Showing posts with label county council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label county council. Show all posts

Councilmember Rod Dembowski: Senior Center Funding Update

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Rod and Dwight Stevens, 
past Chair of the Shoreline Veterans Association, 
at the Shoreline Veterans Memorial Plaza, 
outside of Shoreline City Hall.
Photo courtesy King County
From Councilmember Rod Dembowski

My 91 year-old Dad, Alfred, who often joins me at Shoreline veterans events, is a regular visitor to his local senior centers. 

He likes Renton for their live-music dancing, and Sea-Tac for their lunches. When he missed a couple of dances, senior center staff called me to see if he was ok. 

I know first-hand the value our senior centers provide in terms of social interaction, nutrition, health, and fun. I’ve enjoyed the hula dancing program at the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center. 

I know that its meal and other programs are essential to many seniors and their families in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park.

It’s why I’ve worked to secure significant new investments for senior centers and their programs in North King County and why I share the concerns of many, recently expressed, regarding a new county grant program where the Shoreline-LFP Senior Center, along with a dozen others in King County, was not awarded its full-funding request. 

Given the public interest in this decision, I wanted to share some background and details with you.

In 2005, my predecessor on the King County Council, Bob Ferguson, advanced for the first time a proposal for a King County Veterans and Human Services levy, to make critical investments in veterans and human services programs that had suffered cuts with the county’s declining general fund resulting from the 1% cap on property tax collections. The County had cut nearly all human service program funding. Voter-approved excess levies were, and remain today, the only currently viable means to fund such programs.

Voters adopted Bob’s proposal, and renewed it in 2011. In 2017, for the first time, the levy was expanded to include a variety of investments in programs and services to serve seniors countywide.

Voters passed it overwhelmingly. King County now had significant funds to invest in senior centers and other programs serving this rapidly growing segment of our population. With dedicated funds now available, since 2017, I have facilitated the granting of $175,000 in King County money to the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center to support its necessary and important work.

While significant, this funding stream was never designed to take the place of local government, fee-for-service, and other funding; it is additive to those traditional sources.

A new program coming out of the expanded VSHS levy was a proposal to transform senior centers into “Senior Hubs” which would offer an expanded range of co-located services for seniors. Senior centers from all over the county made proposals under this program, totaling 22 applications for 41 senior centers, asking for a total of $43.5 million in funding; more than double the $20.65 million in available funds. Fourteen Hub proposals, representing 28 senior centers were selected as Hubs. A total of eight Hub proposals, representing 13 senior centers were not selected as Hubs. Despite not prevailing on their full asks, these centers were granted $90,000 each to support their important work.

The King County Council does not, as a general rule, choose grant recipients. No single county councilmember picks winners or losers. Instead, programs and budgets are approved, and the Department of Community and Human Services solicits proposals and awards funds on a competitive basis. Not prevailing doesn’t mean that a program isn’t valuable or worthy; it means that there isn’t enough taxpayer money to meet 100% of the need.

For this Senior Hubs strategy, the proposal from Shoreline (which partnered with Ballard and West Seattle) was not selected as a Hub by the county’s grant review panel. I’m told that the Shoreline proposal asked for $360,000 over four years. Rather than award no funds, King County awarded $90,000. This was in addition to a grant of $75,000 last year, 100% of the Center’s request, and $10,000 I secured to expand senior fitness classes in the 2017-2018 budget.

Recent communications to Shoreline and Lake Forest Park residents have stated that the county did not grant the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center any funds. This is false. For the first time in decades, King County is investing significant sums in our senior centers, as well as senior programs like home repair, transportation, meals, and other services, more broadly. While I understand and share the disappointment in not being selected in the competitive process for Hub-level funding, these new county funds are on-the-whole, good news, not bad.

Related communication has also, in some cases, argued that Shoreline and Lake Forest Park have been left out of other King County levies. This is also false; I’ve made sure that we have not been left out. I have consistently advocated for, and secured, tens of millions of dollars of King County investments in children, youth, mobility, environmental, parks, trails, open space, clean water, housing, and human services programs and projects for North King County, including in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. 

From Ronald Commons, to the Shoreline Veterans Memorial and the Historical Museum, to millions of dollars for Thornton, Boeing, Storm, Lyon and McAleer Creeks and open space preservation like Five Acre Wood, to programing at the Dale Turner YMCA, and the RADAR/Navigator program for our police departments, King County’s investments in our community are significant, and making a difference. I’m proud to have advocated for these investments, and I will continue to do so.

There is no doubt that the Shoreline‑LFP Senior Center needs more investment, and I will continue to work to secure more funding. 

I have already met with Theresa LaCroix, the Center’s Director, Joanne Donohue, Chief Operating Officer of Sound Generations, and Douglas Woods, a Center Board Member, as well as top county department leaders, to see what we can do to help secure additional resources. I’ve asked Director LaCroix to provide me information necessary to secure additional funding. I’m working with my colleagues on the Council who are also hearing from disappointed grant applicants in their districts. I’m optimistic that we will find a way to help and I pledge my continued best efforts to do so.

I welcome your comments and suggestions on this or any other topic. Feel free to write (rod.dembowski@kingcounty.gov) or call (206-477-1001) anytime.


Rod Dembowski represents North King County on the King County Council. He is serving as Chair of the Council for 2019, He also serves on the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, Mobility and Environment Committee, Health Housing and Human Services Committee, Government Accountability and Oversight Committee, Regional Water Quality Committee, and Regional Policy Committee. Since joining the Council in 2013, he has never missed a vote, casting 5,107 consecutive votes as of September 17, 2019.


