EDGE
EMPLOYEE
SUMMER 2017
LEADERSHIP / GROWTH / SERVICE
OUR PEOPLE
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EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
"...so what's happening in your city???"
OUR PEOPLE
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EDGE
CO N T E N T S Our Leadership 7
Message from City Management
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Interview with City Councilman Jeff Robinson
Our People 10 Coin Awards Program Haley Hettinger - Code Compliance Department 12
Director Q & A -
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Employee Spotlights
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Birthdays
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Shannon Goodman - Parks, Recreation & Special Events
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Mikey Fundis - Sanitation Department Shannon Napier - Fire Department
Retirement
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Chief Mike Manning, Police Department
New Employees
Our Stories 22 "Toot Toot Tuesdays" 23 24
What's Happening
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Things That Make You Go Hmmm...
From The Vault
Our Photographs 26
Click
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Photo Finish
Cover
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photo by
Tim Todd
EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
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From the
Staff It is already Spring which means the Employee Olympics was first on our calendar. We hope every employee enjoyed the comradery and the added bonus of bragging rights. Our citizens and visitors alike are enjoying the weather in our many parks. Heritage Park takes center stage with the addition of the handicap-accessible playground and hosting our biggest blowout ever, Spark in the Park. For that spectacular event, we are keeping the very special guest entertainer under wraps, but you will not want to miss it. Internally, we are starting the new budget cycle. All departments have just completed their base budgets and are now compiling supplemental funding requests, including new and expanded programs, vehicle and major equipment replacements and general cost-of-service increases. This is also one of the busier times for the Finance department, with updating budget models and building multi-year forecasts. One of the key objectives is revenue analysis, the primary determining factor for the City's operating capacity and multi-year outlook. Our newest tourism project, Experience Weatherford, has experienced great results since its recent kick-off. The sponsorships from the Partner Program with our local community businesses have been very well received and the number of Facebook followers to the Experience Weatherford website has greatly exceeded our expectations. We are giving our community and increasing number of visitors a great way to see all the fantastic things happening here in the City of Weatherford.
The Employee Edge is published by the City of Weatherford, Texas. www.weatherfordtx.gov 303 Palo Pinto St. | Weatherford, TX | 76086
Employee Edge Creative Team
Krista Beach Administration
Malinda Nowell Administration
Sandra Green Human Resources
Blake Rexroat Director, Communications and Marketing Blake Rexroat Communications & Marketing
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EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
Tim Todd Communications & Marketing
MESSAGE FROM C I T Y M A N A G E M E N T Sharon Hayes, James Hotopp and Brad Burnett would like to thank everyone involved who made the 2017 Employee Olympics such a huge success. Great job!
MONTHLY BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST INVITATION
The City Manager would like to have breakfast with staff members during your birthday month to simply say "thank you" and to find out what is going on in your world. Please join her for breakfast.
Second Thursday of Each Month Cherry Park Community Building 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. OUR LEADERSHIP
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INTERVIEW WITH CITY COUNCILMAN
JEFF ROBINSON PLACE 2
What position do you have on the City of Weatherford City Council and what sub-committees do you serve on? I am City Council Place 2 and Mayor Pro-Tem. I am also on the Municipal Utility Board, as well. How do you feel about being on the City Council? I believe it is an honor that the citizens of Weatherford put their trust in me and have allowed me to serve in this position for the last six years. What is the most challenging part of being on City Council? We have tough decisions to make that will not be popular for some, while others benefit. My goal is to make decisions based on what is best for the City as a whole. What background experience do you bring to the City Council? In my full-time career, I manage a large budget and also a large number of people. The skills I have learned are an asset for my work on the council. What do you feel are the weakest and the strongest parts of the City Council? We all have different careers and backgrounds, and that diversity makes us stronger as a group. How do you feel about the growth of the City? I think that growth is inevitable and that it is Council and staff's responsibility to plan and manage the growth so that Weatherford continues to be a great place to live and raise a family.
What is a unique characteristic about yourself that the other council members may not know about you? I play the guitar. Please tell us about your family. My wife, Paula, and I have four sons and four grandchildren that we love spending time with. Anything interesting you've done in your life you'd like to share? I flew a small airplane over the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. If there were a candy dish at the edge of your desk, what would you fill it with? Dark chocolate peanut M&M's.
