Renews Issue 02 | 2018

FY2018 | ISSUE 2

A Chat with Donald Diversion Facilities Manager

Heat Safety

Avoid & treat heat-related illness

Director’s PRIDE Awards recipients

Road to Zero A look back

PICTURED: 12th and Hargrave, where Solid Waste Services was located until the 1990s.

This image is from the early 1900s, when the department was the Sanitary Division.

CONTENTS 25

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

PAGE 1

GETTING TO KNOW DONALD HARDEE

PAGE 2

SAFETY SPOT

PAGE 4

NEWS YOU CAN USE

PAGE 5

ROAD TO ZERO

PAGE 6

DIRECTOR’S PRIDE AWARDS

PAGE 8

WHAT DO THEY DO?

PAGE 10

HR CORNER

PAGE 11

AIMING HIGHER AWARDS

PAGE 12

Walk the talk

The 6’2” skunk wrangler

Staying cool in summer heat Announcements & upcoming events A look back

The Business Outreach Team Dollars for degrees

Photos from events

Careers on Wheels at Williams Elementary

Story time at the new Central Library

RLC holiday breakfast

SXSW clean-up crew

6 10

Director’s Message Walk the talk

BY SAM ANGOORI, PE Austin Resource Recovery Interim Director Austin Resource Recovery’s greatest asset is its team of dedicated and passionate individuals. Each one of you plays an important role in the work we do here, as a whole.

Our department is fortunate to be one that inspires positive change. We’ve seen the impact our work can have on communities in peril, the gratefulness our special service customers show when we take a minute to ask how their day is going, or contaminated brownfield space be transformed into a beautiful community asset. Regardless of how passionate our workforce is, we cannot make serious change alone. Our customers play a role in achieving the change required to reach Zero Waste.

After working at ARR for a while, you encounter people interested in what you do; customers you interact with on your route, friends who are curious about your work or family who see you taking what you learned at work home with you. Before you know it, you have become an expert on Zero Waste and all the ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.

With an average of 100 people moving to Austin every day, spreading the word about ARR, the programs we offer and our Zero Waste goal is more important than ever. Each of us can combine our knowledge and passion with our desire

to provide amazing customer service and become Zero Waste Ambassadors. Walking the talk means sharing what you know about reducing, reusing and recycling to help inspire others to do a little more to help Austin reach its Zero Waste goal. It also means our actions should match our words.

I challenge each of you to lead by example as a Zero Waste Ambassador. Teach others how to reduce the trash they throw away by recycling more at home, improving their garden with home compost, or creatively reusing things instead of buying new. Your efforts to increase supporters of Zero Waste will ultimately help to improve our environment and keep our communities clean for generations to come.

Three ways you can be a Zero Waste Ambassador Do your part to help the environment, your community and the City’s bottom line by becoming a Zero Waste Ambassador. Here’s how you can make a difference:

ZERO W WA WASTE A AS ASTE STE TE By 2040

1.Learn: Sign up for ARR’s E-Newsletter for monthly tips and tricks on how you can reduce your waste, follow Austin Recycles on Facebook and ask questions about how you can make an impact.

2. Do: Talk about Zero Waste with friends and family. Tell them about your job and why it’s important to make small changes that lead to a big a difference every day. Tell them how they can help.

3. Lead: Set the example for your family, friends and community. People naturally want to jump on the bandwagon and do what they see others doing.

Lead by example to help ensure excellent customer service, education and inspiration. It’s more important than ever for all City employees to be Zero Waste Ambassadors.

1

Donald Hardee

The 6’2” skunk wrangler

BY MEMI CÁRDENAS Public Information Specialist Senior Diversion Facilities Manager, neurotoxin disposer, skunk wrangler, Simpsons fan and more. You may think you know Donald Hardee, but as I recently discovered while conducting this interview, there is always more you can learn about someone.

Memi: Describe your role as the Diversion Facilities Division Manager.

