Drafter
Clerk 10/22/2025
Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing the position of facilities management manager as a key subordinate unit; and amending Ordinance 11955, Section 12, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.100.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. Before 2002, the King County facilities management division was a county department named the department of construction and facilities management. In 2003, the department of construction and facilities management was created as a division of the department of executive services via Ordinance 14570.
2. The facilities management division contains seven sections and workgroups that collectively oversee and maintain building operations, major capital projects and planning, parking operations, real estate services, physical security, countywide printing needs, and financial tracking for all real property owned or leased by the county. The 2026-2027 proposed operating and capital budget for the facilities management division is $354 million.
2. The nature of the programs for which the facilities management division will be responsible in the future is evolving and the public policy implications from those programs will have a long term effect on the residents of King County. For example, planning for the future of the county’s downtown civic campus will intensify over the next biennium, which will have long term effect on how and where the county will deliver its services to residents. At the forefront will not only be the county’s capital planning for the civic campus but for all county facilities throughout the county. The facilities management division will be the lead agency in overseeing this planning. Additionally, the real property market is in flux; where people work and live is changing. The policy implications from this will directly impact the county’s infrastructure needs in the immediate and long term future, with the facilities management division as the lead agency on determining the county's needs for owning versus leasing space.
3. Irrespective of the title used by the executive branch regarding the position that is responsible for managing the facilities management division, under K.C.C. 2.16.020.D., divisions are headed by managers.
4. Having the manager of this vital division confirmed by the council will enhance the accountability and performance of King County's capital facilities programming.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings: The county council has determined due to the nature of the programs involved and the public policy implications, appointment of the manager of the facilities management division shall be subject to confirmation by the council in accordance with K.C.C. 2.16.100.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 11955, Section 12, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.100 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A. Exemptions from the requirements of the career service personnel system shall be consistent with the provisions of Sections 550, 350.10, and 350.20 of the King County Charter. Key subordinate units, as determined by the county council, and departmental divisions shall be considered to be executive departments. Divisions of administrative offices shall be considered to be administrative offices for the purpose of determining the applicability of the charter provisions.
B. The county administrative officer, directors, chief officers, and supervisors of departments, administrative offices, divisions, key subordinate units, and other units of county government as required by law shall be exempt from the requirements and provisions of the career service personnel system.
C.1. The following are determined by the council to be key subordinate units due to the nature of the programs involved and their public policy implications and appointments to these positions shall be subject to confirmation by the council:
a. the chief information officer of the administrative office of information resource management;
b. the deputy director of the department of elections;
c. the manager of the records and licensing services division; ((and))
d. the ((director)) manager of the road services division; and
e. the manager of the facilities management division.
2. When an ordinance is enacted designating a position as a key subordinate unit, no person then serving in the position shall continue to serve for more than ninety days after such enactment, unless reappointed by the executive and confirmed by the council.
D. If an administrative assistant or a confidential secretary, or both, for each director, chief officer of an administrative office, and supervisor of a key subordinate unit
are authorized, those positions are exempt from the requirements and provisions of the career service personnel system.