How do you compare the City of Weatherford with other cities? I believe that Weatherford offers better quality public safety and more amenities than other cities our size. I also believe that we have been able to keep a small town feel as we have grown. What do you see the City being like in ten years? I hope that in ten years, the downtown area has been revitalized and that we have completed the transportation projects that are necessary to keep traffic moving around the City. I also believe that with our TIRZ program in place, we will see tremendous development on the I-20 corridor. 8
EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
Above: Mayor Craig Swancy and Councilman Jeff Robinson have a quick conversation prior to a City Council meeting.
Our People
COIN AWARDS PROGRAM:
CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICER, HALEY HETTINGER
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he City of Weatherford has a Coin Awards Program for the organization-wide purpose of recognizing employees that go above the call of duty and who’s actions are worthy of special recognition. Supervisors are encouraged to recognize employees and co-workers when their actions merit praise. For an employee to be given a coin by their supervisor, they must receive a compliment from a citizen or be witnessed going above their normal scope of duties. The Human Resources department will log the date the coin is given to the individual as well as place documentation in their personnel file. Upon receiving 10 coins, the employee is given a certificate for a day off with pay.
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Tell us about how you received your coin through the coin awards program. The coin award I received was for helping with the Oncor tree permit case. What is your background and education? I have a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and have worked for Child Protective Services as an investigator. I've also worked for several mental health agencies. What do you love most about your job? I love that each case is different and I get to be out in the field. How long have you been working for the city? This April marked one year after returning to work for the City. In total, I've worked approximately 4 years for the City of Weatherford.
What are your hobbies? I like to fish, hunt and spend time with my family. What do you love most about Weatherford? I have lived here all my life, born and raised here. Although it has grown quite a bit, it's still home. What are other details about you that most people do not know? I have hunted and tagged alligators with the Texas Parks and Wildlife. What advice would you give to a new employee starting work with the City of Weatherford? Every position has a lot to learn and you won't learn it in one day; it will take time. Be patient.
What is your daily schedule? On a normal day, the morning is spent checking the daily reports, sending out any letters or correspondences needed for cases. I then go out and look at cases for compliance. A good portion of the day is spent on taking the incoming complaints and opening and closing cases as needed. What made you decide to pursue a career in code enforcement? I wanted to make Weatherford a beautiful city for my daughter to grow up in. What is the most challenging situation you have faced as an employee? How did you overcome the challenge? The most challenging situation was working with our different ordinances within each department and interrupting them. The challenges were overcome by working as a team to understand them. Who has been a mentor to you during your career? Chris Cummins, my supervisor, has tremendously contributed to my success and achievements.
A very special thanks to the great staff at Chandor Gardens for hosting our photo shoot. A beautiful day in the garden! 777 West Lee Avenue OUR PEOPLE 11
Q&A Shannon Goodman Director of Parks, Recreation & Special Events What do you love most about your job? Planning and development of a new park or park project. It's great to be a part of the change that takes place to help shape the community you live in. What is your daily schedule? If I can get into the office around 7am, I can knock off a few things on my to do list before the staff gets in and the doors open to the public at 8am. After that, it's normally answering staff questions that are needed to help the public, calling vendors about current projects and meetings about whatever current projects staff is working on. By lunch, I try to visit a project or two in the field and get an update or discuss choices to keep the project moving forward. Answering emails and more questions are in there somewhere. After lunch is typically slower from 1 to 3pm and I can work on paperwork and start scheduling more to do list stuff. From 3 to 5pm, usually I'm talking to staff about their needs and planning what will be the priority for the next day and finding a good stopping point for the day...oh...and checking the calendars to see if there's a meeting after 5pm or I can go home. That is a normal day which happens about once or twice a week. The rest is a blur... What was your career prior to working for the City of Weatherford? Parks has been my career for 22 years. I started working in Parks and Recreation when I was 19 years old for the City of Kerville as a Parks Laborer. I was going to school in the evenings at ITT Technical Institute and thought I wanted to work on electronics. After a year or so in the 12 EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
parks, I found that I really enjoyed it so I set some goals and chose it as a career path. Who has been a mentor to you during your professional career and why? In the early days of my career, before I knew it was a career, I learned a lot about what I didn't want to be as a supervisor while working for a bad one. Later, as I moved up the ranks, I worked for a park superintendent in Missouri City that really taught me to develop skills and how to use my strengths to benefit the City. What do you love most about being a City employee? The dedication it takes to be a City employee is tremendous with the tight budgets, long hours and always working in the public eye. At the end of the day, it's about what we do positive for the community and everything else fades away. We can't do it alone; it takes a team and we have a great team in place that is moving the City in the right direction. What is the biggest challenge for your position? Doing more with less; we truly do try and stretch the dollar as much as we can. Do you have goals for your department? For Recreation, we are trying to find ways to connect with the teens in the community so we are looking to create some new outdoor programs that are geared toward the 13 to 20-year-olds. In Special Events, we are going to focus on the current events that we have established over the last few years and grow them, fine
tune them and promote them. With Parks, the goal is to stay above water; we are doing so much it's hard for the crew to be everywhere and do everything that's needed. The park projects are booming and as new projects finish, the maintenance increases. I have a goal to try and do everything I can to help get the resources and support what the parks need to do the things that are required. At Chandor Gardens, it's a goal to keep the gardens looking beautiful and find a way to increase foot traffic. Why do you feel that employees are important to the daily operations of the City? The employee is the backbone. We, as Directors, can make plans and set goals but it takes hardworking employees to carry out the work and make it a success. What advice do you have for employees? Do what you love. I have always said that if you enjoy your work and love doing it, you will be successful.
