Constantine: Partnerships will lead King County to prosperity
SEATTLE -- More than a year after evacuating to escape the threat of flooding, the King County elections office will move back to its state-of-the-art building in Renton.
That’s just one of many announcements Dow Constantine made during his state of the county address Monday.
The county executive praised county employees for being more efficient. He says they've met budget challenges -- not just by cutting programs, but stretching resources.
Constantine says they’re changing the culture of performance, with employees as partners, redirecting how they do business. He says this year's budget will be balanced because they are engaging employees to help save money.
And he announced new initiatives he says will help even more to get people back to work.
Constantine says the county needs to keep building partnerships. "The choices we make have a lasting and profound impact," he said.
Choices, he says, like selling the little used Aukeen Courthouse in Kent, to the city of Kent and moving more operations into the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center. The deal is still in the works, but the proposal is for Kent to pay $6 million for it.
Constantine says the county also needs to make sure large and long term projects move forward, like rebuilding the South Park Bridge and getting the viaduct tunnel built.
"We can provide the foundation for economic recovery and sustainable prosperity that will keep the state of our county moving forward," he said.
Constantine also says the county needs to keeping partnerships with community groups, like TRAC Associates, who provide training for unemployed workers to clean up sites in the Duwamish Manufacturing and Industrial area.
"Well right now you know this economy, it's been really difficult to find a job," said Anu Waku, with TRAC Associates. "We work with clients; we prepare them that. It's really difficult to land a job. We work with them we do job readiness, we prepare them for the program and we work with employers. We're hoping now that it's looking up and we're hoping to place them in the area they're trained in."
Rickey Matthews just completed the job training program through TRAC, earning a dozen different certifications.
"I learned a lot of things about lead and abatement, asbestos, hazardous waste and different areas like that," Matthews said. But Matthews is still looking for a full time job.
"It’s been really bad," Waku said. "It's been really bad, some of my clients have been out of work for the last 2 years, a year and that's been difficult, really difficult to be without a job for a year or two."
And the county's now in the business of offering loans to small business owners.
"We've known for decades that small business create the majority of new jobs," said County business relations manager Ray Moser. "We also know that small businesses have the most difficult time getting credit, especially after the financial meltdown."
Moser says they're taking applications right now: "Well, we'll have a range of probably between $50,000 and $250,000 in terms of the loans that we would consider. It depends on the situation, credit worthiness of the borrower. But that's the typical range."
Moser says the county’s able to make the loans, using both local and federal money. Borrowers will have anywhere from 5 to 15 years to pay the money back.
That’s just one of many announcements Dow Constantine made during his state of the county address Monday.
The county executive praised county employees for being more efficient. He says they've met budget challenges -- not just by cutting programs, but stretching resources.
Constantine says they’re changing the culture of performance, with employees as partners, redirecting how they do business. He says this year's budget will be balanced because they are engaging employees to help save money.
And he announced new initiatives he says will help even more to get people back to work.
Constantine says the county needs to keep building partnerships. "The choices we make have a lasting and profound impact," he said.
Choices, he says, like selling the little used Aukeen Courthouse in Kent, to the city of Kent and moving more operations into the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center. The deal is still in the works, but the proposal is for Kent to pay $6 million for it.
Constantine says the county also needs to make sure large and long term projects move forward, like rebuilding the South Park Bridge and getting the viaduct tunnel built.
"We can provide the foundation for economic recovery and sustainable prosperity that will keep the state of our county moving forward," he said.
Constantine also says the county needs to keeping partnerships with community groups, like TRAC Associates, who provide training for unemployed workers to clean up sites in the Duwamish Manufacturing and Industrial area.
"Well right now you know this economy, it's been really difficult to find a job," said Anu Waku, with TRAC Associates. "We work with clients; we prepare them that. It's really difficult to land a job. We work with them we do job readiness, we prepare them for the program and we work with employers. We're hoping now that it's looking up and we're hoping to place them in the area they're trained in."
Rickey Matthews just completed the job training program through TRAC, earning a dozen different certifications.
"I learned a lot of things about lead and abatement, asbestos, hazardous waste and different areas like that," Matthews said. But Matthews is still looking for a full time job.
"It’s been really bad," Waku said. "It's been really bad, some of my clients have been out of work for the last 2 years, a year and that's been difficult, really difficult to be without a job for a year or two."
And the county's now in the business of offering loans to small business owners.
"We've known for decades that small business create the majority of new jobs," said County business relations manager Ray Moser. "We also know that small businesses have the most difficult time getting credit, especially after the financial meltdown."
Moser says they're taking applications right now: "Well, we'll have a range of probably between $50,000 and $250,000 in terms of the loans that we would consider. It depends on the situation, credit worthiness of the borrower. But that's the typical range."
Moser says the county’s able to make the loans, using both local and federal money. Borrowers will have anywhere from 5 to 15 years to pay the money back.
Learn about changes coming to commenting