2015 Fall | Street Talk | Thrive Issue

Street Talk

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3

Thrive!

Achieving Success while Maintaining the Perfect Work-Life Balance.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Daily Life How personal outlooks can shape a person’s future.

City of Austin to host NACTO Designing Cities 2015 PWD to co-sponsor national conference that focuses on transportation solutions.

REPORTING ON WHAT MATTERS TO PUBLIC WORKS

FALL 2015

director’s message

BY HOWARD LAZARUS DIRECTOR

Thriving and Surviving, the Work-Life Balance Y

ears ago when I was a new scout, the older boys in our scout troop used to welcome new members through kind and generous acts of acceptance into the group known as “rookie roasts.” These included sending young, innocent, and somewhat naïve tenderfeet out on “snipe hunts.” The snipe apparently was a very rare and shy bird that lived in the woods near our camp sites, and could only be captured at night using a short stick and an old pillow case. Hunting for snipes involved frequent trips into the brush and brambles, tripping over rocks, and an occasional unplanned slide down a rocky escarpment all while imitating the snipe mating call – a sound reminiscent of a European ambulance siren on non-prescription pharmaceuticals. It took a while for the Einsteins that were my friends and I to realize that the snipe was either long extinct or the figment of someone’s imagination, and that the hunt was a rite of passage and not a real attempt to capture an endangered woodland fowl.

It could be said that the search for the perfect “work-life” balance has about as much of a chance of success as a snipe hunt. Wikipedia (the source of all truth in the universe) explains that the “workleisure dichotomy was invented in the mid-1800s, with anthropologists defining happiness as having as little separation as possible between your work and your play.” Sounds like a really fun group of people to hang with, but certainly not a bunch of public workers? Wikipedia also tell us “the expression ‘work–life balance’ was first used in the United States in 1986.” I can tell you that is just dead wrong, because in the early 1970s my father explained to me as a teenager, “you better get a job and work because your life (and your car) hangs in the balance.”

Dear old Dad may have missed the mark on that, but it was certainly motivational.

Back in medieval times, circa 1980, before

modern technology took hold, the delineation between work and leisure was easier to understand.

Work was where you went to be tortured by your bosses, and leisure occurred at home where you were tortured by your family. Never the twain shall meet. However, with the advent of email (surely the work of the devil), text messages, voicemail and social media, the workplace extends beyond the boundaries of the office. We all respond to messages, tweets, and the like from various places and at the most unusual of times. To be fair, this also occurred in the past, especially when you were calling in sick for work and the loudspeaker in the background blasted, “Ten minute call for the Lazarus party on the first tee!”

So, my point here is that we have always struggled to balance the concept of who we are, what we do, and what we want. Technology has

helped to muddy the waters, but the problem of balance has always existed. How do we know how much of our true selves to show at work? How much of our essence is tied to our jobs? How do we learn to better live in the moment, being with the person we are with – mentally as well as physically?

Can we really ever escape and “go off the grid” for periods of time? We all have our own secret formula of “eleven herbs and spices” that make us happy.

The articles in this month’s issue of Street Talk provide some insight into how we can achieve balance and “thrive” in life.

Now, where is that stick and pillow case?

we really ever escape and ‘go off the grid’ for periods of time? We “ Can all have our own secret formula of ‘eleven herbs and spices’ that make

us happy. The articles in this month’s issue of Street Talk provide some insight into how we can achieve balance and “thrive” in life.

”

-Howard Lazarus, Director

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VOLUME 5

contents

ISSUE 3

FALL 2015

12 13

04

COVER STORY: THRIVE ISSUE Achieving Success while Maintaining the Perfect Work-Life Balance.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DAILY LIFE How personal outlooks can shape a person’s future.

16 22

divisions 06 07

ALL AROUND AUSTIN Public Workers discuss an array of exciting new projects and happenings around the City, telling their stories and commending staff for a job well done.

16 22

features 13

06

courtney.black@austintexas.gov

Susan Garnett

Meet two volunteers living the “AmeriDream”.

Carolyn Perez

STREET AND BRIDGE OPERATIONS: STRETCH N’ GO Street and Bridge Operations Manager gives tips on preventing injuries and improving health.

08

PUBLIC AFFAIRS: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT! The best technology can enhance our personal and professional lives.

Assistant Editors susan.garnett@austintexas.gov

Alexandria Bruton

alexandria.bruton@austintexas.gov carolyn.perez@austintexas.gov

WRITERS

Howard Lazarus

howard.lazarus@austintexas.gov

Megan Heynen

megan.heynen@austintexas.gov

Matthew Cramer

matthew.cramer@austintexas.gov

Michelle Frith

Susan Garnett

susan.garnett@austintexas.gov

Carolyn Perez

carolyn.perez@austintexas.gov

Fred Garcia

fred.garcia@austintexas.gov

Charles Felipa

charles.felipa@austintexas.gov

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

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

Courtney Black

NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM: THE AMERICORPS VISTA EXPERIENCE

Deborah Graham

deborah.graham@austintexas.gov

Alexandria Bruton

alexandria.bruton@austintexas.gov

Alexa Muraida

alexa.muraida@austintexas.gov

columns 10

EDITORIAL Editor-In-Chief

michelle.frith@austintexas.gov

MILESTONES

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR?

contributors

GUEST WRITER

Samantha Alexander

Austin Transportation Department samantha.alexander@austintexas.gov

09

City of Austin to host NACTO Designing Cities 2015 Author: Samantha Alexander, Austin Transportation Department

PWD to co-sponsor national conference that focuses on transportation solutions.

ART + PRODUCTION Creative Director Alexa Muraida

alexa.muraida@austintexas.gov

Photography Director Carolyn Perez

carolyn.perez@austintexas.gov

2015 FALL STREET TALK 03

safety zone

BY DEBORAH GRAHAM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Getting the Most out of your Daily Life

e d u tit t A

How personal outlooks can shape a person’s future

L

et us say you and a coworker have job titles like “Technician I” or “Maintenance II.” You have also worked together in the same crew for four years. One day, you see a posting on a work bulletin board. It reads, “The Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) certification provides a means for individuals and employers to verify safety and health knowledge important for first-line supervisors, managers, and any person with safety responsibilities. (NCAA Accredited Program, BCSP).” Perhaps you think, “Well, that doesn’t apply to me because I’m not a supervisor,” and then just forget it.

Then, surprise! Just four months later, your friend shows up with big news! He is not even a lead worker, but he has a certification recognized all over the country as “Safety Trained Supervisor.” You, on the other hand, showed up for work each day just waiting to be noticed.