Behind The Lights... Dogs or cats? Why? Dogs. I don't know why, I just never liked cats. My wife, Lisa, and I have a Pomeranian named Mia. I never thought I would like a little dog but she's like one of our kids. What are your interest or hobbies? I enjoy most anything the outdoors has to offer. One of my favorite things to do is going to the mountains to fly fish, hike or canoe. My wife and I love to travel and I play online gaming with my 20-year-old son and 17-year-old nephew about two to three times a week. It's a good de-stresser from work and it allows me to get to talk to my son while he's away at college. If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be and why? Reinhold Messner. He successfully climbed Mount Everest in 1978 with no oxygen to supplement his climb. He is also the first man to climb 14 mountains that are at least 8,000 meters high. I love reading about great explorers in history and just can't imagine the mental toughness and fortitude it took to accomplish what they have done.
What is your favorite movie or TV show? Star Wars...all of them... If there was a candy dish on your desk, what would you fill it with? Starburst. Love them! If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would like to spend a few months traveling across Europe and experiencing all the history that it has. If you joined the circus, what would you be? I would be the guy that coordinates the setup of all the tents and structures. What has been the hardest part of technology for you to accept? I'm a tech geek - just ask my wife. I embrace it all and am always trying new stuff out.
OUR PEOPLE 13
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT MIKEY FUNDIS Sanitation Loader - Sanitation Collection What is your position with the City? I am currently a Sanitation Loader in the Sanitation Collection department. I started with the City as a part-time employee in July of 2002 and went full-time in September of the same year. I've been here over 14 years...and counting. What did you do prior to working for the City of Weatherford? I worked for Blue Beacon Truck Wash here in Weatherford for several years, washing trucks. What do you like most about your job? I like working with the team on the recycling truck. They are great to work with and are good people. I also like to be a part of the community doing the job. There is a little kid I always see in Clear Lake Estates during our route. He always greets me with a "high-five" when I see him. Definitely makes my day.
EDGE magazine discovered that you are involved in bicycle racing. How did you find your way into that interest? I was riding one day while in Benbrook. A member of a Fort Worth team approached me and asked me to join their team. I'm now with the MBBC racing team in Fort Worth.
What challenges do you face on your job? Dealing with the crazy drivers while our crew is working. It seems all the cars are in such a hurry. It can make it very dangerous for us. Another problem can be the dogs we encounter sometimes. They are usually not very nice. Do you have any advice for a new employee working with you? The job will require some training but the main part to remember is to pace yourself and to always stay in a slight jog. What do you like about the City of Weatherford? I love Weatherford. It's a great town. It's quiet and it has very nice people. I also like the pace of how it is growing. What would you like to see change in Weatherford? There needs to be a local bicycle racing team!
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How long have you been interested in bicycling as a sport? I've always liked biking. I started with a BMX bike then went into mountain bikes. I then became interested in the road bikes and the racing. I've been doing that for at least five years now and am still with the Fort Worth team. When you are on a long ride, what kinds of things are you thinking about? I'm thinking of two things at once; that's just me. I'm thinking about my work at the City and I'm also focused on the ride and being aware of the traffic around me. That's an important one.