Donald: My role is to be a facilitator and supporter of the staff. In the Diversion Facilities Division, we have six very different teams that all have their own unique goals and missions. We have: • • • • • •

Household Hazardous Waste Resource Recovery Center FM 812 Landfill Hornsby Bend brush grinding operation Brownfields Revitalization Office Project Management

I’ve got really good folks in all of these areas that know what they’re doing; they are the subject matter experts.

I’m just here to support them and help them move the programs forward.

Memi: What are your top three priorities in this role?

Donald: 1. Safety. I’m sure you’re going to hear that from every manager. In this division we have hazardous materials, heavy equipment and processing machinery so you want to make sure everyone has safety first on their mind, all their PPE (personal protective equipment), and the proper training on anything we operate so they can do it safely and expertly.

2. Customer Service. We have facilities that are open to the public so we want to make sure we are attentive to their questions and concerns. We also have internal customers such as vendors and other City departments, so we need to make sure we keep the customer’s best interest in mind.

3. Fiscal Responsibility. We have added a lot of programs in an effort to recycle more items. It’s great to be innovative, but you don’t want the cost to outweigh the benefit. There are some programs we have pursued that we later discovered were not financially feasible.

Our funds come from the fees we charge our customers and in Austin, affordability is a big issue.

2

‟MY ROLE IS TO BE A FACILITATOR AND SUPPORTER OF THE STAFF.”.

Memi: What do you enjoy most about the work you do?

What do you find challenging?

Donald: The thing that is most challenging is the diversity of the division. I may spend the entire day working with just one team, but there are also days where I spend a little bit of time with each part of the division. It can be tough to make sure I’m spending enough time with each team on a regular basis. Although it makes it a challenge, the diversity is also the best thing! I get to come in and work on all different subjects or issues and I don’t have to sit behind a desk all day. I can get out of the office and go visit Hornsby Bend and FM 812. I’m sure there are staff that consider it a good day if they don’t see me.

Memi: Do you have any favorite stories or memories about your career here that you wish to share?

Donald: One time we had a vile of Tetrodotoxin come in.

It’s a toxin extracted from puffer fish. This elderly lady whose husband was a pharmacist had brought it in after he had passed away. Apparently, Tetrodotoxin is used in medication to treat cardiac issues and he had been experimenting with it at home. When I saw that, we contacted our hazardous waste disposal vendor to make sure they would be able to handle it. It’s a neurotoxin that can cause paralysis; I learned about that in an episode of the Simpsons where Homer ate a puffer fish.

Memi: What has been your favorite role throughout your career and why?

Donald: Now, the role I am currently in, I’m working for a great employer. My entire career with the City I’ve had great bosses, I couldn’t have asked for better people to learn from and work with.

Memi: What has been the proudest moment in your career?

Donald: When somebody comes into my office and they ask if they can use me as a reference when applying for another position. It’s good to know that you have built relationships with folks where they feel comfortable enough

coming to you with that sort of thing. That should be a goal of any manager. You want your people to move up and on and you should be more than willing to do whatever you can to help them reach their career goals.

Memi: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Donald: I wanted to be a veterinarian, but then it switched to doctor when I realized it was easier to get into medical school than it was to get into veterinary school. But then I didn’t do well enough to get into medical school so it didn’t really matter.

Memi: Does that mean that you have a lot of pets?

Donald: I used to. Growing up in rural South Carolina, I had dogs, a skunk, two raccoons and a fox. The skunk was de-scented, but he didn’t know he was, so he would raise his tail and back up at you whenever he got mad.

Memi: What do you think are currently ARR’s biggest challenges?

Donald: I think our department has set its own greatest challenge with trying to meet the Zero Waste Goal. The waste management industry is constantly changing.

There are a lot of items we hope we can start recycling or reusing, but it’s hard to find outlets for some of that stuff. It goes back to fiscal responsibility; some of the streams we take now used to be revenue streams and now we have to pay for them.

