“Snow” getting around it: this storm is one for the record books
Crossposted from King County Emergency News
According to Seattle Weather Blog, humans had not yet walked on the Moon the last time our area saw so much snow in one month. So far, 20.2 inches of snow has fallen at Sea-Tac Airport, making it the snowiest February on record there. February 2019 will definitely go down as one of the top ten snowiest months ever in our region – where it ultimately ends up on the list depends on how the next 16 days shake out.
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Keeping King County safe and moving during the winter storm
View the video below to see Executive Dow Constantine provide an overview of the actions King County is taking to keep the region safe and moving during the biggest winter storm in years.
This video includes footage of Executive Dow Constantine meeting with King County Metro vehicle maintenance employees, Facilities Maintenance Division employees, and staff at the Emergency Operations Center. He also visited the new Jefferson Day Center, which is operated by the Salvation Army through a contract with King County Department of Community and Human Services.
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Wastewater Treatment Division unit acts on survey results to improve employee morale and workplace satisfaction
How to do you go from low morale, poor work life balance, lack of clarity in communication and no compass in the form of vision, mission and goals to a highly engaged team where members pitch in to balance workload and are focused on a simple, impactful mission? In the Wastewater Treatment Division, the Regulatory Compliance and Land Acquisition Services (RCLAS) Unit used lean tools in their engagement action plan. The results of their efforts won them recognition as a Performance Achievement Award finalist and their story provides a model to follow.
At the end of 2016 RCLAS had a “Fried Chicken Lunch” to do a group self-reflection on how they felt about 2016. The team members agreed that they suffered from poor to average morale. They were confused, overworked, and unhappy. Their internal process partner feedback was not good. The supervisor felt like he was putting out more fires rather than leading people.
RCLAS’ engagement scores were 70% for 2015 and 75% for 2016, respectively. The team was looking for at least an 85% engagement score in 2017.
In a team discussion, they identified some of the root causes for the low engagement score as:
- No transparency in the staff’s workload. Some people were too busy or some people had little to do
- No compass to guide the unit’s mission, vision, values
- Not enough face time with the supervisor. They only had face time when there was a crisis.
- Information was not conveyed properly between leads and supervisor
- No work-life balance
- Lack of clarity in communication
Out of all the root causes, the team decided to focus on metrics to help give them the compass that they needed. The team decided that they were going to use the only verifiable data they had to justify everyone’s anecdotal feelings in concrete numbers – the 2016 King County engagement survey.
Bill Wilbert, Environmental Programs Managing Supervisor, worked with his unit to create a “Strategic Deployment” A3 Report to address some of the morale issues shared by unit team members. An A3 Report is a very useful problem solving and continuous improvement tool. The team implemented the following countermeasures:
- Created a visible workload tracker on the internal SharePoint site, so that everyone can share a balanced work load. Those who were not as busy can help others who were busier.
- Eliminated the Lead position, as Bill encouraged everyone to be a coach and mentor to each other. All staff in his unit was invited to supervisor and leads meetings, if they wished to attend.
- Created a simple mission and vision: Have work life balance and deliver great customer service.
- Make the supervisor and staff one-on-one meetings more meaningful and designate a purpose. Instead of just reviewing a list of tasks that staff needed to complete their projects, Bill talked to each employee about their career and personal goals, and how they could work together to meet the employee’s goals and deliver excellent customer service.
- Weekly 15 minute huddles on permitting work and weekly 15 minute huddles on real estate work.
- Quick five minute daily huddles focusing on what’s “next” for the day.
- Implement a customer service process for partners.
- Bill spent less time in his office and walked the aisles more often.
- Bill read self-improvement books such as “The Humble Inquiry,” and “Servant Leadership.”
- The overall unit is reading the book “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”
- Plans were made to follow up with staff quarterly on their Individual Development Plan.
Due to this great work, the RCLAS unit’s 2017 engagement score went from 75% in 2016 to 95%, which is a 20-point increase. The goal for the 2019 engagement survey is to achieve an overall 98% engagement score, and a 95% engagement score for the Equity and Social Justice questions. This unit saw significant improvement in employee morale and workplace satisfaction by working together to address these issues and build a better, more welcoming environment, all from reviewing their Employee Engagement Survey results.
The King County Employee Engagement Survey has been used to hear from employees about how to make King County a better place to work, and how to provide services more effectively to residents. Based on employee feedback, the survey will be administered in spring of each year instead of fall. This year, the survey period is March 11-29 (March 11-22 for Transit employees).
Learn more about the changes coming to this year’s survey in this blog post and on the King County website at www.kingcounty.gov/employeesurvey.
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Executive visits employees helping to keep County agencies open and staffed
Our Facilities Management Division (FMD) employees have been working hard to remove snow and ice from about 40 buildings, ensuring access is safe for community members and staff. These employees have been working eight days straight with 4 a.m. start times to clear paths around our facilities. Their work has kept buildings safe, and dealt with blown tires and rough roads during poor conditions. They have worked collaboratively with leadership and other agencies while staying overnight, away from their families.
