Street Talk | January 2012 Issue

STREET TALK VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1

REPORTING ON WHAT MATTERS TO PUBLIC WORKS

JANUARY 2012

inside:

Feature:

Check out how PWD is ‘shaking it up’ in many ways to be innovative, creative, sustainable, and exemplify best-practice solutions.

S ’ D PW N’ I K A SH T U P !

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All Around Austin: Austin

Guest Column:

de Public Workers spent time in NovemNovem How Public Works and other City deber and Decemeber doing all kinds partments are trying to make Austin of things around town to highlight the most livable city! the work we do in PWD.

Diversity Council:

The Diversity Council has been keepkeep ing busy and shaking things up with new programs, events and ideas.

Now they want to hear from YOU!

director’s message

BY HOWARD LAZARUS DIRECTOR

STREET TALK

Why We Should Take PRIDE in Public Works

EDITORIAL Editor in Chief: Chief Reporter:

sara.hartley@austintexas.gov

Michelle Frith

michelle.frith@austintexas.gov

Contributing Writers: Howard Lazarus

howard.lazarus@austintexas.gov

Sharon Warren

sharon.warren@austintexas.gov

Vera Labriola

vera.labriola@austintexas.gov

Sara Krause

sara.krause@austintexas.gov

Luciano Tamayo

luciano.tamayo@austintexas.gov

Gerald Nation

gerald.nation@austintexas.gov

Clemmie Cummins

L

ast month in a message to the City workforce, City Manager Marc Ott presented the results of the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey. Austin continues to set the bar for customer service, with 88% of the City’s residents stating they are satisfied with the level and value of services they receive from their municipal government. This high mark was not only significantly higher than all of our peer cities, but also is remarkable in an era when there is a substantial amount of discord and distrust nationally toward governmental entities. It is an achievement in which we can all take pride.

During the City Manager’s talk, there was a projection in the background to launch the new PRIDE campaign. PRIDE is both a spirit for us and an acronym for the organizational values we all cherish:

Sara Hartley

clemmie.cummins@austintexas.gov

Tyleah McGuire

tyleah.mcguire@austintexas.gov

Robin Camp

robin.camp@austintexas.gov

Cynthia Jordan

cynthia.jordan@austintexas.gov

Charles Felipa

charles.felipa@austintexas.gov

Max Eby

max.eby@austintexas.gov

DESIGN Chief Graphic Designer: Alexa Muraida

alexa.muraida@austintexas.gov

Director of Photography: Shannon Wisner

shannon.wisner@austintexas.gov

PUBLIC SERVICE & ENGAGEMENT: We will partner with one another and our community to provide the best service possible.

RESPONSIBILITY & ACCOUNTABILITY: We take responsibility for achieving results and hold ourselves accountable for our actions.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION: We recognize and respect a variety of perspectives, experiences, and approaches that will help us achieve our organizational goals.

ETHICS & INTEGRITY: Our actions will maintain the trust and confidence of the public and the organization.

The elements of PRIDE are present in our daily lives in Public Works. We support the community though our maintenance of the transportation infrastructure and the delivery of major capital improvement projects. The public trusts us to work safely in their Right of Way, to expend almost $400 million annually of their money, and to assist in delivering their most treasured resource – their children – to and from

school every day. We have a diverse work- derful results. I would love to hear from force and a welcoming workplace. We are a you on what gives you PRIDE in our orgabest managed and best executed organiza- nization! Howard.lazarus@austintexas.gov tion; adopting leading technologies, applying existing approaches in innovative ways, and testing new approaches.

Yes, there are many reasons to take PRIDE in being a Public Worker. What I am most proud of is the humility and sense of purpose with which you achieve such won-

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INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY: We actively seek out good ideas that have a lasting positive impact on our work, our community, and the environment.

cityspace.austintexas.gov/departments/pwd VOLUME 2

ISSUE 1

contents JANUARY 2012

COVER STORY

PWD Shakes It Up! This ain’t your mother’s Public Works Department! Here at PWD, we are ‘shaking it up’ in many ways to be innovative, creative, sustainable, and exemplify bestpractice solutions in our daily operations, projects, and coordination with other departments.

Grand Opening at the NEW Austin Animal Services Center.

2012 JANUARY STREET TALK

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contents

cityspace.austintexas.gov/departments/pwd VOLUME 2

ISSUE 1

JANUARY 2012

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features

15 divisions

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ALL AROUND AUSTIN

Public Workers spent time in July and August doing all kinds of things around town to highlight the work we do in PWD. See what’s been happening and what is coming up next.

MILESTONES What Public Workers are doing out there to achieve, foster community, impress co-workers and citizens alike, and show we really are the ‘Department with a Heart’!

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CIPID: BEHIND THE SCENES Here, you’ll get to lace up your steeltoed boots and meet the CIP Inspection Division’s Road Reconstruction group.

NCD: UNDERFOOT AND OVER GROUND

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NCD is improving our sidewalk system and how it benefits multiple communities.

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STREET AND BRIDGE OPERATIONS STAY LEAN AND GREEN The Districts Division finds ways to get the job done spending less money, expanding service and applying the “reduce, reuse, recycle” principal.

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For Engineering Services Design Team 2, the work just keeps coming! Read up on their latest design projects.

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S PWDI’N KP ! ’ SHA IT U

ENGINEERING DESIGN TEAMS KEEP BUSY

20 10 columns THE SAFETY ZONE

How safe are you staying on the job?

Tips on how you can make improvements on the job and in your daily life!

THE DIVERSITY COUNCIL: The Diversity Council has been keeping busy and shaking things up with new programs, events and ideas. Now they want to hear from YOU!

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR? Michelle Frith profiles two employees that work hard for PWD everyday, who you may have never met!

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GUEST COLUMN: HEALTHY CONNECTIONS This Month: How Public Works and other City departments are trying to make Austin the most livable city!

safety zone

BY SHARON WARREN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A New (Safer) Year for Public Works What is your safety resolution? Here are some tips from the safety office.

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ere in the PW Safety Office, we are working on a variety of initiatives to improve safety in our department for 2012. For the New Year, let’s all look at what we do and maybe change a few things for the better (and safer)!

A great example - if we have been talking or texting on our cell phone while driving, then let’s make the change to quit and be safer while driving on our roads.

What is your safety resolution? Share it

with your co-workers, your supervisor, or the Safety Office! We all can benefit from each other when we think of new ways to commit to safety.

Become a safety advocate this year make safety a priority!

This year the Safety Office was able to implement a section within each employee’s SSPR that makes safety a priority and a measurable task for each of us to perform throughout the year. This helps

BE SAFE:

supervisors become accountable for teaching employees more about safety responsibility, and it also holds the employee accountable for getting trained, and adhering to the procedures set in place for their safety.

Also good news for the New Year is that sometime in early 2012, Public Works will have a new Safety Manager in place.

We are excited about the opportunity this will bring for the Safety Office. This will allow the Safety Team to work on additional initiatives, expand programs and help implement more of the great safety ideas out there!

Because Everyone’s Safety Affects Families Everywhere 2012 JANUARY STREET TALK

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events

BY SHANNON WISNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Public Works Connects You...

All Around Austin!

Public Works builds our city’s future and celebrates our successes with PWD staff and events all around town.

AUSTIN’S PETS GET COMFORTABLE NEW DIGS

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aturday, November 12th marked the grand opening of the Austin Animal Center and the first day of its operations.

The state-of-the-art center is designed to provide a safe, healthy atmosphere for lost and homeless animals and for visitors who come to adopt a pet. Its modern features allow for more efficient and effective care by staff and volunteers, including improved care for animals with injuries or illness. The project was managed by Kalpana Sutaria, and the water and wastewater systems were inspected by Carlos Lopez. The project embraces the City’s goal of environmental stewardship in its construction, design, and maintenance and will be recognized as a LEED Gold Certified Facility.