Memi: What do you think are ARR’s biggest strengths?

Donald: The people. We have a lot of people all over this department that are very passionate about what they do, no matter what their position is, and out of that passion, you get innovation and a great work ethic.

Memi: Memi: What might employees be surprised to learn about you?

Donald: I’m actually 6’2”.

3

Safety spot

Staying cool in summer heat

BY TIM HILL Occupational Health and Safety Specialist Summer is right around the corner and as temperatures begin to rise, so does the potential for heat-related illnesses.

2017 brought one of the hottest summers in recorded history and with it, an increase in heat-related incidents for ARR employees in the field. This year, the safety team has redoubled its efforts to help prevent and recognize heatrelated illnesses. April will be heat safety month, focussing on heat-related illnesses and how to recognize, prevent and treat them.

The safety team will be making increased efforts to keep employees hydrated throughout the hottest months. Halfgallon water coolers, sunblock, hats, and cooling towels will be issued to all new field employees and existing employees who need replacements. In addition, electrolyte supplement drinks will be issued to employees on route from April

Hydration Chart 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

4

Properly Hydrated Great job! To stay hydrated, experiment to find the amount of fluid to drink that feels comfortable and allows you to perform at your best (6 – 12 glasses/day).

Dehydrated You lose water on a regular basis throughout the day.

Drink more water.

Severely Dehydrated Drink a large bottle of water right away.

through September. A heat index notification process will also be implemented to inform field employees of the daily heat index, using a color-coded system. When the heat index has reached a high-risk level, the safety team will remove the typically used “No Idle” policy so that employees can keep cool with the air conditioning running in their vehicles while taking their breaks.

Pay close attention to your body for symptoms such as dehydration, rash, exhaustion, cramps or stroke. Also, be aware of the color of your urine based on posted hydration charts. If any of these symptoms go untreated, they can result in serious consequences. If you or your coworkers are experiencing any of these symptoms, call Dispatch to report a 10-33 (emergency call).

Prevent Heat-Related Illnesses: • Don’t wait until you are thirsty to get a drink. Drink eight ounces of water every 20 minutes.

• Be careful when returning to work from a change in routine (such as vacation). Try to allow yourself to acclimate to working in the heat.

• Wear light-colored and lightweight clothing.

• Use sunscreen and wear headgear that keeps the sun off of your face.

• Take frequent breaks.

• Perform your heaviest tasks early in the morning or at dusk, if possible, but don’t overexert yourself early in the day, it will only increase your risk of heat-related illness once temperatures rise.

• Eat properly and get enough rest and sleep.

Need water on route? Fill your water cooler at any of the Austin fire stations. Review which one is nearest to you at: https://data.austintexas.gov/Public-Safety/Austin-FireStation-Map/szku-46rx Hydration chart colors source: National Collegiate Athletic Association- Sport Science Institute

News you can use

Announcements & upcoming events KUDOS

2018 COMPOSTING EXPANSION Phase II of the curbside composting expansion is scheduled to begin services in June of 2018. Austin Resource Recovery has announced which routes will receive the new services and will begin training affected employees.

KGSC 90-DAY RECYCLING CHALLENGE With spring just around the corner, the dangers of wildfire become a great concern for communities all around Austin. One community, Jester Estates, reached out to ARR to assist with their annual wildfire safety event to clean dangerous biomass (organic materials that fuel the spread of wildfire) from homes, to help safeguard life and property. Chris Farr, Keiandre Hernandez, Eric Ochoa, Javier Martinez and Derrick Steward answered the call on Feb 16, collecting brush from 23 addresses, with a weight totaling over 12 tons. Their hard work was much appreciated by the Jester Firewise Committee.

“For your assistance in reducing fire risk to our community, we offer our sincerest appreciation to Austin Resource Recovery.”