To thank them for their continued dedication, King County Executive Dow Constantine stopped by for a visit Monday morning. He spent time with about 15 employees from different positions, including utility workers, inventory control personnel, supervisors and other tradespeople.
He also visited Metro employees, who have been helping people get around the region in difficult conditions, as well as 911 call takers and staff at the Regional Communications and Emergency Coordination Center (RCECC) who have been coordinating the County’s response to this winter storm.
These rockstar employees are keeping other employees and residents safe, even while exhausted. Thank you to the FMD team, Metro employees and RCECC staff for working hard, with even more snow to come. We appreciate you!
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King County Metro to restore most bus service as road conditions improve
Crossposted from Metro Matters
King County Executive Dow Constantine Tuesday directed Metro to restore most of its bus service and shift operations to snow routes starting Wednesday, Feb. 13. This will allow Metro to switch from operating its core Emergency Snow Network (ESN) and expand to providing service on at least 90 percent of routes across King County. Road conditions will be evaluated as Metro repairs and restores its fleet and ramps back up to full service in the coming days.
Read more from Metro Matters
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Most County operations returning to normal Wednesday
Thank you to our awesome employees for your service during these difficult winter weather conditions. Your commitment to public service is clear to see and greatly appreciated.
For Wednesday, Feb. 13, most King County operations will open as normally scheduled:
- Most Executive branch operations will open as regularly scheduled.
- King County Council will operate on regular hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Department of Elections will operate on regular hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Renton Headquarters and annex in Seattle.
- Department of Assessments will open on regular hours.
- District Court will open at 10:30 a.m., with staff reporting at 10 a.m. In-custody calendars will be managed at the King County Jail Courtroom and Auburn Courthouse at 9 a.m. with essential staff.
- Superior Court will open at 10:30 a.m. in all four locations, two hours late, for all departments and all cases.
- The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will open two hours late.
- The Department of Judicial Administration will open two hours late.
Unless otherwise directed by leadership, employees are expected to report to work as scheduled. Questions? Check in with your supervisor or HR Manager. When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work or from reporting on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.
Metro will return to snow routes Wednesday, so prepare for snow routes and delays where road conditions are still hazardous. Staff will publish updated online snow route information by early Wednesday morning. Check your route before you leave for your stop in the morning.
Alternative work arrangements: If adjusting a work schedule, working at an alternative location, teleworking, or taking vacation are options for your job, please discuss beforehand with your supervisor. Employees may be able to take a day of accrued vacation or comp time instead of reporting to their normal work location today. Check with your supervisor for more information.
Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of snow:
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!).
- Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log on at outlook.kingcounty.gov.
- Contact your supervisor for instructions.
- Follow King County on Twitter—@KingCountyWA, @kcmetrobus, @kcroads, and@kcemployees
- Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
- Visit the Emergency News page at kcemergency.com for regional impacts.
KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your personal contact or work cell information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.gov anytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website.
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Planning for evening commute today and operations tomorrow
As we continue to dig out of this winter storm, we want to take a moment to thank all of our employees who are working onsite or teleworking to ensure our customers can access the services on which they rely. It has been challenging for our entire community and we appreciate your service.
If you are commuting home this evening, please be extra safe on the roads and let safety guide your commute decisions. King County Metro Transit remains on Emergency Snow Network this evening, with severely limited or no service in some areas of the county. Please allow for another 30-60 minutes in your travel schedules and prepare alternate travel plans. Visit MetroWinter.com to learn more, and follow @kcmetrobus on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information.
If you feel you need to leave work earlier than usual today to get home safely, please discuss this with your supervisor.
OPERATIONS TOMORROW
- Most Executive branch operations will open as normally scheduled tomorrow.
- King County Council will operate on regular hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- The King County Superior Court will open at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow in all four locations, two hours late, for all departments and all cases.
- The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will open two hours late.
- The Department of Judicial Administration will open two hours late.
Look for updates from leadership of other separately elected agencies and branches later this evening. Please check your email, text messages, the Employee Hotline (206-205-8600), or kcemployees.com for the latest on all Countywide operations.
When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work or from reporting on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.
Metro will return to snow routes Wednesday, so prepare for snow routes and delays where road conditions are still hazardous. Staff will publish updated online snow route information by early Wednesday morning. Check your route before you leave for your stop in the morning.
Alternative work arrangements: If adjusting a work schedule, working at an alternative location, teleworking, or taking vacation are options for your job, please discuss beforehand with your supervisor. Employees may be able to take a day of accrued vacation or comp time instead of reporting to their normal work location today. Check with your supervisor for more information.
Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of snow:
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!).
- Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log on at outlook.kingcounty.gov.
- Contact your supervisor for instructions.
- Follow King County on Twitter—@KingCountyWA, @kcmetrobus, @kcroads, and@kcemployees
- Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
- Visit the Emergency News page at kcemergency.com for regional impacts.
KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your personal contact or work cell information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.gov anytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website.
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UPDATE: District Court, most Superior Court and PAO operations closed today, normal operations for most Executive branch operations, other agencies on delayed opening
District Court will close today except for essential staff for in-custody calendars. Superior Court will close with the exception of both Chief Criminal courts (10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and Juvenile Court first appearance calendar (10:30 – 11:30 a.m.). Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is closed with the exception of certain calendars.
