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Your Weekly Update on What's Happening at the King County Council
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This week, the King County Council commemorated Black History Month by proclamation, honoring the countless contributions of Black and African Americans to our nation. Black History Month, celebrated in the United States and Canada, is a time to remember and celebrate the many Black and African American individuals and stories in our history.
 King County Councilmembers sign a proclamation commemorating Black History Month. (From left to right: CM von Reichbauer, CM Zahilay, CM Perry, CM Mosqueda, Gwen Allen-Carston, CM Quinn, CM Dembowski, CM Balducci, CM Barón, and CM Dunn.)
Black History Month has special significance to King County, which was re-designated in honor of our country’s foremost civil rights leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1986, with the State Legislature making it official in 2005.
I’d like to invite all residents to join me this month in recognizing the many contributions of Black and African Americans to our region and our nation.
All my best,
 Reagan Dunn
King County Councilmember
District 9
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I had the privilege of joining the Newcastle community this week at their recent Lunar New Year celebration. It was a phenomenal event, and I had the additional honor of taking part in a proclamation ceremony presented to the city and the community by King County.
 Councilmember Reagan Dunn and others posing with a King County Proclamation for the Lunar New Year celebration. (From left to right: King County Executive staff member James Bush, Newcastle City Councilmember Sun Burford, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, Newcastle Mayor Robert Clark, Newcastle City Councilmember Tom Griffin.)
I want to give special recognition to the Newcastle Arts Council for their hard work and service in putting this event together. Thank you also to Newcastle Councilmember Sun Burford, the City of Newcastle and Mayor Robert Clark, the King County Library Newcastle Branch, and the many community members and volunteers who made this fantastic event possible!
It remains an incredible honor to represent such a wide array of vibrant communities throughout King County Council District 9.
So far, there have been 432 applications for assistance with over $7.6M in loan offers through the U.S. Small Business Administration, including 84 disbursements totaling over $1.6M to individuals and businesses. The Washington State Individual Assistance program has identified and invited 389 individuals with verified major or catastrophic damage to their primary residence to apply for disaster relief.
Through its Individual Assistance program, Washington State is offering financial assistance to eligible individuals and families severely impacted by the Nov. 19 bomb cyclone and windstorm. If your primary home had major damage or was destroyed, you may qualify for financial assistance if your household earns below the 80% median income for the area. The program can provide reimbursement for extended sheltering, home repairs, and certain other unmet needs caused by the disaster. More details on the program can be found on the WA Emergency Management Division website.
Major damage or destroyed means that only the foundation remains, or there is a partial or complete failure of the roof, the walls, framing, and/or the foundation. It also could mean that the residence has confirmed imminent danger such as impending landslides, mudslides, or sinkholes.
King County Emergency Management has attempted to contact everyone who reported damage to them to share information on what recovery funding may be available. If you believe you qualify but did not submit a damage survey, please email them at damagereporting@kingcounty.gov.
King County Emergency Management encourages eligible King County residents to apply online first with the Small Business Administration (SBA) at www.SBA.gov/disaster. If you need in-person help with the online application, you can go to the Renton or Bellevue Disaster Loan Outreach Center.
Both locations will be open through Friday, February 21. The location addresses and hours are:
Bellevue Regional Library, Room 5, Second Floor, 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
- Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
King County Elections Vote Center Room, 919 SW Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057
- Mondays – Fridays, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Please note that both locations will be closed on February 17 in observance of the Presidents Day holiday.
 Best Starts for Kids Child Care Wage Boost Pilot
Starting February 10, childcare facilities in King County can apply to be a part of the Best Starts for Kids Child Care Wage Boost Pilot. Applications will close March 7.
Eligible workers at selected facilities will be issued quarterly payments to increase their income through 2027.
Full-time workers who receive the wage boost can receive up to $2,080 quarterly. Part-time workers who receive the wage boost can receive up to $1,040 quarterly.
The Pilot is providing immediate investment to select workers to recognize their vital role in our community while gathering evidence to inform how on-going government investments benefit the childcare sector, workers, families, and the community.
Through the Wage Boost Pilot, $25 million will be distributed to about 1,400 workers. And over the course of the Pilot, evaluators will study the impact of the wage boost on worker well-being, employee retention, and quality of care.
If you have questions about the application process, eligibility, or what you need to do to get ready for application launch, visit the Pilot website.
New VSHSL funding opportunity: Vets Engaged (SE 7)
VSHSL seeks to fund entities to convene community-building events and activities that increase social engagement and connection for veterans, military servicemembers, and their respective families. The Vets Engaged program strives to reduce veterans' feelings of isolation by providing socialization opportunities for them and their families, to help address the inequities they may face while creatively building community.
Available funding: Organizations may apply for small short-term grants at set amounts of $10,000, $15,000, and $20,000 Investment period: Rolling application submission with set closing and review dates throughout the year Questions: Contact Katie Mahoney at kmahoney@kingcounty.gov Applications due:
By 2pm on Feb 28, 2025 for projected award start date of May 1, 2025.
By 2pm on May 30, 2025 for projected award start date of August 1, 2025.
If you have any questions or concerns, of if there is any way that my office can be of assistance to you in applying for these grants, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
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