WINTER 2017
Interview with Sam Leadership Transition Update
Operator Reports Fire at House
Operator skillfully handled a dangerous situation.
PICTURED: Council Member Ora Houston visits staff at KGSC.
2016 Director's Pride Awards
ARR employees recognized for their PRIDE values.
Recent Events
Photos from Recent Events
CONTENTS Director's Message
LEADERSHIP WITH A PURPOSE
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An interview with Interim Director Sam Angoori.
Leadership Transition
Employee Recognition
Operator encounters fire
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Plus, meet ARR's new Occupational Safety Manager, Bill Huck.
Kudos to ARR staff members.
EVENT PHOTOS
Director's Pride Award WInners
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Recent events at ARR. See the list of winners for 2016.
AIMING HIGHER AWARDS PAGE 10
These employees were recognized for going above and beyond their job duties to represent PRIDE values.
Published March 2017
Director’s Message: Leadership Transition BY SAM ANGOORI, PE Austin Resource Recovery Interim Director
Amy and Sam for taking on these additional responsibilities during this time of transition, but I also want to recognize all of our employees for your patience and continued dedication during this transition. We have tremendous leaders in our department and because of that, I know we will continue to successfully serve our customers and the city. While I am serving as Interim Director, you should not expect too many changes. My priorities for the department are first and foremost, to provide the best possible work environment for our employees, our most valuable resources. Second, I will prioritize prompt, accurate responses to inquiries from City Council and the City Manager. I recognize that they rely on our transparency and the information we provide to make informed decisions. My third main priority is ARR’s budget. We’re starting the process now for the Fiscal Year 2018 budget. One of the biggest challenges we face as a department is to provide the best service possible while keeping costs low. When thinking about budget requests, I want all employees to ask themselves if it is really necessary. For example, before requesting new equipment, first consider, “Do we really need this or can we move a truck from an area where we don’t really need it?” This type of thinking ensures our department runs efficiently. I always want us to think through ways to maximize what we already have. Regardless of where you are in the department, everyone needs to think about efficiency.
I have appreciated everyone’s help as we have navigated the changes since Director Gedert left in December. After being appointed Interim Director, I made a few other interim appointments to keep things running smoothly while we wait for a decision regarding a permanent director (which is not planned until after the new City Manager is hired). Richard McHale is Interim Assistant Director, Amy Slagle is Interim Division Manager and Sam Gilbert is Interim Assistant Division Manager. Tammie Williamson has also taken on the additional executive duty of overseeing the HR division. I want to thank Tammie, Richard,
Keeping costs low is always a challenge, but our department has unique challenges because of the unique safety issues we face. Our operators have a dangerous job, and their safety – as well as the safety of all residents they interact with – is a top concern. We have great Safety and Training groups that work together to train and re-train staff; that, along with every employee’s daily commitment to safety, helps us keep everyone safe. I typically work at RLC three days per week: Monday through Wednesday. On Thursdays and Fridays, I am in my office at KGSC. Please know that just because my time is split between the two campuses (not to mention many meetings at City Hall), that doesn’t mean I’m not accessible. If you have trouble reaching me, please feel free to contact Michael Sullivan, who is serving as my executive assistant, or reach out to Richard McHale or Tammie Williamson. ReNeWS
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Leadership with a Purpose
An Interview with Interim Director Sam Angoori
BY MEMI CÁRDENAS Public Information Specialist Senior
As I walked into Sam’s office for this interview, I was excited to see he brought examples of his art to show me. I had heard he was an artist, and was looking forward to learning more about Sam during our conversation. That’s right, I called him “Sam,” and he actually prefers it. You see, there’s a silly rumor going around that he insists on being referred to as “Mr. Angoori” – a rumor he asked me to clear up. Please call him Sam. Memi: How long have you been with ARR and the City? Sam: I’ve been with ARR about 7 years and with the City about 17. Back in ’83 to ’87 I was working with Public Works as an intern while I was attending UT. After I graduated, I went to work for a couple of state agencies for several years. I worked for the Texas Water Development Board for about five years, where I was Assistant Director for the Economically Distressed Areas Program, helping people along the border get access to water and wastewater systems. We were working in Texas communities from Brownsville all the way to El Paso. It was very rewarding to help people in that way.
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Memi: What brought you back to Austin?