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Approved in the 2006 bond election, the $12 million complex is 41,400 square feet and includes not only comfortable, hygienic housing for animals and greatly improved medical facilities, but also includes spaces for educational and prevention activities as the City of Austin works to maintain its objective of saving 90% of the animals that enter the shelter.

Featured along the main entrance’s hallway is an Art in Public Places (AIPP) sculptural seating area by artist Brad Goldberg. The artwork pays homage to the architectural and cultural history of the property, which once housed the segregated Texas Blind, Deaf, and Orphan School. Images sandblasted on granite disks trace the evolution of the site from its geologic origin of being a shallow sea, to more recent history that constitutes the community’s memory.

As of January 6th, the Animal Center reported a 91% live animal outcome rate for 2011, which makes the City of Austin an official ‘no kill’ city! Chief Animal Services Officer, Abigail Smith says, “This is a true testament to the entire community’s compassion for the lost, abandoned, sick and injured animals that live animal outcome end up in the rate for 2011. shelter system.” She encourages pet owners to exhaust all options before surrendering their pet to the center. The center is open from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm daily. For more information on the Austin Animal Center, or information on how to volunteer or adopt a pet, visit: www. austinanimalcenter.org.

91%

‘TOUCH A TRUCK’ EVENT SPARKS CURIOSITY IN AUSTIN’S YOUTH If there’s one thing children are facinated by, it’s heavy machinery.

Planes, trains, and of course: trucks!

PWD has no shortage of trucks and heavy equipment, so it’s only fitting that we would participate in the now annual ‘Touch a Truck’ event, which is hosted

by Gorgeous Millie! The event was held on Saturday, November 12th at Bridgepoint Elementary School. An estimated 1,000 people came out to the event this year, making it a huge success.

Division Manager Molly Ritter and crew were in attendance to show off our Street and Bridge equipment to the delight of curious youngsters. In addition to PWD’s participation, the kids were also able to check out fire trucks, police cars, a military vehicle, a recycling truck, and much more. Proceeds for the event go to the Austin Children’s Shelter, so not only is it a great time, it’s for a great cause.

Gorgeous Millie has plans to make this an annual event each fall. Although they have yet to set a date for 2012, PWD has been asked to participate again. Stay tuned for updates on next year’s event!

PROJECT MANAGEMENT HIGHLIGHT: GROUND TRANSPORTATION STAGING AREA (GTSA)

BY ROBIN CAMP CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Grand Opening of the new Ground Transportation Staging Area was held November 9, 2011, at Austin Bergstrom International Airport and was attended by Mayor

Lee Leffingwell, Council Member Chris Riley and representatives of the Austin Taxi Drivers Association.

Opened for operation on October 1, the project provides a new facility for Austin taxi, shuttle and limousine drivers to wait while they are in queue to pick up passengers at the terminal. The project, designed

by Sunland Group Architects, was managed

by Public Works’ Project Managers David Smythe-Macaulay through Design, and from

bid through post-construction by Robin Camp.

This project will be the first Certified LEED renovation at the airport. Energy efficient exterior lighting, electric vehicle charging stations, high efficiency air conditioning, and solar panels to be installed by Austin Energy are features contributing to the green status of the site and building.

The dispatch system is automated, which allows the drivers to get out of their

cars and use the restroom, work on their computers, eat lunch and stretch or exercise while staying in line. The Automated Vehicle Identification system (AVI) also monitors taxi, bus, limo and shuttle trips into and out of the airport and collects revenue through a sophisticated software/hardware program similar to toll roads with a small transponder located on vehicle windshields.

Drivers are often the first greeters of people arriving in Austin, and a comfortable rest stop helps them to be rested and ready to deploy in good spirits. Their previous staging area is now open as a cell phone waiting lot for patrons, with restroom facilities and Flight Information Display Screens (FIDS).

Rather than circle the airport drive, Austinites going to the airport to pick up friends and family can now sit at this lot until their passengers arrive.

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divisions

BY LUCIANO TAMAYO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Highlighting Engineering Design Team 2

ESD delivers in-house design projects with quality, schedule and cost always in mind.

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n the Engineering Services Division, the main goal is to deliver and maintain inhouse design projects with quality, and within the project schedule and budget.

Each ESD design team works hard to commit to this goal, as highlighted by the recent project loads of Design Team 2. Check out what this team is up to:

WEST AUSTIN SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW PROJECT The project construction warranty period was completed. This project upgraded the existing concrete wastewater line to an 8-inch PVC SDR 26 pipe in different locations.

DAVIS LANE FROM LEO STREET TO GUIDEPOST TRAIL

3RD STREET FROM NUECES TO CONGRESS The project is at 60% design completion. The project will include full depth reconstruction, a water line, Great Streets design, and bike lanes.

Design Team 2 is wrapping up for the 90% submittal. The scope of the project includes a new divided two lane roadway with bike lanes, sidewalks, curb and gutter, a roundabout, water line, storm drains, widening and landscaping the existing concrete median, and create bulb out and rain garden features.

COLORADO STREET RECONSTRUCTION AND UTILITY ADJUSTMENT

NUECES STREET FROM 8TH STREET TO MLK

Part of the 2006 Bond Street Reconstruction Program, this Design Team 2 project will start construction in February 2012. It includes Colorado Street reconstruction and utility adjustments from 3rd Street to 7th Street. The estimated cost of construction is $6 million, and is expected to be constructed within one year.

The project is a full depth reconstruction, with a Great Streets streetscape design.

Construction includes curb and gutter, water and wastewater lines, storm sewer, wider sidewalks, street lights, trees, benches, bicycle racks and trash receptacles.

The construction phase will be managed by Jessica Salinas and the project contractor is Jerdon Enterprise, L.P.

After being on hold in early 2011 waiting for the storm drainage tunnel alignment, the project design will resume in early 2012. Geotechnical and Subsurface Utility Engineering services were requested and completed. The project includes the replacement of existing 20” cast iron pipe water line to 16” ductile iron pipe, and upgrading some of the existing 8” concrete wastewater line.

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divisions

BY TYLEAH MCGUIRE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

What’s Shakin’ with Diversity Council these days...

THE COMMENT BOX: WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND? You are our biggest asset and we want to know what’s on your mind!

Keep your eye out for our new Diversity Council Comment Boxes that are going to be popping up in your office and at our bi-monthly Safety Meetings. What ideas, questions, suggestions, observations, etc. do you have about how we can make our workplace a more inclusive and diverse place to come to every day?

The Diversity Council wants to make a difference for you and our community, and you’re a big part of making that happen. Understanding what matters to you most helps us focus our efforts to best effect a positive change; one that will help all of our people within Public Works and Transportation. We want to see that positive change in both our current day-to-day lives and in the long term future of our Departments, benefitting those yet to join our ranks.

So don’t keep your bright ideas to yourself, let us know what’s on your mind!

THE DIVERSITY COUNCIL IS ALSO VERY BUSY WITH THESE OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THE WORKS: AISD Poster Contest You may remember from last year’s recognition breakfast the wonderful display of artwork a local elementary class made. The kids came up with an amazing assortment of what diversity meant to them, from their friends at school to all the planets in our solar system. And this year we are expanding our coloring contest to more schools within AISD for a Diversity Poster Contest this Spring.

Diversity Running Club This year the Diversity Council is going to jump into something new - starting up a running group! We hope to have a group entry in some local 5k runs. Join us!

Job Shadow for a Day Our Job Shadow Day will allow you to tail your co-worker and learn the ins and outs of a day in the life of everything from an engineer, to a construction inspector, to a project manager, graphic designer or someone on our concrete crew. Get thinking on what you would be interested in and join in on the fun. What job are you curious about?

