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

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

After growing calls for the Director of the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) to resign, I introduced legislation this week asking the King County Council to adopt tougher standards of conduct for the position. 

The position of OLEO Director acts in a quasi-judicial capacity, conducting investigations into allegations involving the Sheriff’s Office, and is unfit for activism, inflammatory comments, or the appearance of bias of any kind. These standards would seek to protect the credibility of the position by making it clear that the role requires an individual who builds bridges, remains impartial in contentious situations, and seeks to earn the trust of the general public and law enforcement officers alike.

My proposed code of conduct comes after a controversial statement from OLEO Director Tamer Abouzeid defending Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel as un "unalienable right." This is not the first time Abouzeid’s social media posts have created backlash. His previous tweet calling for the dismantling of the King County Sheriff’s Office drew criticism from multiple members of the King County Council and a formal letter of admonishment from the Council's Chair. These statements undermine public confidence that OLEO is executing its investigatory duties in a fair and unbiased manner. 

I view this matter as very important for good governance in King County and will keep you updated on my legislation as it is considered by the Council. 

All my best,

Reagan Dunn
King County Councilmember
District 9

Dunn honors Northwood Middle School with "Jaguar Way" road designation

Left to right: Kent School Board Vice President Meghin Margel, Principal Scott Haines, former Northwood Middle School student Natayla Jackson, and King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn unveil the new road signs on Jaguar Way in Fairwood.

Earlier this week, I joined Kent School Board Vice President Meghin Margel, Northwood Middle School Principal Scott Haines, Northwood staff and students, and King County Roads staff to celebrate the honorary road designation of SE 184^th St. in Fairwood as Jaguar Way after the Northwood mascot, the jaguar. We are proud to call this road Jaguar Way to celebrate our students and honor the parents, teachers, administrators, all other staff who have worked hard to make sure children in Fairwood have access to the best education possible!

King County Flood Control District awards $12.3 million for flood reduction projects

Flood Control District Chair Reagan Dunn at a project on the Cedar River

This week, the King County Flood Control District Board of Supervisors approved $12.3 million in grant funding for projects that reduce the impacts of flooding in King County. This year, the Flood Reduction Grant program will provide funding to 27 flood reduction projects.

As Chair of the Flood Control District, I am pleased to support this funding for critical projects that bolster our communities’ protection against flooding, including:

• $850,000 to the City of Maple Valley to fund a project to replace corroded and undersized driveway culverts at South Fork Jenkins Creek with fish-passable culverts or bridges that can handle larger water flows
• $1 million to the City of Newcastle to remove a railroad embankment at Newport Hills Creek that is acting as a dam and is in danger of failing
• $500,000 to fund the King Conservation District’s and King County’s Agricultural Drainage Assistance Program, meant to bring farmland back into production through the maintenance of agricultural waterways
• $378,000 to Drainage District #5 to replace a deteriorated and undersized piped conveyance system that drains a large area in the City of Enumclaw
• $335,000 to King County Parks & Recreation Division to improve fish passage, enhance stream habitat, and improve flood conveyance for North Fork Newaukum Creek where it crosses an abandoned Northern Pacific Railway 
• $50,000 to the Fairwood Villa Condominiums Homeowners Association to hire an engineer who can determine whether frequent repair and inspection of the pipes is sufficient to prevent future flooding.

Veterans Service Organization Grants

Veterans Service Organization grants are awarded to community organizations within King County Council District 9 that provide services to veterans or promote veterans' issues. If you are a veterans organization in District 9 that is interested in applying or learning more, contact my Legislative Aide Jack Ipsen at jack.ipsen@kingcounty.gov. Applications are due November 10, 2023.