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our employees to think about. Why do they come to work every day? It can’t be just for money, you’ve got to have some purpose, you’ve got to have a commitment to what you do and bring that to work. Because we can make things better – you just have to be determined about it, that’s all. Memi: It’s wonderful to get to know that side of you, and thank you for sharing your experiences. What has been your favorite role throughout your career and why? Sam: The job that I have had here with ARR has really helped me to help others. You see things that people want to do in their lives, but there are some restrictions or limitations – it could be skills that some need or it could be education needed for advancement. My job has helped me understand where everybody is coming from and what they want to do in their career, and allowed me to help them get to where they want to be. I was pretty much on my own when I ended up here and I don’t want our employees to feel that way, that they are by themselves and there is nobody around to help them. This job has given me that chance to help out.
Sam: I was going to Pan American University in Edinburg, Texas. I took all the pre-engineering classes. I almost got a degree in accounting, but then I transferred to a college in Midland, and finally to UT-Austin to finish. Along the way, I always worked about 30 to 40 hours a week while also taking 15 hours of classes. At one of my jobs, in a computer lab, I would work the night shift for 12 hours, go to school in the morning, sleep for two to three hours, get up to study, and go back to work.
Memi: We talked a little about your art when I came in, how long have you been painting?
Memi: That’s work ethic! May I ask where you are originally from? Sam: I was born in Iran and I came to the U.S. about 40 years ago. I came here with only $500 in my pocket, knowing maybe about 10 to 20 percent of English.
Sam: Painting is very relaxing for me. When I look at things, I think about what the colors look like, what the shades are and where the lights are. It’s very interesting to me, and once I start the process of painting, everything else goes out the window. It really keeps me at ease. Painting is like everything else in life – you have to plan ahead to have a successful product.
Memi: That’s inspiring, it’s a side of you that . . .
Memi: Do you aspire to become a full-time painter?
Sam: People don’t know. It all has to do with determination, decision making and what you think your purpose is in life and how you want to deal with things. From the morning when you wake up until you go to sleep you have a period of time, and it’s all up to you what you want to do during that time. That’s really what I want
Sam: At some point, when I retire.
Sam: Twenty-some years with different mediums: water color and acrylics. The past four years have been mostly oils. I’ve been drawing and doing water colors since I was 10 or 12 years old. Memi: What draws you to painting?
Memi: I’ve learned a lot of very surprising and interesting things about you today; what is something else you think employees might be surprised to learn about you?
Sam: I have my license from the Coast Guard; I can operate boats up to 100 tons. And I have my license in real estate, so I’m a realtor. But I don’t have time to do either. Memi: Wow, you’ve been very, very busy! When you were a young child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Sam: Ever since I was 12 years old, I wanted to come to the United States to study, and I wanted to get my PhD and teach at the university level, but of course that didn’t happen. The whole thing had to do with working with people, and helping students get to where they want to go. So even though that didn’t quite happen, I ended up helping people along the border, or in Public Works, or here – still doing what I originally dreamed: guiding and leading and helping, but in a different way. I’ve done that; I think I’ve met that goal and continue to do so.
If you’d like to get to know Sam a little more, you’re welcome to “pop-in” yourself for a short conversation. His door is always open and he prefers to talk face-to-face. I recommend you take him up on it; I had a great time getting to know him and you will, too. ReNeWS
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Employee
Recognition RECYCLING CREW A citizen posted on Facebook to thank his recycling crew for stopping to say hello to his daughter.
JAIME MORENO – SUPERVISOR, LITTER ABATEMENT Jaime has shown his commitment to the City’s PRIDE value of diversity and inclusion by helping some of the employees on his team take advantage of the PE program. A couple of Jaime’s team members primarily speak Spanish, and Jaime wanted to help them have a good experience with the PE program so he translates PE news for them and has helped them get set up to participate. He’s truly going above and beyond to encourage fitness on his team.
TRASH COLLECTION EMPLOYEE
JONATHAN MOORE – OPERATOR, LITTER ABATEMENT A citizen called to thank Jonathan for stopping to help him get off the road after his car broke down. Jonathan’s willingness to take time out during a busy day to help someone in need is greatly appreciated.
An anonymous resident emailed a compliment for trash collection employee who was “caught” on camera picking up trash that had fallen out when recycling was collected earlier in the day. The customer thought it was very diligent of the operator to clean up the mess even though he hadn’t made it.
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AIDEN COHEN – BUSINESS OUTREACH PROGRAM MANAGER, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
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Aiden was recently selected for the City of Austin Executive Academy, which is a leadership development program for high-performing City employees in leadership roles. The program focuses on developing skills that are critical for success as an executive at the City of Austin. Participants meet monthly over nine months, with each session focusing on a different aspect of leadership. Congratulations, Aiden!