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County Council appoints members to Task Force focused on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

Thursday, June 27, 2019

The Metropolitan King County Council confirmed the appointments of twenty community leaders to serve on a new task force that will address gender identity and sexual orientation inclusion in King County’s broad spectrum of programs and services.
The task force will develop a recommended countywide inclusion strategy and work plan to help ensure that all people are accurately and respectfully served.

King County is committed to eliminating inequities and promoting fairness and opportunity for all. 

The task force will help bring visibility to often underserved individuals by highlighting the importance of fair and equitable access to county services, improving opportunities for engagement through community outreach, and participating in important dialogue on county policies and practices.

The county legislation was sponsored by Council Chair Rod Dembowski, and Councilmembers Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Dave Upthegrove, Joe McDermott and Claudia Balducci.

“This is important and serious work,” said Council Chair Rod Dembowski. “It’s a chance for us to learn, assess, and do better — not only to be more inclusive and responsive, but to ensure that access to our systems and services are fair and just for all members of our community. 
"This task force has an incredible opportunity to make transformative change through its recommendations in a way that will meaningfully impact people’s lives in a very real way.”

The Task Force will engage with stakeholders and community members in an effort to spread awareness and understanding of gender nonconforming individuals and their experience with county departments and facilities. 

It will review the current state of questions regarding gender identity and sexual orientation in King County processes, such as forms, interviews, and questionnaires, assess the experience of individuals accessing county services, identify processes that should be modified, and make training recommendations for county employees.

Membership of the task force includes representatives from ACLU WA, Chief Seattle Club, Entre Hermanos, Gay City, Generations Aging with Pride, Gender Justice League, Greater Seattle Business Association, Ingersoll Gender Center, Legal Voice, People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCANN), Pride Foundation, Seattle Counseling Service, Seattle Indian Health Board, Surge Reproductive Justice, United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance (UTOPIA), the King County Executive’s Office, the King County Council, and the King County Human Resources Department.




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County Council honors Shoreline resident Dwight Stevens

Sunday, June 9, 2019

County Council members and members of the military
honor Shoreline resident Dwight Stevens
Photo by Jerry Pickard

On Wednesday, June 5, 2019 the King County Council held a D-Day Anniversary Observance with Dwight Stevens, WWII B-17 pilot as their honored guest.

On June 6, the world commemorated the 75th Anniversary of the Allied invasion of Europe, better known as D-Day. The men of the “Greatest Generation” stormed the beaches of Normandy, playing a decisive role in turning the tide of World War II.

Councilmembers recognized those soldiers and their role in bringing an end to the global conflict.

Councilmember Larry Gossett, Dwight Stevens, and
Council Chair Rod Dembowski with the proclamation
honoring Dwight.
Photo by Jerry Pickard


From a speech by Dick Deal Veterans Day 2013

...Dwight was then flown to Prestwick, Scotland in a C-54 Transport plane, arriving June 7, 1944, the day after the D-Day invasion began in France. He was assigned to the 95th Heavy Bombardment Group stationed at Horham, Suffolk, England, 60 miles north of London.

In the next six months, as a B-17 pilot, Dwight flew 33 combat missions over Nazi-occupied Europe and participated in air raid missions over heavily-defended German targets such as Hamburg, Munich, and Berlin as well as other targets in Belgium, France, Poland and Romania.

During what he described as the “toughest” mission, on an air raid over Hamburg, Germany, the B-17 bomber he was piloting lost both left-side engines to heavy German anti-aircraft fire over the target. To lighten the damaged, struggling plane and improve its airworthiness and chances for making it back to Horham, the crew dropped the plane’s 2,000 lb. ball-turret and threw all machine guns, ammunition, and non-essential gear overboard. With the help of a protective escort of P-47 fighter planes, they “just made it back” to land at home base at Horham, England.

On the last five of his 33 air missions, our honoree and his crew were chosen as the Lead Plane, guiding 1500 airplanes to their intended targets. For his effort, skill and courage on these five missions, Dwight was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross ( DFC ), the highest award a flying officer can earn. He was also awarded the European Theater of Operations Ribbon with three stars, plus four Air Medals. In a ceremony held in New York on September 18, 1994, 50 years to the day after participating in a low-altitude raid in support of the Polish Military at the Warsaw Uprising, Dwight was awarded the Polish Home Army Medal personally, by the President of Poland, Lech Walesa.

Our honoree was promoted to the rank of 1st Lt. in September 1944, and flew his last combat mission on December 14th of that year. He spent the last six months of his military service as a flight instructor at Luke Field in Arizona. He was discharged from the Army Air Corps at Fort Lewis, Washington on August 1, 1945.



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Retired county van for the Northwest School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Rod delivers a van to the Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children


Metropolitan King County Council Chair Rod Dembowski announced that four local organizations, including a school in Shoreline, will receive retired Metro Transit Vanpool vans to provide transportation assistance to low-income, elderly or young people, or people with disabilities.

“There are so many organizations doing amazing work in our community,” said Dembowski. 
“I am honored to secure a retired King County van for each of these recipients, to help support their work with youth and folks with disabilities. The mobility that a van brings will help increase their capacity to continue serving those in need, by providing access to enriching educational, social, and recreational experiences.”

The organizations nominated by Councilmember Dembowski to receive vans this year are:

"We are incredibly grateful for all Councilmember Dembowski does to champion the needs of deaf/hard-of-hearing children, invest in our school’s educational programs and strengthen the quality of education throughout our local community,” said Kabian Rendel, Head of School at Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children.
“Thanks to King County, and the transfer of this van, we can provide our students daily interaction with hearing peers in general education settings and hands-on, educational field trips throughout the year.”

