Changing Times • City of Lynchburg Employee Newsletter • October 2018 by City of Lynchburg, Virginia

City of Lynchburg Employee Newsletter

October 2018

A total of 116 City employees and members of their families enjoyed a fun morning at the Virginia 4 and 10 Miler on Saturday, September 29. Colleagues, Earlier this week, the City Manager sent an email wishing everyone a happy Customer Service Week. In her email, Bonnie reminded us that we don’t need a natural disaster to show our excellence in customer service – that we should be focused on customer service every day of the week, regardless of what is going on. When I read her email, it Message from the Deputy City reminded me of a former colleague who had a Manager, Reid Wodicka. really simple, but meaningful, way of talking about providing really great service to members of our community. I want to share some reflection on that and how it influences my practice. Over the last decade or so, I’ve had the opportunity to work in a few different communities, all of different sizes and complexities. In each of those organizations, there have been different cultures, different expectations for services from the community and very different types of people serving in local government. However, I always felt lucky that I found, in each of those organizations, examples of exceptional leaders. In some cases, those leaders were refined and highly educated individuals. In other cases, the exceptional leaders barely finished high school, and perhaps were a little rougher around the edges. As I look back on some of the folks who I’ve served with who have made lasting impacts on their communities and colleagues, there is a lot of diversity. But the one commonality in all of those individuals is they never lost focus on the primary reason that our organization and roles even exist – to serve the people who live in the community. One particularly salty former colleague, Timmy, had a saying that he often repeated and that I still think about quite frequently. Whenever someone on Timmy’s team complained about having to stay late or do a little extra work that might be outside of the norm, that old timer would repeat, “Without them, there is no us.” In the simplest of terms, I think this speaks to what our customer and public service philosophy should be – we are here, and our organization exists to serve the people of Lynchburg. It’s pretty simple, but if we go about our work with that perspective, our results and the outcomes for the community will be so much better.

Often, in large organizations like ours, and even in smaller organizations like Timmy’s, it’s easy to lose track of the real reason we are here. Well intentioned (but perhaps thoughtlessly applied) rules, coupled with excessive workloads and a frustration with people who just aren’t nice to deal with can sometimes lead us to slip into an attitude in which we think that doing the minimum is good enough. Rather than looking for a way to be helpful, it is easy to look for reasons to not be. If we think about the services we provide from a perspective that “Without them, there is no us,” it reminds us that it is incumbent upon us to go the extra mile for the people of Lynchburg when they need it, helping them make their way through problems even if it’s a bit outside of our typical standard practices. I know everyone in our organization is busy and there are often demands that seem to only multiply. However, if you ever find yourself thinking, “Hey, this really isn’t our problem,” and are tempted to not address the person’s need, try to also think about what Timmy would say, “Without them, there is no us.” Yes, technically, there are often issues that people present to us that are really not the City’s responsibility. I’m certainly not saying that we have to solve all problems for all people. However, if you can find a way to connect that person in need with a way to solve their problem, you will have provided an immeasurable public service to that individual and will likely save another department from a phone call asking for their help. Instead of looking for reasons that we can’t help people who need it, let’s look for simple ways that we can be helpful. We provide such excellent service in so many ways, but let’s be honest – there is a lot of work to do, and it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks. While those things do happen, we absolutely have to strive for no mistakes. While we have to balance the needs of the community with the personnel resources that we have to contribute, at all times, we have to go about our work in a way that errs on the side of service to the people of Lynchburg. And we should all always remember, “Without them, there is no us.” My best,

OUR VALUES: Open Communication • Customer Focus • Personal Responsibility • Integrity

Human Resource News

2 Promotions

Years of Service (YOS) Employee

Department

Thomas E. Campbell

Fire

David Lee Taylor

Police

John E. Wood, Jr.

Public Works

Deborah Beasley

Library

Lisa Cothran Fink

Human Services

Karen D. Dudley

Human Services

Aaron L. Rucker

Public Works

Michelle R. Anthony

Human Services

Cheryl D. Jackson

Parking

Katherine L. Owen

Library

Welcome to the New Hires! Employee

Department

Debbie Dews

Social Services

Mandze Dyke

Parks & Recreation

Malcolm Foster

Social Services

Nicole Foster

Human Services

Ashley Garrett

Circuit Court Clerk

Janiqua Hubbard

Human Services

Jewell Lessig

Social Services

Tracy Letzerich

Library

Angela Marks

Emergency Services

Faith Miller

Library

Jamine Mosley

Public Works

Carisa Parr

Library

Kelsey Ragland

Social Services

William Rogers

YOS

Congratulations to the following employees promoted or moving up through progression through September 5. Employee