Diversity Month This September will be our inaugural Diversity Month. Other departments within the City of Austin will be joining us for an action packed month of activities. Diversity Month will include citywide exhibits, a new Lunchtime Speaker Series each week, and even a Proclamation from the City Council Chambers. The Diversity Council is looking forward to September, and bringing you a plethora of activities that highlight the numerous aspects of our diverse community.

“

Diversity is the magic. It is the first manifestation, the first beginning of the differentiation of a thing and of simple identity. The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection.

-Thomas Berry 1914-2009

”

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divisions

BY VERA LABRIOLA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CIP Inspection: Behind the Scenes

When it comes to rehabilitating old infrastructure, CIPID has experts on the job, making sure it is done right!

From top left: Kenneth Kirk, Judy Die, Carlos Lopez, Alberto Ramirez, Jeff Jewett. Bottom row from left to right: Larry Williams, Pat Webre, Enrique Glosson, Simon Orta

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n a chilly December morning, I had the opportunity to see what Pat Webre’s group was up to and check out some of their projects. Pat’s inspectors, located at the St. Elmo facility, specialize in projects dealing with the rehabilitation of older streets, underground utilities, and drainage improvements most of which are currently in east, south and downtown Austin. These projects are usually highly visible and of the utmost importance for the traveling public. To work on projects of this kind, inspectors’ people skills can be as important as their technical expertise.

Pat says that his inspectors are a group of unique individuals that work well together.

This group even has more fluent Spanish speakers than any other inspection group!

On the job, they are all expected to get the same result—contractors’ compliance to the project contract and satisfied citizens—and because of their diverse personalities, they achieve this goal using different means.

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PAT WEBRE Since Pat Webre began with CIP Inspection over 28 years ago (he’s been supervising for 22), he has seen it all - no construction-related situation can surprise him! Pat, a stickler for the rules with a smile, is well-liked by his staff, project sponsors, and contractors. Before moving to Austin, Pat worked for a private contractor and was also an inspector with the City of San Antonio for nine years. Besides working in the construction field and being known as the ’man behind the grill’ at the CIPID’s COACCC fund raisers, Pat has a passion for vintage motorcycles and American muscle cars, which he loves restoring. When time allows, he enjoys motorcycle racing and rumor has it, he can go pretty fast. Pat has one daughter, who is currently pursuing her master’s degree in mathematics.

Jewett is a walking encyclopedia of the City of Austin construction standards and procedures. One of the first CIPID Lead Inspectors, he is very technical, computer savvy, always knows the specifications, and is much appreciated for his people skills. Due to Jeff’s great sense of humor, his experience, and his excellent communication skills, he is a veteran of a long series of high-profile projects like the Brazos Street Streetscape Improvements and Hyde Park Water and Wastewater Line Improvements. Jeff is involved in the Hays County Transportation Plan and participates in the development of the infrastructure master plan that will implement and prioritize projects for the next 10-30 years. Jeff likes being active and, together with his wife, tackles numerous home improvement projects. His next plan is to build a garage for his muscle car.

CARLOS LOPEZ Carlos Lopez is a graduate from the Inspector Trainee Program and the City of Austin LEAPS Program. He worked for Aaron Concrete Contractors prior to joining the City of Austin. Due to his work on one of the East 7th Street Projects, Carlos is well known and liked in the East Austin community. He is very thorough and safety conscious. For his quick work with a camera documenting contractors’ deficiencies, some of them have nicknamed him “paparazzi!” Besides being a great inspector he is also a good auto mechanic. At this time, Carlos is finishing the Riverside Drive Bridges over Country Club Creek and the ABIA Parking Lot Maintenance Projects.

SIMON ORTA

Simon Orta has been in the construction industry for over 25 years, but he has always found some time to pursue other interests as well. A few years ago, he left CIPID to work as an Executive Director at the Mexican American Cultural Center and came back to work for CIPID in 2009. He is a member of the Austin Creative AlliJEFF JEWETT ance Board of Directors and does curator According to his coworkers, Jeff work for art shows in photography and

original oil paintings. Simon has been an actor, producer, writer, and event coordinator on film, music, and art festivals and venues. He has also worked on large art galleries and hotel projects in West Texas.

Perhaps because of all this, he is not afraid of being in front of a TV camera. Simon is known for being very personable and goes out of his way to meet with citizens and make them feel that their concerns are important and will be addressed. Simon inspects the Lady Bird Lake/East 4th Street Drainage Improvements Project.

ALBERTO RAMIREZ Alberto Ramirez came to CIPID from a materials testing lab and has been with the Division for about two years. Alberto holds not one but two degrees from the University of Texas—a Bachelor of Science in Hydrology and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography! Alberto has a quiet personality and does not like to be the center of attention. His supervisor says that Alberto is a quick learner. He is recently married and his wife works for TxDOT as an engineer. Alberto is a very dedicated Longhorn fan, so don’t look for him on Saturdays during football season because he will be at every game. He works on the 32nd Street Reconstruction & Utility Adjustment Project and the West 34th Street Project.

JUDY DIE You may not guess Judy Die is such a tough inspector, given her bubbly, outgoing, and caring personality, but she always gets people with her sweetness and charm. Judy makes even the most reluctant contractor comply with the rules by her persistence and disarming smile.

She worked as an inspector for the City of San Marcos before accepting a position with CIPID. Judy is a proud mother of two daughters; one works as a pilot in Grand Canyon National Park and the other is a mechanical engineer in a power plant in San Antonio. Judy has a horse she shares with one of her daughters and loves horseback riding. She is well-known and one of CIPID’s most often requested inspectors. Her current projects include the Westgate Boulevard Extension.

ENRIQUE (RICK) GLOSSON

KENNETH KIRK

Enrique (Rick) Glosson joined the division quite recently. Rick previously worked for TxDOT as a Design Technician and was a private contractor. Rick is a proud Marine—he joined the military right after high school (1996-2000). A few weeks after 9/11, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves and served for seven years, getting him noticed among dozens of applicants. Rick is a self-starter; he brings to work his enthusiasm, motivation to learn, and always asks a lot of questions. He is a proud father of five children and really appreciates that his job with the City of Austin offers his family stability and a future. Between work and family, he does not have much time left, but still manages to work out several times a week, taking physical fitness very seriously. One of the projects he is currently working on is Old Manor Road Bridge Replacement.

Kenneth Kirk is a construction veteran. He retired after thirty years in the construction business, but decided to come back to work. He worked on many road construction projects and several highways in Texas. Since he came from the private sector, he has an eye for potential contractor shortcuts. Kenneth was born in Japan, (his mother is Japanese and his father is American) and his family moved to the U.S. when he was a teenager, in 1971.

He says that growing up in a bicultural household gave him a better perspective on things and helped him in many life situations. He has a passion for fishing and likes to prepare the catch himself. Kenneth is married to his high school sweetheart and still remembers their first date on October 10, 1975! He is busy with the Montana Street and Felix Avenue Street Reconstruction and Utilities Adjustment Projects.

LARRY WILLIAMS Larry Williams is a great CIPID story. He was the first CIPID hire from the Inspector Trainee Program and he transferred from Street & Bridge. Larry is very detail oriented and—as his supervisor says—persistent. He is an assistant pastor at the Horizon Worship Center and also helps members of our community who were recently released from incarceration by offering them spiritual support. Currently, he works on the CBD Alleys Water and Wastewater Rehabilitation Project, which focuses on upgrading existing water and wastewater lines in the alleys of Congress Avenue. This kind of work involves a high level of difficulty and the planning is quite tricky, since the existing utilities are from the 1950s and no plans exist to help. It is also the first project in the downtown area where the High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe is being used. This kind of pipe works well in congested areas and since it has no joints, the possibility of a leak is very low.

Below: Larry Williams oversees work being done for the CBD Alleys Project.

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PWD ‘Shakes It Up!’ This ain’t your mother’s Public Works Department!

