Volume 10 Issue 8 August 2014 Protecting our environment Serving our customers Enhancing our communities Congratulations to Steve Drabant - 2nd quarter STARS Winner Chat with Hannes Video If you weren’t able to attend one of the most recent Chat with Hannes sessions, check out this video from his presentation at the Admin Building on Wednesday, July 23rd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UzE1oCELlQ&feature=yo utu.be More Fun At FTN Steve Drabant, treatment crew member, (center) was nominated by co-worker Larry Jiskra, treatment crew member, for the Special Thanks and Recognition Spotlight Award for the leadership he displayed when Middle Basin experienced a power outage. Despite the fact that neither Steve or Chris Moss, treatment crew member, who was working with him that evening, had never experienced a power outage and have not had proper training to return the processes back to normal. “Steve has always provided leadership in keeping plant equipment operable, detecting problems, and putting in extra time and effort for a safe, clean working environment at Middle Basin,” said one co-worker. “I didn’t even know there had been an outage until Monday morning,” said Jamie Silvers, treatment superintendent (left), when the award was announced during a recent morning pass down. Great job, Steve! Paul Haugen, director of DTI, (left) and Susan Pekarek, chief engineer, sort through the many bags offered by JCW during the Feed the Need Event Day at Sunset. Page 2 August 2014 The Pipeline is a monthly newsletter published by the JCW director of communications for and about the department’s employees. All questions, comments and submissions should be directed to Lori Sand at 913-7158572 or [email protected] . Submissions must not be more than 500 words. The Pipeline Welcome to Julie Aldrich who joined JCW on July 28 as a new development compliance engineer. Julie has two adult sons; the eldest, Brent, lives in San Diego with his wife and the other is Gavin of Overland Park. Julie enjoys swing dancing, bird watching, yoga, geocaching, and watching KU men’s basketball. She earned a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Kansas. Glad to have you! Please welcome Mark Poolman who joined JCW on July 14 as a maintenance helper in line repair and construction. Mark is the father of four children, two girls and two boys. He enjoys golf and NASCAR. Welcome! JCW welcomes Raul Romero who joined the department on July 28 as assistant superintendent/collections. He and his wife, Kelli, have a seven-year-old daughter, Kyndal. Raul enjoys hunting, fishing, racing, BBQ, music, and golf. Raul comes to us with a Class 4 operator’s license in collections. He worked for 14 years with unified government in collections prior to joining us. Glad to have you! Welcome to Dennis Sipes who began working for JCW as a maintenance helper in line repair and construction on July 14. His wife, Michelle, is a customer service coordinator in the Johnson County Tax Assessor’s Office. They are the parents of two, Logan - 11, and Lulu - 2. Dennis has played and recorded with two bands over the last 20 years, playing guitars and in background vocals. He also builds and repairs guitars. Dennis is a 1988 graduate of Hickman Mills High. Welcome! Page 3 Meet Karen Herrington executive assistant Worked 15 years for JCW (26 years for the County) My favorite childhood memory is of summertime, climbing my favorite tree and reading a book. My favorite food is whatever my husband is cooking! He is a fantastic cook and awesome at smoking meat, too. (But I REALLY love ice cream.) My dream vacation is Hawaii My claim to fame is that I sang with my cousin at a resort in Bella Vista, Arkansas, when I was 13 (just a couple of years ago—ha!). I’ve taken piano and voice lessons, but only play for myself. I’m afraid of SNAKES. Doesn’t matter type or size, just plain don’t like them. I spend a lot on my grandchildren and books, but I don’t think it’s too much. I have an associate’s degree from Johnson County Community College and Certified Administrative Professional – Office Management Certification through the International Association of Administrative Professionals. Of all the jobs I’ve had, I like the assistant position I currently hold because of the variety of duties. There is always something new to learn. I love to play with my four (soon to be five) grandchildren, I dabble with quilting, and love to read. If I weren’t working for JCW, I would possibly be teaching which has always been a dream of mine. Something funny that happened to me? You’ll have to buy the book – there are too many. My least favorite sound is the ringing in my ears. The one accomplishment in