– Jeffrey M. Shapiro, P.E., FSFPE Chairman, Jester Firewise Committee

EARTH DAY 2018

ARR is running the KGSC 90-Day Recycling Challenge February through April, in an effort to keep more recyclable materials out of landfills. Recycling bins and signs have been set up in all offices and common areas throughout the building. Teams can earn points by encouraging each other to use their office recycle bins to collect as many recyclables as possible, and by participating in activities during monthly safety meetings. Points will be tallied weekly and the winning team will be announced at this year’s ROAD-E-O. Each member of the winning team will receive four hours of ADL. If you have any questions, call or email Iby Setzer at 974-7197 or Chase Norris at 974-4324.

Austin Resource Recovery will once again be participating in the Earth Day Austin celebration at Huston-Tillotson University. Join thousands of other area residents on April 29 from noon to 7 p.m. Earth Day ATX is a Zero Waste event dedicated to helping visitors discover new connections to the environment and teaching attendees about conserving, recycling, and reusing.

5

Road to Zero | A look back

BY ASHLEY PACE Public Information Specialist The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that roughly 100 people move to the Austin metro area each day. Between 2016 and 2017 alone, Austin’s population grew by 2.9 percent, landing it on the list of the top 25 fastest growing areas in the United States. All of that growth means new Austin Resource Recovery customers are receiving services for the first time. These customers may be new to recycling and Zero Waste, making our community outreach and education efforts especially important. With all this in mind,

EVOLUTION OF ARR 1880s

we have to remind ourselves of the accomplishments we’ve made since the Master Plan was adopted in 2011.

Although progress may be slower than we would like, we have still been able to make an impact on diversion rates and implement some amazing programs for change.

180,101

households

Pay-as-you-throw cost structure is implemented to encourage increased recycling by giving customers the option to reduce the size of their trash cart and bill

Sanitary Division Solid Waste Services is rebranded as Austin Resource Recovery

October

September

2011

Single Use Bag Ordinance (SUBO) goes into effect making reusable bags mandatory at Austin retailers

March

2012 November

December

Balled aluminum foil and tins added to acceptable recyclable materials

City Council adopts the ARR Master Plan, the 30-year roadmap to Zero Waste

2013 October

Austin’s Universal Recycling Ordinance approved by Council

December

Curbside Composting Pilot services begin

1920s

Public Works

1980s

Solid Waste Services

Number of households serviced by ARR

38.12%

Diversion Rate

38.46% (+.34%)

39.

(+1.

“I AM PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK TOWARDS AUSTIN’S ZERO WASTE GOAL.” – SAM ANGOORI, PE INTERIM DIRECTOR

197,420

households

190,058

households

What’s in Our

Trash?

44% 46%

RECYCLABLE COMPOSTABLE

10%

OTHER

EACH YEAR

DID YOU KNOW? THAT ARE THROWN AWAY

COULD FILL THE

Commercial Recycling Rebate pilot is launched, allowing businesses required to incorporate recycling to recoup some of the added infrastructure costs

April

TIMES

EACH YEAR

Results of the Waste Characterization study give us vital information on what is going to Austin area landfills.

June

2014 August

.18%)

March

2015

Austin Materials Marketplace is kicked off, connecting companies generating unwanted waste with those that can use the discarded materials.

.64%

Construction and Demolition Recycling Ordinance is adopted by City Council with the goal of reducing construction materials going to Austin area landfills by 20%

October

Household Hazardous Waste Facility and Resource Recovery Center merge to create the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center

Chicken Keeping Rebate program is launched to further the efforts of reducing the amount of food going to landfills

April

2016

2017

April

October

September

October

Curbside Composting expansion Phase I begins service to more than 38,000 additional homes

Award presented for Recycling Games winners (November 2015 through April 2016) Kickoff of the revitalized Zero Waste Block Leader Program reengages Austin residents in efforts to increase recycling and composting activities in the community.

Feeding the 5K Austin event brings further attention to food waste in Austin providing over 3,000 meals made entirely from ingredients that would otherwise have been wasted.

