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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMayClofT M(affers CITY OF SEBASTIAN NEWSLETTER From the City Manager Thomas Frame: This is the end of my 11th week. During this time period, I have gotten to meet most everyone. I have great confidence in your abilities. I sense that we all want to do our best in our jobs for our City. We all need to have the necessary tools to accomplish this goal. One of the best tools for improvement is training. The best training is in continuous quality improvement. Within the next several weeks and months, we will begin a new journey. It will be a journey based on continuous improvement, respect for people, customer focus, training, employee involvement, and management by facts. While the ultimate destiny is quality improvement, the trip itself has no end; it's continuous because with quality there is always opportunity for improvement. In the interim, I will be introducing a new suggestion program to initiate employee involvement. I know without any doubt what so ever that every employee knows many ways to improve how we perform our work. In fact, no one generally knows how to do the job better than the person(s) doing the job. As the suggestion program develops, please always know that it can be improved upon to insure that it provides the best opportunity for you to submit your ideas and receive responsive feedback. In addition to asking you to submit ideas and suggestions, I want to assure you that you will receive proper recognition for your involvement and ideas. You will be kept apprised of the status of the program and its initiation date as it progresses. Tom MAY, 1996 Insurance News from the desk of Wendy Widmann: A few employees have been surprised at the benefits NOT paid under our health insurance when they do not use the Preferred Provider Network (PPO) under the Blue Cross/Blue Shield network. REMEMBER: YOU DO NOT need to use a specialist or a lab for tests that your physician refers you to. Ask her or him to refer you to a specialist or lab that is in the Blue Cross PPO network. The savings in money to you is well worth the time it takes to ask the question. As an example, an employee recently paid $840 out of their pocket on a total medical bill of $1,400 because the doctor was not in the PPO network and charged more than was customary and reasonable for the particular procedure. Blue Cross determined the procedure normally cost $800 and would only pay 70%, or $560, leaving the employee responsible for the remaining 30%, or $240, plus the difference between the actual bill and the amount Blue Cross considered reasonable. Under a PPO provider, the employee would have only paid $160. Under Blue Cross/Blue Shield, you have the right to choose your medical care , but it pays to work within the system! I QUOTABLE QUOTES "A mother is a person who - seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people - promptly announces that she never did care for pie. " - Tenneva Jordan "People of high intelligence talk about ideas." "People of average intelligence talk about things. " "People with no intelligence talk about other people." - Unknown City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter .14 EMPLOYEES' POSITIVE TWO CENTS Margie Poole submitted a public service announcement she thought should be shared with everyone. Since the hurricane season will soon be upon us, this is a good reminder. DISASTER.... it can strike anytime, any- where, are you prepared? There are certain things you can learn and do that will help you get ready. General things to consider are... Stay Calm! Listen to local media for the latest weather advisories! Report any unusual event to 911! Be prepared to evacuate- What vacuateWhat to do for an apparent lightning victim... Notify 911; administer CPR if necessary; give first aid for shock; keep victim calm; and stay with victim until medical help arrives. Tornadoes... Keep a watch on the horizon. If you see any revolving funnel -shaped clouds, report them immediately by dialing 911. Take cover; stay away from windows, doors, outside walls and open spaces, and protect your head from falling objects or flying debris. In public buildings, go to the pre - designated shelter areas. In a vehicle, trailer, or mobile home, get out immediately and go to a substantial. structure. Never get underneath a mobile home/trailer. Seek shelter on foot, if possible. Do not drive your car! If there is no shelter nearby (outside), lie flat in the nearest ditch (water included), ravine or culvert with your hands shieldingyour head Even a low spot in the ground will give you some protection. BROWN BAG LUNCHEON Environmental Learning Center Representative Camille Sewell will be presenting slides and