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‘Tough Love’ shows how a treatment court can help struggling parents change their lives
Filmmaker Stephanie Wang-Breal wanted to give voice to a group of people who rarely have one — parents who have lost their children to the state welfare system because of alleged neglect or abuse. What resulted is a powerful new documentary – at times tender, at other times raw – that offers an intimate glimpse into the child welfare system. Called “Tough Love,” the 83-minute film profiles two parents in two different parts of the country struggling to put their lives back together and to prove to court and state officials that they should… Read More
RCECC takes lead in emergency response coordination, but we all have a role to play
King County’s Regional Communication and Emergency Coordination Center (RCECC) is the nerve center for disaster preparedness and emergency response planning in and around our region. “We’re set up to coordinate response and recovery efforts during a local emergency or disaster,” Lynne Miller, the Public Information Officer for King County Office of Emergency Management (KCOEM), said. The RCECC, housed in a building able to withstand major earthquakes, serves as a coordination hub for situational awareness, strategic planning, resource management, and public information.
WTD Bright Ideas winner and finalists in the WEF Operations Ingenuity Contest
The Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) “Bright Ideas” program is a system for continuous improvement through employee ideas. Employees can submit and track their ideas through an online tool. This year, the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international wastewater industry leader, awarded Stanley Caberto, master industrial maintenance mechanic, the “Gadget Guru Award for Resourcefulness” for three inventions he created that help keep vital facilities running smoothly. Also included in the Ingenuity contest as finalists who found “an imaginative, inventive and resourceful solution to a pesky problem”: 1) WTD’s branding team who developed the… Read More
2015 MLK calendars available starting December 8
We are thrilled folks love the King County calendars and await them eagerly. We appreciate your patience! Calendars will start arriving to distribution points during the week of December 8, 2014. We are unable to deliver to each office, so please check below for your nearest distribution point. EMPLOYEES OUTSIDE THE DOWNTOWN AREA: Calendars will be delivered to county offices outside the downtown area, so please wait for the delivery. If you do not have a calendar by December 16, please call 206-263-2444 and we will direct you to a location where… Read More
Metro’s wreckers: always at the ready
Day or night, King County Metro Transit’s wreckers respond to trouble calls and emergencies. They push, pull, lift, or tow, whatever it takes to get buses and traffic moving and Metro’s riders to their destinations. Metro has single wreckers stationed at each of its outlying bus bases (North, East, and South), but Atlantic Base has two—referred to as Atlantic 1 and Atlantic 2—to support the three Seattle core bases (Ryerson, Central, and Atlantic) and the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. These downtown Seattle wreckers and their crews have their work cut out for them, including responding… Read More
County’s Investment Officer prioritizes financial safety
As the County’s Investment Officer, Mike Smith manages an investment portfolio worth an average of $5 billion. With the safety of $5 billion at stake, Mike depends heavily on assistance from his colleagues Christine Denis and Josh Freese in managing the King County Investment Pool. In keeping with the County’s goals of financial stewardship and being the best-run government in the nation, Smith and his colleagues focus on the three ideals for public investing: safety, liquidity, and return. “You want to keep the principal safe, you want to make sure money is… Read More
Five Questions with Cynthia Hernandez, Project/Program Manager IV, DNRP
1. What was your first role at King County? I was hired to work as the Correspondence Manager for County Executive Ron Sims when he first became Executive in 1997. In those days most constituent correspondence came as paper mail addressed to the Executive, so I coordinated with departments to get those letters answered. I did some community engagement ghostwriting for the Executive on everything from proclamations and recognitions to talking points and book chapters. I also wrote the first “customer service” policies we had for responding to constituent inquiries and oversaw the… Read More
Transit employee makes “Top 40 under 40” list
Christina O’Claire, supervisor of strategic planning and analysis (Service Development) for Metro Transit, was named in September by Mass Transit magazine as one of its 2014 “Top 40 under 40.” This list honors transit professionals who made significant contributions to the public transit industry. Nominated by peers, honorees were judged on job commitment, industry involvement and contributions, achievements, and innovation in their field. O’Claire was cited for “helping King County Metro move into the future through an evolving array of strategic performance and planning initiatives.” She is currently working to keep Metro… Read More
Kudos! New video spotlights program that gives veterans new skills
King County is partnering with 4Culture, Historic Seattle and local construction firms to give returning military veterans new skills that they can use in building restoration and preservation careers. VETS RESTORE is a new education and career opportunity for returning military veterans in King County where participants are trained in preservation carpentry and introduced to the building rehabilitation trades. The mission of VETS RESTORE is to connect veterans with the valuable work of revitalizing America’s historic building stock. In this video, Bryan Fry with the King County Veterans’ Program shares how diverse opportunities,… Read More
CASA volunteers help keep children safe
What makes a good Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, according to Peggy Larson, is someone who has a commitment to helping children. “They get the reward of knowing they’ve made a difference in a child’s life,” Larson said. Larson, a CASA Supervisor at the Maleng Regional Justice Center who works with CASA volunteers, has been at King County for 25 years. “It’s a great job. I love working with our volunteers. They’re such interesting people and they do so much on behalf of the kids,” Larson said.