GREG JONES – OPERATOR SENIOR, LITTER ABATEMENT A customer called to compliment Greg for stopping to allow an elderly man and his granddaughter cross the street. Sometimes the small gestures make a big impact on our customers!
MADDIE MORGAN – WASTE DIVERSION PLANNER, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Foundation Communities recognized Maddie on Facebook for her work to help them meet their sustainability goals.
RETIREMENTS On January 27 there was a celebration honoring ARR’s recently retired employees. A huge thanks – and congratulations! – to Isaac Bell, Ronnie Del Harper, Lawrence Martin, Steven Dixon, Jarvis Houston and Tom Henry Coleman, Jr. for your years of service. We wish you all the best in the coming years!
Operator Encounters Fire at Abandoned House, Helps Keep Neighborhood Safe BY BILL HUCK Occupational Safety Manager
On December 20, operator Eli Duran was driving his route on Ware Road when he saw an abandoned house that had been boarded up after a fire. As he drove past, he noticed flames on the outside of the house, so he immediately stopped and notified dispatch. Soon, some neighbors came out of their homes to investigate. Eli convinced them to stay back and wait for the Fire Department. He moved his truck to a safe location and remained on scene to assure everyone that help was on the way. Once the Fire Department arrived, the firefighters canvassed the area for any additional hazards and the flames were safely extinguished. Eli stayed calm under pressure and took action to protect the neighborhood and its residents. He followed ARR Safety protocols to make sure he kept himself and others safe – a job well done! What to Do in an Emergency When working in the field, you may encounter many types of emergencies, such as the fire Eli witnessed. Follow these steps to keep yourself, citizens and property as safe as possible. 1. Always be alert and aware of your surroundings. 2. If you encounter an emergency, make sure you and your vehicle are in a safe location, far enough away from potential danger. 3. If it is a life threatening situation, call 911, and then call Dispatch (radio 10-33 or call 512-974-1967) immediately after. • If it is not a life threatening situation, just contact Dispatch.
Bill Huck is ARR’s new Occupational Safety Manager; he started in October 2016. Bill brings more than 25 years of experience, including roles in the solid waste industry, risk assessment and safety. He also brings extensive supervisory and managerial experience to the department. Bill is a tried and true, born and raised Austinite and a devout Longhorn fan.
4. Remain on the scene until the authorities arrive or until instructed to leave by an ARR Safety team member.
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For details about how to respond to specific emergencies – including medical emergencies, collisions, severe weather, chemical spills and more – see the ARR Emergency Instructions Booklet or talk to a Safety team member.
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2016 Director’s PRIDE Award Winners Zeke Grimaldo – Operator Senior, Collection Services
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Zeke’s can-do attitude and expertise has made him the go-to guy among his colleagues. He is always first in line to train new employees that come onto his crew, and he’s always willing to serve as a leader when supervisors are not present. Zeke has never complained about any task he’s been assigned and his work ethic goes above and beyond his expected duties, always assisting other groups in their assignments. His dedication and hard work go well beyond expectations.
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Ricardo Navarrete – Operator, Collection Services
Ricardo’s dependable nature and positive attitude are always exemplified through his commitment to provide great customer service and handle different responsibilities without complaint. He has never received any customer complaints, write-ups or violations. His pride for his work and department is embodied in his commitment to keep his routes clean and pick up extra duties whenever possible.
Adam Surita – Supervisor, Collection Services
Kirk Jones – Operator Senior, Collection Services
As a leader, Adam is well respected by his peers and employees for his commitment to outreach and hard work, as well as for his dedication to ARR. He always keeps the interests of the City in mind when making decisions, maximizing the impact of the department. In his spare time, Adam provides outreach for school children to teach them about recycling and takes on tedious tasks on top of his normal work duties.
Kirk consistently exhibits PRIDE value through his leadership and guidance over fellow employees. He goes above his normal work duties to provide great customer service, follow safety guidelines and take initiative to help the operations team any way he can. Recently, Kirk helped gather data on recycling routes for his team, which allowed ARR to acquire more accurate information.
Each year, the Director’s PRIDE awards recognize ARR employees who embody all five PRIDE values in their daily work in order to reach the goals of the Division, Department and City. Division managers nominate employees from their divisions, and the ARR Director selects the winners.
Going forward, 12 awards will be given:
This year, the Award and Recognition Committee changed the eligibility criteria for these awards to provide recognition more equitably. Rather than every division having a winner each year, new categories were created to account for the fact that some divisions are much smaller than others.
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G.G. Arnold – Supervisor, Litter Abatement
G.G.’s commitment to complete tasks and follow up with customers – both internal and external – demonstrates his professional integrity. Management knows G.G. will do what he says he will. He routinely works hard to include the perspectives of everyone he works with and identify potential solutions before issues arise, and he always takes ownership of his projects and tasks.