Here at PWD, we are ‘shaking it up’ in many ways to be innovative, creative, sustainable, and exemplify best-practice solutions in our daily operations, projects, and coordination with other departments.

MICHELLE FRITH CHIEF REPORTER CHARLES FELIPA CONTRIBUTING WRITER CYNTHIA JORDAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER MAX EBY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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WD’s commitment to quality and excellence in all we do requires attention to looking for newer and better ways of doing our jobs. By keeping an eye out for how to shake up the everyday, we learn to make the mundane exciting and even have an impact on the bottom line.

By not using the tired old mantra “this is the way it’s always been done” we’re forging ahead in efficiency, cost-savings, and creativity. Below are just a few of the ways that Public Works turns our department processes on edge and rocks the City of Austin.

Shaking out the old and musty ways

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and keeping the best practices keeps the Project Management Division propelling towards world class. A great example is the Green Decommissioning for the Green Water Treatment Plant Project (GWTP). The project, managed

by Cynthia DeWitt Jordan, PMP, LEED AP, and inspected by Rip Hirsch received the Gold Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Texas 2012.

In 1923, Dr E.P. Schoch, a chemical engineering professor at the University of Texas at Austin, created a simple chemical treatment that used lime to treat river

water. The City included this treatment method in the design of a new water treatment plant that began operation the following year. The facility, which became known as the Thomas C. Green Water Treatment Plant, thus introduced “modern” water treatment to Austin.

Years later, the facility’s age, condition, and limited expansion potential caused City engineers to make the difficult decision to close the plant. In 2007 they contracted to decommission and deconstruct the facility. The decommis-

sioning of the GWTP has helped transform and revitalize Austin’s Central Business District. It demonstrates the City’s commitment to becoming a greener and more sustainable city by transforming an industrial block into new residential and commercial development.

Over the last two years, CIPID management and supervisors have been busy updating all Division procedures. The division began using SharePoint to post all the updated procedures, the division calendar and phone numbers for use by all CIPID employees. In the last several months, the division tackled another challenge and provided all field personnel with laptops with the goal of supplying them with a wireless connection. This effort is still ongoing but, once completed, CIPID will be able to go another step forward toward smoother and more paperless processes by utilizing electronic forms and reporting. In the future, our inspectors will be filling out Daily Progress Reports electronically or printing Unacceptable Work Letters right at their job sites. That’s shaking up old ways, for sure.

Street and Bridge Operations has a “Cyclonic Crew” of four who are cleaning up the downtown area like never before.

Charles Felipa, Joe Stornes, Guadalupe Morales and Kenny Smith came from differing areas to form a team in charge of sidewalk cleaning downtown.

Their work includes 6th Street heading west from IH-35 to Congress Avenue, on

Congress Avenue from 2nd Street to the Capitol, on Caesar Chavez from San Antonio Street to Congress Avenue and on Trinity from 1st to 4th Street. The team just recently added the 500 block of North Lamar under the bridge by the Amtrak station, the Convention Center parking garage, and may soon add the clock tower on East 11th Street. They operate a power washing truck and feature Public Works’ most off-the-hook toy – oops, we mean piece of equipment - a sidewalk cleaner called The Cyclone. The team keeps it clean all while completing the daunting task of repairing 6th Street sidewalks. Once the 6th Street sidewalk repairs are complete, the team will begin repairs on Congress sidewalks. Work for the crew typically begins down-

town as early as 3:00 in the morning, where they inevitably see some interesting occurrences, as you can only imagine!

Business Enterprises supports all Public Works with financial

management, asset management, performance measurement, construction quality services, safety programs and training, and administrative services. This fiscal year, the group is shakin’ it up by taking the lead in making big business process improvements - making for a leaner and greener PWD. Support Services recently moved the department from a paper to paperless timekeeping system. This reduced administrative processing time and reduced the department’s cost on saved paper. Saving time, saving money and helping to show the rest of the City that it really can be done!

Business Enterprises has also established an Asset Management – Right of Way Coordination Meeting. This meeting provides a means to coordinate capital work and operational service plans to address our City’s infrastructure needs across multiple departments. The meetings have identified over $600,000 in cost efficiencies.

This allows the City to focus on “Dig Once” opportunities that minimize the disturbance to neighborhoods, while providing them with the services they need.

Keeping it safe while shakin’ it up is top priority for the PWD Safety Office.

They have been working on a variety of 2012 JANUARY STREET TALK

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initiatives to improve safety in our department and new ways to deliver that message of staying safe on the job and off.

This past month, the Safety Office implemented the Safety SSPR component. This allows for accountability at the supervisor level in making sure that all employees understand the need for safety, and how to contribute to those goals in their job.

On the last review of a revised backing procedure and CDL practice procedure, the safety Office also finalized a new Water Safety Procedure. And to report all of their successes, they have also improved the safety statistic reports that are delivered to the director and executive team.

PWD Human Resources is also keeping things movin’ and groovin’ in 2012. Status quo is boring! HR wants to do things smarter, greener and easier while keeping everything within budget!

This year, HR continued and expanded e-Learning to include Hiring Procedures and teamed up with the Systems Engineering group to conduct e-Time-

New and improved equipment in the Givens Recreation Center fitness room.

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keeping training online. What’s the point?

We saved a whopping 1,770 reimbursable driving miles (and countless wasted commuting hours) just by conducting classes online this last year. That’s the distance between Austin and San Jose, Costa Rica!

Employees are giving us positive feedback about the ability to do training whenever it fits their schedule without leaving their desk. Public Works is one of the few departments using e-Learning for such a variety of training topics. That translates into a healthier environment too!

Speaking of keeping it moving, many Public Workers, especially field operations workgroups, wanted a more scheduleflexible way to stay in shape. The PE Program hours often didn’t match their work schedules. HR partnered with the City’s Healthy Connections and Parks and Recreation Department to allow PWD staff use of the recreation centers free of charge via the PARD CARD starting January 9, 2012.

Our registration system was designed with ease of use and paper waste reduc-

tion in mind. Most sign-ups were made online, allowing employees to complete a health survey and register themselves for a card from outside the City firewall any time of the day or night! We know that many appreciated this flexibility due to the number of employees who did register during night and weekend hours.

Moving into the future, HR will be using the Sharepoint HRO site much more extensively. They want to provide “click before you dial” answers to common employee questions and information requests. Many forms, policies, procedures, and information folders are already on the site. Check out our rough draft at: http://coawss3a/sites/PWD/HR/ There are so many ways that Public Works is shakin’ it up to make it better. All innovations and progressive thought is welcome here, so you think of it and we can get it done together. Just imagine where we can go from here!

columns

BY MICHELLE FRITH CHIEF REPORTER

How Well Do You Know Your Neighbor?

Michelle Frith profiles two employees that work hard for PWD everyday who you may have never met!

B

reaking the mold is nothing new to Esther Crawford. This woman defies convention!

Esther is from Austin and is an only child. She attended Reagan High and WR. Robbins. After obtaining her GED in 1985 , she worked at various jobs, including Veolia Transportation for 7 years and as a subcontractor for Capital Metro. She operated a bus, worked as a dispatcher and as a maintenance clerk. She realized she could benefit from learning about mechanics and was the only woman in maintenance.

She earned her Commercial Driver’s License driving UT shutNEIGHBOR tle buses Esther Crawford from 20002002.

DIVISION L a s t summer she Street and Bridge attended a Operations job fair, applied and TITLE became a Tech 2 temporary employee in PWD Human Resources, working on records management. She cleaned out old files, organized permanent files and completed Public Information Requests. Monitoring eCareers, she found a temporary truck driver position in overlay. She was hired as a Class B on July 5. Since then, Esther has been upgraded to Class A, has a tanker endorsement and can haul tractor trailers. She loves working in the overlay division with the heaviest equipment.