Delivery to current grant cycle recipients is anticipated in mid-2019. Interested organizations can contact Councilmember Dembowski for more information on applying for a vehicle in future grant cycles.




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County Council recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Wednesday, April 24, 2019


Representatives from agencies and organizations that assist survivors of sexual assault in chambers for the  proclamation of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in King County.
Members were joined by the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC), the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence, King County Women’s Advisory Board, Mother Nation, Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS), Asian Counseling Referral Services (ACRS) and the Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress the proclamation.
Council President and representative for Shoreline, Lake Forest Park and other north end cities, Rod Dembowski, far right. 


It is an issue that crosses ages and genders. One in four girls and one in six boys will experience it before they turn 18, and it occurs to one in five women and one in 16 men while attending college.

The Metropolitan King County Council today recognized April 2019 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in King County, recognizing those who have survived sexual assault and working to ensure that no one else will experience it.

“Today we send a message that victims of sexual assault matter and are heard. Shining a light on this topic and helping victims find justice and closure is the reason I spearheaded an effort in 2015 to ensure all rape kits in King County were tested. These actions are just a few examples of how our government supports victims and takes sexual assault seriously.”
--Council Chair Rod Dembowski

Sexual assault is a crime that 45 percent of women and 22 percent of men in this state report having experienced in their lifetime. That number increases for people of color, refugees, immigrants, LGBTQ and other marginalized community members, with one recent study showing that 94 percent of Native American women in Seattle report they have been sexually assaulted.

The King County Board of Health, chaired by Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, this month approved the creation of a Board of Health subcommittee that will focus on a public health approach to preventing sexual assault, domestic violence and missing and murdered indigenous women.

Information is vital in preventing sexual violence. Agencies such as the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) and the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence work on making people aware of the impact of sexual violence and encouraging everyone to be “part of the solution” in stopping it.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month was created in 2001 as a means to bring together local communities in a concerted effort to stop sexual violence.

For more information on sexual assault prevention and on SAAM events in Washington, visit: King County Sexual Assault Resource Center or Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence

The City of Shoreline also issued a proclamation for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.



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King county parks levy to be on the August ballot

Saturday, April 20, 2019

The King County Council has approved placing the King County Parks Levy on the August ballot.

The levy is for a six-year term and is a renewal of an existing levy.




According to County Council Chair / Local council representative for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park Rod Dembowski, the levy is very important.

"Parks Levy proceeds provide essential funding not just for King County’s regional parks and trail systems, but also for city parks and regional open space. In past years, there has not always been a strong guaranteed investment for parks and open space in District 1.

"I am happy to report that the proposed 2019 Parks Levy includes a number of dedicated, important investments in North King County. 
"These investments include, but are not limited to:
  • $2 million for playground and ballfield improvements at Big Finn Hill Park in Kirkland
  • $2.5 million in acquisition dollars to build and expand parks on Lake Washington
  • More than $100 million in expanded funding to preserve open space
  • $25 million for parks in North King County cities
  • $10 million in grant funding for organizations to promote equity and disability access in our parks
  • $44 million for a new program to provide large capital grants to jurisdictions building or repairing swimming pools and aquatic centers

King county trail
Photo courtesy King County

He continues,

"Local and regional trails are another immensely important resource that we enjoy and use for both recreation and transportation. Past levies have paid for construction and maintenance of the Burke-Gilman Trail and the Sammamish River Trail in District 1. 
"This levy will greatly expand our regional trail network with significant investments to build out the Eastside Rail Corridor, including $4.6 million for a connection to the Sammamish River Trail in Woodinville. 
"In addition to other projects, I was pleased to secure funding to: (1) build a new trail connection in Bothell, extending the Tolt River Trail to meet the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River trails at the former Wayne Golf Course site ($2 million), (2) expand regional trail connections between the Interurban Trail and Burke-Gilman Trail in Lake Forest Park and Shoreline ($7.5 million), and (3) support acquisitions for the proposed Green Loop Trail in Kirkland ($2.5 million). 
"The levy renewal is proposed at a rate of 18.32 cents per $1,000 of assessed value – or less than $8 a month for the owner of a $500,000 home. There is a taxpayer relief program for fixed-income seniors and disabled veterans built into this levy. Final adoption of the proposed levy ordinance is set for April 17. 
"Voters will see it on your August 6, 2019 ballot. If you have any questions or comments on the levy or the projects included, please don’t hesitate to contact my office."

Rod Dembowski, Chair
King County Council, District 1
206-477-1001



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Youth still being held in solitary confinement in spite of County Council's 2018 ban

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Juvenile court and detention center
Seattle.gov
Two members of the Metropolitan King County Council, who sponsored legislation banning the solitary confinement of juveniles in all King County detention facilities, raised several concerns when the council’s Law and Justice Committee received a briefing on a report from an independent monitor showing the ban is not being enforced. 

“Today’s hearing on the status of the Executive branch’s efforts to implement the County Council’s ban on solitary confinement raised several troubling developments,” said Council Chair Rod Dembowski. 
“Executive staff leading the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention was unsure of the deadline to implement the law, and couldn’t, or wouldn’t, confirm the failure to comply with the council’s ban on solitary confinement, as reported by the independent monitor. 
"Solitary confinement of youth causes permanent harm, is inhumane, and unjust. It needs to stop, now.”

Ordinance 18637 was adopted in December of 2017 and went into effect on July 1, 2018, yet executive staff disclosed that they only recently started bargaining with the Adult Detention Officers’ Guild on any labor agreement changes needed to implement the law.

