Featured Headlines
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
One million trees — and counting!
Cross posted from King County Parks King County set an ambitious five-year goal in our 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan to plant, protect, and prepare a combined three million trees by the end of 2025. This effort helps mitigate climate change, improves forest health and salmon habitat, and increases tree canopy. As of January 2023, over one million trees have been planted, protected, and prepared. This includes: Planting more than 200,000 trees Protecting 615,000 trees (more than 2,000 acres of forests and natural areas) Preparing and restoring 200,000 trees (more than 650… Read More
New Capitol Hill Health through Housing building announced
King County Executive Dow Constantine and City of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the operators for the newest Health Through Housing building — a 35-unit building providing permanent supportive housing in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The building will be jointly operated by Lavender Rights Project and Chief Seattle Club and is expected to welcome residents this fall. Read more.
Moving forward together: Meet Metro’s Tyler Jenicek
The many years as a skateboarder on an extreme sports touring group helps Tyler Jenicek’s (he/him) ability to serve King County residents with a higher level of mobility needs and supports. “Maybe it starts out a little slow and they’re a little scared. But then something about when they roll off their first curb or they go down their first bank or they drop in for the first time on a halfpipe, it’s like that’s kind of the adrenaline and the excitement that somehow tends to pull people in that you wouldn’t… Read More
KCSO Bomb Disposal Unit participates in community outreach
From the Sheriff’s newsletter The King County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) conducts community outreach as an important part of their work. This outreach provides support for Citizen’s Academy courses, educational support for schools, and inspires and uplifts youth programs in the field of robotics. Last month, Bomb Technicians David Mendez, Jeremy Todd, and JD Williams assisted the Tahoma School District and City of Maple Valley by providing presentations and robot demonstrations. Deputies Mendez and Todd participated in the Tahoma School District Science Fair at Tahoma High School. The science fair… Read More
Earth Day is brighter at Metro this year
Cross-posted from Metro Matters Metro has undertaken a wide range of actions to meet the challenge of climate change in the Puget Sound region. The most visible investment is seen in the buses as part of the commitment to a zero-emissions fleet — but that is only one part of the many initiatives happening across the agency. Another example is the recent transition to high-efficient LEDs at all Metro worksites. This undertaking involved the evaluation of over 26,000 bulbs of varying types and the replacement of older and inefficient light fixtures to LEDs. Read… Read More
West Point Treatment Plant laying the foundation for climate change resilience
Cross-posted from Clean Water Stories Crews are working around the clock to quickly stand up the power system that will provide reliable power to clean wastewater at West Point, the region’s largest treatment plant. This project will make the treatment system more resilient to climate impacts as the region experiences more frequent, severe storms that can cause momentary voltage sags, and prevent emergency bypasses of wastewater to the Puget Sound. Read more and watch the video.
Budget cuts are unavoidable after state’s failure to fix broken county tax system
In recent days you may have seen news reports that the state legislature failed to take legislative action to address the state’s arbitrary and outdated one percent limit on property tax collections, which is the largest source of revenue for the County’s General Fund. For many years I, along with Councilmembers and other county leaders and employees, have advocated for a change to the one percent cap. Since its introduction in 2001, King County’s population has grown 30% and consumer prices have increased 70%. Inflation in recent years has been as high… Read More
Tim Anderson charting the future with Animal Services
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Tim Anderson recenlty began in a new official role as Assistant Operations Manager of Regional Animal Services (RASKC). The position expands Anderson’s supervisory role to include all of RASKC, adding veterinary clinic support and pet licensing. “We’re extremely fortunate to have someone of Tim’s caliber to be one of the applicants and be successful,” said RASKC manager Gene Mueller. “He’s one of the best managers I’ve ever worked with in 30 years.” Read more.
Executive Constantine tours major Cedar River restoration project
King County Executive Dow Constantine toured a recently completed project that restored a nearly mile-long segment of the Cedar River to a more natural state, simultaneously improving salmon habitat and reducing flood risks for people, homes, and infrastructure. The Riverbend project restored 52 acres of floodplain east of Renton while creating side channels that provide slow-water, shallow habitat that is ideal for native salmon. It builds on the progress King County and partners made upstream with the successful Rainbow Bend restoration project that was completed in 2013. Read more here and watch the… Read More
What you can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Cross-posted from Keeping King County Green A recent first-of-its-kind study led by King County shows greenhouse gas emissions per person decreased. We are all doing more to protect the environment. But total emissions increased, in part, because more people moved here. To read more and watch a video about what you can do to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, click here.
What did it take to become a female operator at a King County wastewater treatment plant?