41.55% 39.61% (-0.03%)

39.95%

(+1.6%)

41.32% (-0.23%)

(+0.34%)

7

960 Director’s

Pride

awards Director’s PRIDE Awards are presented in honor of demonstration of the City of Austin’s PRIDE values

MADELYN MORGAN Strategic Initiatives

Maddie’s dedication, innovation, collaborative spirit and commitment to public service make her a true asset to ARR and to the City of Austin. Maddie is always on the lookout for ways to improve the work of the department, how to make a greater impact, and for how she can connect people to initiatives to make greater change. All of these things have been recently showcased in the work she is doing to improve recycling and reuse opportunities in UT’s West Campus area. Because of Maddie’s help connecting property managers to reuse organizations, 34 tons of material were diverted from landfills.

CORY GASPARD Collection Services

After suffering a serious face and eye injury from a damaged cart in his first year with ARR, Corey became an advocate for safety in the workplace, helping to educate his coworkers about proper techniques and what dangers to be aware of. He has personally helped replace over 100 damaged carts that had the potential to cause the same type of injury he sustained. Corey is the ultimate teammate who brings a great personality and attitude to the department. He provides great customer service, as well as leadership, and is always willing to give a helping hand.

BILLY MORGAN

Collection Services

PRIDE values: P: Public Service & Engagement R: Responsibility & Accountability I: Innovation & Sustainability D: Diversity & Inclusion E: Ethics & Integrity

8

960

Over his 19 years with ARR, Billy has set the bar in the Automation Department, and is always going above and beyond what is expected of him. He is known for his hard work, dependability, dedication to customer service, teamwork and amazing attitude, letting everyone know he loves his job.

Billy is a leader among his crew members, often making time to educate his team, and customers alike, about our programs and the importance of participating.

JANICE FELDER Human Resources

Janice is always looking for ways to make things run more efficiently, to be just and fair in her decision making, and to be responsive to her customer’s needs. She works hard to understand the audience she is trying to reach and creative ways to reach them while maintaining the validity of the process. Janice partners with those both inside and outside of the City for ways to incorporate best practices in her work and is always a reliable and diligent worker.

KEVIN ROLAND Litter Abatement

Kevin’s professionalism and commitment to the department’s mission helped ensure the successful rollout of Phase I of the Curbside Composting program.

Kevin helped to troubleshoot issues and proactively offered possible solutions to management.

Kevin is known for working with both internal and external customers to ensure there are multiple perspectives before suggesting a solution to stakeholders. He stays committed to tasks he has taken upon himself to complete. Kevin also goes above and beyond by routinely filling in for other crew leaders and staying behind to make sure all routes are completed for the daily operations of the department.

DAVID HERRERA Training/Facilities

David has established himself among the operations staff as the go-to person for anything they need to know about training. He has helped introduce several scheduling and training initiatives that have dramatically increased ARR’s training capacity, and has done so in a collaborative and inclusive way, working alongside operations supervisors and instructors leading to optimal solutions.

SCOTT LONG

Diversion Facilities

Scott’s dedication to customer service is an incredible asset to the Diversion Facilities teams.

Since his start as full time, Scott has interacted with nearly 4,000 customers a month and commits himself to making sure each one has a great experience at the drop-off center. Scott has greatly assisted the team during the incredible growth of the facility.

He makes sure the whole yard is kept clean and operations are running smoothly. We look forward to having him with us as the facility continues to grow.

ODILON GOMEZ Litter Abatement

Every day, Odilon can be counted upon to take ownership of any task or project assigned to him and ensure they have been completed accurately and in a timely manner. He is viewed by his crew as a yard trimmings route expert and assists his teammates with whatever area they are assigned to. He shows great customer service to residential customers, internal ARR customers and with other City departments. His professional integrity is something truly to be admired.

