalized plates. There was a Christine who helped me at your 4th Street [Avenue] Office in Seattle at approximately 3:30 p.m. last Friday [May 2]. She not only took my plate application, but also let me know I could get tabs early (they were good until August, so I didn’t think it was possible to get them done early). She also reminded me that a new emissions test would also be needed and gave me excellent directions to… Read More
Featured Job: Geographical Information Systems Specialist – Journey
Application deadline: Monday 07/07/14 4:30 PM Salary: $33.76 – $42.79 Hourly / $2,700.80 – $3,423.20 Biweekly Department: Department of Assessments Description: The GIS Specialist (Cadastral Mapping) is primarily responsible for the maintenance of the King County GIS cadastral geodatabase. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in maintaining cadastral data in an ArcGIS versioned database. Additionally, the candidate will be production oriented and well versed in the translation and understanding of legal descriptions, deeds and property surveys. This position reports to the Mapping Unit Supervisor and takes technical direction from the… Read More
Employees join clean sweep of Union Bay
Employees from Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) were among the more than 300 volunteers who removed trash and debris from Union Bay as part of the 12th Annual Puget Sound Keeper’s Lake Union Sweep on May 17. Environmental Lab Scientists Bob Kruger and Stephanie Hess used the lab’s 25-foot aluminum research vessel Chinook to pick up trash collected by kayakers and keep a general eye on safety, with Bob skippering the boat and Stephanie serving as a deck-hand. They joined volunteers in kayaks, row boats, canoes and motorized craft for the… Read More
Five Questions with Tre’ Maxie, Chief Deputy Assessor, Department of Assessments
1. What does your role as Chief Deputy Assessor involve? There are 39 Cities and over 160 taxing Districts that rely on the information generated by the talented staff in our Department to fund their budgets. Working under the leadership of King County Assessor Lloyd Hara, I work with a team to oversee the Department of Assessments. We provide nearly $4 billion in fair assessments that fund important areas such as education, roads, fire, and hospitals for all King County cities and districts. We also maintain property maps and administer the many generous… Read More
State-of-the-art pump station comes to Kirkland
The city of Kirkland has a new neighbor in town. “As a downtown merchant I can say we are really excited to welcome the pump station as our newest downtown neighbor. It’s the kind of neighbor that everybody wants; it’s clean, quiet and attractive,” Penny Sweet, Kirkland’s Deputy Mayor said. Waste water from local Kirkland buildings travels to the pump station, where the water is then pumped to a waste water treatment plant in Renton. The treatment plant takes the waste water, recovers nutrients that can be used, and then treats the… Read More
More copies of Equity & Social Justice poster available
King County’s Equity & Social Justice poster is once again available for employees to display in their workspace. If you need copies of the poster, which uses an “equity tree” to highlight the determinants of equity, for your conference room or office, please contact paula.harris-white@kingcounty.gov or matias.valenzuela@kingcounty.gov to make arrangements to pick some up or put some in inter-office mail to your work site.
King County Employees Deferred Compensation Fair
Americans are living longer, healthier lives. And while that’s a good thing, it also creates a challenge. Bringing your retirement landscape to life takes time, planning, and a clear vision of your future. Now is the time to plan ahead for a retirement that may last 30 years or more. A work of art isn’t created overnight. It takes planning. Learn the skills and techniques you’ll need at the King County Employees Deferred Compensation Fair. All King County benefit-eligible employees and retirees are invited. The fair provides an ideal opportunity for you… Read More
Young Government Leaders Seattle Chapter Kickoff
Young Government Leaders (YGL) Seattle is a leadership and professional development organization, and it is hosting a kickoff event on June 26. YGL’s goals are to connect, educate, inspire and transform current and future government leaders in the Seattle metro area. The June 26 kickoff event is open to employees at every level of government (federal, state, local, tribal, etc.) as well as anyone interested in government employment. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with others interested in government leadership as well as learn more about YGL Seattle (YGL is a Washington DC-based,… Read More
Parks upcycles cargo container for use by campers
In Tolt-MacDonald Park, near Carnation, campers now have the option of camping in a cargo box. “I loved pulling materials out of the scrap bin to make something people would enjoy,” Jason Anglin, a carpenter with King County Parks, said. “It felt good to be this creative.” This upcycled cargo container boasts radiant heat, LED lighting, a table and bench set, food storage, a futon bunk, and an outdoor fire pit. Upcycling is a form of reuse that aims to keep items from entering the waste stream when creating new products by… Read More
Executive Constantine, CM Upthegrove join employees for launch of RapidRide F Line
Riders traveling between Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila and Renton now have more frequent all-day bus service with the launch of King County Metro Transit’s RapidRide F Line. The F Line is the sixth line in the RapidRide program – which is supported by state and federal funding – and will replace routes 110 and 140. The 12-mile-long route provides a better link for communities and riders to Westfield Southcenter Mall, Boeing, The Landing and downtown Renton, and major transit hubs including Sound Transit’s Link light rail and Sounder rail stations. King County Executive… Read More
