HomeMy WebLinkAboutSLO What November 2016
SLOWHAT
Employee Newsletter – November 2016
Katie’s Compass
News From H.R.
Birthdays
Years of Service
People Serving People
Pats on the Back
Upcoming Trainings
History of SLO
Katie’s Compass
I love our democracy! I mostly love election season! I trust the election process! All that being said, I join millions of
Americans who are looking forward to this election cycle ending very soon. As the election season draws to a close, it is
time to thank our elected officials for their tireless work on behalf of the residents, businesses and visitors. All five of the
councilmembers spend hours upon hours (essentially uncompensated because the pay is minimal) reviewing staff reports,
meeting with constituents, selecting advisory body members and otherwise engaged in the business of government. It is
commendable that they invest so much of themselves in service to our community.
The community will get the opportunity to welcome the new council and say farewell to those going off the council on
December 9th at Noon. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the entire council for their service to the community
and their guidance to staff during their respective terms. Each individual brings an important ingredient to council and has
helped staff serve in the best way possible. Thank you for your service and we (staff) look forward to serving whomever is
elected.
The last week has seen our community achieve a major milestone and I wanted to highlight it for the staff. It is NOT
celebrating Halloween but I thought I’d add the photo to add some humor to this edition of Katie’s Compass. The
milestone was the groundbreaking for 40 Prado Homeless Services Center. So many people have played a critical role in
making this a reality that I would miss someone if I tried to make a list. So I won’t name names. I’ll say without the vision
of the City Council (Homelessness was a major city goal), the dedication of staff and the generosity of community
members this idea would have languished. It is quite remarkable that in the last couple of years so much has been
accomplished – the Homeless Service Center has moved to the 40 Prado Road site, zoning changes were approved, design
was finalized, grant awards were formalized, and millions of dollars in donations were secured. There is much to be done
on this project but this week we celebrated a very happy occasion and I wanted to highlight this great accomplishment.
This project exemplifies that SLO HAS dedication, collaboration and generosity. The new center (replacing the Maxine
Lewis Homeless Shelter and Prado Day Center) will enhance our community and serve the neediest in our city. The photo
includes only some of the staff who were able to attend the groundbreaking – I realize there are many more who had a
hand in creating 40 Prado. Thank you for what you have done to date and keep up the good work.
As always reach out if you’d like to chat about what’s going on in the City. And enjoy election day!
News From
H.R.
By: Monica Irons, H.R. Director
Ten Best Kept Secrets of Human Resources…. That We Want You to Know About
Recently I’ve had conversations with employees who weren’t aware of some of the amazing resources and
benefits available to them. Some of the programs listed below have been around for a long time and some of
them have been created, updated, or retooled in the last year or so. Regardless, these are resou rces that we
really do want you to utilize. We thought it would be fun to make a puzzle out of this, so please match the program
titles to the appropriate description. Answers can be found on page 10.
1. Report A Problem.
2. Employee Referral Fee Program.
3. Check CalPERS mail at your home and pay attention to new insurance cards.
4. Performance Evaluation Dashboard.
5. Training Calendar.
6. Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
7. Tuition Reimbursement.
8. Wellness Rooms.
9. The Recruitment and Selection Guide.
10. Centralized Safety Policies.
A. Many of us made changes to our medical, dental, vision and/or life insurance during the recent open enrollment period.
Now it’s time to double and triple check to make sure the changes went into effect correctly so you have the coverage
when you need it.
B. The start of a new year is a great time to consider supplementing your formal education. This program provides a
benefit of up to $1,500 per fiscal year for tuition, registration, books, and lab fees for job related classes at accredited
institutions.
C. Insurance for claims against the City (trips and falls, golf balls through windows, tree limbs falling on cars, etc.) cost the
City over $1 million annually. You can help reduce these hazards by using this program to alert the appropriate City
department that can remedy the issue before there is a claim.
D. Timely, accurate, constructive feedback on employee performance is proven to be motivational for employees.
Supervisor and managers can easily access the due dates of their employees’ performance evaluations.
E. Employee safety is our top priority and every employees’ responsibility. Make sure you are familiar with the policies
that affect your work environment.