“The Executive and Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention staff could have been much more forthright in identifying a series of problems that they should have known have arisen in the implementation of the solitary confinement ordinance at both our youth and adult detention facilities,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett, chair of the Law and Justice Committee. 
“That is why I think it is going to be very important that we contract with the same independent monitor, to allow her to delve deeper into the causes of these problems related to the confinement of youth in our justice system.”

The independent monitor’s report found that youth continue to be held in solitary confinement at King County’s adult detention facilities, despite the prohibition that went into effect over six months ago. 

Representatives from the Executive’s office and from the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) were present to provide comment and answer questions.

After many councilmembers found the report, and the answers to their questions, insufficient to show compliance with the ordinance, Committee Chair Gossett declined to bring acknowledgment of the report up for a vote.



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County Council Chair Dembowski meets with LFP City Council

Sunday, January 13, 2019

From left: Councilmembers John Resha, Phillippa Kassover, Tom French, Deputy Mayor Catherine Stanford, King County Council Chair Rob Dembowski, Mayor Jeff Johnson, Councilmembers John Wright, Mark Phillips, Semra Riddle



King County Council Chair Rob Dembowski reports that he had a very productive working meeting with the Lake Forest Park City Council on Thursday, January 10, 2019.

We talked Transit, Environmental Protection, Affordable Housing, Youth Sports Grants, Recycling, Public Safety, Burke-Gilman Trail, and many other other efforts on which we partner to bring regional and local government together to serve our residents. Good people doing good work.

He also joined in honoring Brookside Elementary students for their King County Environmental leadership award for their innovative, student-led recycling program.



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Dembowski elected chair of King County Council

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Rod Dembowski, Chair
King County Council
Councilmember Rod Dembowski has been elected as the new Chair of the King County Council. 

Dembowski represents north King county, including Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore.

The decision was made on Monday following passage of a reorganization motion approved by the council. The legislation also appointed Reagan Dunn and reappointed Claudia Balducci to serve as Vice Chairs.

“We live in times of increasing economic disparity, where the middle class and our most vulnerable residents face unprecedented challenges,” said Dembowski. 
“King County has a tremendous opportunity to improve every community in our region and the tools to make it happen. I appreciate the trust my colleagues have placed in me to guide that work and Chair the council in 2019.”

Dembowski, who joined the council in 2013, assumes the post from Councilmember Joe McDermott, who served as Chair for the past three years.

“It was a privilege to serve the council, and the county, as Chair for the past three years,” said McDermott. 
“Over the past three years, this council delivered hundreds of millions of dollars to tackle our region’s housing crisis, passed groundbreaking protections for immigrants and refugees in the county, and oversaw the restructuring of county departments to ensure we deliver services equitably and efficiently in the years ahead. I look forward to continue this good, collaborative work as we select new leadership and I wish the best for our new Chair in 2019.”

Balducci was reappointed to her post as Vice Chair, which Dunn assumes the role from former Vice Chair Kathy Lambert.

The legislation also appointed these Councilmembers to chair the following committees:
  • Committee of the Whole – Joe McDermott
  • Budget and Fiscal Management – Claudia Balducci
  • Mobility and Environment – Dave Upthegrove
  • Health, Housing, and Human Services – Jeanne Kohl-Welles
  • Government Accountability and Oversight – Pete von Reichbauer
  • Local Services and Regional Roads & Bridges – Kathy Lambert
  • Law and Justice – Larry Gossett
  • Regional Transit Committee – Claudia Balducci
  • Regional Policy Committee – Pete von Reichbauer
  • Regional Water Quality – Kathy Lambert


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Dembowski secures funding for innovative law enforcement RADAR program

Monday, November 19, 2018


From left: Bothell Police Sgt. John Rogers, LFP City Manager Phillip Hill, Bothell Police Chief Carol Cummings, LFP Police Chief Steve Sutton, Shoreline Police Chief Shawn Ledford, Shoreline Mayor Will Hall, King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski, Bothell Master Police Officer Brett Bernard, Bothell City Manager Jennifer Phillips, Kirkland Police Chief Cherie Harris, Kenmore City Manager Rob Karlinsky, Shoreline City Manager Debbie Tarry, and Shoreline Superintendent of Schools Rebecca Miner.



Adopted last week, King County’s 2019-20 biennial budget includes significant investment in North King County’s Response, Awareness, De-escalation and Referral (RADAR) program, which helps build a bridge between law enforcement and mental health services. (See previous article)

Councilmember Rod Dembowski worked to secure $780,000 to support this program and the collaboration between the cities of Shoreline, Bothell, Lake Forest Park, Kirkland, and Kenmore.

RADAR partners police officers with mental health professionals to help people in need who are experiencing a mental health crisis, suffering from substance abuse, or struggling with homelessness, and connect them to the proper services.

This pairing allows the mental health professional to identify a need for social services and gives the officer an alternative to sending a person to the emergency room or jail, improving outcomes for many individuals and reducing the burden on our healthcare and criminal justice systems.

Mental health professionals can quickly assess the need, and officers schedule follow-up and dedicate time for outreach. The program also provides officers with relevant information on high risk individuals suffering from mental illness prior to contact, to help police better attempt de-escalation and avoid misunderstandings. 

Mental health professionals can also coordinate with schools to connect students and families to services, and integrate kids back into school, in cases where they have been affected by a person in crisis.

In its first year in Shoreline, RADAR program outreach has reduced repeat calls for service, and of the 147 contacts made, 83% of people accepted resources or assistance.