Steven Davis – Operator Senior, Litter Abatement
Steven is an exceptional team player, always lending his expertise and leadership to assist others in need. He has assisted the Special Project Team with almost every City of Austin event in the past year, ensuring they run smoothly. Steven also assists the downtown crew regularly on top of his normal work duties and requests to help weekend crews when he notices teams are short on employees.
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Four awards for Collection Services Four awards for Litter Abatement employees Two awards between the Strategic Initiatives, Quality Assurance, Human Resources, Finance and Customer Service divisions Two awards between the Diversion Facilities, Safety and Operations Support divisions
The following winners were honored by then-Director Gedert at the employee holiday breakfast on December 14, 2016.
Tyrell Glenn – Operator, Litter Abatement
Rudy Reyna Jr. – Operator, Litter Abatement
Tyrell is one who takes ownership of all tasks that he is given by his supervisor, completely dedicating himself to the job at hand. He identifies potential solutions and meets with management when important issues arise or big decisions are needed. Tyrell is someone you can consistently count on to complete assignment in a timely manner.
Rudy routinely demonstrates his commitment to public service and engagement by partnering with both internal and external customers to ensure that customer needs are met. One way he’s done that is by taking on additional responsibility for training new employees. Rudy is a team player and exemplifies diversity and inclusion by taking others’ input and giving quality feedback. He keeps a positive attitude and provides excellent customer service, no matter the task. Rudy’s dedication, work ethic and commitment demonstrate the best aspects of public service.
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PRIDE
VALUES Lorenzo Garcia – Operator Senior, Diversion Facilities
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Lorenzo’s versatility, expertise and determination to complete assignments has made him a valuable asset to his team and the Brush Facility. He always provides suggestions and ideas for completing tasks more effectively, and he helps train less experienced operators, saving resources and time. His willingness to fill in as lead and take care of the facility’s equipment has made Lorenzo a standout employee.
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P ublic service and engagement R esponsibility and accountability I nnovation and sustainability D iversity and inclusion E thics and integrity
Charley White Jr. – Operator Senior, Diversion Facilities
Charley’s work performance reflects his determination to complete his work safely and efficiently. When needed, Charley assists the off-site brush grinding operation. His mechanical expertise has also allowed him to solve equipment problems before they arise, which has prevented equipment breakdowns.
Brent Paige – Financial Consultant, Finance
Brent always maintains a reliable and respectful nature to everyone he comes in contact with. He continuously takes on additional duties on top of his regularly assigned work and always provides accurate data and information. He routinely goes beyond the scope of his assigned work to ensure he understands why a request is being made so that he can ensure his response is comprehensive.
Shana Riviello – Business Process Consultant Senior, Quality Assurance
Shana’s genuine personality, strong work ethic and commitment to accountability has made her a standout employee during her time with ARR. Shana manages her team efficiently and earnestly with great integrity to exemplify ARR’s strong commitment to public service. She serves as the lead on several crossdepartmental projects, ensuring every team member’s voice is represented. Her accomplishments even led to her being invited to speak at a national conference.
Photos from EVENTS
Veteran's Day Parade
Employee BBQ
Retirement Ceremony
Christmas Tree Recycling with Austin Parks and Recreation
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Employee BBQ
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AIMING HIGHER
AWARDS AIMING HIGHER AWARDS ARE PRESENTED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO shoot for the stars, WHETHER THROUGH ONE EXCEPTIONAL ACTION OR BY regularly going above and beyond. WINNERS GET A GIFT CARD AND ARE RECOGNIZED HERE IN THE NEWSLETTER.
Jose Ramirez
Jose took the lead at a time when his team needed him the most. While on route for collection, debris from another vehicle shattered one of the truck windows, injuring his crew member. Jose maintained his composure and was able to switch the driver controls over to the passenger side and safely pull the truck over.
Raymond Maldonado
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Raymond was a great help to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) team during a challenging time. While baling cardboard, Raymond noticed the HHW team swamped with a large paint load recently dropped off. He took a break from his baling duties to help process this load and stayed around to help when a second unexpected load was dropped off, allowing the team to complete more than they expected.
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Sean Barlow, Lorenzo Garcia and Freddy Garcia
On short notice, Sean, Lorenzo and Freddy helped grind up brush during peak collection by moving heavy equipment from their site to Braker Lane. While on location, a hydraulic line burst but Freddy was able to repair it without setting the team behind. The trio worked quickly, completing their work on time.