F. Holiday season is upon us and that means additional commitments, food temptations, and potential financial stresses.
This resource helps you manage your stress and includes legal and financial advice as well.
G. Whether you are looking at potential advancement opportunities internally or need to hire additional staff, this guide
will help answer your questions.
H. The proven best way to recruit is by hiring people that know current employees. These applicants have a more realistic
expectation and feel a connection to the organization and work. This program gives you a $500 award when a friend,
neighbor, former colleague, etc. is hired for a regular or contract position by the City.
I. Did I mention holiday stress? One of the best ways to combat stress is to exercise regularly. Visit these rooms to utilize
exercise equipment at the old library (next to City Hall and the AT&T Building) and at the Corp Yard. This makes
exercising convenient and is no cost to City employees.
J. Life-long learning is critical to keep skill sets current and employees engaged. Use this tool to plan a schedule of
investing in yourself in 2016-17.
November Birthdays
December Birthdays
ERIC J BAKER 2 PUBLIC WORKS
VICTOR S NUNEZ 3 POLICE
SHELSIE KLOEPPER 4 CDD
DAVID L MARSHALL 4 FIRE
JEFFERY R HENDRICKS 5 PUBLIC WORKS
JOHN A MAC DONALD 5 FIRE
RICHARD C OGDEN 6 PARKS & REC
JEFFREY D MIDDLETON 6 POLICE
CHRISTOPHER E GATTON 6 FIRE
SAMUEL R FOX II 6 FIRE
VIOLETA ESPARZA-RENIERE 7 PUBLIC WORKS
PATRICIA A KARP 7 POLICE
ERIC P LINCOLN 10 POLICE
MATTHEW A JECKELL 10 FIRE
PAMELA M OUELLETTE 11 UTILITIES
TOM C TINGLEY 11 UTILITIES
RONALD K GOMEZ 11 FIRE
JULIA M COX 12 FIRE
DANFORD K CHANG 13 UTILITIES
RANDALL T MARPLE 15 PARKS & REC
STEVEN G SHEATS 16 CDD
JEREMY P BEHRENS 16 POLICE
STEVEN G SMITH 17 UTILITIES
NOAH M EVANS 17 UTILITIES
JODY J LARSON 17 FIRE
MATTHEW M LIPSON 17 FIRE
RONALD P FARIA JR 18 PUBLIC WORKS
NATHAN E WILLIAMS 18 FIRE
HALEY A PARKER 19 FIT
WILLIAM C PROLL 19 POLICE
JEREMY J GEARHART 20 UTILITIES
RICHARD K NOVICK 20 UTILITIES
ADAM J FUKUSHIMA 21 PUBLIC WORKS
KEITH A STORTON 21 POLICE
JOHN C STALEY 22 PUBLIC WORKS
DEVIN C HYFIELD 22 PARKS & REC
JERALD M DAVIS 23 UTILITIES
ALEC M FLATOS 24 FIRE
ANNE C FAIRCHILD 25 UTILITIES
JOSEPH S HURNI 26 POLICE
NOLAN I PARSONS 26 POLICE
VILMA S WARNER 27 FIT
AARON J SCHAFER 28 POLICE
MICHAEL B CODRON 29 CDD
JON M ANSOLABEHERE 30 ATTORNEY
REBECCA GERSHOW 30 CDD
CHRISTOPHER D BABB 30 UTILITIES
YEARS of Service
NICOLA LEYSHON 1 FIT
JEFFREY W JENKINS 1 PUBLIC WORKS
ANNE M SCHNEIDER 2 CDD
CHRISTOPHER OLCOTT 2 CDD
STEVEN E DUNTON 2 UTILITIES
JAMES T SIMPSON 3 CDD
MOLLY Q CANO 4 ADMIN
RACHEL L COHEN 4 CDD
DEVIN C HYFIELD 4 PARKS & REC
JEFFREY D MIDDLETON 4 POLICE
DEREK JOHNSON 5 FIT
NICOLE A LAWSON 7 PUBLIC WORKS
KEVIN R CHRISTIAN 8 CITY CLERK
KENNETH J CHACON 8 CDD
GEORGE A BERRIOS 9 POLICE
KATHRYN E STANLEY 10 PUBLIC WORKS
WILLIAM J MONTIJO 10 UTILITIES
CHARLES E CORROW 10 UTILITIES
MATTHEW A CYESTER 10 UTILITIES
JENNIFER J HYMAN 12 POLICE
JEREMY P BEHRENS 13 POLICE
CRYSTAL L LOCARNINI 17 POLICE
MARJORIE A MENESEZ 17 POLICE
MICHAEL R KING 18 FIRE
ERIK S BASKIN 18 FIRE
JODY J LARSON 18 FIRE
RANDAL J STEVENSON 24 UTILITIES
DEAN TY FURUKAWA 25 UTILITIES
JOHN MILLAR 27 UTILITIES
Chief Olson,
Unfortunately, I needed your department’s paramedic services last Saturday night. My wife is much better; we are working
on a solution to her loss of consciousness but I’m sure she will be ok. The team that came to my house to aid in this mo st
scary time for me was as professional and helpful as is possible. They showed up promptly, handled the emergency quickly
and professionally. Everything about them was perfect. I could not offer more praise for a group of professionals doing their