my life of which I’m most proud is having raised my two beautiful children. When I retire, I hope people will remember me as having been dependable. The one thing I’d like to do on my bucket list is take my dream vacation to Hawaii. I most enjoy working with my fellow employees. They are helpful, make me laugh, and been there through hard times. Page 4 August 2014 LEAP is Evident in JCW’s Daily Work Departmental Involvement LEAP stands for Leadership Empowers All People. This is a County initiative - to be a high performing organization. What does that mean and how do we become a high performing organization? We are already good at what we do. But, how do we get better every day? A group of individuals from JCW are developing a charter to help guide us from where we are to where we want to be. Charles McAllister, senior engineering technician, is a member of this group and shared the progress made, to date. “Our charge is to put together a charter – a roadmap – that we can point back to as JCW becomes a high performing organization,” he said. The group will develop a Purpose Statement and practical steps to improve where the organization is at on the journey and to bring staff members along the way. “We identified some key phrases to serve as a framework as we go through the process,” Charles said. They are: We want to be an organization that allows staff to be creative. We want to be an organization that allows staff to feel that they are trusted. We want to be an organization that provides opportunities for an individual’s talents to surface. “I think of it as an underlying theme that allows us to figure out how to do our jobs better every day,” Charles said. “There’s a difference. That doesn’t mean that every day is going to be a good day.” In the months to come, there will be more information shared about this roadmap so that we may obtain feedback from the organization. If you have ideas you would like to share now, please contact any of the charter committee members. In addition to Charles, they are: Joe Barnes – senior engineering technician, Patrick Beane – asset manager, Beth Brandel – director of Business Operations and Planning, Lu Bronson – commercial/industrial customer liaison, Tony Holt – director of Water Quality Lab, Stuart Lord – planning engineer, Tami Lorenzen – wastewater treatment project engineer, Trent Menssen – technical support analyst, Dan Ott – collections system engineer, Susan Pekarek – chief engineer, and Karen Sorensen – internet projects coordinator. Business Operations and Planning JCW has implemented the LEAP principles in yet another project by partnering with the County’s Public Works Department to enhance Lucity, a computerized maintenance management system. Both PW and JCW have used Lucity for many years. The project involves the merging of processes, primarily the work order piece of the system, so that it can be moved to a web-based interface, allowing work to be completed via web forms which are easily customized. Jim Bills, JCW’s AIMS coordinator, said he and Marvin Sommerfeld, the department’s systems technology manager, are collaborating with three Public Works employees, as well as with AIMS staff who have provided tech support. “The City of Lenexa has combined databases and will share their experiences in a workshop setting for the County’s tech staff,” Jim said. “The Lucity application manages workflows, automatically generates work orders, and generate stats,” he explained. “The predominant users are line cleaning, TV inspection, and line/manhole repair team. “We anticipate saving on license and annual maintenance fees by merging hardware, software, and licensing with Public Works. The customized program will be used by field crews, streamlining data entry and paperwork, thereby saving on staff time. We anticipate putting tablets in the field with a hotspot device to make this easily accessible and useable for our mobile staff.” Please submit examples of how you and your colleagues are employing LEAP principles for inclusion in future issues of The Pipeline. You may contact Lori Sand, director of communications, at x58572 or lori.sand@jcw,org. The Pipeline Page 5 Take care of our air Five Join Ranks of LEAP in JCW JCW’s recent graduates of the Leadership Empowers All People (LEAP) training are: Jeff Doggett, senior engineering technician Ben Ehrlich, GIS technician Greg Gay, treatment crew leader Karen Herrington, executive assistant Laura Klempnauer, customer service rep Congratulations! You’ve joined the ranks of other staff members who are accomplishing their work in a new and exciting way in Johnson County! O’Neil Elected to Second Term At the 44th annual meeting, John O'Neil - general