Department of Assessments and King County Council will open on a two-hour delay. Elections will operate with Critical Crew In-Person, Online Support & Ballot Box Closing.
Most Executive branch operations will open as normally scheduled today to ensure that customers can access as many of our services as possible during this winter snow event. Unless otherwise directed by department leadership, employees are expected to report to work as scheduled. If you are able to safely commute to your worksite or have an agreement in place to telecommute or work at an alternative location, please do so.
When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work or from reporting on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.
We appreciate the many employees who were able to be onsite or telework today to deliver the services on which our customer rely. This storm event has made commuting in our region very difficult for many employees. Your supervisors will work with you and be as flexible as possible, given the circumstances and our leave policies. We appreciate our thousands of employees who are doing their best to serve the residents of our County and deliver the best possible service during this protracted winter event.
King County Metro Transit remains on Emergency Snow Network Tuesday while our system recovers from this event. Buses are limited to just 60 core routes, with severely limited or no service in some areas of the county. Please allow for another 30-60 minutes in your travel schedules and prepare alternate travel plans if your route is not in service, and connect to Link light rail service where possible. Dress warmly and be prepared for crowding and potentially longer waits at bus stops. Visit MetroWinter.com to learn more, and follow @kcmetrobus on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information.
School district closures and childcare: Some school districts will close Tuesday, and others will operate on a reduced schedule. Please check with your local school district and have a plan for your kids. When schools are closed and King County operations remain open, employees are expected to report to work as usual, or follow applicable personnel policies.
Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of snow:
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!).
- Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log on at outlook.kingcounty.gov.
- Contact your supervisor for instructions.
- Follow King County on Twitter—@KingCountyWA, @kcmetrobus, @kcroads, and@kcemployees
- Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
- Visit the Emergency News page at kcemergency.com for regional impacts.
KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your personal contact or work cell information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.govanytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website.
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Superior Court, District Court, Elections, Assessments, PAO, Council closed, most Executive branch operations open Monday, Feb. 11
Most Executive branch operations will open as normally scheduled Monday, Feb. 11, to ensure that customers can access as many of our services as possible during this protracted winter snow event. Unless otherwise directed by department leadership, employees are expected to report to work as scheduled. If you are able to safely commute to your worksite or have an agreement in place to telecommute or work at an alternative location, please do so.
District Court, Superior Court, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, King County Council, the Department of Assessments, and the Department of Judicial Administration are closed today. Elections is operating with critical staff and online support only today. Please check for additional information from your agency leadership.
When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work or from reporting on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.
We understand that this storm event has made commuting in our region very difficult for many employees. Your supervisors will work with you and be as flexible as possible, given the circumstances and our leave policies. We appreciate our thousands of employees who are doing their best to serve the residents of our County and deliver the best possible service during this protracted winter event.
King County Metro Transit remains on Emergency Snow Network Monday and Tuesday. Buses are limited to just 60 core routes, with severely limited or no service in some areas of the county. Please allow for another 30-60 minutes in your travel schedules and prepare alternate travel plans if your route is not in service, and connect to Link light rail service where possible. Dress warmly and be prepared for crowding and potentially longer waits at bus stops. Visit MetroWinter.com to learn more, and follow @kcmetrobus on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information.
School district closures and childcare: Some school districts, including Seattle, have already announced that they will close Monday, and others will operate on a reduced schedule. Please check with your local school district and have a plan for your kids. When schools are closed and King County operations remain open, employees are expected to report to work as usual, or follow applicable personnel policies.
Parking at County garages:If you left a vehicle Friday in one of the County garages, please retrieve the vehicle before 5:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 11, to avoid additional charges.
Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of snow:
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!).
- Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log on at outlook.kingcounty.gov.
- Contact your supervisor for instructions.
- Follow King County on Twitter—@KingCountyWA, @kcmetrobus, @kcroads, and@kcemployees
- Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
- Visit the Emergency News page at kcemergency.com for regional impacts.
KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your personal contact or work cell information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.govanytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website.
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RASKC honored with participation in state wide “No Kill” effort
Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) has been elected to sit at the board for Pet Alliance of Washington, with manger Dr. Gene Mueller serving as Secretary.
“Regional Animal Services of King County is excited and enthusiastic to work with the Alliance to help pets and people across the State, while we in turn grow and learn from colleagues,” says Dr. Gene Mueller, RASKC Manager and Secretary of Pet Alliance of Washington.
The Pet Alliance of Washington was created to increase the lifesaving efforts of organizations in Washington State that provide care for homeless cats and dogs, and is committed to achieving a 90% live release rate for cats and dogs in Washington State by 2020, and helping all individual participating agencies to reach a live release rate of 90% by 2025.
It is pleased to announce the election of Melanie Rushforth, executive director of Northwest Spay and Neuter Center; Lisa Feder, vice president and director of shelter operations of the Humane Society for Southwest Washington, Dr. Gene Mueller, manager of Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC); and Dawn Davies, executive director of Wenatchee Valley Humane Society. They will serve as chair, co-chair, secretary and treasurer of the Alliance respectively.
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