2009 Executive Office news releases

King County residents are invited to provide public comment on the nomination of eight historic county roads as community landmarks at a public hearing hosted by the King County Landmarks Commission.

King County offices will be closed June 19 for furlough
On Friday, June 19, 2009, most King County staff will be on unpaid leave and most county buildings will be closed as the county takes the fifth of 10 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.

King County is preparing to offer a multi-year extension of contracts with the 36 cities it provides jail services to after a new analysis shows a decline in jail use. The new analysis of jail bed use seems to indicate a trend where construction of new jail space can be slowed, allowing the cities and county more time to explore how best to meet future needs.

Death of inmate while in custody
An inmate in the custody of the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention died early this morning, June 4, 2009, at Harborview Medical Center. The person, an adult male, was booked into the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) on June 1, and was transferred to Harborview on June 2, where he remained until his death.

Lifeboat funding to end for many services facing elimination while stop-gap measures save some public health, criminal justice and human services
More than three-quarters of a million in public health services and nearly a half million in human services that are in the figurative budget lifeboat will disappear July 1, 2009 because King County does not have enough money to sustain the services. But, using new funding tools granted by the legislature this spring, Executive Kurt Triplett is transmitting a $2.8 million 2009 supplemental budget today that gives six more months of funding for pandemic flu-related health services, unfunded mandates, some homeless services and a two-month reprieve for the Evergreen Pool in White Center.

Executive Triplett proposes upgrades to King County public disclosure program and public record request handling
Residents requesting public records from King County will find the process more streamlined and easier to navigate under a new ordinance proposed by Executive Kurt Triplett. The ordinance, which covers public records and how the county retains records, follows the recent adoption by the state Attorney General’s office of King County’s approach as a model policy for how public records requests are handled statewide.

History-preserving projects earn county’s Spellman Award
Two landmark property owners who have significantly enhanced North Bend and Snoqualmie’s historic downtowns, a unique Snoqualmie museum that restored a caboose associated with the region’s logging industry; and partners involved in creating an exemplary interpretive center at Scenic on the Iron Goat Trail are all being honored by King County next week in celebration of National Historic Preservation Month.

Triplett's statement on being appointed Executive
I want to express my sincere gratitude to the County Council for choosing me for the tremendous honor of following Ron Sims as King County Executive. I want to also thank the other county elected leaders and the many community members who participated in the process to choose the new executive.

Sims resigns
King County Executive Ron Sims has been sworn in as Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, DC and officially resigned his position as Executive. By Executive Order, the delegated line of succession establishes Sims’ Chief of Staff Kurt Triplett as Interim County Executive with all of the powers and duties of the office.