JAIME MARTINEZ Collection Services

Jaime is well known and recognized among his peers for his exceptional display of the PRIDE values. He is an outstanding operator and placed second at last year’s State Operator SWANA Rodeo. He maintains a positive attitude and excellent work ethic, giving top-notch customer service and calling any work safety hazards to the attention of his coworkers and safety team. Jaime has even been recognized by two block leaders, who called 3-1-1 to compliment his attention to service.

MICHAEL WOMACK Litter Abatement

Recently, ARR participated in a project with Keep Austin Beautiful to collect trash and litter along the Barton Creek Greenbelt.

Originally, ARR was not scheduled to pick up after the project, but based on the location of the set-out, Michael determined that it made more sense for ARR to collect the items the next day, versus waiting another week for the scheduled pick up. We could have easily taken a back seat and let the regular collection happen the next week, but Michael’s dedication to Austin’s Zero Waste goal, and willingness to step up is just part of what makes him an exceptional employee.

JAIME MORENO Litter Abatement

Going the extra mile is something Jaime does regularly. He is known for responding to escalated complaints personally and ensures the concern is resolved in a timely and efficient manner.

This year, he also developed a solution to help reduce excess carts at customer accounts, which significantly helped with inventory levels. Jaime helps to mentor and develop employees and encourages everyone to try to better themselves, while also being a servant to ensure they have whatever they need to succeed.

JO GUTIERREZ Finance

Jo consistently performs above expectation and can always be counted on to perform well in any task she is assigned. She is very knowledgeable about purchasing rules and has been the SPOC for so many tasks in the department that she is the go-to person when questions need answers. Jo is reliable, consistent and always provides excellent customer service with a positive, professional and friendly attitude. She understands the importance of her role and maintains a high level of integrity as a valued and trusted employee.

9

SYLVIA SMALLWOOD Customer Service

Sylvia strives to be the best teammate she can be, making sure the Customer Service team is always taken care of; whether that is by taking on additional duties herself, identifying issues so they receive the proper attention, or by consistently going above and beyond to ensure customers are being taken care of.

What do they do

?

JULIAN TOWNSEND Collection Services

Julian is best known among his colleagues for his quiet demeanor, great attitude and excellent customer service skills. He can always be counted on to volunteer in other areas and on projects; stepping up when he is needed. He most recently served as a truck driver lead during the Hurricane Harvey storm cleanup in Houston. While there, Julian assisted an elderly family, who was impacted by the storm’s destruction, get assistance and information from FEMA for the flood damage to their home.

JOHN HOLLENBECK Safety

John consistently completes the daily functions of his job in a timely manner and with a positive attitude. Safety is truly John’s foremost concern and he is always willing to stop to coach employees on how they can make their jobs safer, both for themselves and for the residents that we serve.

KATRINA FENRICK Quality Assurance

As a former ARR employee, Katrina ensured that the voice and mission of ARR were heard throughout the City as a member of several collaborative groups that ensure that evacuation routes and the City’s geospatial data are up-to-date. Katrina recently worked with the Finance Division to identify more than 12,000 billing discrepancies for Austin residents receiving our services that were not being billed. Her collaborative project management style demonstrated that a variety of perspectives is important and that people with different experiences and approaches will help ARR achieve its goals.

10

960

The Business Outreach Team The Business Outreach Team (BOT) is part of the Strategic Initiatives Division located at ARR’s North campus. Since the business community generates about 85 percent of Austin’s waste, the team helps commercial and multifamily properties reduce waste by administering the Universal Recycling Ordinance (URO) and other Zero Waste programs. The URO requires that commercial and multifamily properties provide recycling services for employees and tenants.

The organic portion of the ordinance requires food service businesses provide employees ways to keep food waste, used napkins and other organic materials out of landfills. Once the URO is fully rolled out in October 2018, some 17,000 properties will be affected.

