Recent Executive Office press releases

King County Executive Dow Constantine today appointed William (Bill) Kehoe as the county’s new Chief Information Officer (CIO) and director of the county’s Office of Information Resource Management. Kehoe comes from the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) where he has served as the department’s first CIO since 2002.  Learn more...

Technological innovations that improved voting turnout and transparency, increased transit efficiencies, and helped residents better prepare for floods have resulted in four awards for IT excellence for King County.   Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine this afternoon welcomed modifications made today to the local option sales tax measure adopted last week by the King County Council.  Learn more...

King County government will set measurable goals to deliver County services that meet or exceed standards of professionalism, efficiency, quality and customer service, under the first-ever King County Strategic Plan unanimously adopted today by the Metropolitan King County Council.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine and Metropolitan King County Councilmembers Jan Drago and Julia Patterson today thanked the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) for approving a $15 million contribution toward replacement of the South Park Bridge.   Learn more...

Friends of the Hidden River, a community group comprised of local teachers, partnered with King County on the design of the Center at Brightwater, which is now in construction just north of Woodinville. Jointly they have secured a $40,000 grant from Snohomish County Public Utility District for the installation of a rooftop solar array on the facility.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine this afternoon praised the King County Council for its leadership in placing a measure to preserve current levels of public safety and health before voters on the November general election ballot.  Learn more...

Saying he will lead by example to contain the cost of government, King County Executive Dow Constantine today froze his salary and those of his appointed leadership, eliminating the group’s cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and step increases for next year. As part of his effort to close an estimated $60 million gap in the general fund budget for next year, the Executive also proposed extending an existing countywide hiring freeze by making many current position vacancies permanent.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine has appointed Christie True to lead King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP). True currently serves as the director of DNRP’s Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) and is a 25-year veteran of King County and Metro, where she started work in 1984 as a water quality technician.  Learn more...

Performance management tracking systems developed in King County government could help governments nationwide improve how they track the condition of a community and measure the success of services being provided to their residents.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today unveiled an Energy Plan that will continue and expand County efforts to reduce energy use, stimulate development of green technologies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save taxpayer dollars.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine and Metropolitan King County Councilmember Jan Drago today thanked the state Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) for its motion at this morning’s board meeting approving a $10 million contribution toward replacement of the South Park Bridge.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine this week proposed renewal of an innovative partnership with the City of Seattle that protects rural lands by transferring development rights from rural areas to the urban area.   Learn more...

Governor Chris Gregoire today pledged $20 million from the state of Washington toward construction of a new South Park Bridge, bringing the funding package up to more than half of the $131 million needed to replace the 79-year-old span.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today received a letter signed by all nine members of the Seattle City Council pledging $15 million toward replacement of the South Park Bridge.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine will seek funding for more protective gear for King County corrections officers and additional options for less-than-lethal force, following his review of a disturbance that occurred at the King County Jail on March 28.   Learn more...

Land that stood vacant last week is now a temporary demonstration garden that county employees will use to teach each other how to grow healthy food. Made entirely of scavenged or donated items, the garden was initiated by employees in a workplace culture that promotes good health as a way to reduce rising health care costs.  Learn more...

King County government has preserved AAA credit ratings despite the continued effects of global recession and an ongoing budget deficit.   Learn more...

Software developers and interested residents in King County are being asked to help guide the county's expanded access to the public data that it stores. Next week, King County will host the first countywide workshop on open data, bringing together local innovators and county staff to brainstorm next steps for the County's new data ordinance.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine has directed Executive-branch agencies to evaluate all cash transactions for compliance with the county’s policies and procedures, following the arrest of a suspect in the theft of about $7,500 in cash receipts from a locked safe in the office of the King County Marine Division.   Learn more...