Training Series: Leadership in a Changing Landscape
Take advantage of a series of three training opportunities that will build your leadership skills and help you manage change in difficult circumstances: Change Management for Leaders, December 2, 9 am – 4:30 pm, Seattle Marriott Waterfront, 2100 Alaskan Way, Seattle Performance Under Pressure, December 3, 9 am – 3 pm, Seattle University, Campion Towers, 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109 Workforce of the Future: Managing Millenials, December 4, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Bell Harbor Conference Center, 2211 Alaskan Way, Seattle. You can take all three classes or individual classes depending… Read More
Executive meets with employees, volunteers who are “a voice for children”
In neglect and abuse cases involving children, a vital role is played by a group of volunteers known as CASAs. King County Executive Dow Constantine recently visited some of the employees and volunteers from the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program in Kent to learn more, and thank them for their care and support of children going through traumatic times. A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a trained volunteer who represents the best interests of children up to 11 years old who have allegedly been abused and/or neglected as they are… Read More
Last chance to snag a great holiday gift!
Save up to 43% off Chinook Books and get access to over 500 coupons to your favorite local merchants. Due to demand, this offer expires on November 30, 2014. Order as a group with your colleagues and pay just one shipping fee. Click here to place your order. Available in print and mobile editions. See all available discounts on the Employee Discount Webpage.
Lunch and Learn honors veterans
When he entered the civilian workforce, Navy veteran Bryan Fry says one of the hardest parts was finding the “red line.” “In a blink, your military career is over. You’re done. Time to go home, time to get a job. But, where’s the red line? How do I integrate back home? I had a relationship with order, I had a relationship with the red line and it’s not there anymore,” Fry said at a King County Lunch and Learn called “Increasing Understanding of Our Veteran Employees.” Moderated by Fry, who is now… Read More
Time is running out for Holiday Food Drive
Falling leaves and falling temperatures mean the giving season will soon be here. However, for many families in King County, this time of year is difficult. They struggle to make ends meet, especially as the weather turns colder and heating bills rise. For many years now, King County employees have demonstrated their generosity and giving spirit by donating canned and pre-packaged food to our Holiday Food Drive. Collection bins have been stationed at most King County buildings to accept your donations. Donations will be accepted in the bins through Friday, Nov. 21…. Read More
New Website features Martin Luther King County’s African American History
The website http://www.BlackPast.org has created a special section on the history of notable African-American residents of King County. The site includes brief profiles of the individuals, organizations, institutions and events that shaped the history of King County. Biographies include Edwin T. Pratt, Norm Rice, Jimi Hendrix, Larry Gossett and Wanda Herndon. Also included are primary documents, speeches, bibliographies, and a photo gallery related to that history. See more here. The website was created with the help of a grant from 4Culture, King County’s cultural service agency.
Executive brings together funding partners to help maintain public health services in Auburn
King County Executive Dow Constantine today announced that he has brought together funding partners from local cities, tribes, nonprofits, and companies to help maintain services at the Auburn health clinic for the next two years. He will work with the Metropolitan King County Council to identify the additional funds needed to continue operations during the 2015-2016 biennium. The Auburn Public Health Center – which includes satellite offices in Enumclaw and the Muckleshoot Reservation – provides health services to 10,000 clients, 97 percent of whom live below the federal poverty line. The Public… Read More
LEAN work leads to drop-in locations for Assessments staff
Following the completion of a LEAN session with department staff, the Assessor’s Office has been working in 2014 to place drop-in office locations around the county for appraisal staff as they complete their work in the field. Three of these drop-in locations are now up and running as appraisal staff begin their physical inspections. These sites are located at Marymoor Park in Redmond, Shoreline District Court, and on Vashon Island at the Community Service Center and the Fire Station. Fleet vehicles are placed at these sites for convenient pick-up, along with working… Read More
Open enrollment closes November 15
If you’re eligible for benefits with the County, you should have received important information about this year’s benefits open enrollment, which will run Nov. 1 – Nov. 15. 2015 benefit highlights Regence BlueShield is issuing new KingCareSMmedical cards for next year. SmartCare Connect (Group Health) has added a cardiac rehabilitation program. You can enroll in a health care flexible spending account with debit card reimbursement. You can carry up to $500 of unused health care flexible spending account funds into 2015 and still elect the maximum $2,500 for 2015. Options during open enrollment Change medical plans…. Read More
Need help logging into new KCWeb?
The new KCWeb Intranet is now live and is your new one-stop shop for employee news, information and the tools you use every day – all in one central location. If you are unable to log in, here are the five steps to follow: Open your browser (recommended: Internet Explorer 9 or above). Go to SharePoint.kingcounty.gov. Type your King County alias followed by “@kingcounty.gov” and, if allowed, your network password into the fields. Make sure to check “Keep me signed in” (this will reduce having to login again and again). Click “Sign in.” Get complete instructions here. If… Read More
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