Now there’s another fork in the road. Path one is where you approach your friend and say, “Wow! Congratulations. I guess the certification you got was the one we read about a long time ago. I assumed it wasn’t something for regular workers, but I see I was wrong. Can you tell me what it takes to get that certificate?” Path two is where you think, “There he goes again, grabbing all the attention.

I bet he’ll get promoted too just because he got a little piece of paper. I work just as hard as he does.”

Do you see where this is going?

Options and choices surround us. Every person votes with their own feet when they make countless choices every day. Believing, “I make a difference,” whether to coworkers, citizens or your own work ethic affects how a person makes those daily choices. Then, every so often, new milestone opportunities pop up – like a chance to add to your education or training. You get to choose your outlook. For example, simply setting your mind to being your best at what you do means taking advantage of the full employment our department offers – not just a daily grind. When it comes to work, try the viewpoint that there is always something new

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to learn.

New worlds of possibilities open up when you decide that YOU are going to play an active role in what happens at your job. The daily grind is what happens when you allow your job to happen to you.

Take career ladders, for example. In some areas, we have them lined out for us. Yet, unless we take the time to learn what the next levels up involve, it might easily stay a mystery why one person appears to get ahead and their coworker doesn’t.

Favoritism? Perhaps, if you choose to ignore the full picture. If you honestly identify how their way of working is different from yours, take it as a hint.

For example, maybe they always participated. They would speak up and ask questions like, “How can we do this more safely?” Maybe they were always setting a good field example wearing their Personal Protective Equipment. Did they always take on one more Citizen Service Request? Did they really use a DOSA (Daily Operational Safety Analysis) to modify job site planning? When it comes to the job, often how well you get the job done equally affects your career and reputation. Staying open to new tasks also allows others to see you as high value with even more to offer up the ladder.

At times, an outsider gets a posted job. Some people automatically ask, “Why them? Why did they get the job? Why not me?” My recommendation is to move forward and focus on improving yourself.

Did you know that four out of 10 job titles for the

City of Austin spell out safety as a specific major job duty, KSA (knowledge, skills and abilities), or part of the job purpose or title? Safety represents a huge way to take advantage of department or city programs to build your experience beyond the day to day. One easy way is joining the Employee Safety Association (ESA), which is a City of Austin official employee association. Like their website says, “The ESA is always accepting new members from ALL City departments and membership is FREE. You do not have to be in the safety field in order to be a member.”

Let’s get back to that outsider. Did you ever consider that anyone coming in brand new to our department just took a huge leap of faith? Why? They risked moving into an unknown because there is no way they could have your knowledge of exactly how this department works. If you believe that nothing can make an outsider be the best candidate, then I have a question for you. Are you willing to branch out yourself? We are not born into our jobs. We “get” our jobs. Then the choice is up to us whether we just make do in our jobs or we grow in our careers.

OK, so you may be thinking, “Hmmm, there could be a point here, but what’s next?” Well, consider the benefit of an attitude shift. When you see folks content in their work there might be something to learn from them. Perhaps they honor their own work ethic. Perhaps they see their current work

ery t s a M ess c c u S d an Initiative

as an important step in their career journey. Perhaps they love working outside. Whatever those reasons, this is wisdom in plain sight. You might even find yourself laughing at wisdom found in the strangest places. A local convenience store clerk responded to my “Good morning.” He said, “Well. Yes. It. Is. There was a lady in here earlier complaining about it being a Monday. I told her, I already made a major milestone this morning just by waking up. So in my book it’s a great day already!” I am confident that years from now, you won’t see him complaining about the days he used to work in the convenience store.

Once you have a moving-ahead attitude, make it even better by adding the knowledge that your past does not set your future. Maybe you are great with your hands, but never cared much for school. As Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

So don’t be a poor ‘ol fish. Get involved. Take on some of the extra opportunities that surround us at PWD. Branch out – you might choose volunteering for city events, getting to know a new safety app, bringing your family to a department picnic, creating a department team, participating in a webinar, serving on a committee, or asking to take a class on a new piece of equipment. Each time you explore something new, your prospects grow. Here’s to your great future!

LEARN A NEW APP Heat Safety Tool

By US Occupational Safety and Health Administration and US Department of Labor. The App allows workers and supervisors to calculate the heat index for their worksite, and, based on the heat index, displays a risk level to outdoor workers. Then, with a simple “click,” you can get reminders about the protective measures that should be taken at that risk level to protect workers from heat-related illnessreminders about drinking enough fluids, scheduling rest breaks, planning for and knowing what to do in an emergency, adjusting work operations, gradually building up the workload for new workers, training on heat illness signs and symptoms, and monitoring each other for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.

Available for iPhone, Blackberry and Android.

DOWNLOAD https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/ heat_app.html

2015 FALL STREET TALK 05

division

BY MEGAN HEYNEN AND MATTHEW CRAMER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

The AmeriCorps VISTA Experience Meet two volunteers living the “AmeriDream”

S

Pictured: Matthew Cramer and Megan Heynen

ince the declaration of a war on poverty by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) have been on the front lines of eliminating poverty and increasing opportunity in the United States. VISTAs take on a yearlong commitment to live in poverty alongside the communities they serve. After 50 years, there is cause to celebrate many victories against poverty, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Get to know the two VISTAs who work with the Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP).

Megan Heynen, a new VISTA and native Californian, was drawn to the VISTA experience because of the meaningful learning opportunities. As a recent graduate from the University of California, Santa Cruz, Megan hopes that in her first year as a post-grad she will expand her perception of not only poverty and the many forms it takes, but also the diverse needs of a single community. In addition to the opportunity for professional growth, Megan is excited to see how she can fit into making Austin more equitable by increasing access to the resources necessary to implement community improvement projects. She looks forward to learning from the experienced and knowledgeable NPP team and the thriving Austin community members as she takes on the role of being an advocate for equity and sustainable growth.

Matthew Cramer has answered the call of Lady Liberty twice already, first as a VISTA in Helena, MT, expanding Complete Streets opportunities,

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and another term at a nonprofit community bike shop in Reno, NV. He is from “that other weird city in America,” Portland, OR, and thrives most while furthering the belief, “good citizens are the riches of a city.” NPP’s ability to innovate how the City can successfully partner with citizens to develop meaningful places and build community throughout the process has been an inspiration each day of service. He believes helping provide access to neighborhood improvements to all community members, no matter where they live, by contributing the gifts and talents they possess is an AmeriDream.