job. This is the second time in my life I needed the SLO fire department and both times I was impressed. The rest of my life I
will sing the praises of your men and women and the department in general. Thanks to all who contributed and the fine
leadership that guides them! One of the best feelings an aging man can have is to know that he lives in a town so well
protected by dedicated professionals.
Thanks to all!!!
Rob Cruttenden
To: Don Moore, Jessica Gibson, Mark Sadowski, Jim Simpson and CDD Team
From: Williams Sonoma
Mark; Thank you for your attentiveness. Please share this with your staff.
Now that this project is completed, please let me share this word of appreciation to all those in the SLO building department .
I have to tell you that by far this has been one of the best building departments that I have worked with. I build stores all over
the country and have never experienced a more helpful group of building officials. Not that we did not have our challenges,
but in those all of you sincerely tried to help us resolve them. A special thanks to Don Moore, our building inspector. As an
example; He gave us his cell # and when we ran into a problem, He not only answered the phone, but took the time to come
by to help us resolve it in a way that would meet the building codes. Additional several times there was a need to revise the
plans due to existing conditions. Your office staff was able to keep our project moving by reviewing the changes over the
counter. You cannot imagine what a great help this was. A few other things that I appreciated was that I could call in for an
inspection, and a real person answered the phone, and very pleasantly scheduled my inspection for the next day. Even
giving me the choice of morning or afternoon inspection, and then (and this was a very pleasant feature) she asked me if I
wanted the inspector to give me a call before he came! Another pleasant surprise was that you (Mark Sadowski) Personally
walked to my job site, not once, but twice to hand me the TCO that would allow us to open the store on time.
Again; Please extend a heartfelt thank you to all the SLO building department staff.
Sincerely:
Jose Alestra
Project Manager
Crane Construction
PEOPLE serving PEOPLE
Hey Jake (Hudson) and Luke (Schwartz):
I was at the High Street neighborhood safety meeting last Tuesday night with my son. He is 12 and has taken it upon himself
to write a paper regarding the importance of voting and as he has brainstormed ideas it has mostly been negative (likely due
to all of the negativity that surrounds the election cycles, this one in particular has been intense). I wanted him to see so me
“political” action on a much smaller scale and introduce him to some of the less-politicized local officials. I was a little
reluctant to take him to a public meeting knowing that they can sometimes be a little tense.
However, you guys did a great job of conducting the meeting while listening and responding to everyone’s concerns and
complaints and presenting solutions in a fair and objective manner. The result is my son had a great experience and was
impressed with the positivity of both you guys as the local officials and the neighb orhood community members all working
together. I don’t know if this is a regular occurrence here in SLO but it was a really nice experience for us and just wanted to
say thanks and let you know that we appreciate what you do.
Thanks, Ben
Save the Date!
Food: Taco Bar, courtesy of
Taqueria de Santa Cruz
Activities
For the Kids
Photo
Booth
If you’re bringing a child that would like to
decroate a ginerbread house, please sign up
here.
