Your Weekly Update on What's Happening at the King County Council  

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This week the King County Board of Health held our first meeting of 2023. I am honored to sit on the Board this year as we work to address what I believe are some of the most urgent problems facing our communities right now. I am especially interested in continuing our work to expand treatment options for those facing a substance use disorder.

In King County, fatal overdose have tragically soared to crisis levels. In 2022, over 1,000 individuals lost their lives from an overdose, largely due to the spread of fentanyl, which is increasingly available through the illegal drug trade. Just last month, the King County Sheriff’s Department and the Burien Police Department took nearly 500,000 fentanyl pills, 400 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 pounds of fentanyl powder, and 31 pounds of heroin off the streets. At the federal level, the DEA seized over 379 million deadly doses of fentanyl in 2022 – enough to kill every single American.

I believe the severity of the problem before us demands a whole-of-government approach. I look forward to the discussions we will have on the Board of Health about this and will keep all of you up to date on future developments.

All my best,

Reagan Dunn
King County Councilmember
District 9

Congrats to Our New KCSO Deputies!

KCSO Deputies Mazur, Stinson, Anderson, Curaming, and Lemus

Congratulations to the newest KCSO Basic Law Enforcement Academy graduates, Deputies Mazur, Stinson, Anderson, Curaming, and Lemus! We are grateful for your service to our community.

In 2021, amid severe staffing shortages at the King County Sheriff’s Office, I worked to get two solutions passed at the Council: 1) a new full-time recruiter position to focus on attracting quality candidates to the many KCSO vacancies, and 2) $4 million in our supplemental budget to fund hiring and retention bonuses for KCSO deputies. Building up our deputy workforce remains a work in progress, but I am very pleased to see these recruitment efforts taking effect.

As of this week, there remain 100 deputy vacancies at KCSO. If you or someone you know are interested in a career in law enforcement, you can find more information at the King County Sheriff's Office website. 

2023 King Conservation District Election

King Conservation District is holding an election for Seat #3 on the Board of Supervisors. Voting begins January 24, 2023 and ends February 14, 2023.. 

King Conservation District includes all registered voters in King County (excluding the cities of Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific, and Skykomish that do not participate in the District).

You will be able to access your ballot through the King Conservation District website starting January 24, 2023 at 8:00 am.

Learn more about the candidates here. 

King County 2024 Conservation Futures Grants

Conservation Futures grants can help acquire parks and open spaces for passive recreation such as urban greenspaces, natural areas, forests, community gardens, farms, and trails. There may be opportunities to partner on green stormwater park acquisitions, or help create open space or community gardens near affordable housing developments.

Applications are due on Monday, March 6^th, 2023. Visit the Conservation Futures application webpage for more information. 

4Culture Project Grants

4Culture Project grants can help you put your ideas in motion and share them with King County. Grants are awarded in three disciplines: arts, heritage, and preservation.

Applications are due March 23, 2023. Find more information at the 4Culture website.

In the News

• The Center Square: King County Parks Levy helps build a bridge to Pierce County