Position

Department

Darick Dodson

Senior Custodial Technician

Public Works

Mandze Dyke

Parks & Recreation Aide

Parks & Recreation

Robert Gryder

Network Analyst I

Information Technology

Shaunta Jefferson

Senior Recreation Specialist

Parks & Recreation

Amy Lowe

Police Administrative Manager

Police

John Piercy

IT Security Manager

Information Technology

Alexandra Schlomer

Library Assistant II

Library

James Smith, III

Direct Care Manager

Social Services

Jordan Smith

Recreation Specialist

Parks & Recreation

Congratulations to the New EDGE Public Professionals The following employees recently completed their foundational courses through EDGE and are eligible for the Public Professional Certificate. Employee

Department

Beverly Blair

Library

Christine Gibbons

Registrar

Emily Hedrick

Library

July & August 2018 Medical Claims FY 2018

July 2018

July 2018 YTD

Medical

$699,609.82

$161,656.89

Total

$861,266.71

Water Resources

FY 2018

Aug. 2018

Aug. 2018 YTD

Brandi Singleton

Human Services

$1,517,050.58

Water Resources

Medical

$817,440.76

Zachary Taylor

$184,670.49

$346,327.38

Morris Vereen

Social Services

Total

$1,002,111.25

$1,863,377.96

Erica Zhang

Circuit Court Judges

Open Enrollment Coming Soon!

Open Enrollment will be held October 29 through Nov. 16. During that period, employees can make changes in their employee benefits, such as add or delete dependents, elect new coverage, drop current coverage, etc. Changes made during the Open Enrollment period will take effect January 1, 2019. Stay tuned! More information will be provided before the Open Enrollment period.

$536.61 Per member/per month

$624.37 Per member/per month

Fire Department personnel were on call during the annual Get Downtown Festival held September 7, 2018. Pictured from left to right: Tarrah Osmulski, Steve Mattingley, Adam Barkley and Kaleigh Massie

Human Resource News

Welcome New Employees, September 2018

Downtown Lynchburg Association Announces Great Big Gift Card Giveaway Back row: Malcolm Foster, William Rogers. Front row: Debbie Dews, Ashley Garrett

Lynchburg Public Library Calendar of Events The Lynchburg Public Library, 2315 Memorial Avenue is offering the following free program! For more information, call (434) 455-6300 or visit www.lynchburgpubliclibrary.org

“The Lingering Garden of Suzhou, China: Harmony of the Spiritual, Natural, and Man-Made Worlds,” with Master Gardener, Susan Timmons Thursday, October 18, 4:00 p.m. Lynchburg Public Library, 2315 Memorial Avenue Community Meeting Room Free and open to the public Come learn about the Lingering Garden, one of China’s most famous gardens and how it has become a cultural relic of national importance. The garden is celebrated for its artistic mastery of combining plant material with architectural forms, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Every area is compelling for its magnificent design, construction, symbolism, and historic significance. It is a richly informative feast for the eyes.

Risk Management City Vehicle Incident Report

Accidents are costly, not only in terms of money, but also in injury. All of the at-fault incidents were caused by City employees damaging our own vehicles, either by striking another vehicle or a stationary object. Incidents

Costs

Employee At-Fault Incidents

$4,183.35

Citizen At-Fault Incidents

$3,457.42

August 2018 Employee At-Fault Incidents Citizen At-Fault Incidents

Four prizes will be offered: Grand Prize valued at $1,500, Second Place Prize valued at $750, Third Place Prize valued at $500, and an Early Bird Prize valued at $250. Prizes will be randomly filled with gift cards, certificates and memberships to downtown businesses, and each gift card is worth at least $50. To see the full list of participating businesses, visit www.GreatBigGiftCardGiveaway.com.

The drawing will take place on Thursday, October 25 at 2:00 p.m. and announced LIVE on Facebook and Instagram. An Early Bird drawing will be held on Monday, October 15 for any tickets purchased prior to this date. The Early Bird winner will remain eligible for all drawings. Raffle tickets are $20 each, and only 500 tickets will be sold. Increase your chances to win by purchasing three tickets for $50. Tickets are available for purchase online and in person at select downtown events. Proceeds from this raffle will benefit Downtown Lynchburg Association (DLA). DLA works to create a strong, vibrant, and welcoming downtown with a unique and historic character through downtown improvement projects, marketing initiatives, cultural events, business engagement programs, and more. For more information, visit www.GreatBigGiftCardGiveaway.com or the Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/events/323491125076055. For information about the DLA, visit www.DowntownLynchburg.com and www.facebook.com/DowntownLynchburg.

