Drafter
Clerk 07/01/2026
Title
AN ORDINANCE relating to the King County Medal of Distinguished Service program to be awarded by members of the King County council; amending Ordinance 18165, Section 1 and Ordinance 18165, Section 2; and adding a new chapter to K.C.C. Title 1.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
Section 1. Ordinance 18165, Section 1, as amended by this ordinance, Ordinance 18165, Section 2, as amended by this ordinance, and section 4 of this ordinance should constitute a new chapter in K.C.C. Title 1.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 18165, Section 1, is hereby amended to read as follows:
A. There is hereby established ((a)) an award called the King County Medal of Distinguished Service, to be awarded annually by the King County council in conjunction with the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. ((The medal shall be awarded to no more than nine individuals annually who have made a positive impact on the community through service.)) Each councilmember may designate one recipient each year. for the annual award. The medal shall be presented in council chambers or other appropriate venue by the King County council with each councilmember participating in recognizing that member's medal recipient, at a time designated by the council chair.
B. In addition to the nine annual awards, the medal may also be awarded by a majority of the King County council in accordance with chapter 42.30 RCW at any other time of the year in extraordinary circumstances. An individual may be eligible to receive the award in extraordinary circumstances for exceptional service to the people of King County, and it is appropriate to recognize the person's contribution at a time other than the annual awards, as set forth in subsection A. of this section. In such cases, the medal shall be presented in council chambers or other appropriate venue by the King County council at a time designated by the council chair, in consultation with all councilmembers in the event the presentation is in a venue other than council chambers.
Section 3. Ordinance 18165, Section 2, and is hereby amended to read as follows:
A person is eligible to receive the ((medal)) award if the person resides in King County, does not hold an elected office other than that of precinct committee officer and has not previously received the award. Each councilmember electing to designate a an award ((medal)) recipient shall submit the name of ((an)) the award recipient to the clerk of the council ((by the end of the second week of December each year)) no later than a date provided by the council chair, except as otherwise provided in Ordinance 18165, Section 2.B.
NEW SECTION. Section 4. There is hereby added to the new chapter created in section 1 of this ordinance a new section to read as follows:
The award shall be memorialized by an appropriate medal, comprised of
appropriate materials and design befitting the nature of the award, to be given to each award recipient.