“The Shoreline Police Department has had success with RADAR in handling calls for service, where no force was used to de-escalate the situation, connect people to services and to gain trust with an individual and family members,” said Chief Shawn V. Ledford of the Shoreline Police Department. 
“Having access to a mental health professional and expanding this program is a partnership that’s working and would not have happened without the support of Councilmember Rod Dembowski.”

For more information on RADAR, contact Shoreline Police Chief Shawn Ledford, at 206-801-2711.


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County Council passes budget

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

The County council completed eight weeks of deliberation on the proposed 2019-2020 King County Budget with Tuesday’s unanimous adoption of the $11.7 billion budget.

The budget includes an array of key measures:
  • The restoration of the gang unit, a vital law enforcement tool for communities affected by gang violence.
  • Increasing shelter space for the homeless while increasing oversight of funding for programs.
  • Taking steps to implement a low/no-cost transit fares for Metro’s lowest-income passengers with the goal of having the program in place by 2020.
  • Providing funds to help meet the region’s growing transit needs, including 200,000 hours in increased bus service throughout King County. There are also funds to study new transit options, including Seattle ferry services to and from Renton and Kenmore.
  • Examining the impact of the wastewater system on orcas and salmon

“This budget prioritizes investments aimed at ensuring everyone in King County has the opportunity to pursue their full potential. From housing investments, to expanding access to transit, to innovative criminal justice reform initiatives, this is a budget that puts our progressive values into action. I am honored to have participated in the budget leadership team that led the efforts to complete this work.”
  • --Councilmember Rod Dembowski
For more information, visit the budget page.



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County Council adopts memorial for Gov. Spellman

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Gov. John Spellman in 1978
Photo courtesy King County
Permanent recognition of King County’s first Executive 

The Metropolitan King County Council gave its unanimous support to a motion sponsored by the entire council renaming the King County Administration Building and the 4th Ave block after former Gov. and King County Executive John Spellman.

“Gov. Spellman is very deserving of this honor,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn, the prime sponsor of the legislation. 
“As the first County Executive, he led the transformation of King County into a strong regional government and deserves immeasurable credit for what King County has become."

The King County Administration Building and the stretch of 4th Ave. between James St. and Jefferson St. in Downtown Seattle where it is located will be named in Gov. Spellman’s honor. The block will be named the John Spellman Block and Memorial Building.

“We are deeply honored by the unanimous support of the County Council to name the location of the King County Administrative Building after our father, John D. Spellman,” said Teresa Spellman Gamble, daughter of Gov. Spellman. 
“We are so proud of our dad’s many contributions to King County and the State, and we are truly appreciative of this recognition by the leadership of the County.”

Gov. John Spellman
Photo courtesy Washington state library
John Dennis Spellman was born in 1926 in the City of Seattle. He attended high school at Seattle Preparatory School, then graduated from Seattle University after serving his country in World War II.

In 1966, Spellman was elected to the three-member King County Board of Commissioners. When county voters approved a plan to implement a home rule charter establishing the King County Council and the position of County Executive, Spellman was elected as King County’s very first Executive in 1969.

During the next 12 years, Executive Spellman led the transition of King County into one of the west coast’s strongest regional governments. Spellman consolidated previously independent departments, promoted racial equality, criminal justice reforms, land-use planning and farmlands preservation, and established a meritocracy within the County to ensure its abilities to serve the people.

King County Executive
John Spellman and the Kingdome
Photo courtesy WA SOS
Spellman is perhaps most remembered for supervising the construction of the Kingdome, allowing Seattle to acquire two hallmarks of the northwest: the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Mariners.

Following his 3-term service as Executive, Spellman was elected as the 18th Governor of Washington State in 1980. As Governor, Spellman was known as a steadfast defender of our state’s prestigious federal lands, even blocking a proposal to run an oil pipeline under the waters of Puget Sound which would have heavily damaged our waterway’s ecology. After leaving office in 1985, he was named partner at a law firm in Seattle.

Gov. Spellman passed away on January 16, 2018, at age 91. His wife of 63 years, Lois passed away nine days later at age 90.



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County Council celebrates Pride Month with action

Monday, June 4, 2018

Council approves legislation aimed at eliminating barriers to full inclusion of LGBTQ community 

Inclusion can take shape in many forms, with one step including the recognition that all residents do not conform to a specific gender identity or sexual orientation.

The Metropolitan King County Council on Monday adopted legislation calling for the creation of a task force to develop recommendations related to administrative processes and gender identity and sexual orientation.

“Gender identity is complex and often misunderstood, however this doesn’t mean we can’t affirm there is diversity in how gender is defined,” said Councilmember Rod Dembowski, prime sponsor of the motion. 
“Serious discrimination and mistreatment has impacted these communities, due in part to ignorance and misinformation. Today’s motion addresses inequities we must eliminate to make King County a more welcoming and inclusive government for all our constituents.”

This year, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) adopted a rule change that established requirements for individuals to request a change to the sex designation on their birth certificates from male or female to a third option. DOH made the change to provide individuals with an option to have a birth certificate that better reflects their gender identity.

“Government should represent all people, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation,” said Councilmember Dave Upthegrove, motion co-sponsor.

The adopted motion calls for the formation of a task force that will develop a recommended countywide gender identity and sexual orientation inclusion strategy and workplan. It will focus on developing a proposed plan to implement the use of an additional gender designation or designations in all appropriate administrative processes, such as forms, questionnaires, and interviews conducted by County personnel.