She likes overlay, repaving, the steel wheel roller, and especially loves the pneumatic roller. She is also interested in learning

to use the milling machine. Esther grins from ear to ear when she talks about using the jackhammer, admitting that she is more than a little competitive with the men in her team. Public Works gained a major asset when Esther was hired as a permanent employee on November 6, 2011. Esther credits James Williams who has given her plenty of advice and help in learning the ropes.

If that’s not enough, Esther is a junior at National American University studying to earn a degree in Organizational Leadership. Esther has a great love for learning anything and everything. She will do anything to not “get stuck in a rut” and believes she can do anything she puts her mind to. When asked about what she loves about her job, she is quick to respond “It’s so great to leave my family in the morning, come to work and join my other family. It makes it enjoyable to come to work. Public Works really has all the right people in all the right places.”

When describing what it is like to be the only female in her group, she laughs and says “I’m like the mother here, making sure it’s all cleaned up, making sure everyone is wearing their PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). Everyone here treats each other with respect and dignity. I’ve always felt 100% accepted here. I think after the initial shock wore off these guys, they see I can handle the job and some have even thanked me for inspiring them to see that women are capable of more than they originally believed”.

Esther hopes to work her way up the ladder in Public Works. Her ideal position is to “work next to Mr. Lazarus”. She laughs but then becomes serious, “One day be-

fore I got the job in overlay, I got on the elevator, and Mr. Lazarus was on it. He asked me if I had had any luck in finding a permanent position in Public Works. I was so impressed that he was aware of each of us, aware and cared for us. It made me feel great. That’s a great leader!”

Esther is a single mom of two daughters, Crystal (26) a Customer Service Representative and Christina (23), a Sales Associate. Crystal has two sons Legend (4) and Knowledge (2). They play with Christina’s daughter Teanna (4) and son Darnell (2). The family is close and spends as much time together as possible.

Esther plans on investigating the City’s tuition reimbursement program to help her finish her undergraduate degree and is considering studying for a graduate degree. We may need to make room for an office for Esther next to Howard in the near future!

Esther Crawford

2012 JANUARY STREET TALK

15

“S

erenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm”. David Smythe-Macaulay’s calm demeanor can instantly put you at ease.

He was born in Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone, West Africa, the second of three sons. His family, who founded the first school in Africa, focused on transcendental meditation and lived within walking distance of the beach.

He describes throwing stones into the trees to knock down mangos and the large number of snakes in his home town.

David’s favorite memories as a child are the sound of the rain on the roofs, which sound just like being under a waterfall.

He awoke each morning to the sound of people gathering their drinking water for the day from the town pump and the call to prayer around 6:00 in the morning.

David’s family moved outside London while he was a small boy and later returned to Africa. After high NEIGHBOR school, his David Smythe-Macaulay mother, originally from DIVISION New Orleans, was pleased Project Management that David chose to join TITLE his brother Project Manager Donald in America. David attended the Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa for a year to study transcendental meditation, but later decided to be an architect. He attended LSU, where he met Ivette, from Costa Rica. Ivette’s degree is in International Business and David graduated in 1993 with a BA in Architecture. They were married in 1995.

David chose to start working in construction in New Orleans. He worked briefly on residential homes in a city program to bring older homes up to code, and continued to dabble in architecture on the side. He worked on commercial construction and multi-family homes as a project engineer for nearly 12 years. Then, just before taking exams to receive his Ar-

chitectural License, a disaster struck that would change the lives of David and his family forever. They were in Baton Rouge on their way to a funeral, watching radar of a dangerous storm heading toward Louisiana. David rushed back to New Orleans and grabbed three bags of personal items and a fire box with important documents and headed back. Hurricane Katrina hit southern Louisiana on Monday, August 29, 2005. It eventually caused the deaths of 1,836 people in the actual hurricane and subsequent flood, and caused an estimated $81 billion in property damage.

David’s family was lucky – his home had minimal damage and they lost their car, but his mother’s home was a complete loss on the first floor. His cousin was rescued by helicopter from the roof of his home.

Ivette returned to the area to fulfill responsibilities of her job as a first responder in the area. They realized that the extensive environmental damage made New Orleans a place they were not willing return to; due to the chemicals, mold, petroleum and more in the water throughout the area. As a result, David, Ivette, and their two children moved to Austin. David started with the City of Austin in February 2006. The hilly area reminded him of his childhood home and Ivette was reminded of her home in Costa Rica. Their children Joshua, 12 and Joy, 10 are lively, intelligent youngsters. Joshua enjoys sports, video games and wants to be an athlete. Many

of Ivette’s family members are former professional athletes, so Joshua comes by it naturally! Joy is a natural born artist and writer who loves reading and writing and is very inquisitive. Ivette is thrilled to be a stay at home mom. David is awed by his wife’s outgoing personality and extreme intelligence.

David urges other City of Austin employees to utilize the Legal Protection Plan offered by the City. He and Ivette took immediate advantage of this benefit to secure their children’s future with their well thought out plan. David continues to handle daily stresses with yoga, proper breathing and meditation. He has learned to live in peace amid the storm.

David SmytheMacaulay

16 STREET TALK JANUARY 2012

division

BY SARA KRAUSE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

NCD: Underfoot and Over Ground Neighborhood Connectivity Division’s Sidewalk Program blazes connectivity through innovation.

S

ince 2004, the Sidewalk Program has quietly and methodically made a huge impact on our urban infrastructure.

The program has since laid down over 371,000 linear feet of sidewalk and has another 55,000 planned this fiscal year. Sidewalks are really routes, and more specifically, they are Americans with Disabilities Act accessible (ADA) routes.

Much of the success of the Sidewalk Program can stand on the nearly 1,800 accessible ramps the program has installed to create a more walkable, more accessible City. It is the innovation and creativity in the process and construction of sidewalk installations that are the backbone of its achievements.

GETTING IT DONE Two unique ingredients are the key to the ability of the program to achieve such high volume installations: contracting methods and field engineering.

One of the first things an NCD employee learns about is “indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity,” or IDIQ. It essentially means that sidewalks are bid in groups, by total dollar amounts. We don’t always know exactly where or when a group will be constructed, but we do know exactly how much we can spend under these contracts. This allows sidewalk Project Man-

ager Diane Rice to be both responsive and flexible in the construction schedule. “A great example is the Safe Routes to School sidewalks. We have a contract ready to go, but we can put off construction for when it is least disruptive to the school such as during holidays or breaks.

That’s just one of the ways that IDIQ allows us to meet real-world conditions.”

Another way, says Rice, is the bid items in IDIQ itself. “Someone installing a sidewalk can encounter any number of conditions. Our bid unit pricing considers a range of possibilities from the need for landscaping to electrical work. Because we bid in such large quantities, it represents a huge cost savings to the program.”

That’s where key ingredient number two comes in: field engineering. Rather than expend time and resources conducting surveys, creating geotechnical reports and creating detailed drawings for each sidewalk location, they are engineered in the field. This allows staff to keep projects moving forward through quick decision making, adapting to varying conditions, and concentrating on one problem at a time.

Field engineering also allows for innovation in the way problems are tackled, such as large trees or major obstructions.

For example, staff can use meandering walks to avoid trees or obstacles, and have tools such as building void boxes for tree roots when necessary. These approaches lead to faster project delivery with huge cost savings.

Our fellow NCD program, Child Safety, has obtained multiple Safe Routes to School grants and also a transportation enhancement grant to build new sidewalks near schools. The Sidewalk Program works in strong partnership with Child Safety to prioritize and construct these sidewalks.

A SAFE, WALKABLE FUTURE

One of the most frequently asked questions of NCD is how a neighborhood can get a sidewalk. With over $800 million in sidewalk gaps city-wide, unfortunately many of those callers don’t get the answer they want. However, sidewalks are an important part of the City’s urban infrastructure for accessibility, for transportation, and for recreation. While the task ahead might be daunting, it’s one that Division Manager Mike Curtis and his staff are ready to tackle. One thing is for certain: as long as the sidewalk program continues to implement aggressive, time-saving SIDEWALKS CREATE and cost-saving measures, the ability to PARTNERSHIPS stretch dollars into linear feet will continAll of the factors that make the Sidewalk ue to grow.