President Johnson challenged the pioneering group of 20 VISTAs stating, “Your pay will be low; the conditions of your labor often will be difficult. But you will have the satisfaction of leading a great national effort and you will have the ultimate reward which comes to those who serve their fellow man.”

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) have been on the front lines of eliminating poverty and increasing opportunity in the United States.

SOME TIPS THAT HELP THE VISTAS THRIVE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN

1|

Follow your passions, but be patient and realistic with your expectations. The world won’t change overnight, but your efforts can play a role in moving in that direction.

2 | Never turn down an opportunity for free food— especially breakfast tacos! (Bringing Tupperware is highly recommended.)

3 | The road to an inclusive and sustainable community is built by all who call it home.

4 | Don’t be afraid to fail and use it as an opportu-

nity to critically analyze how that fallback can lead to bigger and better change.

5 | Always volunteer for a new challenge (VISTA service is 24/7).

divisions

BY FRED GARCIA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Stretch ‘N’ Go Prevent Injuries and Improve Health

I

n the past, employees of Street and Bridge Operations (SBO) participated in a quick 15-minute stretch workout, but as time passed, so did the practice. Denise stated that she truly believes that re-introducing this back into our morning routine will help prevent some of the injuries that we are experiencing.

Austin Energy has a program for its employees in place already. Gerald Nation, District Manager for SBO was one of the first to stand up in support of Stretch ‘N’ Go. While this will be the safety topic next month, Gerald truly believes that we need to put this in place ASAP. When one is lifting something heavy, one’s mind is already sending signals that the item is heavy and the task can be accomplished by bending the knees, holding it close to the body and using your legs. However, simple tasks such as turning right or left to get something does not involve that type of mind registration which may result in a strain. It can be as easy as dropping something bending down to lift it.

These injuries not only apply to field personnel, our office staff is just as vulnerable.

have noticed an increase “ We of soft tissue injuries’ from

everyday movement in which one would not expect an injury.

Our goal is to assist in prevention of such injures.

”

-Denise Riad, PWD Safety Manager

STRETCHING GUIDELINES

1

Warm-up before stretching. Warm tissues is much easier to stretch than cold tissue and is less likely to tear.

2

Stretch slowly. A couple of gentle, sustained stretches will give you better results than numerous quick stretches.

3

Don’t bounce. Bouncing and jerking causes the muscles to tense and tearing of muscle fibers can occur.

4

Do not stretch to the point of pain. A strong pull should be felt, but not pain.

5

Always stretch when you begin and finish a vigorous activity such as playing sports, jogging, working on the route, etc. Tissues will be warm and will stretch more easily.

Safety Manager Denise Riad has provided us with the following link so we can all have the exercises readily available to use at work and at home. http://coaspweb1/sites/PWDCentral/SafetyOffice/Safety%20Procedures/Stretch%20’N’%20Go.pdf

2015 FALL STREET TALK 07

division

BY CAROLYN PEREZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

There’s an app for that!

The best technology can enhance our personal and professional lives

M

ore than 64 percent of Americans now own smart phones, up from 35 percent in 2011. More than just phones, these clever gadgets allow us to download and use applications, or “apps” for fun, business, or both. Some apps, such as social media ones, are more fun than functional. It’s easy to fall into a Facebook rabbit hole and realize half your evening’s gone! Happily, web developers have created apps that add to, rather than take away from, our lives. Chores that used to involve the hassle of getting in a car and driving somewhere--banking, shopping, and searching for a job--to name just a few, can now be done with the click of a button.

HERE ARE A FEW OF THE BEST RATED FREE OR LOW COST APPS THAT CAN HELP YOU THRIVE AT WORK AND AT HOME: ACORN

GASBUDDY This cool savings app links to a user’s debit or credit card and rounds up on every purchase, investing the spare change into the stock market.

INSTACART

When you can’t stand the thought of driving to the grocery story, this app will deliver groceries right to your door.

TINYSCAN Lets you scan documents, photos, receipts, or just about anything using your phone.

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INRIX Analyzes traffic patterns from billions of data points to help you avoid accidents, traffic jams and road closures on your daily commute.

This money saving app finds the cheapest gas close to you.

7 MINUTES WORKOUT

SHAZAM

GOOGLE GOGGLES

MENUPAGES

Got a few minutes before work or between meetings? You’ve got time for a workout!

Just hold your smartphone up to a painting, famous building, logo— almost anything, really— and it will tell you everything you’d want to know about it.

Great for music lovers, Shazam can “listen” to any song and identify the artist and title. It can also buy the song for you.

Provides up-to-date restaurant menus (with prices) and reviews.

guest column

BY AUSTIN TRANPORTATION DEPARTMENT | SAMANTHA ALEXANDER GUEST WRITER

City of Austin to host NACTO Designing Cities 2015

PWD to co-sponsor national conference that focuses on transportation solutions.

I

nterested in what’s next for our streets? Find out when Austin hosts NACTO Designing Cities 2015 this October 28-31. It’s a major national conference about how cities can build their streets to support vibrant, walkable city life and multimodal transportation. Organized by the National Association of City Transportation Officials, the conference is sponsored by the Public Works Department. Austin Transportation Department is the organizing host sponsor; Planning and Zoning, and Development Services, are also City department sponsors.

cities grow, our transportation infrastructure needs to keep pace. We must continue “ Asto our build options for our future – by providing well-connected and walkable streets that support highly livable places, and by continuing to expand our transit choices. ”

-Danny Pleasant, NACTO Board member and Director of Transportation for the City of Charlotte.

The NACTO conference is the place to learn about innovative street designs emerging in top cities across the nation, and coming to Austin. A number of PWD staff will participate in the conference – as registrants, speakers, participants in a training on use of the Urban Street Design Guide in Austin, and leaders of tours of innovative Austin infrastructure. Tour leaders who have volunteered from PWD include Kevin Sweat, Nadia Barrara, Mark Schruben, Jennifer Massie-Gore, David Taylor, Janae

Ryan, Justin Golbabi, and Chad Crager.

Visit NACTO online to see the full program and to register. For those not registered, you’ll be able to hear some of the top speakers during concurrent, free, Better Streets Week events as well.

Watch for more information about those events coming soon.