Stay Alert and Be Aware!

August 2017

On September 25, Downtown Lynchburg Association launched Downtown Lynchburg’s Great Big Gift Card Giveaway, a month-long raffle fundraiser that will give away $3,000 in gift cards from Downtown Lynchburg businesses!

Incidents 10 2

Costs $8,715.27 $1,886.24

About Downtown Lynchburg Association Downtown Lynchburg Association is a non-profit organization striving to create a strong, vibrant, and welcoming downtown with a unique and historic character. An accredited program of the Virginia Main Street and the National Main Street Center™, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, DLA partners with the City of Lynchburg to support and promote the economic vitality and sustainability of Downtown Lynchburg. For more than two decades, DLA has worked to sustain and develop downtown as a vital economic, cultural, recreational, residential, and historic center for our community. Be sure to check out City Notes at least once a day. You’ll LOVE it!

City Notes: Things You Should LOVE to Know! Last month, a secret contest was added to the September issue of Changing Times through City Notes. There were five “lovelyh” tags added to different articles. Employees who participated had to identify the articles via a simple online form and submit it. A total of 42 entries was received! The random winner (selected from the correct entries) of a LOVE Lynchburg t-shirt and a LOVE Lynchburg coffee mug was Dawn Williams with the Department of Human Services! Congratulations Dawn!

Toys for Tots – Every Child Deserves a Little Christmas! It’s that time of the year again, and the Department of Human Services and the U.S. Marines need your help. Local Toys for Tots Campaigns are the heart and soul of the Marine Toys for Tots Program managed by dedicated United States Marines and local volunteers. Locally, the Department of Human Services partners with the U. S. Marines in collecting toys for children from throughout the area. Last year, they served over 900 children for Christmas.

Templeton Senior Center Receives Award Congratulations to the Templeton Senior Center, recipient of OurHealth Lynchburg and Southside magazine’s Gold Award for Senior Community Centers for the third year! This Reader’s Choice Award was announced in the magazine’s August/ September edition which features the regional 2018 Senior Living Award winners. According to the magazine’s Facebook page, “OurHealth partners with local healthcare and healthcare-related experts to deliver timely, in-depth information about local medical procedures and services, research, nutrition, fitness and human interest topics.”

Now until November 26, find collection barrels at Human Services, 99 Ninth Street, and in the City Hall Lobby. Won’t you take part in this worthwhile effort? Every Child Deserves a Little Christmas! Q&A What age groups participate in the program? Toys for Tots cover ages newborn to 14. Are used toys accepted? No, only new and unwrapped toys. How does someone sign up for the program for their children? Applications for Toys for Tots are being accepted at the Department of Human Services, 99 Ninth Street, third floor, on the following dates: October 9 & 11 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The Templeton Senior Center, located at 225 Wiggington Road, provides activities for active adults of all ages—not just seniors—and has been a gathering place in the community since 2004. Stop by sometime for a bridge game or perhaps a Zumba class or a book discussion! Find out more at www.lynchburgparksandrec.com.

October 16 & 18 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Department of Human Services’ Coat Closet

October 30 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The Department of Human Services has been collecting gently used coats, jackets and sweatshirts for a Coat Closet that is now open to all Lynchburg citizens (regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, disability and income level). These items are available on the Terrace Level of the Human Services Department, 99 Ninth Street, during regular business hours. The Coat Closet will remain open through March 31, 2019, and donations will continue to be collected until then. Collection baskets are located on the first, second and third floors of Human Services, or contact Danielle Smith (ext. 5638). Used coats in all sizes for men, women and children are needed.

October 23 & 25 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

November 6 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon; 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. November 13 & 15 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon; 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. November 20 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon; 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

November 1 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon; 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Bring a photo ID and a Medicaid card or birth certificate for each child as well as proof of benefits. For children up to 14 years of age. Who can I call if I have questions? Nancy Arthur, 455-5773

Can You Guess?

