File #: 2015-0442    Version: 1
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
File created: 11/2/2015 In control: Government Accountability and Oversight Committee
On agenda: Final action: 11/16/2015
Enactment date: 11/25/2015 Enactment #: 18165
Title: AN ORDINANCE establishing the King County Medal of Distinguished Service program to be awarded annually by members of the King County council.
Sponsors: Rod Dembowski, Pete von Reichbauer, Reagan Dunn, Kathy Lambert, Larry Phillips, Larry Gossett
Indexes: Council
Attachments: 1. Ordinance 18165.pdf, 2. 2015-0442_SR_MedalOfService.docx, 3. 2015-0442_ATT1_Proposed_Ordinance.doc
Staff: Zoppi, Leah

Drafter

Clerk 10/16/2015

Title

AN ORDINANCE establishing the King County Medal of Distinguished Service program to be awarded annually by members of the King County council.

Body

PREAMBLE:

On February 24, 1986, in Motion 6461, the council established "the historical basis for the 'renaming' of King County in honor of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man whose contributions are well-documented and celebrated by millions throughout this nation and the world, and embody the attributes for which the citizens of King County can be proud."

On April 19, 2005, Governor Christine Gregoire signed Engrossed Senate Bill 5332, designating Dr. King as the person after whom King County is named.

On February 27, 2006, in Ordinance 15378, the council established the official symbol of King County to be the likeness of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The mission statement for King County government is to provide "fiscally responsible, quality-driven local and regional services for healthy, safe, and vibrant communities."

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a national hero, honored by the federal government and the governments of all fifty states with a holiday in his honor, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and an inspiring force in the struggle for human rights, civil liberties and economic opportunity.

Community volunteers embody the spirit of service exemplified by Dr. King in the contributions they make toward improving the human condition.

King County has acknowledged the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday is an important time for community service, recognizing it as "a day on, not a day off."

Volunteers contribute to the mission of King County government by providing services that advance the health, safety and vibrancy of communities within the county.

Within the communities of King County, more than thirty thousand people volunteered for United Way of King County in Fiscal Year 2014 and over four thousand volunteer hours are given to the King County Library System each week.

King County government operations benefitted from volunteers serving as victims' advocates for the King County prosecutor's office, fostering animals for King County's Pet Adoption Center and performing fifty-six thousand hours of service stewarding King County parks and trails in 2014.

Recognizing and promoting volunteerism and community service will encourage others to volunteer and serve the community.

                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

                     Section 1.  There is hereby established a 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.  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.

                     Section 2.  A person is eligible to receive the medal 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 medal recipient shall submit the name of an award recipient to the clerk of the council by the end of the second week of December each year.

                     Section 3.  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.