Annual King County employees car show
The Metro Employees Historic Vehicle Association (MEHVA) is sponsoring the 26th Annual King County Employees Car Show in conjunction with the 38th King County Metro Transit METROADEO on Saturday, June 14. All King County Employees, their families and friends are invited to show off their antique, classic or special interest cars, trucks, motorcycles or any other vehicle at this event. There will be great prizes and giveaways! Registration is free and starts at 9 a.m. The Car Show runs from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. followed by an awards ceremony at 1:30… Read More
Transit Operator honored for response to windshield smash
On March 19, while Metro Transit Operator George Armstrong was driving Route 550 eastbound on I-90, a large pipe smashed into the windshield of his bus, sending glass fragments into his face and eyes. According to one of his passengers, “bleeding and battling the wind now coming through the broken windshield, he was able to slow the bus and pull it over safely,” while remaining calm and professional. At an April 9 ceremony at East Base honoring Armstrong with a Metro Hero Award, East Campus Superintendent Kenneth Johnston praised the operator for his courage…. Read More
Employee’s work in community recognized by radio station
Each month, radio station KKWF-FM 100.7 The Wolf honors a local hero, nominated by listeners, for the individual’s contribution to the community. Greg Wilson, a Program Manager with Public Health’s Environmental Health Services Division (EHSD), received the award in April. He has led EHSD’s strategy to encourage local high school students to pursue and succeed in STEAM coursework – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics – as a foundation for their future careers and community involvement. Greg has established “working together” relationships between students, parents, school faculty and administrators, keeping focus on… Read More
Five Questions with Dr. Mickey Eisenberg, Co-Director, Center for the Evaluation of EMS, Public Health
1. What does your role with the Center for the Evaluation of EMS involve? I am co-director of CEEMS along with Dr. Tom Rea and Dr. Peter Kudenchuk. We supervise all federally and other funded evaluation projects. 2. What do you like most about your job? I work with amazingly bright, energetic and dedicated people. We are all passionate about improving our emergency medical services. 3. What is the biggest challenge in your job? Finding time to ride with firefighters, paramedics, and listen in at 911 communication centers. 4. King County’s cardiac… Read More
Featured Job: Park District Maintenance Coordinator
Application deadline: Fri. 06/06/14 4:30 PM Salary: $30.70 – $37.11 Hourly Department: Department of Natural Resources & Parks – Parks & Recreation Division Description: The responsibilities of the Park District Maintenance Coordinator position include developing work plans, scheduling and assigning work, monitoring budget expenditures, completing work orders, ordering equipment and supplies, resolving complaints, performing maintenance and repair work, and overseeing and evaluating the work of subordinates at assigned parks, public grounds and/or facilities. This position is open to current King County Career Service employees only. Learn more about this position or view… Read More
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)/Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Public Health’s Emergency Medical Services Division offers free CPR/AED training to King County employees. All classes are American Heart Association Heartsaver classes. Take a three-hour Basic class or, if you’ve taken CPR training within the past two years, a two-hour Refresher class. Classes are held in the first floor conference rooms in the Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Avenue. Pre-registration is required. To register for a class send an email to Andrew Burns. Please note that these classes do not meet the requirements for Health Care Provider BLS CPR/AED training. Basic CPR/AED Training… Read More
PAO receives 2014 Technology Achievement Award
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO) has been presented with King County’s 2014 Technology Achievement Award for a technology project that delivers value. The PAO’s new computer system for case management, called PbK, was fully installed and implemented last year. The project was the result of the hard work on the part of attorneys and staff in the office who put in a lot of long hours getting the system ready for implementation. The extraordinary effort of the team led to the completion of the project on time and under budget. Assistant Chief… Read More
Pet terrier helps employee lose weight, get healthy
When Debra Billups’ nurse practitioner told her she wouldn’t keep her as a patient unless she changed her eating habits, Billups decided it was time for a lifestyle overhaul. “I had to make the life change. I had to make that decision, it had to be mine,” Billups said. Billups, who helps customers with questions about their ORCA card auto-load in Metro Transit’s Customer Communication and Services group, was diagnosed in 2009 with osteoporosis, a condition of thinning bones and then diagnosed with asthma shortly thereafter. In January of 2012, she had… Read More
Employee’s work helps to save a veteran
Jodi Riley-Kauer, a Social Worker with the Department of Community and Human Services Veterans Program, recently helped a veteran (“John”) who was homeless and having a really hard time finding work. “Jodi said she would help me, but on the condition that I would follow her direction, which I did,” John said. After a few meetings, Jodi recommended that John go to the Veterans Administration medical center to be screened for mental illness. “I knew she was probably right because I had thoughts of hurting myself and had some anger built up… Read More
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