GIS Academy

This month’s Can You Guess photos features an object that sits at the entrance to some local celebrities’ home. Can you guess where this is located? Submit your guess here. Last month’s Can You Guess photo featured a parking plaque mounted to the ground level of the Suntrust Bank parking deck on the corner of 10th & Commerce Streets. Two employees correctly guessed: Keith Carpenter, Water Resources and Hunter Guill, Fire. The random winner this month is Hunter Guill who will receive a copy of Lynchburg’s Bicentennial book. Congratulations!

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to sign up for the next GIS Academy class!

Online GIS Basics When: Thursday, October 30, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Where: Computer Training Room, IT Building, 3550 Young Pl. The Online GIS Basics course is a great basic introduction or refresher class on the City’s powerful online GIS MapViewer. Covering topics such as map navigation, adding content, and exporting maps, this class is designed for the new user or for any employee looking to refresh their skills on the basics of our online GIS MapViewer. Click here to sign up now!

Register for this class or other GIS Academy classes through EDGE. If you have any questions about this class or any GIS Academy course, please email gis@lynchburgva.gov.

City of Lynchburg’s Community Action Team wins Virginia Municipal League Award

City delegation and community members received the Virginia Municipal League’s Award of Innovation for the Police Department’s Community Action Team at the organization’s annual conference in Hampton. Pictured: City Manager Bonnie Svrcek, Councilmember Turner Perrow, Deputy Police Chief Mark Jamison, Captain Daniel Meehan, Mayor Treney Tweedy, Rev. James Camm, Robin Robinson, LT. Danny Couch, Sgt. Jeff Rater and Councilmember Sterling Wilder. Congratulations!

Join us for the 21st Annual

Day at the Point

FREE ADMI

SSION

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

FEATURING

Living History Food Trucks Kids’ Games Crafts Music Animals House Tours & More!

112 Cabell Street (434) 455-6226 PointofHonor.org

City of Lynchburg Employees have the ability to visit HealthWorks for free episodic care starting September 4, 2018 What - The employee clinic will operate like the previous clinic on Church Street. Come see us for a cough, rash, GI upset, and more. Use of the clinic is free to all City Employees Where - HealthWorks - 2nd Floor 125 Nationwide Drive Lynchburg, VA 24502 When - Monday-Thursday 8a-5p Friday 8a-3p How - Please call ahead or schedule an appointment to minimize wait time. Same day appointments are available.

Please bring your City Employee ID or a Photo ID. Call 434.200.6933

NEW DATE!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12

employee tailgate

EVENT Wear your favorite team apparel!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 â&#x20AC;¢ 11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. CITY STADIUM FOOTBALL FIELD (RAIN LOCATION BASEBALL STADIUM)

BRINGING BACK THIS YEAR...TEAM RELAY RACES! PRIZES FOR FIRST AND SECOND PLACE TEAM WINNERS!

ENJOY , HOT DOGS WITH FIXINGS CHIPS, S MORES, WATER & LEMONADE! Food purchased with vending machine proceeds. Food items are on a first come, first served basis with an effort to serve everyone who attends.

Dial in to the task at hand… Driving

risk level

Listening to the radio

risk level

talking on hand-held or handsfree phone

risk level

using a speechto-text application 8

Minimal Cognitive Distraction

Moderate/ significant increased cognitive distraction

High level of cognitive distraction

ly, there unfortunate ct… is a disconne Despite all the research indicating that any form of mobile phone use is unsafe while driving, in a large AAA survey of drivers:6

Driving safely depends largely on the frequency of scanning the area around you and your reaction time to what is happening up ahead. Like driving drowsy, being distracted, whether visually, manually or cognitively, has a negative effect on these skills. In 2014, 3,179 people died in crashes involving distracted drivers, a 9% increase from the previous year.1 However, since police reports mainly depend upon information provided by drivers at the scene, crashes attributed to distracted driving are thought to be well underreported. According to the National Safety Council, 26% of all traffic crashes involve the use of cell phones—handheld and hands-free2— one of the most prevalent contributors to distracted driving.

MOBILE PHONE USE AND DRIVING… LET’S TALK. The use of hand-held cell phones by drivers may be declining but the number of crashes reported to insurers is not. In fact, they are increasing. One theory is that drivers are switching to hands-free phone use. Research, however, concludes that hands-free devices do not reduce the cognitive distraction associated with talking on the phone while driving. Drivers using mobile phones, whether handheld or hands-free, look but fail to see up to 50% of the information in

their driving environment.3 Researchers attribute this to “inattention blindness,” similar to tunnel vision, and it prevents drivers from effectively monitoring surroundings to identify and react to potential hazards. The combined results of more than 50 studies reported significant delays in drivers’ reaction time when talking on a cell phone while driving—whether handheld or hands-free.4,5

WHAT ABOUT VOICE COMMANDS—DO THEY HELP?