manager was elected to the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) board of directors for a second, three year term, representing Region VII members. Congratulations, John! NACWA is the leading advocate for responsible national policies that advance clean water. The emergence of NACWA as a nationally-recognized leader in environmental policy and a sought-after technical resource on water quality and ecosystem protection issues has paralleled the maturation of the nation's most successful environmental law - the Clean Water Act. JCW’s Feed The Need Totals Special thanks to Tony Hall, technical support analyst, his wife, Raye, retiree Marie Siebel, and her husband, Louis, for initiating two pulled pork lunch fundraisers which netted $574.35 for the 2015 FTN campaign! The results are in for the 2014 campaign. JCW is credited with collecting 8,724 pounds in food and donations = 4.362 tons!!! Johnson County has supported the annual Feed the Need food drive since 1988. The regional effort is coordinated by the Mid-America Regional Council, the Mid-America Assistance Coalition, and Harvesters International. More than half of all emissions that go on to form ozone pollution are the result of everyday people doing everyday things, such as driving and yard work. Following are some useful tips from the Mid America Council’s Air Quality Program. On the road: Carpool, walk, bike or take the bus. Reducing driving, even by just one mile, reduces emissions. Refuel after 7 p.m. Gas vapors will dissipate overnight. Stop at the click. Overfilling your gas tank can damage your car and makes spills more likely. Don’t idle. If you’re parking your car for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. You’ll save money on gas and prevent pollution. Maintain your car. Keep tires properly inflated, change your oil, replace old filters, and check all fluids regularly. Avoid excess loads. Hauling extra pounds reduces fuel efficiency. Use the cruise. Maintaining a constant speed with cruise control will help conserve fuel. At home: Mow after 7 p.m. Fumes released by gas lawn mowers settle overnight. Use electric or manual lawn and garden tools. Use natural or organic fertilizers. Manufacturing fertilizer uses a lot of energy. Look for paints, solvents, sealants, and stains labeled “low VOC” or “no VOC.” Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) add to air pollution. Turn off gadgets. Items left running when not in use waste energy. Stay efficient. Cut energy costs by regularly replacing air filters, tuning or upgrading your furnace or other appliances, adjusting your thermostat by a few degrees, and weatherizing your home. Use a charcoal chimney when grilling. Lighter fluid is a source of VOCs. Watch for more tips next month. August 2014 Page 6 Don’t Delay, Sign-Up TODAY! Did you know that only 48 percent of County employees completed a health screening by July 22? We realize many employees are waiting to be screened or go to their doctor until they have completed a self-improvement program to maximize their lab values, but the longer you wait to be screened, you are reducing your flexibility for additional improvement, if needed, before the October 31, 2014, wellness strategy deadline. The third and final round of free, County-sponsored on-site health screenings begins August 11 and runs through September 18. The County health screening is one of three components necessary to receive the Wellness Incentive of $40 per month. The three wellness components are: 1) a health screening (on-site or physician’s office); 2) completion of an on-line health risk appraisal (HRA); and 3) achievement of desired range or improvement by one level in three of five lab values. There is a separate Tobacco Incentive in 2015 of $25 per month relating to declaration of tobacco usage under Oracle and if a tobacco user, completion of a BlueKC-approved tobacco cessation class. For details on each requirement visit JoCoConnect, Wellness U. To receive your medical plan contribution incentive, all full-time employees covered under the County’s medical plan must complete the three components of the 2014 Wellness Strategy by October 31, 2014. Your wellness incentive participation can save you up to $65 a month ($40 for components 1 – 3 and $25 for component 4 in medical plan contributions!) Obtain your Health Screening 1) Register by accessing your BlueKC personal account under www.bluekc.com or by calling 816-395-2121. For registration instructions, JoCoConnect, Wellness U. OR 2) Schedule an appointment with your personal physician to obtain your health screening values (blood pressure, BMI, glucose, HDL, and total cholesterol). In choosing this option you