The Designing Cities conference convenes local leaders working on the ground to revitalize city streets with major city transportation stakehold-

AUSTIN MAYOR STEVE ADLER WILL KICK OFF THE CONFERENCE WITH OPENING REMARKS. CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: Keynote speakers such as Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and urban designer and author Victor Dover Conference sessions with visionary transportation professionals and leading practitioners Street project case studies from NACTO member cities Mobile workshops led by City of Austin staff In-depth training on the Urban Street Design Guide

ers and private sector entrepreneurs committed to creating healthier, more sustainable, economically vibrant cities.

“We’re thrilled to have Austin host the nation’s most cutting-edge conference on the design of transportation systems for cities,” said Rob Spillar, Director of the Austin Transportation Department. “We’ll share our innovations with more than 400 professionals from around the world as we gather fresh solutions for Central Texas.”

NACTO’s new Transit Street Design Guide will be unveiled at the conference. Capital Metro is also a sponsor of the conference; it is helping to organize a day of conference activities on Oct. 30 that focus on designing Austin streets for transit.

The Community Keynote speaker during Better Streets Week is Janette Sadik-Khan, NACTO Chair and former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation.

The event is free, but ticketed by its host, the Downtown Austin Alliance.

Better Streets Week, organized by the ATD Complete Streets Program, offers a series of community conversations about making Austin’s streets safer, friendlier and more complete, Oct. 25-31. It runs concurrently with the conference to bring NACTO speakers out into the community. Events will be free and open to the public. Local Better Streets Week hosts include the Downtown Austin Alliance, the Urban Land Institute, the local chapters of the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Bike Austin, and many more.

For more information, contact Lauren Seyda at Austin Transportation Department at (512) 974-9395.

2015 FALL STREET TALK 09

columns

BY MICHELLE FRITH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

How well do you know your neighbor?

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

C

hallenges arise in everyone’s lives. Kenneth Chambers approaches these challenges with an enviable resilience.

Kenneth’s father, Louis, is a retired Army Ranger who served in Vietnam. After being hit by shrapnel, Louis returned to Texas with a head injury and amnesia. He spent four years at Brook Army Medical Center before returning to Austin to be with his wife Cora, who took care of their three children, Louis Jr., Kenneth and Nicole. Alongside caring for her children, Cora worked at Wackenhut Correctional facility as a lieutenant. With Louis now NEIGHBOR in his 60s, Kenneth Kenneth Chambers describes his father as a very open, friendly and happy, go-lucky DIVISION man. His parents have Street and Bridge, been married for 48 Sealcoat II years and have an extremely strong marTITLE riage.

These days, Tech III Louis spends his time breaking and training horses.

Kenneth was the quarterback for Austin and later Reagan High School and loved studying math, history and social studies. He received a full scholarship to Blinn College, where he played safety. He dreamed of being a DPS Trooper, but at a party in 1991 Kenneth dove into a shallow pool and broke his neck. Everything changed for him that instant. He was paralyzed for six months and went through intensive therapy for two years. Depressed, Kenneth dropped out of college. Shortly after his injury, Kenneth’s son Kenny was born, but Kenneth could not even hold his son in his arms. “I used to be popular, everyone slap-

10 STREET TALK FALL 2015

ping me on the back, but suddenly no one came to see me. My son is what motivated me to get back on my feet.”

Kenneth went on to work processing insurance claims, then got his CDL and began driving trucks.

A friend suggested he work for the City of Austin, so Kenneth came to Public Works in August 2012.

Now a Tech III, he hopes to become a supervisor and later a manager. “I want to be able to affect people. There are so many opportunities here and my goal is to promote every 18 months. Mentoring and helping others is my calling. I especially want to help people who feel they have no hope. I was hopeless once and I want others to keep at it and realize there is a brighter future. Anyone can become who they want. I have a lot of great support from Alfred Leday and Fred Cleveland.” Kenneth is currently helping with coordination in Sealcoat II and will soon take Maximo classes. He has interviewed to get into LEAPS (Leadership, Education and Public Service).

Kenneth is a father to sons Kenny, now (24) and Chris (20) and stepfather to Casey (28) and Kelsey (21). Casey has four daughters, Mariah (11), Micaela (8), McKenzie (7) and Malia (5). Recently, Kenneth’s

oldest son Kenny became a father to Kameron (7 months). Kenneth has been married to his wife Kristen for seven years. Kristen works for an auto refinancing business in Austin. “I cannot function without that woman. She always knows what I’m thinking. Kristen is my stability and I know that everything is all right with her by my side. We have each other’s backs and together we can fight anything.” Kenneth has continued his love for football by refereeing for TASO (Texas Association of Sports Officials) for the last five years. He referees high school football across the state of Texas.

When asked about his positive attitude, Kenneth says, “the first 23 years of my life, I just lived, I was just doing. Now I walk in faith and grace. I love to smile. After all, I’d rather be happy. I start my morning with an attitude to stay positive and to help others. This gives me so much self-worth. Anyone can ask other people ‘what are you going to do about this problem?’ but I think we should ask ourselves instead, ‘What can I do to solve this problem?’”

While Kenneth has had numerous obstacles thrown his way, he continues to stay positive and harnesses resilience daily.

want to be able to affect people. There are so many “ Iopportunities here and my goal is to promote every 18 months. Mentoring and helping others is my calling. I especially want to help people who feel they have no hope. I was hopeless once and I want others to keep at it and realize there is a brighter future. Anyone can become who they want. I have a lot of great support from Alfred Leday and Fred Cleveland.

”

-Kenneth Chambers, Street and Bridge Sealcoat II

columns

V

irginia Ramos’ face seems to always reflect serenity. But underneath the surface, there is a woman who is ready for adventure, travel, and excitement.

Virginia and her younger brother Richard were raised in Waco by her single mother, Lupe Montalvo, who for more than 30 years worked in the VA’s Regional Office. In high school, Virginia served as Vice President of the Vocational Studies Club.

She loved the typing classes, the adding machine, and sewing. A kind and compassionate teacher, Miss Ferguson, encouraged Virginia NEIGHBOR about her future.

Virginia Ramos Before she could take those first steps towards her DIVISION vision, she met JesShared Services se Ramos.

Division After dating for some time, she discovered she was TITLE going to be a mothAccounting er. Virginia chose to Associate remain single and raise their daughter Jennifer on her own. The couple continued dating as Jennifer grew older. Virginia worked as a childcare worker. Two years after Jennifer was born, Virginia found she and Jessie were going to have another child. She and Jessie married before Jose was born. Following the job opportunities for Jesse, the new family lived in Waco, Temple, San Marcos, Smithville and eventually Cedar Park. Virginia explains that she and Jessie weren’t living a healthy lifestyle and after seven years of marriage, they chose to divorce.