Cross posted from Clean Water Stories Pam Restovic made history as a woman in the trades, working as a wastewater operator in the early days of the Clean Water Act. This law set new regulations to protect our nation’s waters from pollution and created new jobs across the country. Like many women at the time, Pam didn’t envision this career path. She grew up in Santiago, Chile and immigrated to the U.S. for school at age 20. After graduating from college, she was working as a waitress when a customer who worked in… Read More
Metro welcomes new Transit Police Chief Todd Morrell
Cross-posted from Metro Matters Todd Morrell has been selected as the new Chief for the Metro Transit Police following a competitive recruitment process. Morrell boasts more than 25 years of experience in law enforcement. As an ardent supporter of transit, Morrell recognizes how vital the role mobility plays in helping our communities succeed and thrive. Read more.
Sheriff’s deputies attend Skyway community Easter event
From the Sheriff’s Newsletter The King County Sheriff’s Office hopped into the Skyway Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) Easter Egg Party recently. The deputies celebrated with 75 young Skyway residents and their families. The VFW provided cookie decorating, arts and crafts, lunch, lemonade, and a huge Easter Egg hunt for the children. Eggs were filled with sweet treats and tickets for prizes, and the spring showers didn’t dampen spirits with the hunt being held indoors. Children and their families left with full stomachs, stuffed Easter bags, and smiles all around.
Innovative foster program helps kittens and youth
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Barbara Ramey, a Communications Specialist for Executive Services, posted a first-person account about her visit to Echo Glen Children’s Center to see a volunteer program for Regional Animal Services of King County up close. Echo Glen is a detention center for juvenile felons run by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The idea behind the program is to give the young people skills they need to make different choices. “The kids respond very well to the kittens,” the story states. Read more.
Reminder: WA Cares Fund payroll deductions begin in July
The WA Cares Fund is a new state long-term care insurance program administered by the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Beginning July 1, 2023, almost all workers in Washington are required to contribute to the WA Cares Fund via mandatory payroll deduction. The current premium rate is 0.58% of gross wages, or $0.58 per $100. For example, if an employee earns $50,000 annually, the total annual premium is $290 or $11.15 per paycheck. Use the WA Cares Fund calculator to Estimate your… Read More
Emergency evacuation training available for county-managed building tenants
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express If you work in person at a county site managed by the Facilities Management Division (FMD), even on a part time or hybrid schedule, you now have access to self-paced, online evacuation training. This is a shift from when each floor had “floor wardens” who were trained and assigned to help in emergencies. The change comes as a result of the county’s hybrid work environment. This expanded training ensures that the first capable person to access the floor warden kit during an emergency is able to act as… Read More
MLK Committee volunteers needed
The employee-led MLK Committee is seeking volunteers. The committee shares responsibility for organizing the annual MLK Celebration and designing the MLK Calendar for 2024. There are many opportunities available for those who would like to participate. This includes serving as a Larry Gossett Award ambassador, helping decide speakers and performers, artwork selection for the calendar, and much more. If you are interested, submit your information here by April 24. For questions, reach out to Jasmine Harbor in the Office of Equity, Racial, and Social Justice.
KCIA hosts first Airport Managers of Puget Sound meeting
Cross-posted from Plane Talk King County International Airport hosted the first quarterly meeting of a new group, Airport Managers of the Puget Sound (AMPS), last month. Representatives from 11 airports around the region attended. “It’s to discuss local issues, concerns and updates,” said Dave Decoteau, deputy director at KCIA, who helped launch the group along with Tim Mensonides of Auburn Municipal Airport and Joshua Marcy of Paine Field. “This month we had a discussion on the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the World Cup upcoming in 2026, the transition to unleaded fuel,… Read More
New Customer Service Center opens to the public April 20
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express King County will open its new Customer Service Center to the public on Thursday, April 20 at 8:30 a.m. The center, located on the second floor of King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St. in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, is designed to be a “one stop shop” for many of the most-requested services offered by King County, including many offered by DES agencies. Read more.
Second Professional Development Scholarship launches May 8
The second and final application period for the 2023 Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship Program opens May 8 – June 4, 2023. The Scholarship Program is a benefit offered as part of the 2022 – 2024 Coalition Labor Agreement and is only open to employees represented by one of the unions in the Coalition. Applicants should familiarize themselves with the revised supplemental questions, rating criteria, and Individual Development Plan, which is highly recommended but not required. Scholarship award recipients who did not receive the full $3,000 from the January/February 2023 period may reapply to receive the remaining… Read More
About
We tell stories that highlight the work we do to support our residents,
build strong communities, and make our region a great place to live and work.
Our 17,000+ employees work every day to make King County
a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
Employee News 