Bake-Off
Contest
(sign up here)
Ugly
Sweater
Contest
What: The Annual Holiday Party
Who: City Employees & their families- kids welcome!
When: Tuesday, December 6th
5:30-8:30 PM
Where: The Monday Club
1815 Monterey Street
San Luis Obispo
JOIN PACE
Why join PACE? I can give you 12
reasons….
For PACE Membership Info:
Contact Gus at x-6045
Luis Wine
Bar Gift
Card
$65
Over $1,000 in PRIZES
Join PACE and this
mystery grand
prize could have
your name on it!
2016 Prizes
???
Stay tuned
and sign up!
\
Health Insurance Changes
If you made a change to your health insurance
this open enrollment, you should have received
a letter from CalPERS regarding your change.
Carefully review this letter to verify accuracy.
Changes go into effect January 1, 2017 – Since
we pay a month in advance for insurance, your
new deduction will appear on your December 8,
2016 payroll.
Keep your eyes on your mail at home because
you should be receiving your new insurance card
in mid-November thru mid-December.
For all insurance plans (except Access+)
CalPERS has contracted with a new Pharmacy
Benefit Manager for 2017 – OptumRx. In late
November, OptumRX will send a welcome
package to affected subscribers with more
details on prescription benefits and how to
maximize your benefits and save money.
News from H.R. –
Answers
1 C
2 H
3 A
4 D
5 J
6 F
7 B
8 I
9 G
10 E
Good morning, Chief Cantrell,
I know that you are quite busy but I need to share this experience with you. Last night my husband and I stopped at Taco Bell
on Santa Rosa around 6:45 to grab a quick bite to eat. As we pulled up we noticed an ambulance and a patrol SUV. The
SLO Police Officer reassured us that it was ok for us to go on in. Shortly after ordering our food, the Officer and ambulance
workers came in and began speaking to a woman sitting near us, who seemed to be a bit confused and a little nervous. After
a quick assessment, the ambulance workers left and the Officer stayed with her. His conversation with her was something
that I would never expect to hear. He told her he was concerned about her and that he wanted to make sure that she got
back to her hotel safely. He told her that she, "was the most important person to him at that exact moment." He even offered
to sit with her while she finished eating. His words were so kind and full of compassion.
In this day and age when you and your Officers do not get the support that you so very much deserve, I felt that I needed to
send this email to say, "thank you." SLO PD is and has always been a stellar Department. I've lived in the City for 24 years
and actually worked for the City for 18 and there is not one person in your Department that I don't think I would ever hesita te
to call if I needed to.
So, from the bottom of my heart, my sincere thanks to you and all of SLO PD for all you do to keep this community safe.
With so much respect and gratitude,
Elaina Cano
PEOPLE serving PEOPLE
Cont.
To our local Heroes:
We would like to say Thank You to you...........Our First Responders.
The men and women who work long, stressful hours away from their families, while they're protecting and saving the lives of
ours'.... Starting with the dispatchers that take that first frantic call.
You see humanity at their weakest, their sickest, and their lowest moments in their lives and you consistently show
compassion, empathy, professionalism, and unending vigilance.
The things you see da y in and day out; the unnecessary tragedies that could have been avoided; the sorrow for lives lost;
and the evil things that man is capable of, weigh heavy on your hearts, we're sure. The decisions you have to make in
dangerous, stressful situations do not come easily, because you undoubtedly carry the consequences of those emergent
decisions for the rest of your life. We know that you are prepared to make those tough decisions because that is what you've
been trained for.
We pray that you complete your careers and never have to experience the toughest of decisions....to sacrifice a life, to protect
the lives of others, because ALL lives matter.
We would like to thank you for what you do. For protecting us, for not losing faith in humanity, and for the many, many, many
lives you have undoubtedly protected and saved.
We would like to honor you for your courage, and we pray that each and every work day you remain safe, and protected, so
you are able to go home each day to your loving families and friends.
With our deepest appreciation,
Timothy & Sheryl Hannaford
Atascadero, CA
Hello again Matt
I just wanted to again say “Thank You” for your help, kindness, as well as taking the time to go over and answer
our questions regarding the property on the Leona Lot. You are a great asset to your job.