The objectives of the task force will include:
  • Consulting with county departments and community groups to assess existing King County administrative processes regarding gender identity and sexual orientation,
  • Identifying processes suitable for modification and consider potential complications if a process gathers information used by other government agencies,
  • Developing a recommended statement of intent to address gender identity and sexual orientation inclusion in identified King County administrative processes,
  • Making training recommendations for county employees to achieve excellent customer service and address concerns of task force members.
“As one of the nation's oldest trans run organizations we know all too well the disparate impacts of not being counted,” said Karter Booher, Executive Director of Ingersoll Gender Center. 

The members of the task force will analyze and present recommendations not only on the contents of paper and electronic forms, but also on the personal experience of gender nonconforming, gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals when accessing County administrative services.



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Honoring Service and Sacrifice, County Council recognizes Police Week

Monday, May 14, 2018

King County Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht (holding proclamation) and members of her command staff join Councilmembers after the County Council declared May 13-19 Police Week in King County.


The Metropolitan King County Council joined communities across the United States in recognition of National Police Week. The annual celebration — celebrated this year from May 13-19 — recognizes and honors those law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as the family members, friends and fellow officers they left behind.

“Today we join jurisdictions across our nation in recognizing the service and sacrifice of those in law enforcement,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn. 
“18 King County Sheriff’s Officers have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Their names are forever memorialized as you enter the King County Courthouse 3rd Avenue entrance. It’s fitting to remember our local law enforcement officers on a week that remembers those who dedicate their lives for the protection of others.”

This year, the names of 360 officers killed in the line of duty are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These 360 officers include 129 officers who were killed during 2017, plus 231 officers who died in previous years but whose stories of sacrifice had been lost to history until now.

Two members of the law enforcement community in Washington State will be added to the National Memorial. Kalama Police Department Chief of Police Randall Scott Gibson passed away on January 10, 2017 and Mason County Chief Deputy Fred Hickson who passed away on June 29, 1944.

There are approximately 900,000 law enforcement officers currently in the U.S. Since the first recorded death in 1791, over 20,000 law enforcement officers—representing cities, counties, states, and federal agencies in the United States—have died in the line of duty.

4,000 men and women are in law enforcement in King County, serving 39 cities, three Tribal Governments, the University of Washington, and nearly 250,000 residents living in unincorporated communities.

In 1853, King County Deputy Wesley Cherry was the first King County law officer to lose their life in the line of duty. Since Cherry, 18 King County Sheriff’s officers have fallen in the line of duty. The King County Sheriff’s Office Memorial, located in the King County Courthouse, honors their sacrifice. This month, two more names were added to the memorial, Special Deputy George H. Yeaman, Jr. and Special Deputy John Frederick Mines. Both fell in the line of duty while conducting an aerial search on July 19, 1946.

“National Police Week is an opportunity for communities across the country to recognize the incredible bravery and sacrifice of those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others,” said King County Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht. 
“I recently had the great honor of adding two special deputies, who lost their lives in 1946 while searching for a crashed plane, to the King County Sheriff’s Office Memorial Wall. I’m proud of our Sheriff’s Officers and am glad this recognition celebrates their hard work.”

Each year, Washington State adds names of officers who lost their lives in the line of duty to the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial in Olympia. In 2018 three names were added to that memorial: Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel McCartney who passed away on January 8, 2018, Kent Police Officer Derrick W. Focht who passed away on April 7, 2017, and Mason County Sheriff’s Deputy Fred Hickson who passed away on June 29, 1944.



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Prepaid postage ballots approved by County Council

Friday, May 11, 2018

No postage necessary

No Stamp? No Problem! The Metropolitan King County Council recently approved legislation allowing the Department of Elections to send voters postage-paid envelopes to return their ballots in this year’s primary and general elections.

“Increasing accessibility to free and fair democratic elections is central to all of our civic institutions,” Said Councilmember Upthegrove, Chair of the Council’s Budget Committee and prime sponsor of the legislation. “This measure puts a ballot box at the end of every driveway, and I’m excited to be a part of its passage.”

“Voting is the foundation of our democracy. By eliminating the postage ‘poll tax’, King County is taking an important step to dismantle a barrier that keeps some from exercising their right to vote,” said Councilmember Rod Dembowski, co-sponsor of the ordinance.

Washington became a vote-by-mail state in 2011. While the Council and King County Elections worked to increase the number of ballot drop boxes available to voters throughout the county, approximately half of the ballots received are still sent by mail. Prior to today’s action all voters were personally required to place postage on their ballot.

In prior elections, when a voter forgot to place on stamp on a ballot, some post offices would send the ballot to King County regardless, but would charge the county $1.70 — more than three times the current postage rate. Other post offices would not forward the ballot at all.

The measure is widely expected to increase voter access and participation. Elections conducted a pilot project this winter, sending 65,000 voters in Shoreline and Maple Valley prepaid return envelopes. The percentage of total ballots returned by mail during the pilot was 74 percent. This was a vast increase compared to 43 percent participation in the 2016 General Election.

The legislation now allows election officials to send prepaid return envelopes to all voters, but with the US Postal Service charging King County a rate of 50 cents for those returned by mail. Wise and county election officials estimate a 10 percent increase in the number of ballots returned by mail rather than drop boxes with prepaid postage.

The legislation passed Council with a 7-2 vote. In support of the measure were Councilmembers Upthegrove, Dembowski, Kohl-Welles, Balducci, Gossett, McDermott and von Reichbauer. Councilmembers Dunn and Lambert voted in opposition.