Anything interesting you've done in your life you'd like to share? I remember getting a speeding ticket while riding my bike once. I think it was about four years ago here in Weatherford. I've heard the rumors that I was going 70mph, but the truth is that I was going 40mph in a 30mph zone.
The Other Side of Mikey...
Any other hobbies or areas of interest? Video games! My favorite is Halo for Xbox 360. Any personal goals you have for yourself? I want to race more!
OUR PEOPLE 15
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT SHANNON NAPIER Firefighter - EMT Describe your position. I am a firefighter and EMT for the City. Right now, I am assigned to Station 4, which is located on W. Park. We have a primary response area that we respond to as the first out engine and also serve as a back-up for other parts of the City. As the firefighter on the engine, some of my responsibilities include being on the nozzle of the hose line for fires, providing medical care to patients and using extrication tools in motor vehicle accidents.
not panned out. What do you love about your job? I love the variety of things we get to do and how all of them in some way help someone. People are usually having a very bad day when they need our services and we get to show up and make things a lot better for them...hopefully. Also, it is like I have a "second family" at work. We spend 24 hours at a time together so it is a pretty unique working experience.
What did you do prior to working for the City of Weatherford? I worked at IBM as a sales rep for midrange systems that were specifically targeted as discreet manufacturers for companies under $100 million. And, no, I am NOT very computer literate! Why did you decide to choose a career in firefighting? Did you have a different career in mind as a second choice? The fire service was always something I had been fascinated with but never knew anyone who actually worked in the field and really had no idea how one got into it. My parents moved to a small town and I followed them. The town had a volunteer fire department and also ran an accredited fire and EMS school. I started volunteering and really liked it, but wanted to be able to do more things on calls so I decided to go to the school and get certified. Both schools were at night and on the weekends so I could continue to work full time at IBM. At first, I didn't think I would change professions just to continue to volunteer, but the more I learned and experienced, the more I realized that I wanted to do it full time. I had considered going to nursing school if my career as a firefighter had 16 EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
What is the most challenging part of your job? Sometimes I feel conflicted about my feelings when it comes to emergencies. I don't wish for anything bad to happen to people but I am glad when it happens and really want it to happen when I am at work and I get to help. I hate coming to work and hearing how another shift had a really good call, but a really good call to a firefighter usually means a really bad day for someone else. What do you find interesting about the City of Weatherford? How much the City has grown. I was originally drawn to work in Weatherford because the City had so
much room for growth which meant that there should be a variety of calls within the Fire Department. We have residential areas, commercial areas, rural areas, the lake, and we are the center of a huge county...this means lots of unique types of calls. What is it like being the only female in a male-dominated department? I'm not going to lie. At first, it was really hard. Some co-workers were not receptive and a little resentful of the changes that had to be made around the stations since a female would be working there, and even some of them publicly and openly told me they didn't think a woman belonged in a man's job, but that was over 16 years ago. Today, I don't think it is much of an issue. I am reqired to do everything the men do and everyone has strengths and weaknesses that they bring to a situation. It definitely took time to get used to only being around guys for 24 hours at a time. Sometimes it does seem like a little bit of a "boys club" but mostly I feel like I am a part of that club. As a kid, I wished I had a brother. Now, I have like 55 work brothers. I'm sure, like a real family, sometimes we get on each others' nerves, but we will always have each others' backs. How do you deal with stress on the job? From the outside, people may think firefighters aren't as compassionate as we should be because we do a lot of joking around when we talk about calls back at the station but this is a way we deal with stress...talk about the situation but in a lighter way. When I leave work, I try to leave everything at work and I don't really talk about the "bad stuff" on my off days with people.
I know there is always someone at work I can talk to if something is really bothering me.
The Other Side of Shannon...
Anything interesting you've done in your life you'd like to share? To me, my life is just my life and not that interesting, but I did make my major career change when I was almost 30. I have a business degree and a graduate degree in science and now am a firefighter. Any hobbies or areas of interest? My only big hobby is horses. I train competitive dressage horses and compete in shows. The guys at work know that when we pick our vacation days, almost all of mine are based around my show schedule. I also love to read...always fiction and mostly ridiculous romance novels. If you know me, this is funny because I am definitely not a "girlie" girl. Any personal goals you have for yourself? Work goals are for everyone, including myself, to retire when we each choose, not because of an accident or injury. Hobby goals include striving to be a better rider and moving my horses up through the levels of dressage. Tell us more about you personally. I am a huge animal lover. If you have pets, and the situation allows it, I am going to ask you about them and then I whip out my phone and show you pictures of mine. I'm also sort of a homebody. I live on acreage so I have the horses in my backyard and all my other pets and my family close by and all those things make me happy.