Program innovative also make it a great partner for other City departments and RECYCLING EFFORTS UNDERFOOT government agencies. NCD has worked with Austin Energy to create ADA compli- The Sidewalk Program is using more recycled glass from Austin Resource Recovery as its sideant routes and has installed sidewalks for walk bed. ARR has a use for the huge amount of the Parks and Recreation Department, like glass bottles it collects, and contractors get the the mile long pervious concrete sidewalk base materials free! installed in Zilker Park. The program is also Also, Street and Bridge crews are now using recyworking with Capital Metro to create ADA cled cast iron detectable warning pavers in ADA ramps, saving on installation time and costs. compliant bus stops.

2012 JANUARY STREET TALK

17

guest column

BY CLEMMIE CUMMINS GUEST WRITER

The City’s Wellness Program highlights Public Works Leaders in Wellness

The City’s Wellness Program, along with some of our own Public Workers, are here to help with your resolutions to become healthy – and stay that way!

WELLNESS ROLE MODELS AT PWD James Snow is not just a leader in his position as an Assistant Director in the Public Works Department; he also is a leader in the wellness arena at the City of Austin.

James actively participates in the PE Program in the PE2 class, designed for runners who want to improve their speed and endurance. This fall, he completed his second PE session and also completed the Jingle Bell 5K on December 4, getting a Personal Record and knocking a full seven minutes off his prior record! In addition, he has lost 30 pounds since September 16!

Being a COA executive and actively participating in wellness programs makes James a role model for his department.

During a recent chat, he said “What I like about PE is that it gives employees an avenue to work on a part of themselves that is not work related. Employees get to be just people—separate from their job title. And they get to meet individuals from other departments. It’s this kind of friendly atmosphere that really builds City camaraderie.”

He discusses his department’s view, which is that work/life balance is important, and cites the PARD CARD program, which encourages PWD employees to utilize City Recreation Center gyms through a partnership with PARD and Healthy Connections.

James notes ways the City could support its workforce in being more active— such as having more locker rooms and shower facilities to support early morning and noon time workouts. He also would like to see more upper level executive employees participate in wellness programming.

18 STREET TALK JANUARY 2012

“When workgroups are engaged in wellness, you can see the results,” he notes, . . . a noticeable increase in positive attitude and a decrease in stress when employees exercise and generally take care of their health.”

Another wellness leader in Public Works is Roger Hickman, an Engineer in ESD. For four years now, Roger has been coaching the PE2 class. This completely voluntary effort brings no extra pay, but it does garner Roger lots of thanks and admiration from his running group, which continues to grow and improve.

Here’s what PE2 class member Sheree Bailey has to say about Roger: “He motivates members of the group to do more. James Snow is just one example of someone who Roger has inspired and who has improved in a big way.”

PE Co-Captain Jimmy Olivares adds this: “Roger has a well-rounded coaching style; he can adapt to the individual’s fitness level. He supports you and gives you that extra push.

The group really appreciates Roger.”

When it comes to wellness, the Public Works Department is what we call an “engaged department.” There was a 30% increase in participation in the PE Program from the spring to the fall session. In addition, 176 PWD employees completed a Health Assessment Screening in 2011.

PWD employees are also active participants in Weight Watchers at Work, Farm to Work, and health awareness campaigns.

HEALTH ASSESSMENT AT PWD IN 2012 You will have the chance to complete a Health Assessment and earn four hours of administrative leave in 2012! To be eligible, you must be covered by a City medical plan. You can earn the leave once per calendar year.

On March 7, HealthyConnections will conduct a Health Assessment at the St. Elmo worksite: 4411 Meinardus, from 6:30 am to noon. No fasting is required. There also will be other opportunities throughout the year. Watch for details in early 2012.

Health Promotion Team at PWD HealthyConnections works with employees across City departments to bring wellness to our organization. These individuals volunteer their time to assist with Health Assessments, serve as PE and Weight Watcher Captains, coordinate educational seminars, and more.

The Public Work Department is fortunate to have the following energetic and generous individuals on their department’s Health Promotion Team:

MEMBERS INCLUDE: MAX EBY MICHELLE FRITH LACY GARNER SARA HARTLEY RITA MATA

WELLNESS: THE BIG PICTURE City Wellness Coordinator, Michelle Du, is only too happy to hear about engaged employees who take advantage of the valuable wellness benefits the City has to offer.

She is leading a team effort to reach 5,000 Health Assessment (HA) Screenings in 2012, a number that is almost half of the City workforce. The reason behind the goal is simple: You have to know the status of your health before you can do something about it. The HA provides a personalized and confidential health report, with an overall health score and recommendations for improving health and fitness.

The employee receives useful information to reduce their health risks and improve

their quality of life. The organization gets aggregate data that can be used to tailor programs specially designed to meet the needs of our workforce.

When you consider that the City spent more than $121 million on medical claims in 2010, and that half of those claims were due to preventable conditions, it’s not hard to see how wellness is a winning strategy for everyone.

CONTACT:

The City wellness program welcomes input from employees. You can send an email to: HealthyConnections@austintexas. gov. You also can call us at 974-3284 and ask to speak with a Wellness Consultant.

Be sure to visit the website for up-to-date information on wellness programs and events [From Cityspace, click on the wellness icon].

divisions

BY GERALD NATION CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Re-purposing Equipment at Street and Bridge

SBO makes greener, leaner choices with their “new” equipment.

T

he Street and Bridge Operations (SBO) group is investigating new ways to apply the “green” philosophy while also saving the taxpayers money through innovative thinking.

Recently, one of the SBO District Operations locations suffered arson vandalism when a storage facility was burned. Instead of rebuilding the storage facility, a Federal surplus fully contained portable storage facility was purchased, meeting all of the requirements at a fraction of the cost of buying or building a new storage facility!

This led the SBO group to analyze other needs of the business that could be met outside standard operating procedures to save money and be sustainable by re-use. Two immediate needs were identified that could be met using repurposed equipment.

A “NEW” CATCH TRUCK

20 STREET TALK JANUARY 2012

With the increase in tree trimming operations at SBO, a catch truck to receive the chippings from a chipper was needed. The current budget did not contain a truck for this purpose, and in verifying pricing, a new catch truck would cost a minimum of $60,000!

This capability was required for the job, so a catch truck was definitely needed. The Districts Division Manager Gerald Nation and Project Coordinator Clayton Craig put on their “thinking caps” to find an acceptable solution.

The solution involved the modification of underutilized equipment. The districts have a six cubic yard capacity dump truck that was not being fully utilized. It was decided that the bed on that dump truck could be removed and a catch bed would be added, solving several issues. The business need for a catch truck was satisfied, the under-utilized truck is now being used, and a new vehicle purchase was not required, saving a minimum of 75% of the cost a new truck!

PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT TRANSPORT VEHICLES FOR URBAN TRAILS The Public Works group accepted the responsibility for maintenance of urban mobility trails beginning in fiscal year 2012.

One of the immediate issues identified was transporting employees, materials and tools down the trails, since some were miles in length. The standard trucks and vehicles used by Public Works were too wide for the trails, and it would not be efficient for employees to carry the materials and tools themselves. So once again, Gerald and Clayton put their heads together for a solution.

They decided that all-terrain or golf cart type vehicles would be the best solution, but the purchase of these types of vehicles if new would be approximately $20,000 to $30,000.

So the team investigated the Federal government surplus site again, and found several of these types of vehicles available at the San Antonio location. A trip to San Antonio was made and one gasoline Kawasaki Mule and one electric cart were purchased.