Kindly,
Mary Limon
Hi Jeff & Kathy,
Thank you both again so much for all your
help and service at the Prescription Drug
Take Back day last weekend! Our official
count was 358.8 pounds of medications
collected. In addition to collecting so
much unwanted/expired medications,
and vaccinating many against the flu, it
was a great opportunity to raise
awareness of how and why to safely
dispose of meds, and I think gave us a
good idea of how to better work with
local pharmacies and medical support
agencies on this issue. I really appreciate
you being there for the event, and for the
partnership between our agencies!
Thanks again!
Jenn
King David Masonic Lodge
Annual Law Enforcement
Appreciation Award
Officer Jennifer Hyman received the
local King David Masonic Lodge
Annual Law Enforcement
Appreciation Award. She was
honored at a dinner held on
September 13th for her patience,
compassion and dedication to
excellent service, as shown in her
recent outstanding work dealing with
a rape victim. Officer Hyman’s
efforts are a great example of how
we can personally impact an
individual’s life and substantially
change a negative perception of
officers and positively showcase the
role of our profession. These
encounters often lead to other
successful outcomes as stories of
our efforts are shared and
experienced by others.
Congratulations to Jen for this fine
achievement and honor.
PATS on the Back
Hey Miguel,
I’m not sure who all worked on the network outage this morning (and may still be working), but I want to
express my appreciation for their quick work and attention to it. We in Utilities were down for a very
short time when it comes down to it, and having worked in IT in the past, I know how difficult it can
sometimes be to track down the source of a network issue. So please make sure they know their work
is appreciated; yourself included.
Thank you!
Doug Carscaden,
I want to thank Doug for taking time out of his day to help load and then haul 30+ bikes to the dump.
We don’t have a vehicle or trailer large enough for the job and when asked if he would be able to help,
Doug said yes without hesitation and saved the day for me. It’s amazing that he would take time out of
his own busy schedule to help us out at the PD and it is appreciated more than he knows!
Thank you Doug!
Shelby Hunter
To Carlos Ruelas and the Streets Crew. From Matt Giuffrida, Parks Maintenance.
To Carlos, Ernie, Aaron, Rolando and Jeff: Thanks for the great job patching asphalt at Laguna Lake
Park on Friday, October 21, 2016. Although it was hot, you guys did a fantastic job and really improved
some problem areas. I really appreciate it.
Matthew Giuffrida
Elks Annual Public Safety Appreciation Award
Officer Brent Inglehart received the Elks Annual Public Safety Appreciation Award and wa s honored at
a dinner held on October 6th. He was selected for this award for his effort and successes as a Daytime
Downtown Bicycle Officer. Brent has a great attitude and level of respect that sets him apart from
others. Working with many stakeholders, Brent has introduced several environmental design
techniques and signage to discourage problematic gatherings of subjects engaged in adverse
behaviors. Thinking beyond enforcement and introducing other tools to discourage behavior is one of
the many ways in which Brent has taken control and ownership of the Downtown Area, creating a
positive impact. Congratulations!
Mothers Against Drunk Drivers Awards
MADD recognizes Officers and Deputies all across California for their outstanding contributions to he lp
stop the crime of DUI. Officer Tim Koznek was awarded a plaque to honor his “Top Cop” achievement of
DUI arrests. Officer Luca Benedetti, Officer Blake Etherton and Officer Quenten Rouse were also honored
with Certificates of Recognition for their efforts and outstanding achievements. Congratulations to all!
November 2016
October 31st - November 6th
Tuesday, November 1st:
CJPIA: Hand and Portable Power Tool
o 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
o 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
o Corp Yard
November 7th – November 13th
Wednesday, November 9th
LCW – The Art of Writing the Performance Evaluation
o 9 AM – 12 PM
o Arroyo Grande
LCW – File That! Best Practices for Document and Record Management
o 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
o Arroyo Grande
November 14th – November 20th
Currently No Trainings
November 21st – November 27th
Currently No Trainings
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
December 2016
November 28th – December 4th
Currently No Trainings
December 5th – December 11th
Tuesday, December 6th:
CJPIA: Fall Protection Awareness
o 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
o 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
o Corp Yard
COE: S.T.A.R.T. Academy (Day One)
o 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
o SLO - TBA
COE: Leveraging Styles in the Workplace
o 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
o SLO - TBA
Tuesday, December 6th:
COE: S.T.A.R.T. Academy (Day Two)
o 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
o SLO - TBA
December 12th – December 18th
Currently No Trainings
December 19th – December 25th
Currently No Trainings
December 26th – January 1st
Currently No Trainings
S M T W T F S
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
S.T.A.R.T.