OUR PEOPLE 17
Happy Birthday! May Corban Baker Amy Bart David Bravo Robert Brown Matthew Charles Cathy Coffman Liz Cox Chris Cummins Joe Davis Alecia Durham Lee Franklin Mikey Fundis Kenneth Glover Sandra Green Johnny Gutierrez Sharon Hayes Haley Hettinger John Jacques
Jared Joyner Wes McBride Travis Moore Malinda Nowell Jackie Ortiz Tucker Palone Kathleen Poznick Mitchell Robertson Lydia Ruiz James Saint Jeffrey Sayles Cisco Smith Donna Thurston Kevin Tucker Kiason Turner John Vandyke John Welborn John Young
July Ryan Baker Robert Banks Brice Baxter Chris Blount Denice Caffey Rebecca Casey Crystal Chancellor Ronnie Corder Stephanie Cross Leanne Dean Justin Dickey Amanda Dobbs Craig Farmer Aaron Fontenot Brady Frye Hunter Hicks
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June James Allain Eric Barton Chris Burke Christopher Cantrell Danny Cerveny Lori Dacek Cory Dalton Michael Dannar Devrus Deal Rey Garcia Kevin Goodworth Colby Hardin Tyler Herndon Justin Holcomb Brandi Huddleston
Andres Johnson Annie Laird Christine Maxwell Kenzie Montgomery Manny Palacios Edward Poisson Randall Polston Rick Shaffer Remington Shell Wesley Simmons David Smith Ro Smith Scott Sorrells Richard Varela Debra Wakeland
August Tomara Holloway Tyler Hunter Mike Kolanek Rosa Martinez Lori Morton Vivienne Penaflor Andrew Pennuell Todd Raymond Nikki Richards Dewayne Shields Lena Snow Paul Tumlin Jose Vasquez-Morlas Mitchell York Jake Young
Krista Beach Byanca Calvillo Amy Cox Zeb Cummins Ken Davis Monty Edwards Laura Enlow Leah Flippin Juan Fulton Victor Green Justin Harwell Jason Hayes Todd Helm RJ Honsberger James Hotopp Annbra Johnson Jose Lara
Che Loa Robert Marbut Brent Matlock Chris Maxey Travis McClure Angela McCrory Thomas McDonald Randy Moman Vanessa Morales Louis Ramos Rachel Reeves Jasmine Sheriff Sarah Taylor Frank Watson Victor Williford Calvin Woody Ashley Woolnough
OUR PEOPLE 19
Retirement W
e said our fond farewell to the City of Weatherford's Chief of Police, Mike Manning, on April 20 at a retirement reception at Chandor Gardens. Chief Manning has served in law enforcement for 39 years with eight years of services as the Weatherford Chief of Police. Before Weatherford, he spent 31 years of service with the Fort Worth Police Department. Chief Manning has been a very active member within the law enforcement community by serving in numerous professional associations, including the Southern Police Institute Alumni Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Texas Police Chiefs Association, National Tactical Officers Association, Texas Police Association and Texas Municipal Police Association. He also retires as a highly decorated law enforcement officer receiving numerous awards throughout his career, including the Fort Worth Police Department Command Officer of the Year in 1997, Fort Worth In 2002, he was appointed to the rank of deputy Police Commendation Award in 2000 and the chief. He retired from the Fort Worth Police Weatherford Meritorious Service Award in 2012. Department on January 31, 2009, and on February 16, 2009, became the Weatherford Chief of Police. "I admit that after 39 years in this business, it is a decision I have wrestled with for a while," said "Over the past eight years, Weatherford Police Chief Manning. "I have a blessed career and many Mike Manning has been instrumental in our local wonderful memories that I will cherish." cooperative law enforcement initiatives," said Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler. "We have Chief Manning is a graduate of Tarrant County served together on countless joint operations Junior College with an Associate of Arts in Criminal with successful outcomes due to his efforts. I am Justice and Texas Wesleyan University where he personally thankful for his valued resources, as received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal well as his knowledge and his friendship - both Justice. Manning also graduated from the 80th personally and professionally. He will be sorely Administrative Officers Course presented by the missed in our routine operations, but he leaves Southern Police Institute - University of Louisville. a legacy of old-fashioned hard work and loyalty, He holds a Master Peace Officer Certification which his fellow officers and those who served and Instructor Certification awarded by the Texas under his command will continue to strive for each Commission on Law Enforcement. day. I am proud to have had his law enforcement experience and leadership skills working in "The education and training that Chief Manning cooperation with the Sheriff's Office to continue completed during his career is a testament to the partnership between Parker County and the his commitment for law enforcement," said City City of Weatherford. We sincerely congratulate Manager Sharon Hayes. "We will miss his leadership Mike on his retirement." and are appreciative of the legacy he will leave behind for others to follow for many years." As a long time law enforcement officer, Chief Manning spent most of his career with the Fort Worth Police Department. He began his career in 1978 as police officer. During his career with Fort Worth, he promoted through all civil service ranks. 20 EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
Welcome To Our New Employees!