MUST download an Alternate Means Screening form (AMS) from the Wellness U website and instruct your physician to complete and submit the AMS form to Health Fitness by October 1, 2014. Provide your email address on the form to receive confirmation from Health Fitness that your physician’s office submitted the form. You will not receive credit without the completed AMS form! Reuse, Restore, Remember Date: Thursday, September 11, 2014 Time: 11 a.m. -1:30 p.m. Locations: Sunset Campus & Northeast Office Goal: Connect Johnson County employees with opportunities to serve in ways which promote sustainability. In remembrance of 9/11 and the spirit of unity, we rally the world to do good and sustainable deeds, to remember by doing. Mark your calendars now for September 11, 2014, and watch for email and posters describing the variety of ways in which you can get involved and win prizes! Please note that some activities will also be available at the Northeast Offices in order to accommodate those employees who work a greater distance from the Sunset Drive Office Building. We hope to see you there! If you have any questions, please contact Jasmin Moore . The Pipeline Page 7 Johnson County 2014 Biometric Screening Dates August/September Screenings (Main Events): Date Day of Week Location Adult Detention Ctr., 27745 W. 159th St., New Century, Training Rm. 8a-4p 8/11/2014 Monday North Central Multi-Service, 12425 W. 87th St., Lenexa, Room 100 9a-3p 8/12/2014 Tuesday Administration Building, 111 S. Cherry St., Olathe, Room 0200 8a-4p 8/13/2014 Wednesday Northeast Office, 6000 Lamar, Mission, Room 0500 8a-4p 8/14/2014 Thursday JCDS, 10501 Lackman, Lenexa, Room 133 8a-4p 8/19/2014 Tuesday Adult Residential Ctr., 141 Mission Pkwy., New Century, Visitation Rm. 7-11a & 2-6p 8/21/2014 Thursday Public Works, 1800 W. Hwy. 56, Olathe, Conference Rm. 7:30a-3:30p 8/26/2014 Tuesday Youth and Family Services, 920 W. Spruce, Olathe, Lg. Conf. Rm. 7-11a & 2-6p 8/27/2014 Wednesday Sunset Building, 11811 S. Sunset Dr., Olathe, Room 1055 8a-4p 8/28/2014 Thursday Sheriff's Ops Center, 27747 W. 159th St., New Century, Training A 8a-5p 9/3/2014 Wednesday Administration Building, 111 S. Cherry St., Olathe, Rooms 0202/0204 8a-4p 9/4/2014 Thursday Adult Detention Ctr., 27745 W. 159th St., New Century, Training Rm. 8a-4p 9/8/2014 Monday Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th St., OP, Carmack Room 9a-4p 9/9/2014 Tuesday Sunset Building, 11811 S. Sunset Dr., Olathe, Room 1070 8a-4p 9/10/2014 Wednesday Administration Building, 111 S. Cherry St., Olathe, Rooms 0202/0204 2-4p 9/11/2014 Thursday Mental Health - Olathe, 1125 W. Spruce St., Large Conference Rm. 9a-3p 9/16/2014 Tuesday JCW - Nelson Plant, 4800 Nall St., Mission, Building 12 7a-3p 9/17/2014 Wednesday JCW - Middle Basin, 10001 College Blvd., OP, Building 7, Conf. Rm. 7a-3p 9/18/2014 Thursday When you receive a county-sponsored screening, BCBSKC automatically reports this to TFM-Benefits. Biometric Screening FAQ: Q: What can I expect at the annual screening? A: Screening participants will check in to the event and have their height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and body fat taken. Participants will then see a nurse for a blood pressure reading and a finger stick to determine total cholesterol, HDL, and glucose. The nurse will immediately review your results with you. All results are completely confidential. Q: How much time should I schedule for this screening? A: The screening typically takes 30 minutes to complete. This period includes the time to complete your online HRA (requirement #2) which occurs simultaneously as the screening. iPads and helpful staff will be provided to assist. Spouses Spouses covered on the County’s medical plan can also participate in the screenings/HRA, but it is NOT required for the employee to receive the incentive. The only component that spouses covered under the medical plan are required to do to meet the incentive is to declare tobacco usage and register and complete a BlueKC tobacco cessation class if a tobacco user. New Hires Employees hired BEFORE July 2, 2014, may participate in the wellness program to receive their medical plan contribution incentive for 2015. All new hires must receive their BlueKC Member Identification Number before registering for a screening. All new employees hired AFTER July 1 will automatically receive the Incentives in 2015 but will need to complete the 2015 Wellness Strategy for premium reductions beginning in 2016. Please visit the JoCoConnect Wellness U website for more information about new hire procedures. August 2014 Page 8 Do you get nervous speaking to a group of people? Would you rather clean rags off a bar screen