2/3 say using a 2/3 say using a hand-held phone is unacceptable

hands-free phone is acceptable

A BETTER PLAN?

Another study by AAA of voice-activated systems found it can take up to 27 seconds to regain full alertness AFTER a driver makes a voice command to do things like change the radio station, find a contact or compose a voice/text message.7 In 27 seconds at just 25 mph—the typical speed limit for residential areas—drivers travel the length of 3 football fields! Stop signs, kids or adults on bikes, pedestrians, other vehicles and more could be missed while the brain is readjusting to the task of driving.

Silence and stow all mobile devices before you go. Out-of-sight is out-ofmind.

DROWSY, DISTRACTED, OR FOCUSED… YOUR DECISIONS DRIVE YOUR SAFETY References for all pages can be found at http://trafficsafety.org/dsww/dsww-2016-materials/references This information is provided as a courtesy by NETS to its members and also to the general public. It is provided “as is,” without any representations or guarantees as to its accuracy, and neither NETS nor any contributing company is liable for the content or use of this information.

#whiledriving #badidea Distracted driving has become so prevalent it has its own social media hashtag.

GOT KIDS?

According to a recent Twitter analysis,9 a significant number of drivers think it’s a good idea to take and share pictures—#whiledriving. Maybe knowing you’re sharing the roads with these people will give you extra incentive to stay focused on your task at hand—driving! Top 10 hashtags used in conjunction with #whiledriving:

Assign kids the task of looking out for other drivers who appear to be distracted and discuss what they see. This is a great awareness activity for them as they grow to become drivers themselves and will help you stay focused on your driving environment.

#Sun #Clouds #Selfie #Car #Landscape # #Nature Nofilter ing iv r D # #Sunset #Sky

HOW ABOUT A TEEN DRIVER? AAA analysis of naturalistic (in-vehicle) teen driving video footage from 2007-2015 showed an average of 59% of crashes contained some type of potentially distracting behavior during the six seconds leading up to a crash. This was 4x greater than estimated from police reports alone.12 Ride along…every chance you get! Just like many fleet safety managers frequently ride-along with employee drivers to observe and discuss driving habits, that same concept can be applied to parents of teen drivers. To help with this, NETS has developed The Electronic Novice Driver’s Road Map: An Eight-Step Guide for Parents™ (eNDRM) to provide a structured approach to coaching teens in a variety of driving environments. To download the free interactive guide, visit the NETS website at www.trafficsafety.org.

Ever text someone while they are driving? Two U.S. court cases have set precedent for the sender of text messages to a driver who then causes a crash to be named as a defendant in litigation.13

ARE COLLISION-AVOIDANCE FEATURES THE ANSWER? Collision avoidance features such as front crash prevention, blind spot warning and lane departure warning will help protect drivers from other distracted drivers as well as themselves. But according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it will take years—as many as 15-20—for these features to be in the

majority of vehicles sharing the roads with us.10 The average age of vehicles on the road today is a record-high of 11.5 years old,11 so even if you have the latest crash avoidance features, it’s likely others don’t. This means YOU need to be the best safety feature in your vehicle.

7 ACTION STEPS AGAINST DISTRACTION temptation to talk or text on your phone. Turn it off while driving or place 1 Avoid your device in the glove box or center console so it’s out of sight and out of mind. your route when possible, so routine trips like commuting to and from work 2 Vary don’t become mundane. your eyes moving. Make a full mirror sweep with your eyes every 5-6 seconds 3 Keep to stay alert and ward off allowing your mind to wander. a safe following distance. Driver training experts suggest a following 4 Keep distance of 3-4 seconds in good weather—more in inclement weather. The 3-4-second following rule increases visibility and gives more time to react to what’s happening in front of you, reducing risk to you and your passengers.

your mind. You cannot focus on driving if your mind is on work or family 5 Clear pressure or your to-do list. Take a moment before you drive to get your mind focused on the task at hand—getting to your destination safely.

a plan. Don’t wait until you are driving to plan and become familiar with your 6 Have route. Use navigation devices with voice directions and set them prior to pulling out.

others help themselves. Make it a practice when you call someone’s cell 7 Help phone to ask if they are driving. If the answer is “yes,” take it upon yourself to call back later or ask them to return your call when they’ve reached their destination. And never text someone you know to be driving.