SHANE WELCHER
ZACHARY BRACKEN
CORBAN BARKER
KRISTIN SEEGER
COLBY HARDIN
TUCKER PALONE
Firefighter - EMT Fire Department
Lineman Helper Electric Utilities
EDDIE LARGE, JR.
KERI AGNEW
JOHNNY MOND
Network Administrator Information Technology
First Monday Assistant - P/T Heritage Park
Police Officer Police Department
Lineman Helper Electric Utilities
Maintenance Worker I W/WW Maintenance
Police Telecom. Officer Police Department
Water Plant Operator - Trainee Water Treatment Plant
STEVEN HATHAWAY
AARON FONTENOT
JAVIER TORRES, JR.
Lineman Helper Electric Utilities
Maintenance Worker I W/WW Construction
Animal Control Tech Animal Services
OUR PEOPLE 21
Community Story
"Toot Toot Tuesdays"
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t is no secret that our Sanitation department is one department that receives a multitude of accolades from our citizens, definitely not the norm for most municipal sanitation departments. Ours has a unique group of guys that enjoys interaction with the public. One such citizen is one of our younger constituents, almost three years old, to be exact. Meet Elisha Shakelferd, vivacious and energetic son of Callie and Curtis Shackelferd.
As soon as the truck comes to a complete stop, the action begins. The entire crew exits the truck, not only to grab the trash bag on the curb but to greet their young fan, Elisha. Part of the ritual is for Elisha to pass out bottled water to his buds on the truck crew. Maybe Tuesday is the best day of the week?
Above: Elisha patiently waits for the Sanitation crew with his favorite toys.
Elisha has an ongoing early Tuesday morning ritual of greeting the Sanitation truck and crew. Even before the truck arrives, Elisha's excitement grows just at the sound of the truck over a block away. This curlyheaded youngster almost bursts with excitement when the truck slowly rolls up and lets out its arrival sound. "TOOT!!! TOOT!!!"
Above: You can tell by Elisha's expression that he hears the truck coming to visit.
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Above: Edgar Alonzo, Curtis, Callie and Elisha Shackelferd, Mark Furr and Richard Fetzeck.
What's Happening Public Library - Special Programs May: 6th - Literary Gardens 10th Anniversary Celebration, Auditorium (3-5pm) Special guest - Neil Sperry, renowned garden expert and radio host 12th & 13th - Book Sale in the Library Auditorium (10am-6pm) 22nd - Trivia Night at Antebellum Ale House (register by 6:30pm) 25th - Vising Choctaw ceramic artist, Carolyn Bernard Young, Auditorium (6-7:30pm) June: 1st - Book Buzz with Penguin Random House (6-7:30pm) 17th - Family Science Day (10:30am-12noon) July: 15th - Family Science Day (10:30-12noon) 27th - Storm Warriors Safety Rally - Doss Heritage Center (5-8pm) August: 5th - Basic Home Repair with Home Depot (2-4pm) 2017 Adult Summer Library Challenge - June 1st through August 13th Register online at http://weatherfordtx.gov/SRCsignup or in person. For more information on these and other events, visit www.wpltx.com or their Facebook page.