Each had a 30-day return agreement, allowing the return of the vehicles for full refund for any reason. The vehicles were picked up and taken to Fleet Services for evaluation.

After Fleet made some minor repairs and determined the vehicles were in good shape, they were sanded, primed and beautifully painted to look like new by North District’s Lee Garza-Garcia. The vehicles were placed in service for a total investment of only 10% of the cost of purchasing new!

There are numerous ways we as a group can minimize expenditures while maintaining or improving services. We should all take the time to analyze our business needs and think innovatively. We might be able to save the taxpayers, the City and the Department some money, improve efficiencies and even be more sustainable.

Remember to obtain approval before going “outside the box. “ Explain the benefits and cost savings associated with your recommendations to your management, follow City of Austin guidelines when purchasing an item, and make sure it is placed in the COA inventory as required. You will find that management is always open to new ideas!

milestones

street talk extra

UPDATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Shaking and Breaking Expectations!

PWD 2011 City of Austin Combined Charities Campaign smashes goal!

P

ublic Works showed that we are definitively the “Department with a Heart” in the 2011 City of Austin Combined Charities Campaign (CoACCC). Our goal set in the summer for the campaign was $30,000, which was a real stretch in these current economic times. But true to our nature, PWD employees dug deep and helped to raise a final tally of $35,912.48 for others less fortunate than ourselves.

These funds were raised through payroll pledges, one-time gifts and special events.

Seventy-two employees made a year long commitment to give to others by filling out a payroll pledge. Pledges are the most convenient way to give and the most helpful, since the hundreds of organizations can count on a set amount of money coming in across the span of an entire year. CoACCC Department Coordinator Annie Van Zant notes that it’s like having a set monthly budget in your house. If you don’t know what your income is from month to month, you can’t tell how to spend your money wisely. The 2011 PWD pledges equaled $33,087.00 helping those organizations to plan their

spending for 2012.

Special events helped to knock the CoACCC goal out of the park. The Street and Bridge Breakfast offered delicious morning treats and earned $221.73. Bicyclists from many departments gathered at the Ride with the Director event hosted

by PWD Neighborhood Connectivity, driving donations of $410.00. The Halloween CIPID’s Pat Webre and Judy Die prepare for the rush of hungry Costume Contest and Pump- hot dog seekers. CIPID holds the title as the highest dollar amount raised of all 2011 COACCC events for PWD. kin Carving contest scared up $199.25, and the Halloween Ice Scream to support the larger events, distribuSocial rose a hair-raising $269.00. Un- tion of materials, marketing events, orfortunately the Annual ESD B-B-Q Cook- ganization and many other activities too Off, always a favorite, was dealt a severe numerous to mention. James Snow was blow this year. Due to the drought, no again the Department Steering Commitoutdoor fires were allowed, which neces- tee Representative and Department Cositated cancellation of the event. Even ordinators were Annie Van Zant, Michelle though the actual cook-off did not hap- Frith and Rebecca Zapata. Many teams pen in 2011, the event still raised $532.00 of dozens of people helped to raise through drawings and sales! Finally, 2011 funds and awareness for the campaign.

CoACCC was capped off with the CIPID Thank you to them all!

Hot Dog Sale on the last day of the camPlanning has already begun for paign. They raised a whopping $1,193.50! events and awareness of the 2012 City of HOT DOG! All together, the special events Austin Combined Charities Campaign, so raised an amazing $2,285.48. keep an eye out for opportunities to parMany thanks to all the folks involved ticipate. Please be sure to contact James, in special events, raising awareness, help- Annie, Michelle or Rebecca if you’d like to ing with mini-fundraisers to raise money get involved and make a difference!

WHAT’S NEW:

EMPLOYEE CHANGES (ESD)

Keri Juarez and Cindy Jordan celebrate Council’s passage of the Central Library schematic with representatives from the Austin Public Library (APL).

Patrice Shackelford’s last day with ESD was on November 23, 2011. After giving birth to her first baby, she decided to stay home to take care of her little boy. We wish her the best.

2012 JANUARY STREET TALK

21

milestones

continued from pg. 21

& s d r a w aecognition CIP Inspection Division r ‘PAT ON THE BACK’ AWARD

TEAM PLAYER AWARD

‘ABOVE AND BEYOND ’ AWARD

BILL MASON

PHILLIP PRESLAR

PETER MORALES

Bill Mason for his outstanding performance on the Ashland Circle Storm Drain Improvement Project.

Phillip Preslar and John Rich for covering for the absent lead project inspector on the Airport/Chesterfield Project.

&

JOHN RICH

for achieving the NICET Highway Construction Level 1 and Level 2 Certification in one testing.

KIRLKAND FORDHAM Kirkland Fordham for his exemplary customer service on the Spicewood Springs Pump Station Electrical Improvements Project.

PATTI MORENO

4th Quarter 2011

Patti Moreno for her exemplary work on the 2011 Misc. Streets Overlay Project Phase 2 and 3.

S.T.A.R. awards

Project Management Division

SERVICE AWARD

TEAMWORK AWARD

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

TONY KRAUSS

DELIA UBALLE

JULES PARRISH

Patti Moreno and Phillip Preslar

For providing service to the communi- For her continuous and tireless support to ty above and beyond his job descrip- the Project Management Division. tion.

‘STAR OF THE STAR’ AWARDS (Each was voted the best winner’s of the previous year’s STAR Awards from four categories).

SERVICE TONY KRAUSE

TEAMWORK RANDY HARVEY

ACHIEVEMENT JULES PARRISH

RESPECT CHRIS CALVERY

From left to right: Delia Uballe, Mark Schruben, Jules Parrish, Randy Harvey.

Not pictured: Tony Krauss, Chris Calvery

22 STREET TALK JANUARY 2012

Peter Morales, Kirkland Fordham, and Bill Mason

For being awarded the Gold Award by the American Concrete Paving Association on her Hornsby Bend Project.

Milestones generosi

ty

Street and Bridge Operations

UTILITY CUT CREW INSPIRES GENEROSITY The Utility Cut crews of Street & Bridge Operations continued 17 years of generous work with the Austin community this year by donating to “Any Baby Can.” Each year, the crew organizes themselves to collect for needy families and distribute gift cards. They have collected thousands of dollars over the years to give back to the community during the holidays – a time that can be extra tough for those who are in need. This holiday, they also went above that donation and collected 1,120 cans of non-

1,465 cans

equals

1,644 pounds

equals

1,315 Meals!

perishable food items toward the overall total collection for the Food Bank of Austin.

The four divisions of Street and Bridge Operations as a whole collected a total 1,465 cans of food to donate to the Food Bank of Austin during their Winter Appreciation Lunch on December 16.

THE 2011 UTILITY CUT CREW DONORS TO “ANY BABY CAN” ARE:

RESPECT AWARD MARK SCHRUBEN For the respectful way he worked with the community and business owners on the South Congress Street Project.

Alex Garcia Larry Johnson Ricky Porter Gabriel Flores Jorge Rangel Jose Perez Alan Collins Domingo Aguilar Jesse Luna Antonio Carbajal Johnny Torres Oscar Ramirez

Robert Cortinas Clay Rivers David Chavez Anthony Doyle Mark Frank Earnest Young Daniel Espinosa Edward Mortimer Alex Luna Sam Samilpa Rene Guerrero Tommy Castro

Eugene Towes Steven Cannon Andrew Morgan Ildefonso Carbajal Johnny Trevino Jimmy Luna Mike Girod Mario Perez Ernest Gonzales Jesus Estala Gilbert Alvarez Merced Felan

2012 JANUARY STREET TALK

23

continued from pg. 23

s r a e y w e n olutions res SUSAN GARNETT Office of the Director “To concentrate on the positive in everything and chalk it all up to valued lessons in life!”

JESSE Neighborhood DUNCAN Connectivity Division “To have the sharpest, most shocking bike short tan lines of all the COA employees.”