(Supervisors Transition and Readiness Traning)
If you are about to or have recently become a supervisor,
this is your quick start guide to hit the ground running.
This two day program will answers the following questions:
What does it mean to be a supervisor?
How can you make a successful transition
from individual contributor to being in charge
of a unit, team, or even department?
Application Directions Link Here Application Link Here
How should you deal with the most common
practical issues new supervisors often face?
Participants will create a Transition Action Plan which contains
two elements:
Option One:
October 4th & 5th
Santa Maria Central Library,
Shepard Hall
421 McClelland Street
Santa Maria, CSanta Maria, CA 93454
Each day will begin at 8:30 A.M.
and end at 4:30 P.M.
Option Two:
December 6th & 7th
Ludwick Community Center,
864 Santa Rosa Street
San Luis Obispo, CA
9340193401
Each day will begin at 8:30 A.M.
and end at 4:30 P.M.
1. Specific actions the participant will take to ensure their
transition is successful
2. What long range skill development options should be
researched and undertaken
History of San Luis Obispo
Joseph A. Carotenuti
City Historian/Archivist
When President Theodore Roosevelt briefly mentioned the founding of the California Polytechnic School in
his hour-long visit to San Luis Obispo in 1903, the institution already had a long, notable history.
Today, its most remarkable achievement has not been its students, staff and touting millions in gifts or sprawling
acreage and buildings…but its beginning. The concept of an institution for advanced education that did not
follow the classic route prevalent in America at the time was a very daring experiment. Not that learning from
the masters in literature and art, the great minds of science and theology or the men and women who had
advanced civilization was somehow wrong. It has always been a valid learning method. However, then and
now, everyone benefits from using both their intellect and hands in their daily pursuits. As a friend once
remarked about the highly educated and trained crews valiantly going into space: “Someone has to know how
to use a screwdriver.”
For local legend, Myron Angel, the original concept to best serve the future was to provide for the teaching of
teachers. As sound as the thought was, the demands for its implementation was anything but simple. Angel’s
altruism – as too often happens – ran head-on into reality. In the end, Myron wasn’t successful but the defeat
of one goal was the beginning of an even greater quest.
And quest it was. He knew he needed Sacramento and its haven for politicians to be successful. Combine reality
with legislation and the end result can be devastating. To begin with, more powerful lobbies than the reclusive
central coast wanted the same thing: normal schools. In the end, San Diego, Chico, San Jose, Los Angeles and
San Francisco received funding for normal schools. The central coast was allowed to keep its dreams. Indeed,
Myron quickly adopted a new one.
Angel knew the revised goal for San Luis Obispo at the turn
of the twentieth century “was in advance of the times.” Being
in advance of the times is what visionaries do…that’s why
there are so few. It’s tough enough to contend with the
present, let alone the future. Nonetheless, it is the visionaries
who stake out the path followed by most of us. Today,
educational practicality locally has its own shrines, but over
a century ago, planning for a polytechnic school was both
enterprising and audacious.
A “practical” education would have been dearly appreciated
as the local legend vividly recalled a memorable episode
from his earlier life. Cold, discouraged and desperate, the
young Angel needed a job. “I walked the streets of San
Francisco, penniless, ragged, and hungry.” When offered
work - to shingle a roof for $8 per hour – he was forced to
decline as “I never drove a nail in my life.” Decades later, he
knew “…a school here which will teach the hand as well as
the head…” was a noble idea.
Thus, “learning by doing” was born…almost stillborn in the
birthing rooms of Sacramento
Contact: jacarotenuti@gmail.com 9/2016
HISTORY of SAN LUIS OBISPO