Parks, Recreation and Special Events May : 18th - Concerts in the Park @ Heritage Park Amphitheater - Dalton Domino 27th - Dive-In Theatre @ Cherry Park Pool (pool officially opens) 28th-30th - First Monday Trade Days June : 2nd-4th - First Monday Trade Days 15th - Concerts in the Park @ Heritage Park Amphitheater - Mike and the Moonpies 24th - Dive-In Theatre @ Cherry Park Pool July: (Park and Recreation Month) June 30th-July 2nd - First Monday Trade Days 4th - Spark in the Park @ Heritage Park - (special guest appearance) 29th - Dive-In Theatre @ Cherry Park Pool For more information on these and other events, visit www.weatherfordparks.com or their Facebook page.
OUR STORIES 23
From the VA U L T By Malinda Nowell, City Secretary
F
or this issue, I'd like to share with you the first ordinance that is listed in our books. If you recall from my last article, the city became incorporated in 1858. I've always wondered where the ordinance books are from that period, since the oldest one I have on record begins in 1884. That leaves almost 30 years MIA. I suspect some or all of them might have been destroyed in one of the courthouse fires; however, I have not actually researched that. The date of our first ordinance is April 15, 1884, and it reads: An Ordinance To prohibit and punish offenses against private property. Sec. 1 Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Weatherford, any person who shall without first having obtained permission from the owner stick, paint, or stamp upon any house, fence, wall, or other object not his own within the corporate limits of the City of Weatherford any written, printed, or other notice, bill, sign, circular, poster, or advertisement shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in any sum not to exceed one hundred dollars. Sec. 2 Any person who shall willfully deface, injure, remove, or destroy any building, bulletin boards, signs, platform, or other object not his own shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars. Sec. 3 If any person shall take or carry away from the farm, orchard, garden, or vineyard of another within the corporate limits of the City of Weatherford without his consent any fruit, melons, or garden vegetables, he shall on conviction thereof, be fined in any sum not exceeding one hundred dollars. Until next time, keep your hands off the produce! 24 EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
MELON THE
FT
Things That Make You Go Hmmm... "Channeling your inner Alice" By Executive Assistant Krista Beach
I
n Lewis Carroll's book, Alice in Wonderland, Alice asked the Cheshire Cat, "What road do I take?" The cat asked, "Where do you want to go?" "I don't know ", answered Alice. "Then," said the cat, "it really doesn't matter, does it?" The key point? If we don't know what our destination is, it really doesn't matter the route we take. Some might argue that it's not the destination, but the journey. However, I am going to submit that both are equally important. The journey is the process; the destination is the goal. These article I write for EDGE are really just a means to get people thinking, to make them stop and reflect. So what do I want to get you thinking about in this one? Do you know where you're going, or are you like Alice, not sure what your destination is? If you know what your destination is, are you investing in people and being a good steward along the way? Are you moving forward or have you found a roadblock that might need to be addressed to get yourself moving again? In the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Dr. Stephen Covey writes about beginning with the end in mind which is relatively the sentiment Cheshire Cat was trying to convey in Alice in Wonderland. We have to know our destination, but the journey equips us and prepares us once we get there. In municipal government, the term "Strategic Plan" is often used. This is a tool that helps an organization achieve their mission, show clear direction and be measurable. Essentially, it is a map of how you are going to get to your destination. I have learned a lot from the people in this organization. I have been blessed to have many well-educated mentors who have been willing to share their knowledge, success and experiences with me to help me grow and thrive. I often find myself creating a strategic plan in my head that helps prepare me for the journey and get me to my destination. There have been days in my life where I have definitely mirrored Alice and have had no idea where I was going, but, for me personally, I hope that beginning with an end in mind has become more the norm. There are times in life that the route really does matter and can make a huge difference in both the journey and the destination.
OUR STORIES 25
CLICK Left: Zachary Bracken being sworn in as a new Weatherford Police Officer by Judge Tim Gilbreaith. Right: The Weatherford Public Library receives the Library Excellence Award.
Above: Acting Deputy Chief Chris Crawford presents a plaque to Chief Mike Manning at the retirement reception.
Above: Municipal and Community Services Director Dustin Deel speaking at the Animal Shelter Capital Campaign Kickoff.
26 EMPLOYEE EDGE | 2017
Above: City Manager thanks Chief Manning for all of his service to the City.
Above: Police Telecommunications Officer Robin Moore receives a recognition of service plaque from Chief Mike Manning at her retirement reception.
Above: Weatherford Blooms had a great turnout again this year!
Photo Finish
Ahhh......Spring......