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King County to implement a pilot "Infants at Work" program

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Rosie
Bring your baby to work
at King county
King County employees may soon have the opportunity to bring their babies to work, after Monday’s action by the Metropolitan King County Council requesting that the Executive implement a pilot “Infants at Work” program.

“We know there are long-term health benefits for both parents and kids when they have more time to bond in the first 6 months,” said Councilmember Rod Dembowski, who sponsored the motion. 
“An Infants at Work program is the right thing to do for our employees, since it also gives families more financial stability and flexibility at a time when childcare costs continue to rise. I’m excited we’re taking another positive step towards making King County a family-friendly workplace.”

Infants at Work (IAW) programs are structured to allow eligible employees the opportunity to bring their new infants to work for a limited period of time. A growing number of employers have implemented this program, and in 2015, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) adopted an IAW policy to allow employees to bring their infant, ages 6 weeks to 6 months, to work.

Sarah Reyneveld, Chair of the King County Women's Advisory Board said “This program is one that will benefit women, infants, and working families in King County as it will further diminish the wage gap and gender inequity in the workplace by allowing more women the opportunity to bond with their infants while maintaining continuity at work, improve infant health and development, and reduce the cost burden of child care on working families.”

The motion adopted by the Council requests the Executive to develop a plan to implement a pilot program allowing eligible employees to bring their new infants to work. The plan should include:

· Eligibility requirements;

· A description of any workplace environment considerations, such as safety guidelines, facility requirements, and recommended operational practices to ensure the adequate care of the infant, adequate workplace hygiene and continued employee productivity;

· Policies and procedures for events when an infant is disruptive to the work environment for a prolonged period of time; and

· A timeline for implementing the pilot program, including the duration and beginning and end dates, and the scope of employee groups to participate.”

The motion requests that the plan, along with any legislation necessary for implementation, be transmitted to King County Council by August 15, 2018.


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County Council joins young people in calling for end to gun violence

Thursday, March 22, 2018

The Metropolitan King County Council has endorsed the effort of the young people in King County and throughout the nation who are participating in the national March for Our Lives on Saturday, March 24 calling for an end to preventable gun violence.

In the last five years, eight school shootings have occurred in Washington state, four of which resulted in injury or death.

“We must stop responding with thoughts and prayers to terrible tragedies that can be prevented in our country with common sense changes to our firearm laws,” said Council Chair Joe McDermott. 
“After following the leadership of local students by marching this coming Saturday, voting to establish the Council’s policy supporting federal and state laws to keep weapons of war out of our communities is an important next step in this reform process. 
"Should the state provide local jurisdictions like King County more flexibility to pass laws protecting our residents, we’ll take that step as soon as possible.”

“March for Our Lives shows the power of youth voices,” said Council Vice Chair Rod Dembowski. “Adults and elected leaders have the responsibility to listen and address gun violence. It's time to respond to our nation's youth and send a message that their lives are valued.”

“These students are not political tools, they are political activists. I applaud them for their civic involvement and deep personal commitment to critical changes that I wholeheartedly support,” said Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles. 
“Their youth doesn’t invalidate their morals and intelligence, and their precious lives are in the crosshairs. Now is the time for the reforms they demand.”

The motion adopted by the County Council endorses the March for Our Lives, and the effort of the young people both locally and nationally in working to reduce preventable gun violence.

The motion also calls on Congress to immediately act on measures aimed at reducing gun violence, including effective background checks, preventing access to lethal assault-style weapons, and eliminating existing restrictions on gun violence research. It also calls on Washington state to grant local governments the authority to enact legislation on guns by repealing the state preemption statute.

The final vote on the motion was 6-3 with Councilmembers McDermott, Dembowski, Gossett, Upthegrove, Balducci, and Kohl-Welles voting in favor of the motion.




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County Council wishes calm seas and bountiful catches to fishing crews preparing to head to Alaska

Thursday, March 15, 2018


Clergy from Ballard First Lutheran Church join Councilmembers after the County Council recognized the 2018 ‘Blessing of the Fleet’ right before the start of the Alaskan fishing season.

Front Row (l-r) Councilmembers Pete von Reichbauer, Joe McDermott, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Pastor Elise Scott, Ballard First Lutheran Church.
Back Row (l-r) Councilmembers Kathy Lambert, Claudia Balducci, Dave Upthegrove, Rod Dembowski, Vicar Sarah Derrick, Ballard First Lutheran Church, Councilmembers Larry Gossett and Reagan Dunn.
_________________________

Council recognizes the annual “Blessing of the Fleet”

Our region enjoys some of the best seafood in the world, much brought to our shores from crews preparing to go to Alaska for the summer fishing season. On Monday, March 12, 20018, The Metropolitan King County Council recognized those brave men and women who will spend their summer in the North Pacific by recognizing the “Blessing of the Fleet” which will occur this weekend, the start of the halibut fishing season.

“These crews and their captains face a level of danger that most of us will never confront in our workplace, and they do so year after year,” said Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, the sponsor of the recognition. “I am honored to participate alongside my community as we gather to share in the blessing of their vessels and to pray for their safe return.”

For the 90th year, families and friends of the crews preparing to leave will gather at Fisherman’s Terminal in Ballard for a blessing of the fishing fleet, and the crews that will spend the spring and summer fishing for the salmon, crab, halibut, herring, pollock, and cod enjoyed by people throughout the world.

The blessing will be conducted by Elise Scott, the Pastor of Ballard First Lutheran Church, who joined the Councilmembers for Monday’s recognition.