Now a single mother of two, Virginia turned to her faith. She was invited to church by a friend, where she found the comfort she needed. “God tugged at Jessie’s heart too,” Virginia explains. He joined her at the church, and his life was transformed as well. They remarried. Jennifer, now 26, is preparing for a wedding and Jose, 24, is a steel worker.

Virginia worked at a brokerage firm where she was a cashier and later worked in wire operations doing trading. One day at a tent sale, she met Candy Guerra, a friend of her sister’s. Candy told Virginia of an accounting job at the City of Austin.

She joined Public Works as a temp in April 2007, and then moved to Contract Management when they split from Public Works. Because of her love for accounting she eventually returned to Public Works when an accounting position opened. Now she works on travel arrangements, processing and

I hit forty, I started traveling with my husband “ Once and son. Two years ago we spent two weeks traveling

though New Mexico, Nevada, the Grand Canyon and San Diego. Towns popped up like popcorn! My goal is to get to New York for a few days and eventually move north - somewhere cooler.

”

- Virginia Ramos, Shared Services Division

researching payments, reviewing license agreements and billing vendors in the Right-of-Way and will soon manage pro-cards. People-oriented, Virginia especially likes training others. Eventually, she would like to be in Contract Management, training vendors in proper invoicing, or continuing to train others in travel arrangements.

Virginia volunteers at Texas prisons where she shares testimonies and encourages people. “We pray for them, whatever they need. It’s key to be honest and real without pushing religion on them.”

She also loves to travel, especially to places with cool weather. “Once I hit forty, I started traveling with my husband and son. Two years ago we spent two weeks traveling though New Mexico, Nevada, the Grand Canyon and San Diego. Towns popped up like popcorn! My goal is to get to New York for a few days and eventually move north - somewhere

cooler.”

Jessie and Virginia have had a challenging two years. Jessie’s mom passed away, their house caught on fire, Jose got into some legal trouble, Virginia was sick last winter and Jessie recently had a heat stroke. Asked how she is coping with the stress, Virginia laughs and says, “One day at a time; I trust that it will all work out…I believe I am blessed and I can be a blessing by helping others.”

Despite the challenges of the last few years, Virginia says she and Jessie are closer than ever and have enjoyed 14 more years together since remarrying. “There is more laughter now and our marriage is our priority.” She appreciates time with her lifelong friends Donna and Sharon, hanging out with her Mom and driving (“fast”, she giggles) to her next destination.

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12 STREET TALK FALL 2015

THRIVE!

Achieving Success while Maintaining the Perfect Work-Life Balance.

BY COURTNEY BLACK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

2015 FALL STREET TALK 13

feature

continued from pg. 13

PWD’S TOP 5 THRIVE LIST

THRIVE!

01 1

Achieving Success while Maintaining the Perfect Work-Life Balance.

Take a break!

This may seem obvious, but many people don’t – we forget, are too busy , we can’t find the time– but taking a break is one of the most important things we can do. Just Google “the importance of taking break” and you’ll find numerous studies on the subject.

According to Alejandro Lleras, a professor at the University of Illinois:

Image credit: goodthinkinc.com

F

all is in full swing. Kids have returned to school, leaves are changing colors and the holiday season is approaching. If your life is anything like mine, regardless of the season, the pace doesn’t seem to slow – if anything fall is the calm before the storm. That tiny window before the onslaught of travel plans, lastminute gift-buying and meal preparation, before winter vacation and the associated scheduling and travel plans. Fall may be the perfect time to thrive, and not just in our private lives, but at work as well!

ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY CONDUCTED BY GALLUP.COM The average amount of hours worked by fulltime employees in the United States is not 40 hours, as defined by many of our job descriptions, but actually 47 hours – nearly a full extra day of work! Additionally, 39 percent of those polled are working over 50 hours a week. Factor in time for the commute, sleep, exercise, eating, etc., and we may find that most of our “free time” isn’t very free at all.

Maya Angelou, one of my all-time favorite American authors and poets put it best: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” Thriving can be difficult when we’re in survival mode, jumping from one errand to the next, back to work, barely finding the time to catch a break, let alone focusing on how to thrive! So, what do we do?

How can we make the time to improve the quality of our lives – and have some fun doing it? As it turns out, there are some ways that are easy and readily available! And with that, I give you PWD’s Top 5 Thrive List!

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.

- Maya Angelou

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“Deactivating and reactivating your goals allows you to stay focused. From a practical standpoint, our research suggests that, when faced with long tasks (such as studying before a final exam or doing your taxes), it is best to impose brief breaks on yourself. Brief mental breaks will actually help you stay focused on your task!”

Breaks also help us better retain information and fuel our creative juices. Daydream mode, as some call it, the times when we’re driving, cooking or showering, for example, helps us disengage from a problem/situation, which lets us find the solution somewhat subconsciously.

The Harvard Business Journal: recently published a study that, put simply, states that too much focus can actually keep you from reaching your goal by getting too bogged down by the details. It can distract you from the big picture. “ When you work on a task continuously, it’s easy to lose focus and get lost in the weeds. In contrast, following a brief intermission, picking up where you left off forces you to take a few seconds to think globally about what you’re ultimately trying to achieve. It’s a practice that encourages us to stay mindful of our objectives. ” So, take a break! Perhaps not with reckless abandon (15 minutes is the recommended amount of time per every few hours), but allow yourself time to decompress and relax – it’s important.

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Meditation

Before a heavy sigh of disapproval escapes, hear me out. Meditation is essentially adult “quiet time,” and who doesn’t love quiet time? It’s a short period where you allow yourself to completely vacate your mind of thoughts and think about…well, nothing.

It’s your exclusive time to free yourself from stress, worries, to-do lists, planning and just be. It might sound counterintuitive, but having time to clear your mind actually improves your ability to focus, increases creativity and boosts overall happiness. Some people argue they don’t have time to meditate. I argue we don’t have time not to mediate. Best part?

There are several free apps to help you start your practice.

Here’s a list: http://bit.ly/1K9HSgT

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Stretching and Ergonomics

As mentioned earlier, some of us spend more than 40 hours at our desk doing the same repetitive movements, clicking, typing, straining. We may not feel it, but these movements can be detrimental to our health.

The majority of us are working out in the field battling the elements, strenuous physical labor and other hazards at the work zone.