Michael Wilkins, Sean Barlow, Cirilio Sanchez and Marcia Jones
Tony Davee, David McCluggage, Anthony Freeman and Tom Fulmer
David Calderon
When the team leads were out of the office, David stepped up to lead in their stead as Senior Operator. With his experience, he made sure his team finished their route on time and met all ARR standards. His great leadership skills garnered praise from his fellow employees.
Gaylon Robertson
Michael, Sean and Cirilio helped clear up APD property with no complaints. This job was a little difficult since the area hadn’t been cut since May and foreign objects were hidden in the brush. On a job that could have taken a week, the trio finished the job in a day and a half, exhibiting ARR’s strong belief in excellent customer service. When ARR received payment from APD, Marcia Jones helped transfer the funds.
Tony Smith, Jeffery Mangett, David Champ and David Haney
Tony, Jeffery, David C. and David H. were getting ready to start their work day when an 18-wheeler was hit by another car that ran a red light. The group immediately rushed to assist the passengers and ensure they were fine. Jeffery and David C. escorted the 18-wheeler to a nearby fire station while David H. and Tony swept up the debris.
After two major floods damaged City landfill letdowns and fence lines, Tony, David, Anthony and Tom went above their normal duties dealing with FEMA to get ARR reimbursed for damaged items. They spent months gathering documentation and attending meetings with state and federal officials on top of their normal work duties in order to help ARR recuperate valuable equipment and monetary damages.
Gaylon exemplified ARR values when he used his CPR and First Aid skills to assist a fellow employee suffering from a medical condition. Gaylon followed all procedures perfectly, staying calm and attentive while providing care to his fellow employee.
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Kevin Roland
When his supervisor asked for his assistance outside of his regular work schedule, Kevin was all smiles. He helped clean up a collision site, staying until the work was completely done. This took time out of his normal duties and extended his workday, but Kevin kept a positive, helpful attitude.
Scott Zimmerman
Jessica KinG
Jessica consistently goes above and beyond to help her co-workers no matter how busy she is, often working long hours and even weekends. Her positive attitude, great sense of humor and expertise has made her a resource her team can rely on. Jessica’s leadership and support has made her a valuable asset to ARR.
Michael Sullivan
Dana Blindert
For two years, Dana has worked diligently on creating the Employee Occupational Safety System (EOSS), a citywide project designed to better track employee incidents, identify negative trends and mitigate risk. While waiting on the EOSS to start, Dana worked to improve ARR’s Safety database by ensuring the data was up-to-date and correcting errors that could have cost ARR thousands of dollars in lost-time pay.
Conley Leloux
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When his team was working hard to survey businesses, Scott was the one they turned to. Scott mapped out an efficient route to more than 500 businesses and delivered the maps the same afternoon, saving his team gas, time and labor, which allowed them to reach more businesses and collect data vital to many ARR case studies.
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Michael always goes above and beyond to accommodate last-minute requests from the media. Regardless of where he is or time of the day, he immediately responds to inquiries in a timely manner. His positive, friendly attitude and big smile go a long way to support the team in every effort he can.
Conley makes it his job to solve issues and lead his staff to finish as much work as possible at the landfill. He is a team player and doesn't shy away from hard work or lending a helping hand. His fellow employees value his strong worth ethic and dependable attitude.
Jesse Munoz
Jesse aims higher on a daily basis with the goal of keeping ARR employees and Austin citizens safe, evident in his outstanding efforts to develop a comprehensive refresher training program for ARR's vehicle operators. This program includes both automated and semi-automated trucks assessments as well a driving course designed to test operators’ abilities to navigate hazardous situations.
AIMING HIGHER
AWARDS FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT Aiming Higher Awards, OR TO REQUEST A NOMINATION FORM, CONTACT YOUR DIVISION AWARDS AND RECOGNITION COMMITEE MEMBER! Litter Abatement LaPree Habbit
Operations Support Ray Pilgrim
Collection Services Johnny Williams
Quality Assurance Bill Garrett
Customer Service Marcus Gonzalez
Safety Jesse Langley
Director’s Office Michael Sullivan
Finance Marcia Jones
Diversion Facilities Melisa Hatherly
Strategic Initiatives Ashley Pace
Human Resources Amanda Noble ReNeWS
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Email Melissa Heald Goodman at melissa.heald@austintexas.gov with any of the following: • • • • • •
Guest columns Photos Employee profiles and recognition Special projects Events Suggestions for improvement RENEWS TEAM Melissa Heald Goodman – Editor Heidi Wong – Graphic Designer Susanne Harm & Jorge Ortega – Photographers