Judge Aimee Sutton was sworn in Monday at King County Superior Court. Congratulations, Judge Sutton.  We look forward to your outstanding work on the bench at the Maleng Regional Justice Center.  

In a recent article, The New York Times highlighted how West Coast cities are leading the way in innovative public transportation, as compared to East Coast cities. It included commentary from transit experts and regional leaders in Los Angeles, New York, and here in King County, featuring King County Executive Dow Constantine.  “Folks are tired of sitting in traffic,” he said. “They’re mindful of the environmental implications of driving.”  Read more in Why the West Coast Is Suddenly Beating the East Coast on Transportation. Image courtesy of The New York Times. 

Executive Dow Constantine announced his proposal to renew the current King County Parks Levy, scheduled to expire at the end of the year. His proposal for the August ballot would generate an estimated $738 million over the next six years to expand and connect regional trails, improve access to green space and recreation, and keep the county’s parks and trails clean, safe, and open.   The current King County Parks levy – which voters approved in 2013 – will expire Dec. 31. On Feb. 21, Executive Constantine sent to the King County Council… Read More

Four years into a more robust employee engagement effort that is part of Investing In YOU, we have been holding focus groups to figure out how to make our response to survey data more effective in improving engagement. We’ve learned a lot from you about what works and can offer these best practices that have helped boost belief that action will be taken as a result of the survey 11 points since 2015. This is the largest increase countywide on any question and speaks to the trust that is being built in… Read More

The King County Bridge Fellowship program continues to be a successful opportunity for employees to grow in their career development. The Fellowship is part of Investing In YOU, reinforcing a commitment to provide leadership and development opportunities to all employees. The program is a valuable opportunity that encourages each employee to explore new possibilities, for themselves and for King County. During the Fellowship, participants engage in classroom learning, group projects, presentations and career development activities, as well as interviews and site visits to explore the County’s agencies and their priorities. It is an experience… Read More

Team Building for Success, March 1: Want to showcase your strengths and make a positive impact in your organization? Your ability to participate, collaborate and resolve issues will set you apart as a “go-to” person in any organization. In this interactive course, learn skills to develop group understanding, evaluate team roles, develop methods for resolving underlying conflict within a team, and use these skills to collaborate with team members to achieve workplace objectives. Register and learn more. Grammar Refresher, April 10: Confused about grammar and punctuation? This fun, hands-on class will help you master the… Read More

Are you too young to think about retirement? Think again!  This retirement overview is for anyone who thinks they may retire in the next few years. With increasing concern over the future of Social Security and the stability of retirement plans, it’s a good idea to stay informed and prepare in advance.   Join us for a three-hour seminar. Topics include pensions, Medicare, and the current retirement climate and projections for the future. Plus, we’ll share resources available to you through King County.  The seminar will take place Wednesday, March 13 from 11 a.m…. Read More

Join host Kimberly Hill for the most recent episode of King County @ Your Service. It covers the Protection Order Advocacy Program from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the King County Archives, the Roads Division and Supported Employment, King County Adoption Services, women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) from the Water and Land Resources Division, the new Hearing Loop in Council Chambers, and King County’s “Mole.”

Salary: $55,764.80 – $70,616.00 Annually  Location: Seattle, WA  Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week  Department: DAJD – Adult & Juvenile Detention  Job Number: 2019AH09195  Closing: 6/30/2019 11:59 PM Pacific  Juvenile Detention Officers (JDOs) work in a secure juvenile detention facility with male and female detainees under 18 years of age. JDOs interact directly with juveniles with the focus on managing behavior by the least restrictive means, utilizing coaching and conflict resolution skills to teach and promote pro-social behavior among the juveniles. JDOs are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe, secure… Read More

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC  Lots of melting snow in our region – so how about a dog that will melt your heart?  Our Pet of the Week Keyla is an eight-year-old pittie. Her personality color is “Easy Going Green,” meaning she’s an adaptable dog who loves to go with the flow! Keyla is an absolute sweetheart who just adores people. Despite her size, she still thinks of herself as a lap dog and will gladly curl up in your lap to take a nap if you let her. She is also good… Read More

Security is the heart of all that King County Information Technology (KCIT) does. Aaron Barak, Chief Technology Officer for the department, recently discussed cybersecurity issues for local governments in GovCIO Outlook magazine, including the constant stream of threats from foreign bad actors attempting to gain privileged information or a backdoor into critical services. Read more here.