The circumstances here are unpredictable and can have even more adverse health effects. Fred Garcia’s article “Stretch-n-Go” (page 07) discusses the benefits of a brief workout prior to heading out on the job to prevent soft tissue injuries.

For us desk workers, here are three tips that may prove useful: Consider getting your work station elevated. Sure, you may not want to stand all of the time, but having the option to is a great way to get up and get moving!

Stretch when you can. Mayo Clinic has a series of videos with suggested stretches: http://mayocl.in/1aFDTsO Watch your posture. At the risk of sounding like your mother: Sit up straight and don’t slouch! It’s also important to watch your monitor position to avoid eyestrain (an arm’s distance is recommended), and keep your feet flat on the ground.

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Utilize City programs that encourage employees to thrive

One of my favorite things about working for the City are the programs that are available for employees. Many are free or low cost and can give us the push we need in the right direction to thrive!

PE Classes: Every quarter, the City offers a wide range of PE classes ranging from yoga, to strength training, to yoga and volleyball. There is something for every fitness level and ability.

Registration for the first quarter of 2016 will be up at the end of the year, so mark your calendars and make a commitment to fitness.

Tobacco Cessation: Want to quit smoking? There are free classes on train. Participants are also eligible to receive free cessation medication with a doctor’s prescription.

Health Coaching Program: Did you know we have access to a free health coach? Sarah Nielsen, from UnitedHealthcare is here to meet with employees to discuss weight loss, nutrition and blood pressure reduction. She’ll help you develop a workout plan, plan your next grocery shopping list and give you general health tips. She even schedules follow-up meetings to make adjustments to your plan and discuss progress. You can email her here: sarah_e_nielsen@uhc.com Farm to Work: Every week, Kubena Farms comes to City of Austin campuses delivering fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables to employees. The contents of the baskets vary, but they are $22 a week. If you’d like to order a basket, you must do so two working days prior to the delivery date (which depends on the location) . Sign up here: http://bit.ly/1N06N7b Chair Massage: Many campuses have a licensed massage therapist on-site for employee use. Massages are $15 for 15 minutes. Ask your respective Property Manager about sign-ups and frequency. Learn more here: http://bit. ly/1VhY55x Employee discounts for services and products: If you’re not already taking advantage of these, you should be! City employees get discounts on things like cell phone service, insurance, and gym memberships. Often times you just need a pay stub or your employee number. http://bit.ly/1i7sghq

05 1

Commuting

There are few things I enjoy less than commuting. Some of us drive an hour to and from work each day! That’s 10 hours a week – 40 hours a month – 520 hours each year. It adds up. This truth is not meant to depress you, but rather encourage you to consider ways to improve this time or avoid it entirely.

Public transportation: We’re all aware that public transportation exists. It may not be the most convenient or practical mode of commuting, but it is available and, at your request, PWD Human Resources will give you a free unlimited pass for the year. If you have to commute, at least prospects of not paying for gas is a perk!

Ride share: Organize a ride share. Take turns driving and lesson the wear and tear and expense of driving solo.

Telework: For those in the field, I realize this may not be a viable option, but for those in the office, ask your supervisor about options for teleworking. With today’s technology, teleworking has never been easier. If you have a laptop at home and the space to work, this may be a much-welcomed alternative.

If you must commute and public transportation or ridesharing isn’t the choice for you, consider making the most of it. I, personally, am a big advocate of books on tape, podcasts and playlists. Make each ride something to look forward to.

There are many things in our lives that we can’t control. Luckily for us, there are also many things we can. Be kind to yourself. Take that break when you need it (especially when you don’t realize you need it), get outdoors, eat well, be healthy and, most importantly, learn how to relax. Surviving turns into thriving when we allow ourselves to appreciate life and do the things that make us happy.

Work is a reality of life, and sometimes that means long hours, commutes and stress. Take even a fraction of that away and it might make all the difference!

Surviving is important, thriving is elegant.

- Maya Angelou

2015 FALL STREET TALK 15

events

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.

1

The “Butterfly Bridge” Raises Its Wings

September 2nd marked a momentous occasion in downtown Austin when the second wing of the Butterfly Bridge was hoisted by a crane and placed on the Second Street Bridge over Shoal Creek. Built in conjunction with the New Central Library, this bridge will connect West Avenue to Nueces Street, closing the gap on all of the existing redevelopment projects in the area.

Construction of the Butterfly Bridge began in 2013 and is expected to be complete by summer 2016.

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2 1

Safe Routes To School Helped Make a Successful Back to School Bash!

On Saturday, August 15, more than 8,000 students and parents made their way to the Palmer Events Center for the 10th Annual Back to School Bash, hosted by the City of Austin and the Austin Independent School District.

The event started with a proclamation read by Mayor Steve Adler, followed by exhibits of more than 130 community and district organizations, including the Safe Routes to School Program, teaching students and their families about the various services and programs available to help them enjoy a safe and successful school year.

Rhonda Bolick and her team of safety trainers worked with more than 500 AISD students, educating them on the proper way to cross a street and quizzing them on what they had learned.

Throughout the event, the Safe Routes to School Program gave away bicycles to 10 lucky students, along with helmets, locks, and reflective stickers!

The Back to School Bash could not have been such a success without the help of the COA crossing guards, led by Herschell Esquell. A total of 45 crossing guards showed up to stuff backpacks a week prior to the event, and again the day before to unload all of the backpacks at the Palmer Events Center. On the day of, 60 crossing guards showed up to help hand out all 3,500 backpacks filled with school supplies to the eagerly awaiting students.

41 3

PWD Kicks Off Its First Ever Innovations Forum

Improvement cannot occur without change, and positive change requires thought, interaction and effort. Within the past year, the Emerging Leaders Forum itself went through a transformation. Director Howard Lazarus issued a call for volunteers to create a core committee to drive this group in a direction where leadership could emerge naturally. Michelle Frith, Susan Garnett, Justin Golbabai, Alexa Muraida, Jennifer Pierce and Janae Ryan rose to the challenge to help create the new PWD Innovations Forum from the original Emerging Leaders Forum.

The Innovations Forum provides a unique environment in which members are encouraged to become active participants engaged in the latest ideas, models and tools that can innovatively transform the way Public Works interacts with other City Departments, as well as the greater Austin community.