Transit riders in South King County can expect more and faster transit service starting this fall with the County Council approval today of legislation establishing the first of six RapidRide transit lines. King County Executive Dow Constantine applauded the vote.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today thanked U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, for her efforts in securing $44 million in emergency funding today for interim repairs to the Howard Hanson Dam. At Senator Murray's invitation, Executive Constantine joined regional and state leaders in Washington, D.C., last week to impress upon federal officials the critical need for immediate dam repairs.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today proposed creating a regional jail planning group and providing cities with 150 beds in the King County Jail until 2020.  Learn more...

Hundreds of King County parents, teachers and community members are expected to turn out tomorrow with King County Executive Dow Constantine to celebrate the in-class, on-field or on-stage accomplishments of more than 700 student-athletes at the 23rd annual Paul Robeson Scholar-Athlete Awards.  Learn more...

King County government is setting measurable goals for its future that are service-oriented and fiscally responsible, under the first-ever King County Strategic Plan sent to the King County Council today by County Executive Dow Constantine.   Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today thanked the Metropolitan King County Council for confirming his appointee for Director of the Department of Development and Environmental Services, the building and land use permitting agency for unincorporated King County. John Starbard has served as acting director since March 1.  Learn more...

King County residents who depend on the Evergreen Pool in North Highline will get more certainty of the pool’s presence thanks to a proposed ordinance King County Executive Dow Constantine transmitted to the King County Council today. The transmittal finalizes the newly-reopened pool’s transfer to the Highline School District.   Learn more...

Emergency managers from King County and the cities of Auburn, Kent, Renton and Tukwila report a relatively smooth test of the CodeRED and MyStateUSA emergency notification systems on Tuesday.   Learn more...

King County’s transition to a new regional model for the provision of animal services received a boost today with the addition of a longtime city of Seattle director who once had oversight of the Seattle Animal Shelter. King County Executive Dow Constantine today named Ken Nakatsu as the Manager of Regional Animal Services for King County Animal Care and Control (KCACC).  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today welcomed the city of Seattle’s engagement in the process of replacing the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge.  Learn more...

Residents who pay their property taxes themselves rather than through a mortgage lender will receive their 2010 statements in the mail sometime the week of February 16.   Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today praised the work of Senator Patty Murray and President Barack Obama to dedicate $590 million for improvements to the rail lines connecting Vancouver B.C., Seattle, Portland, and Eugene.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today condemned the brutal assault of a Metro Transit operator over the weekend:   Learn more...

King County will join the rest of the nation on January 18 in celebrating the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service in 1994. It is the only federal holiday observed as a day of service and King County leaders today encouraged all residents to contribute their time and talents in some way this weekend to public service.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine today ordered an inquest into the shooting death of Maurice Clemmons by a Seattle police officer on December 1, 2009. Clemmons was confronted in the 4400 block of South Kenyon Street in South Seattle after a two-day manhunt for the killer of four Lakewood police officers in Pierce County.  Learn more...

More than 700 people packed the Paramount Theatre in Seattle today to celebrate the accomplishments of men and women in this region who share Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of "Marching to the Dream," the theme of King County's 23rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.   Learn more...

In Olympia today to hear the Governor's "State of the State" address, King County Executive Dow Constantine had these comments following her speech:   Learn more...

On Thursday, Dec. 24, most King County staff will be on unpaid leave and most county buildings will be closed as the county takes the tenth of ten furlough days in 2009 to cut operational costs countywide. All department employees, with limited exceptions, such as those in public-safety functions, are included in the furlough plan. County offices will also be closed Friday, Dec. 25 for the Christmas holiday.  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine and County Council Chair Bob Ferguson issued the following statements regarding the shooting incident in Pierce County that critically wounded two Sheriff's deputies  Learn more...

King County Executive Dow Constantine congratulated Boeing on the successful first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after a successful maiden voyage.  Learn more...

For the first time since taking office, King County Executive Dow Constantine today toured facilities and locations in the Green River Valley that may be adversely affected by flood waters from the federal Howard Hanson Dam. Accompanied by key flood planning staff, the Executive received briefings from emergency managers, regional partners, and other elected officials at locations in and around the Green River Valley.  Learn more...