Crossposted from Metro Matters  A message from Rob Gannon, General Manager of King County Metro  For the first time ever, King County Metro enacted its Emergency Snow Network for four days – from Saturday, Feb. 9, through Tuesday, Feb. 12 – when one of the worst snowstorms in decades hit the region.   It was a challenging period for all of us, and I want to thank our riders for their patience, kind words and helpful feedback. We know it was cold, inconvenient and stressful, but we were inspired by the way you… Read More

The King County Information Technology Equity and Social Justice team will celebrate Women in Technology in March, and are seeking the feedback of employees who are women in tech around King County. If that is you, please briefly answer the following questions and email your answers to Elaine Porterfield at EPorterfield@kingcounty.gov by Feb. 25. Please feel free to share this request with other women throughout the county who also work in technology. Thank you in advance for your participation!  What led you to a career in Information technology?  What role could technology play… Read More

Executive Dow Constantine announced that Rachel Smith will serve as Deputy Executive, responsible for directing strategic initiatives, coordinating senior leadership, overseeing intergovernmental work, and managing administration of the Executive’s staff.  Smith will continue to serve as Chief of Staff. She joined the Executive’s Office in 2014 as Director of Government Relations. Prior to King County, she worked in government relations at Sound Transit, supporting the agency’s delivery of projects and services across King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. Before that, Smith served as a policy advisor to Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, and performed… Read More

Kelly Heintz, a Natural Lands Planner with the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, was recently honored at the annual Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust (MTSGT) Celebration Dinner as a long-time partner and advocate for public lands, conservation, and recreation in the region. The MTSGT leads and inspires action to conserve and enhance the landscape from Seattle across the Cascade Mountains to Central Washington, ensuring a long-term balance between people and nature. The Jim Ellis Spirit Award recognizes Kelly for her work as a dedicated and effective open space and… Read More

Several people gave kudos online to our hard working employees in roads, healthcare and public safety who are unable to take a snow day. Their service and commitment during the challenging weather kept King County moving and its residents safe. Additional thanks to those employees who kept our animal friends safe, ensured pet adoption centers were open, and responded to community calls for help. We appreciate your passion to continue providing humane animal care. Kudos to our employees for their excellent service and hard work during these difficult weather conditions!

Basic Data Visualization, April 10: Our ability to gather and collect data has steadily increased over the past decade. But data alone is not information and does not easily convey a compelling story. This half-day introductory course will allow participants to understand why data visualization is important, explore ways to tell a story with data, and mock up data visualizations in whiteboard exercises, using tips explored in class. Register and learn more.   Grammar Refresher, April 10: Confused about grammar and punctuation? This fun, hands-on class will help you master the latest rules, avoid common errors, and… Read More

Balanced You partners with more than 40 gyms and fitness studios in the Puget Sound area to offer employees and their families exciting discounts. Whether you’ve been wanting to try yoga, learn self-defense, take up indoor rock climbing or just get moving, there are many options to get you started. Learn how King County’s own Jamie Holter achieved her goals through a gym discount.

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC  Do you need a furry alarm clock? Our Pet of the Week Zoe is ready for duty!  This younger brown tabby came to us because her previous family had to give her up. They tell us that Zoe is shy, loving, and playful – and lets you know when she’s ready to get her day started! Her personality color is “Bashful Blue,” meaning she is a gentle and loving cat who likes to take things slow. Once she gets to know you though, she will be a… Read More

Crossposted from GIS and You  A little over a year ago, I wrote a post for GIS & You which featured the more than two-dozen map products that we in the King County GIS Center have derived from the King County Metro Transit System master map, a product we redesigned and rebuilt with Metro in 2012. One of those additional maps, first created not long after that new 2012 system map, was a public Emergency Snow Network map. Metro, in coordination with area jurisdictions, including the City of Seattle, has long designated a network of high-ridership… Read More

Salary: $76,689.60 – $97,198.40 Annually  Location: Seattle, WA  Job Type: Appointed  Department: EXEC – Executive’s Office  Job Number: 2018SDW09142  Closing: 2/18/2019 11:59 PM Pacific  The Strategic Plan Project Manager will coordinate and provide overall project management and system administration for implementing the 2016-2022 Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan, as their primary duty. Additional duties of this position will include supporting yearly implementation of King County’s Lift Every Youth Mentorship and Employment Program, developing communication materials, and providing limited administrative support to the Director and the Office as needed. The Strategic Plan Project Manager will be an equity, racial and social… Read More

King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed February 2019 to be Black History Month in King County. “The scientific, technological, economic, political, and cultural innovations by Black Americans and African Americans have been essential to the progress of our nation and we will continue to honor these accomplishments every month and every day in Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., County, Washington State,” Executive Constantine said in his Proclamation. You can read the Executive’s proclamation here.  

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.  Read more from King County Emergency News

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. 

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…. Read More