Beyond the URO, the team works as consultants to help businesses achieve their own Zero Waste goals in support of the City. This means that this 7-person team is constantly on the move. On any given day, team members are working out in the community doing URO compliance checks, presenting to business associations or in the office answering phone calls from hundreds of Austin businesses. The BOT also issues rebates to help businesses achieve above and beyond recycling programs.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Business Outreach Team, email them at commercialrecycling@austinrecycles.com!

HR Corner

Dollars for degrees

BY CARINA HANSON Performance Consultant If you’ve ever considered going back to school, then at some point, you’ve probably heard the suggestion that the more schooling you’ve had, the more money you make. The below chart from the United States Department of Labor supports this assumption, showing a positive trend between 2016 median weekly income for adults age 25 or older, based on the highest level of education they’ve obtained.

for reimbursement, all or in-part, through the tuition reimbursement program. Joshua Sermons, an ARR technical trainer, decided to go back to school to pursue his bachelor’s degree at Huston-Tillotson University after finding that many of the job postings he was interested in required a degree to apply. Joshua says he found the City’s tuition reimbursement program “easy, but it takes a while to get dispersed,” and would recommend that anyone looking to advance their skills in some way look into it. “It’s a blessing to receive the benefit,” says Josh. Nathan Shaw-Meadow, a Planner III on the Business Outreach Team is pursuing his master’s degree in public policy, and also recommends the program stating, “Tuition reimbursement has been a breeze. Very easy to get approved and reimbursed.”

In addition to pursuing outside educational opportunities, the City of Austin and ARR promote learning from within through various programs such as Lifelong Learning Academy, Supervisor Academy and the Leadership, Education and Public Service (LEAPS) program. ARR has also recently ramped up their courses for interview skills to help employees learn best practices for completing the job application process and preparing for interviews.

In support of promoting continuing education opportunities, ARR proudly hosted another Education Fair at the Kenneth Gardner Service Center on February 20 and 21. The event was a huge success, with over 300 attendees from all of the ARR divisions, as well as some from other departments.

Representatives from schools like DeVry University, Austin Community College and Huston-Tillotson University came out to talk about the programs and certifications they offer, and how employees can get enrolled for classes that interest them. Sheila Balog from the Human Resources Department was available to talk about the tuition reimbursement program and the different academies offered by the City. Also in attendance were representatives from local banks, The Department of Insurance, HealthyConnections, EMS, HRD Employment, the Green Team and ARR Operator Alexander Johnson, who provided practical tips on balancing work and education.

For more information on Tuition Reimbursement email TuitionReimbursement@austintexas.gov or call (512) 530-8201 to talk to a representative.

For more information on other options for pursuing your career advancement goals, or if you have ideas for additional training courses contact me at Carina.Hanson@austintexas.gov or 512-974-1904.

If you aren’t familiar with it already, the City provides certain benefits to anyone who elects to continue their education or advance their skills through testing, college courses, certification programs, professional licenses or memberships and training. Qualifying employees can pay for the above mentioned educational options and submit them 11

YY

Y

AIMING HIGHER YAWARDSY

Y

Malcolm Smith

Cedric Armstrong

Y

Aiming Higher Awards are presented to individuals who shoot for the stars, whether through one exceptional action or by regularly going above and beyond.

For more information about Aiming Higher Awards, or to request a nomination form,contact your division awards and recognition committee member:

Malcolm found a potentially serious safety concern while completing his routine pre-trip.

The hydraulic system in his vehicle was working incorrectly and could have overpowered the brake system while in drive gear. Malcolm’s initiative to get the needed attention to the issue right away helped prevent potential injury or collision.

Jaime Germany

While assisting with the Recycling Set-Out Study, Cedric saw an overly full trash cart that an animal had gotten into.

There was trash on the ground and all around the cart. Cedric took it upon himself to get the area completely cleaned up so the collection crew wouldn’t have to worry about it when they later serviced the area.