on a 100 degree day than talk to 20 people for five minutes? JCW’s Toastmasters Club can help. Learn how YOU can be the one getting noticed and considered for advancement. Email or call Tony Holt at x50149 or Marvin Sommerfeld at x58577 So How Does Toastmasters Work? According to www.toastmasters.org: A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing workshop in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a no-pressure atmosphere. A typical group has 20 to 40 members who meet weekly, biweekly or monthly. A typical meeting lasts 60–90 minutes. There is no instructor in a Toastmasters meeting. Instead, members evaluate one another’s presentations. This feedback process is a key part of the program’s success. Meeting participants also give impromptu talks on assigned topics, conduct meetings and develop skills related to timekeeping, grammar and parliamentary procedure. Members learn communication skills by working in the Competent Communication manual, a series of 10 self-paced speaking assignments designed to instill a basic foundation in public speaking. Members also learn leadership skills by taking on various meeting roles and working in the Competent Leadership manual. In our learn-by-doing approach, we don't lecture members about leadership skills; we give them responsibilities and mentoring to help. Then we ask them to lead. Source: ragan.com Extra — ethos3.com Glossophobia or speech anxiety is the fear of public speaking or speaking in general. Some experts estimate that 75 percent of all people experience some degree of anxiety/nervousness when public speaking. Stage fright is also a relatively common experience. In fact, glossophobia is considered by most to be worse than the fear of death. “Which means they’d rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy,” Jerry Seinfeld surmised. The Pipeline Page 9 Notice to all Smokers: Deadline for Cessation Program is Oct. 1 The County is offering both on-site classes and webinars to provide the support and resources to assist employees and spouses who want to become tobacco free or meet the tobacco cessation program item. The County has historically covered smoking cessation aids under the prescription drug plan but is now providing additional support. There are three BlueKC-approved tobacco cessation programs. The American Cancer Society lists some of the immediate and long-term health benefits of quitting smoking. INCENTIVE: If you participate in a tobacco cessation class, the County will eliminate or reduce your drug copayments for the nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) aids. PPO participants will receive medications through MedTrak Services and BlueSaver participants will receive them through BlueKC/ ExpressScripts. Visit Wellness U. on the JoCoConnect website for the following documents: For step-by-step Instructions on how to participate in the Commit to Quit program; To review a listing of BlueKC-approved tobacco cessation classes. Enroll now to be eligible for the tobacco incentive in 2015 and before the October 31, 2014 deadline! If it is unreasonably difficult for an employee or spouse to satisfy the tobacco cessation activity due to a medical condition, he or she should submit medical substantiation to Bravo Wellness. August 2014 Page 10 August Celebrations Anniversaries 8/25/1986 8/5/1991 8/25/1997 28 23 17 James Cooper 16 executive assistant Wayne Hunley Sam Sedarous 15 8/14/2000 14 Charles Mathis Arthur Famuliner 1 treatment crew member Stephen Drabant treatment crew member 4 Jonathon Erb 5 Charles McAllister Kevin Boggs Clinton Fischer construction crew member-collections 8/25/2003 12 11 Dan Ott 8 6 Timothy Engbroten Elizabeth Brandel 9 director of Business Operations & Planning Logan Meacham Michael Beukel Clifton Bencke 5 treatment assistant superintendent Jim Greenlee applications software tech 8/18/2008 treatment crew member collections system engineer cleaning crew leader 8/28/2006 1 senior industrial specialist treatment crew member 8/5/2002 1 truck driver senior engineering technician 8/16/1999 Karen Herrington treatment crew leader treatment crew member 8/10/1998 Birthdays 10 treatment crew leader 14 cleaning/inspection crew member Tamara Lorenzen Raymond Herndon wastewater treatment project engineer construction crew member Charles Hall 14 23 treatment superintendent Austin Hawkins 25 treatment crew member Joshua Cumley 26 cleaning/inspection crew member James Rose 27 treatment assistant superintendent Julie Aldrich 27 new development compliance engineer Denny Sipes 28 maintenance helper Jason Martin 30 treatment crew member Gary Long 31 treatment crew leader Susan Pekarek chief engineer 31
© Copyright 2024 ExpyDoc