information on Shoreline Restoration, Indian River Lagoon on May 22, 1996, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers. Please come and see how we can preserve our natural resources and also bring back what we have lost. One of the main topics will be mangrove replanting alone the Indian River. ICMA-Representative Steve Brindle will be back in town on May 29, 1996. Please schedule your appointment to see him from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the City Manager's Conference Room. He will help you determine your best investment and the necessary contributions for your retirement. Bring your quarterly statement with you. 17VSIDE THE CITY'S LIMITS Birthdays 03/03 Louise Cartwright -Mayor (Sorry !) 05/03 Richard Taracka-Councilmember 05/04 Stephen DiTrapano-P/W Maint. Worker I 05/07 Sylvia Clark-P/W Maint. Worker I 05/10 Lawrence Hardison-P/D Police Sergeant 05/16 Joy Green-G/C Head Cashier 05/21 Cathy Derby-P/D Communications Tech. 05/21 Terry Hill-P/W Engineering Tech. 05/22 Jean Tarbell-C/M Admin. Assistant 05/23 Joseph Bricker-P/W Maint. Worker II 05/28 William Shandor-G/C Starter/Ranger 05/30 Gary Nicholas-P/W Maint. Worker II 05/31 Robert Skok-P/W Engineer/Proj. Coordinator Longevity Emplovees with 10 or more vears of service: 05/18/81 Jean Tarbell, C/M Admin. Assistant 05/09/83 Edward Wessendorl P/W Maint Worker III Employees with 5-9 years of service: 05/07/87 Jacquelyn Morris, P/D Police Officer 05/23/88 Patricia Pastore, P/D Admin. Secretary 05/01/89 Gloria Brown, P/D Comm. Tech. 05/22/89 Marjorie Poole, Finance Acct. Clerk II 05/10/91 Gary Johnson, P/W Maint. Worker I 05/23/91 Charles Reilly, P/D Comm. Tech. MORE OUOTABLE QUOTES "The truth will make you free -but first it will make you miserable. " -Unknown "Cheer W people resist disease better then glum ones. In other works - the surly bird catches the germ. " - Unknown City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter MISCELLANEOUS EMPLOYEE NEWS. ChiefPetty has officially resigned his position with the City of Sebastian on April 5, 1996 He will be spending a year in Bosnia to head up a task force of 200 U.S. Police Officers for the United Nations. A luncheon was held on April 3rd as a last send off and we will sorely miss him! If anyone would like to write a letter to U.N. Task Force Officer Petty, Jane Holmes in the Police Department has an address and will be happy to forward any communications on for you. David Puscher has returned from an eleven week course at the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. This academy has been in existence for 60 years with only 28,000 people graduating and .03% of law enforcement personnel selected to attend world wide. The "Mission" of the academy is to uphold and defend the constitutions of our respective countries, laws, in our jurisdictions, promote training in law enforcement throughout the world, form an alliance with classmates and the FBI National Academy, attend and encourage attendance at meetings of local or regional chapters of the FBI National Academy and promote the exchange of information, encourage and assist in the education of the general public, particularly in regard to their responsibility to cooperate with law enforcement officers in the dedication and prevention of crime. Captain David Puscher has returned just in time to be named acting Chief of Police. Glad to see you survived the cold and the strenuous challenges of the academy, Dave! Welcome Aboard! Robert J. Massarelli. Bob has been hired to fill the City Planner position. He hails from Titusville, and worked for Brevard County before leaving and starting his own agency. His first day was April 15th. Congratulations to Ken Schmitt on his promotion to Code Enforcement Officer. He has been working in the Community Development Department since April 8, 1996 Gary Johnson transfered into Ken's position. Gary worked in Parks, but will now be a Maintenance Worker I in the Roads & Drainage Division. Emplovee News Kudos to Public Works employees' Phil Patnode, John Tenerowicz, Buckey Gerber, Jody Bricker, and Steve Murphy on receiving a complimentary letter from resident Mr. Warmuth. Mr. Warmuth stated he wanted to commend this crew for their dedication, courtesy and professional work on regrading the swales in the Carnation Drive area. Kudos to Police Officer Thomas Poore. Officer Poore worked the detail on the home invasion robbery which occurred April 13, 1996. He was instrumental in finding evidence and recovered some of the property which was of sentimental value to .the homeowner. Great job on going that extra mile! Congratulations to Margie Poole and Nancy Veidt from the Finance Department who recently received the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Professional Development