“This is a powerful event and an important part of Ballard First Lutheran Church’s heritage and ministry,” Scott said. 
“This marks the 90th year our congregation has hosted this sacred gathering to bless the courageous work of these fishermen as they go forth into the dangers of the open seas. We are thankful for all the work that they do and for the ways in which they contribute to our community.”

Along with praying for a good season and a safe return back to their loved ones after a summer on the high seas, the blessing also remembers those who have lost their lives in this dangerous profession.

Since 1988, the Seattle Fishermen's Memorial at Seattle's Fishermen's Terminal has served as a tribute to the lives of its men and women lost at sea, and also as a place for family and friends to gather, remember and honor their loved ones.



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Counties representing 37 million Americans demand Dreamers fix

Monday, January 22, 2018

Rod Dembowski
Representing jurisdictions with a combined population of 37.6 million Americans, 69 county officials from 37 jurisdictions across the U.S. are submitting a letter calling on national leaders to swiftly and comprehensively address the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. 

This comes in advance of Friday’s expiration of the federal government’s continuing resolution, which many hoped might provide an opportunity to find a bipartisan compromise on DACA.

“Dreamers are Americans in every aspect but on paper. Not reaching a solution for them to stay is cruel, contrary to the values we have sworn to uphold and protect, and harms communities nationwide,” said Rod Dembowski, vice chair of the King County Council (pop. 2.1 million), whose office is leading the effort
“We are proud to act with what Dr. King called ‘the fierce urgency of now’ and submit this letter to Congress at this pivotal moment in this fight for justice.”

Approximately 800,000 young people in the United States benefit from DACA, with close to 19,000 Dreamers living in Washington. From the State of Washington, county officials from King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties joined the urgent call on Congress for a permanent fix for Dreamers.

“In Pierce County we’re proud to be home to a large immigrant and refugee community. The panic and stress this impasse has caused our Dreamers is heartbreaking. Some returned to school after the break unsure if they’ll be able to complete the semester. Others worry about providing for their families,” said Pierce County Councilmember Derek Young.

“The government asked Dreamers to step forward with the promise of a path to legal status and betrayed that faith. In local government we rely on those relationships to encourage cooperation with law enforcement and service providers. Without that trust our community is less safe.”

“We recognize the many contributions to our country, culture, and communities by these young people,” said Snohomish County Council Chair Stephanie Wright. “We all benefit from being diverse, inclusive, and welcoming communities, and we urge Congress to work together to find a permanent solution.”

“Dreamers that came as children now build this country - and Cook County - as veterans, first responders, teachers and parents,” said Cook County, IL Commissioner Bridget Gainer. “As a country of immigrants when we bring the Dreamers out of the shadows we honor our past and fight for our future.”

County officials expressed in the letter that they have a particular interest in seeing the legal status of Dreamers resolved in a manner that allows them to stay in the communities they call home, and that it is the role and responsibility of local government leaders to protect the rights of their constituents.

“On behalf of OneAmerica, Washington’s largest immigrant advocacy organization, this example of broad support by local elected leaders from across the nation underscores the urgency felt by so many communities for action by Congress to address the crisis created by the President’s decision to rescind DACA,” said OneAmerica Executive Director Rich Stolz.

“At a time when racial animus is playing such a prominent role in national politics, local leaders and communities are clear that protecting these young Americans who know no other home affirms our values as a compassionate and just nation. The growing chorus of voices is clear: Congress must act now.”



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County Council transforms how juveniles are detained in King County

Monday, December 11, 2017

County Councilmember
Rod Dembowski
County Council votes to implement restructure mission of Children and Family Justice Center and juvenile justice in King County 

The Metropolitan King County Council voted Monday to implement the recommendations of: Working to Reduce the Use of Secure Confinement, a report by Dr. Eric Trupin, as policy guidance to transform the County’s approach to juvenile justice and the construction of the Children and Family Justice Center (CFJC).

“Earlier this year, Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell and I called for a rethinking of the new youth jail,” said Council Vice Chair Rod Dembowski. “This report recommends major changes to the construction and operation of the new youth jail. I hope the Executive and County will take Dr. Trupin’s recommendations to heart and implement them.”

Councilmember Larry Gossett, who played a key role in the implementation of the County’s Juvenile Justice Operational Master Plan (JJOMP), said,

“Over the last decade, we have worked to create a ‘paradigm shift’ in the treatment of young people and people of color in the criminal justice system. Accepting these recommendations is the vital next step in that shift. We must give youth the tools they need to succeed if we’re serious about our goal of zero youth detention.”

Voters approved the construction of the CFJC in 2012. As the County shifted its focus toward achieving zero youth detention Dr. Trupin, a professor at the University of Washington and Vice-Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, reviewed several aspects of the new facility with an emphasis on:
  • The impact of trauma on youth and the need to incorporate best practices into facility design,
  • Staff training and interactions with youth in detention to better understand our current and future facility needs regarding a therapeutic environment for youth, including services and spaces in the facility,
  • Existing services in juvenile detention and how they could be better aligned with our community alternatives to detention and Safe Spaces proposal.

Trupin’s report made several recommendations in how the CFJC can be used to help the county in its transition into a zero detention future:
  • A continuing focus on alternatives to incarceration,
  • Prioritizing expansion or development of programs to eliminate racial disparities,
  • Incorporating trauma-informed care to all parts of the juvenile justice system,
  • Increasing collaboration with community and faith-based organizations to improve outcomes for youthful offenders. 

The legislation approved by the Council Monday makes the recommendations in Trupin’s report a framework for implementation and calls on the County Executive to work in partnership with our Courts, Prosecutor and Public Defender to deliver on our juvenile justice reform policies and goals.



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