GREGORY STERLING Street and Bridge Operations “To try to do a much better job this coming year and to help my co-workers, supervisor, superintendent, and district manager to accomplish any job task they have been set out to do. I am setting a goal to be the best of the best for my city and the district I work for. I want to be all that I can be at any timeand place.”

PWD/ATD DIVERSITY COUNCIL KEEPS AUSTIN WARM Once again, City of Austin employees have exemplified the true meaning of “making a difference”. This past November, the PWD/ATD Diversity Council participated in the 25th anniversary of the Coats for Kids Drive.

The Coats for Kids Drive is an annual community project that collects and distributes warm winter coats to eligible children and teenagers in Central Texas.

Red barrels were placed throughout various locations in PWD and ATD facilities to allow employees to donate “gently used” winter coats. During a two week period, the Diversity Council collected a total of 115 coats which were delivered to Jack Brown Cleaners for cleaning. Over 30,000 coats were distributed on December 10th to local area youth. In recognition of their efforts, the PWD/ATD Diversity Council was recognized for collecting the most coats by a business organization.

During the coming year, the Diversity Council will continue to coordinate this and other similar community efforts. For more information on the activities of the PWD/ATD Diversity Council, you can contact Floyd B. Bermea at 974-7007.

24 STREET TALK JANUARY 2012

Milestones

ROHINI KUMARAGE Project Management Division “To look upon negativities that arise every day as opportunities to learn and to grow.”

SUSAN COX Shared Services Division “To commit more “random acts of kindness” on totally unsuspecting strangers.”

SARA Neighborhood KRAUSE Connectivity Diveion “To spend more time with family and friends.”

SHANNON WISNER Office of the Director “To go see more live music!”

MICHELLE LOREE FRITH Office of the Director “In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I’ve always tried to make sure I check the items off my to-do list. My resolution this year is to slow down and get reacquainted with myself and the things I’m interested in.”

ELLEN CHMIELOWSKI Human Resources “To eat more chocolate!”

ROBIN A. CAMP Project Management Division “To stop multi-tasking, eliminate distractions, use the phone, and check emails fewer times in the day.”

sohuot ut

CHARLES FELIPA Street and Bridge Division “My Special Projects crew’s resolution is to get more sleep!”

BRANDON LOWDEN Street and Bridge Division “To continue spending more time with my family and friends, and make up for lost time.”

CAROLYN PEREZ Office of the Director “To stay optimistic, despite the gloomy economy.”

NADIA Neighborhood BARRERA Connectivity Diveion “To eat more vegetables.”

KATHRYN TREVINO Engineering Services Division “To help others and be less wasteful.”

PROJECT SHOUT OUT The Hornsby Bend Compost Pad project has been awarded a Gold Award, the highest level of recognition in the “Industrial and Special Paving” category by the American Concrete Paving Association (ACPA). Chasco, HVJ and the COA were recognized for the project at the ACPA national convention in Indian Wells, CA on December 2nd and 3rd, 2011. Jules Parrish is the current project manager, and Rip Hirsch is the inspector. Project Manager Mark Schruben has also worked on this project.

When problems were encountered with linear motion mixers installed on the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant Digester Improvements and Sustainability Project, before ordering an additional $1.25M of the units, Jules negotiated an extended warranty for AWU. The warranty terms went from one year to ten years, and an additional five-year warranty on wear parts.

The project sponsor team encouraged Jules to negotiate on their behalf, and the results were better than anyone could have imagined. The sponsor department, AWU, thanked Jules for all the hard work she put into getting AWU the extended warranty. Jules has done a great service to AWU, Hornsby Bend and the citizens of Austin.

IN EVERY ISSUE

WHERE IS SHUV-L-REDDY?

Where In The World Is Shuv-L-Reddy?

Remember Carmen San Diego? Waldo? Well, Shuv wanted in on some of the action…play our guessing game as he wanders around the city at various PWD-related sites...and beyond!

Can you correctly identify both project site locations that Shuv-L-Reddy has visited? Write in to: streettalk@ austintexas.gov for a chance to WIN A PRIZE! LOCATION 1

LOCATION 2

Answers from last issue: Location 1: Austin Energy Systems Control Center Location 2: Water Treatment Plant 4 Marina Operation 2012 JANUARY STREET TALK 25

events calendar 2012 JANUARY

Sunday

1

0 New Year’s Day

Monday

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

2

4

3

0

5

0

0

Friday

Saturday

6

0

0

Sunday

Defensive Driving New Employee Safety Orientation

OFFICES CLOSED New Year’s

class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

9

0

0

Roadway Safety (S&B employees)

7

1 Health Screening

7:30 AM-1 PM Glen Bell Service Center

2

3

1

1

8

1

Health Screening

5

1

Austin City Council Meeting

9

0

1

2

7 AM-1 PM Kramer Lane Service Center

3

4

2

5

2

1

2

Sunday

2

$ PAY DAY

2

class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

2

4

1

Sunday

class 8 AM-12 PM OTC-325

Computer Ergonomics New Employee Safety class 8:30-9:30 AM Orientation 105 Riverside Room 200

8

0

$ PAY DAY

CPR/First Aid/AED

1:30 PM St. Elmo Large Conference Rm.

1

OFFICES CLOSED Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

1 Diversity Council Meeting

class 8:30-11:30 PM Cheathem Facility Large Conference Room

6

1

1

class 8:30 AM-4:30 PM OTC-325

First Thursday

7

0

6

2

7

2

8

2

Sunday Defensive Driving class 8:30 AM-4:30 PM OTC-325

0

3

New Employee Safety Orientation

1

3

class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

26 STREET TALK JANUARY 2012

Austin City Council Meeting

9

2

3M Half Marathon & Relay

FEBRUARY Monday

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

1

2

0

Safety Plus Meeting (S&B Pavement & Infrastructure SSD) class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility

6

class 8:30-9:30 AM OTC-325

3

Diversity Council Meeting 1:30 PM OTC, 13th Floor Directors Conference Room

0

0

Safety Plus Meeting (PMD/ESD/NCD/QSMD)

1

8

7

0

Safety Plus Meeting (S&B District Maintenance) class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility

New Employee Safety Orientation class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

Safety Plus Meeting (CID/HRO/SSD/Financial Services, OOD, Systems Engineering) class 8:30-9:30 AM OTC-325

0

5

4

1

1

Saturday

3

0

0

Defensive Driving class 8 AM-4 PM OTC-325

Groundhog Day First Thursday Austin City Council Meeting

5:30 AM-9 AM and 1PM-4PM Kenneth Gardner Service Center

2

2

2

4

0

Sunday

5

0

$ PAY DAY

0

9

1

0

1

1

Sunday

2

1

Austin City Council Meeting

6

7

1

1

8

1

Sunday

Health Screening

1

2

Friday

Health Screening 6AM-3:30PM Rutherford Campus

3

2

9

1

Livestrong Austin Marathon & Half Marathon

$ PAY DAY

4

2

5

2

Art Night Austin

OFFICES CLOSED President’s Day

7

2

Safety Plus Meeting (S&B Utility and Structure)

Mardi Gras

class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility

8

Sunday

6

2

9

2

2

New Employee Safety Orientation class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

Safety Plus Meeting (ATD) class 8-9 AM OTC-325

Leap Day

2012 JANUARY STREET TALK 27

S ’ D PW IN’ KP !

SHA T U I

WRITE IN TO US WITH YOUR SUGGESTIONS REGARDING:

Milestones

NOMINATIONS

WRITING A GUEST COLUMN PHOTO CONTRIBUTION SPECIAL EVENTS GOING ON IN YOUR DIVISION EMPLOYEE PROFILE NOMINATIONS ...AND ANYTHING ELSE WE MAY HAVE MISSED OR YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT

CONTACT US:

streettalk@austintexas.gov