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 January 8, 2026
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Dear Neighbor,
I hope your 2026 is off to a great start. You likely first heard from my office during the recent historic flooding event that impacted much of South King County. I hope the information we shared was helpful. I appreciated hearing back from so many of you. I’m deeply grateful to our residents, first responders, public works crews, regional leaders, and partner agencies who stepped up during that emergency, and to everyone who stayed informed and looked out for their neighbors.
This newsletter marks the start of a more regular way for us to stay connected. My goal is to share clear, timely information about what’s happening at King County, what it means for District 5, and opportunities for you to engage. My commitment is to keep this information useful, accessible, and grounded in what matters most to District 5.
I invite you to take a brief survey to share the issues most important to you and your family: King County Council District 5 – Constituent Survey. Your feedback will help shape my priorities and inform future Council decisions.
I’m honored to serve as your King County Councilmember and look forward to working with you in the months ahead.
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Each year, the King County Council reorganizes and assigns members to committees that shape our policy and oversight work. This year, I’m proud to share that I will be serving as Chair of the Transportation, Economy, and Environment Committee and Chair of the Regional Transit Committee.
In these roles, I’ll be focused on issues that matter deeply to South King County, including affordability, economic opportunity, public safety, and reliable transit. I’m especially excited to help ensure South King County residents and businesses can fully benefit from regional opportunities ahead, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
I will also serve as Vice Chair of the Government Accountability and Oversight Committee. A concern I hear frequently is that residents don’t always see clear results from the investments they make. In this role, I’m committed to being a strong voice for accountability, transparency, and measurable outcomes, particularly for South King County.
I will also serve on several other internal and external committees, including the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee, and the King County Flood Control District.
Finally, I am honored to have been appointed to the Sound Transit Board, which oversees our regional transit system across multiple counties. Thank you to Executive Zahilay for the privilege to represent South King County on this board, alongside fellow South King County leader, Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod, as we work to deliver safe, reliable, and equitable transit for our region.
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The Council held its first meeting of 2026 on Tuesday. We were pleased to honor longtime King County resident and current Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings. In addition, the Council unanimously reappointed Kymber Waltmunson as King County Auditor and began consideration of the re-appointment of the Director of the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight.
Read the minutes from the December 9th Regular Meeting and December 29th Special Meeting:
How to Follow & Participate in Council Meetings:
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Although this flooding occurred during my first few weeks on the job, emergencies can happen at any time, and this was a significant one. I want to again express my sincere gratitude to King County employees, emergency service providers, local elected leaders, public works departments for each of the impacted cities, and our partners across all levels of government, including Governor Bob Ferguson and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, who responded quickly, effectively, and collaboratively. This was a truly historic weather event and a strong reminder of the importance of signing up for King County Alerts. You can sign up here.
Desimone Levee
As you may recall from my last update, the Desimone Levee in Tukwila sustained damage during the storm. Thanks to early detection, constant monitoring, and swift coordination by public service employees, crews were able to respond immediately—preventing a larger disaster.
As of today, repairs to the levee remain strong and continue to hold. The site will remain under close monitoring while the Flood Control District investigates the damage and incorporates those findings into long-term repair and reinforcement planning. Local leaders will continue to meet with the Flood Control District to ensure necessary repairs are completed and to identify ways to further strengthen intergovernmental coordination.
Flood Recovery Efforts and Resources
Recovery is now underway, with state and county partners working together to support impacted residents, businesses, and local governments.
The State of Washington has committed $3.5 million in recovery funding, and King County has committed an additional $1.5 million to support flood recovery efforts across affected communities. These funds will help address immediate recovery needs and support longer-term efforts as damage assessments continue.
County and local officials are coordinating closely to ensure resources are directed where they are most needed, and my office will continue to share updates as additional assistance becomes available.
Storm debris disposal
The Bow Lake Recycling and Transfer Station (18800 Orillia Rd. S, Tukwila) will continue to accept storm debris free of charge on January 10–11, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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This week, I also attended Renton and Kent City Council Meetings to watch the swearing in ceremonies for new and returning leadership (I will be attending the Des Moines City Council meeting tonight). Additionally, I met with the Mayor of SeaTac, leadership from the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, 4Culture, King County Regional Homelessness Authority, and the Auditor’s Office, attended a holiday reception hosted by the Muckleshoot Tribe, spoke to the Bellevue Chamber Transportation Committee, and received briefings on the Sound Transit South King County Subarea and the King County Fire Districts.
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Steffanie Fain
King County Councilmember, District 5
(206) 477-1005 Send me an email
www.kingcounty.gov/fain
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