On August 12th, the Public Works Innovations Forum held its first of ten monthly meetings with nineteen members in attendance. This meeting began with a greeting and “Top Dawg Talk” from Mr. Lazarus, followed by a presentation by guest speaker Kerry O’Connor, Chief Innovation Officer. Ms. O’Connor presented the importance of personality differences in innovative teams. The meeting concluded with a very successful brainstorming session where participants threw out ideas that answered the question, “If you were Howard, what would you do to improve this department?” Many exciting ideas began flowing. Participants will soon begin to form small working groups to address some of the issues and help Public Works to be innovative in bringing about change.

3rd Street Now Adorns Historical Marker

The 3rd Street Capital Improvement Program’s project team began coordinating with the Austin Steam Train Association (ASTA) and the Travis County Historical Commission (TCHC) early in the design stages of the project to include a historical marker at the southwest corner of West 3rd Street and Congress Avenue, acknowledging the importance of the train depots that once stood on this corner.

On Friday August 28th, the ASTA and the TCHC held a ceremony at this site to formally dedicate the historical marker recognizing Austin as holding an “influential and important position” as the state capital, and for bringing “commerce, transportation, and sophistication to the burgeoning city.”

Two members of the Third Street project team; Fredrick Reza, Third Street Project Designer with Engineering Services Division and Humberto Rey, 3rd Street Project Sponsor with the Planning and Zoning Department; were able to attend the ceremony. Both are pictured below with Barry Hutcheson from the TCHC and Ben Sargent from the ASTA. A recent e-mail from Barry Hutcheson to the project team read, “This has been a long process, from the research and writing of the historical narrative to the fabrication and installation of the completed marker. We have appreciated the coordination efforts on the part of City staff that have helped along the way, especially during the street construction work at the site.”

Photo left to right: Humberto Rey, Ben Sargent, Fredrick Reza, Barry Hutcheson.

5 1

Tpwa Annual Conference: Another PWD Success Story

In June, more than 400 public works professionals and 53 exhibitors came to Austin to attend the Texas Public Works Association’s (TPWA) conference. The event, held at the Palmer Events Center, offered learning sessions on a wide variety of topics. Along with classes, attendees got a taste of Austin fun and hospitality at social events such as a welcome reception at City Hall, awards dinner, and golf tournament. Planning and launching a conference of this size is no easy task. PWD staff worked closely with the Local Planning Committee to put together a great program on somewhat short notice. In the end, the conference met its participation and revenue goals; including making a $600 donation to the Austin Fund, a non-profit that helps local families and improves education.

Photo caption: Public Workers University’s training simulators were among the most popular exhibits at the conference. Pictured, from left to right, are: Max Eby, Bobby Currin, Jesse Brown, and Ildefonso Carbajal

2015 FALL STREET TALK 17

events

continued from pg. 17

6 1

The Violet Crown Trail Celebrates with A Ribbon Cutting

This August, after more than 15 years of planning, the first 6 miles of the Violet Crown Trail opened for public use. The ribbon cutting celebration included speeches from Mayor Rose Cardona of Sunset Valley, District 8 Council Member Ellen Troxclair and George Cofer, Executive Director of Hill Country Conservancy.

If that isn’t enough good news, after receiving more than 14,000 online votes, REI has decided to donate more than $75,000 to the trail!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this project a success.

7 1

MoPac Mobility Bridges

Perhaps you have noticed a bit of traffic congestion in the MoPac corridor in recent times. Don’t pull your hair out just yet! The City has partnered with TxDOT to help ease this congestion with the MoPac Mobility Project, formerly known as the MoPac Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridges. Improvements to the corridor were identified in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, the Bicycle Master Plan, and the 2007 Mayor’s Street Smarts Task Force.

Construction, costing a sum of $11.7 million, began in December 2014 and includes three phases totaling approximately two miles of bicycle, pedestrian and motor vehicle mobility improvements from Loop 360 to Southwest Parkway.

Crews have been working day and night to construct the 14-foot-wide, 1,045-foot-long bridges. Over the summer, the City’s contractor installed the tallest columns along with their foundation caps, and the main horizontal steel support beams, called girders, were also put in to place. Throughout construction, 23 Heritage Trees have been protected!

Construction of this project is expected to be complete by March 2016 and is managed by Chad Crager, in partnership with TxDOT.

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STREET TALK FALL 2015

8 1

1984 Bridge Bonds Put to Good Use

Five years ago Public Works teamed up with WPD, PARD and ATD to turn a stream stabilization project into a multi-discipline, neighborhood-driven signature project for the historically underserved JJ Seabrook Neighborhood in east Austin. The PWD Finance Services Division identified $400,000 in unspent 1984 Bond dollars that were required to be spent on bridge projects to help push this project along.

The JJ Seabrook Stream Restoration, Urban Trail and Rain Garden Project removed a section of roadway in JJ Seabrook Park and used the $400,000 to remove an old culvert and install a pedestrian bridge across the creek. This project helps to reestablish the neighborhood context and gives the park back to the neighborhood!

The pedestrian bridge was finally installed in August 2015.

9

8

BEFORE

8

AFTER

PWD Becomes 101St agency in the U.S. To Earn APWA Accreditation

On August 20, at a ceremony held at City Hall, PWD became an APWA (American Public Works Association)-accredited agency.

The APWA Accreditation program recognizes public works agencies that go beyond national standards for the public works industry.

PWD is now the 101st accredited agency in North America, joining other Texas cities such as Houston and Fort Worth.

The department began working toward accreditation in August 2014. For the review process, a team of public works professionals from Prince William County, VA; Arvada, CO; and Kansas City, MO; evaluated the department’s operations during their July 2015 site visit. Everything, from our emergency management plan, to bridge maintenance, to HR and safety policies, was closely examined.

“The awarding of the APWA Accreditation shows that we have dedicated ourselves to concepts of improvement and indepth self-assessment of our policies, procedures and practices… the true heroes of this award are the public works staff members who work hard every day to help make Austin a great city,” said Public Works Director, Howard Lazars.

9

Top photo to right: Mayor Steve Adler, Howard Lazarus and PWD staff members proudly showcase the APWA accreditation plaques.

Bottom photo to right: PWD employees attend award ceremony. Left to right: Kathryn Potenza-Arnold, Roxanne Cook, Juanita Torres, Lucy Bonee.

9

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10 1

continued from pg. 19

Harris Branch Parkway Gets The Special Treatment

Street and Bridge Operations recently completed 7.76 lane miles of roadway improvements along sections of Harris Branch Parkway and Braker Lane between US290 and Farmhaven Road to address poor pavement conditions. The project included routine street maintenance repaving, sidewalk construction, sidewalk repairs and curb replacement.