Ricardo Navarrete

Collection Services Willie Simmons Customer Service Juanita Fernandez Diversion Facilities Javier Vazquez Finance Carole Reynolds Human Resources Amanda Noble Litter Abatement Regina Valencia Operations Support David Herrera Quality Assurance Andrea Francis Safety John Hollenbeck Strategic Initiatives Ashley Pace

12

YY

Y

As the point of contact for performance measures, Jaime is known for her friendly communication and commitment to on-time reporting. Jaime is always willing to work closely with others to help track data and improve performance measure reporting.

Ricardo stepped up to help with some routes that were behind on their usual schedule.

After hearing on the radio that they had expected to get back late, Ricardo unexpectedly met with the regular route operators right away and helped them finish earlier than anticipated.

Jessie Nichols & Zachary Lopez (Not pictured) One morning, while on route, Zachary and Jessie noticed a small boy wandering the street alone. They pulled over to make sure the boy was okay and called dispatch. While waiting for the police to arrive, Zachary and Jessie talked to the boy to help keep him calm.

They also clothed him to keep him warm in the cold November temperatures.

Joel Garcia

While working his recycling collection route, Joel noticed a set of keys sitting on top of one of the recycling bins. He brought the keys to the front door to return to the owner. Joel didn’t know at the time that the resident was an ARR employee who made sure to recognize him for his excellent customer service and professionalism.

Amanda Noble

Amanda is well known among her colleagues for being helpful, committed and friendly with everyone she meets. In particular, Amanda was recently recognized by someone she works with on the LEAPS board for going above and beyond in coordinating presenters for a training happening on a short deadline.

Peter Decesare

Raymond Selby

Jason Smith

While overseeing his usual yard trimmings route, Jason saw a disabled vehicle stopped along the side of the highway.

He pulled over and noticed the driver was injured. He called dispatch and requested an emergency response team.

While waiting for them to arrive, Jason administered first aid to the injured driver.

Yvonne Tabares While a co-worker was out on leave, Yvonne ensured all employee relations issues were handled quickly and effectively.

With many tasks that must be completed, in an area that can sometimes be an unpopular subject, Yvonne analyzed countless documents and exchanged multiple communications to ensure all bases were covered.

Georgia Marks, Regina Valencia, Daniela Heinrich, Melisa Hatherly, Tiesha Payne & Julia McCarthy

Pete works in the Carts Division and also makes time to help in the landfill whenever possible.

He never declines or complains when asked if he can help and will even volunteer his own time.

Juan Flores Juan is recognized for taking time out of his day to assist APD Sergeant Jay Swann with an operation he was conducting requiring a City waste vehicle. Juan was pleased to offer his assistance to the officers and was accommodating and helpful with their mission.

Raymond responded to a fire on a truck sitting next to the gas pumps. He acted quickly and calmly, extinguishing the fire using the tactics taught

by ARR Safety.

Joel Garcia & Gilbert Sanchez

While collecting on a recycling route, Joel and Gilbert found a cart containing used syringes. Per policy, they called in to Safety to report it. Their actions helped prevent injury to those sorting the materials at the MERF, and to anyone picking up that route in the future.

Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) Tiesha, Julia, Regina, Daniela, Melisa and Georgia are recognized for the amazing efforts they put forth during the SSPR and benefits season. Some may not know how much they do to assist with these processes among the many other tasks they complete for ARR. Because of their efforts, we were able to make a tight deadline.

Matthew Flores & Adam Valdez

Adam and Matthew noticed a vehicle connected to the CNG gas line was frozen and leaking. They immediately turned off the CNG post, and informed the fleet team and management of the issue before notifying the affected coworkers that the trucks weren’t being fueled.

13

Christmas tree recycling

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Email Ashley Pace at ashley.pace@austintexas.gov with any of the following: • Guest columns • Photos • Employee profiles and recognition • Special projects • Events • Suggestions for improvement

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RENEWS TEAM Editor – Ashley Pace Graphic Design – Keri Greenwalt Photography – Keri Greenwalt, Susanne Harm, Amanda Noble, Jorge Ortega and Ashley Pace