Dunn issues statement on new King County chat message retention policy

March 3, 2025

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn on Monday released the following statement after Executive Dow Constantine announced that King County employee Teams chat messages would now be retained and subject to public disclosure. Dunn had last week introduced legislation alongside Councilmember Rod Dembowski to establish retention of chat messages to bring the county in line with new state policy.

“Transparency in government is fundamental to maintaining the trust and confidence of the people it serves. Allowing citizens to clearly see how decisions are made fosters accountability and strengthens democracy. Preserving records of all types helps ensure that elected officials work in the best interests of the public and is consistent with our state's values and the will of the people.”