in Accounting and Financial Reporting. Kudos to Randy Bonar, Code Enforcement Officer from Building Department for initiating a clean-up of the Caprona Street area. Mrs. Jachode sent a very complimentary letter on his good work. Welcome back to Margie Poole, Finance Department, after her minor surgery. Bob Korda from Public Works, Roads & Drainage, was in the hospital for awhile, but he is recuperating at home very nicely. However, he did state he was bored staying at home and was looking forward to coming back to work. Congratulations are to be given to John Pratt for winning employee of the first quarter. He is the Heavy Equipment Operator for the Public Works Department in the Roads and Drainage Division. John has demonstrated his versatility to perform a variety of different jobs, needs little supervision and .will willingly do tasks with a smile on his face LIFE'S LITTLE INSTRUCTIONS ❖ Don't postpone joy. ❖ Use your whit to amuse not abuse. ❖ Surprise loved ones with little unexpected gifts. ❖ Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life. ❖ Spend less time worrying about who's right, and more time deciding what's right. City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter , FOR YOUR CHILD'S FUTURE! If you have children graduating from high school this year, or in the near future, and they will not be attending college, you might want to consider a trade or technical school. Vocational schools are an excellent alternative to college. In two years or less, a good vocational school will teach your child a skill he/she can use to make a living - sometimes at a better wage than a liberal arts college graduate can earn. To find a good school, do some comparison shopping. Check into the state's community colleges. They typically offer a wide range of vocational programs at tuition costs far below a private technical school. Another option is local trade unions, which have apprenticeship training programs. These programs cost a young person little or nothing. In return, the apprentice works at a lower wage while learning a trade. Some of the careers that will have the most job growth in the future are: truck drivers, home health aides, restaurant cooks, maintenance repairers, secretaries, gardeners, nursing aides, licensed practical nurses and child-care workers. These are just some of the careers expected to have the greatest increase in number ofjob openings from now until the year 2005. To get more information, check with the local library, Indian River College, and/or the high school guidance councilor. Your child's future is very important to consider. Encourage your child to explore his/her unique interests and abilities in helping to choose a career. HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR 1997 New Year's Day Wednesday 01/01/97 President's Day Monday 02/17/97 Important Dates O May 1st, May Day $ May 3rd, Pay Day W May 12th, Mother's Day $ May 17th, Pay Day ❑ May 18th, River Queen Boat Cruise ❑ May 22nd, Brown Bag Luncheon $ May 29th, ICMA Representative HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR 1997 New Year's Day Wednesday 01/01/97 President's Day Monday 02/17/97 Memorial Day Monday 05/26/97 Independence Day Friday 07/04/97 Labor Day Monday 09/01/97 Veteran's Day Tuesday 11/11/97 Thanksgiving Thursday 11/27/97 Day After Thanksgiving Friday 11/28/97 Day Before Christmas Wednesday 12/24/97 Christmas Day Thursday 12/25/97 GO FOR IT! Mark Spitz swam for eight gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics. But get this - not one of his records would even qualify him for today's U.S. Olympic team. Michael Jordan, one of basketball's greatest players, did not make the high school basketball team in his sophomore year. His coach said "he wasn't good enough." Mickey Mantle struck out 710 times. Emily Dickinson wrote about 1,800 poems, but only seven were published in her lifetime. Safety News From the Desk of Wendy Widmann Recently the City was audited by the State Division of Safety. Most of the City buildings have been reviewed and were found to have either no problems or a few minor problems which are being corrected. A special thanks go to Safety Officers Eugene Ewert from the Police Department and Terry Hill from Public Works as well as Jerry Converse in Building Maintenance for making her trip through City buildings relatively hazard -free for audit purposes. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) books were clearly marked and chemicals found in the area had book. "The Crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow. " H. G. Wells City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter Work Safety Issues The Hazards of Hazmats. The three most important areas to focus on are: (1) the hazards posed, (2) handling precautions, and (3) first-aid treatment. Employees need to key in on these three sections of the Material Safety Data Sheet, and they can learn to work safely with almost any substance. Chemicals and other materials can be hazardous in the following ways: 1. Toxic: Most chemicals are toxic at some level of exposure. If allowed to enter the body through the nose, mouth, or skin, they can make people sick. Fumes, dust, and vapors from toxic materials can be especially harmful because they can be inhaled and pass quickly from the lungs into the bloodstream, allowing the poisons to circulate throughout the body. 2. Corrosive: Materials like strong acids and bases can eat right through other substances - including your clothing. If splashed on the skin or eyes, they can cause serious burns. Some of these materials can break down into poisonous gases, making them doubly hazardous. 3. Explosive: Some materials can explode when they are exposed to heat or flame. Flammable liquids and compressed gases are included in this category, since they can explode under certain conditions. 4. Flammable: This category includes all materials that catch fire easily, burn rapidly, spread quickly, and give off intense heat. Many materials used and stored in the workplace are flammable, including many solvents and lubricants. 5. Reactive: These materials are unstable and undergo rapid or violent chemical reactions. Some can burn simply by being exposed to air or water or when mixed with other substances; they don't have to be near heat or flames to burn. These materials can also emit vapors that can be hazardous if inhaled. Therefore, reactive substances must be isolated, stored in special containers, and used with extreme caution. Home Safety Issues Play Equipment • Choose play equipment that's appropriate for your child's age. • Make sure swings are at least two feet apart to avoid collisions. • Make sure climbing equipment is not more than six feet off the ground. • Choose swing sets that are made of pressure - treated wood. not metal. • Be sure there is an eight -to -ten inch layer of mulch, sand, pea gravel, or shredded tires under play equipment. Replace as often as necessary to assure a "safe landing." • Keep trees and fences at least six feet away from play equipment (to avoid collisions). • Make sure preschoolers have on-site supervision; you can supervise early elementary school children from a distance. • Don't allow kids of greatly differing ages and abilities to use the equipment together without supervision. • Carefully maintain the playset (e.g., tighten loose bolts; repair rusted surfaces and splintered wood; replace surface material often). Source: National Safety Council Sprained Ankle? The best treatment for a sprained ankle is the R.I.C.E. treatment. Rest your foot. Ice your ankle off and on for 48 hours. Compress your ankle by wrapping it in an elastic bandage. Elevate your foot until most of the swelling is gone. Take aspirin or ibuprofen for pain and swelling. If you can't walk on your toes a little bit after three days of R.I.C.E. treatment, call your doctor. NOTE: Immediately after a sprain, if you are in extreme pain and are unable to walk on either your toes or your heel, call your doctor. "The archer strikes the target -partly by pulling and partly by letting go." - Unknown City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter City of Sebastian 1225 MAIN STREET o SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 32958 TELEPHONE (407) 589-5330 o FAX (407) 589-5570 CITY OF SEBASTIAN INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: ALL EMPLOYEES DATE: APRIL 22, 1996 FROM: THOMAS W. FRAME, CITY MANAGER RE: FOURTH OF JULY CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE / The Fourth of July is quickly coming upon us and I would like to see if there is any interest by City employees in putting together a float for the parade. I think this would be a great way for us to show our City spirit! The theme for this year's Fourth of July parade is "Let Freedom Ring." We need to have an idea for the float that will carry this theme as well as volunteers to decorate the float. In order to kick off a fun event, we will have a "Name the Float contest" A gift certificate to the Sheraton Inn in Tampa for a complimentary 2 night stay and two free passes to Busch Gardens in Tampa will be awarded to the employee who comes up with the best workable idea for a float, as decided by myself and two other staff. All entries must be in my office by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10, 1996. The winner will be announced in the May 31 newsletter. We will also need some volunteers to help design, decorate and ride on the Float. Please call Doris Lee, at extension 8240, and volunteer to help. It could be fun!