10

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: 2,215 linear feet of new sidewalk.

22 reconstructed or newly installed American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps were constructed to improve mobility and connectivity.

4,125 linear feet of curb replacement.

A specialized rubber tire asphalt mix, which recycled 2,000 tires, was used for the first time ever in a Street and Bridge resurfacing treatment.

10

State-of-the-art concrete paving technology was used for the first time to maximize concrete utilization and increase productivity with the newly purchased curb and gutter machine.

Harris Branch will also be used to pilot rubber tire asphalt mix before moving forward with using the material on other resurfacing treatments around Austin.

10

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STREET TALK FALL 2015

10

South Lamar Resurfacing Project by Street and Bridge Operations crews.

2015 FALL STREET TALK 21

SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES AWARD PWD Project Manager presented with Award at Annual APWA Conference On August 31, Project Manager Kalpana Sutaria, was presented with the Sustainability Practices Award by the American Public Works Association. This award is given to individuals whose contributions have made outstanding positive effects on the environment and sustainability. Congrats, Kalpana!

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’!

ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION NEW DIVISION MANAGER With more than 20 years of engineering experience in both the private and public sectors, Kevin Sweat has been named the new Division Manager for the Public Works Engineering Services Division. Keri Juarez welcomed Kevin to his new role saying, “Kevin is a collaborative and supportive partner to other city departments and local agencies and has sought out opportunities to help PW and the city achieve our goals.”

Congratulations Kevin!

BABY NEWS The Arrival of Emilia Bell Megan Bell and her husband welcomed their new daughter, Emilia Bell, at 4:15 p.m. on July 27. Emilia weighed in at 6lbs 15oz and measured 21.5 inches. Congratulations on your new little bundle of love!

22 STREET TALK FALL 2015

street talk extra UPDATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Congratulations to PWD’s new Administration Manager In August, Lucy Bonee accepted the offer to become the Department’s Administrative Manager.

Lucy was selected through a competitive process and emerged as the top candidate ­reflective of her sterling service to the City of Austin over the past 14 years, including the past two with the Public Works Department. In this role, she will manage the administrative staff in the Director’s Office and will have responsibility for overseeing departmental administrative functions and processes. We will rely on her talents, experience, and savvy as we continue to conquer the challenges of our growing and complex city.

Congratulations Lucy!

FAREWELL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR KERI JUAREZ Public Works says farewell to Assistant Director Keri Juarez

It is with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to Assist Director Keri Juarez. Keri has been with Public Works for 11 years, starting as a Project Manager and advancing to the executive level. Over that period, she has mixed a resolve of titanium with a compassion for staff and the community, producing an incredible legacy of projects delivered.

Notable among these achievements are the completion of the Public Safety Training Facility, the North Village and Twin Oaks Community Libraries, the Southern Walnut Creek and Boardwalk Trails, EMS/Fire Stations 33 and 34, the African American Cultural and Heritage Center and the Asian American Resource Center, and (of course) Water Treatment Plant 4.

The portfolio of projects completed during her tenure have gained regional and national acclaim, and the project management procedures developed under her guidance were cited as a best practice during PWD’s accreditation visit by the American Public Works Association. Keri has also been active in numerous professional organizations, including the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, Women in Transportation, and the Texas Public Works Association. She was also part of the founding of the City’s Womanto-Woman mentoring and networking group.

We all wish Keri the best in her return to the private sector, and remind her that she will always be part of the PWD Alumni network.

#ILOOKLIKEANENGINEER SPREADS AWARENESS ABOUT DIVERSITY IN ENGINEERING Social Media at its finest!

Over the summer, a recruitment campaign gone wrong sparked a worldwide movement. A female engineer received hundreds of negative comments after the ad featuring her went up in San Francisco, California. People didn’t believe she could actually be engineer. In response, she took to Twitter and launched the #ilooklikeanengineer hashtag.

Departments from around the City joined in the hashtag, which was tweeted more than 60,000 times. Public Works featured a small group of our female engineers and even more sent along their stories. From grandmothers to painters, from 5 to more than 25 years of experience: PWD is proud to display just a small part of the diversity that helps our workplace thrive.

2015 FALL STREET TALK 23

milestones

continued from pg. 23

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’!

TALES FROM THE SIXTH I’m working on Sixth Street prepping for the night ahead when I get approached by a couple speaking in a heavy accent. I quickly recognized where the two must have been from having spent seven of my childhood years in Germany (shout out to Army brats).

DID YOU KNOW...?

THE MAN ASKED ME WHERE THE “AFTER-AFTER PARTY” WAS. HERE IS HOW THE BRIEF INTERACTION TOOK PLACE:

Me: To my knowledge there is no after-after party, but this isn’t my scene.

Man: Yeah we aren’t from around here. I’m sure you see people like us all the time…

Me: You mean Germans, tourists, or both?

Man: I’m impressed you can tell we are German, most people ask us what kind of accent MILLION(Do SQUARE FEETGerman)? we have. Sprechen Sie Deutsch you speak Water Recovered During Sidewalk Cleaning Operations

Downtown Sidewalks Roadway Obstructions Traffic Calming Me: Ich spreche ein bisschen deutsch (I speak a little German).

Cleaned Removed Devices Installed

Man: Wo die Partei (Where’s the party?)

Me: Ich weib es nicht (I don’t know).

Man: How can someone dressed in clothes so bright be such a bore?

Me: Well, these are work clothes and we don’t typically go for the fun look at work.

[I have on hi-visibility gear from head to toe] Woman: Aww come now dear, he wears it well. He should model those clothes!

Me: Actually, the Director of my department pretty much said the same thing a few days MILLION SQUARE FEET Downtown Sidewalks Cleaned

ng lled

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STREET TALK FALL 2015

ago. Is there a market for modeling bright construction clothes that I don’t know about?

Man: Let’s be on our way dear. My beer is wearing off and the amount of boredom sur-

Roadway Obstructions ADA rounding this guy is unbearable!

Auf Wiedersehen (Goodbye).

Removed Curb Ramps Me: Good bye…have a goodConstructed night!

street talk extra UPDATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

HAPPY RETIREMENT A Fond Farewell | PWD’s Rene Guerrero Retires

Rene Guerrero Meet one of PWD’s newest retirees – Rene Guerrero – family, colleagues, memories, and career all rolled into one unique awesome package.

Coming into PWD, Rene ranked second out of forty candidates and over most with more experience. He credited his high ranking to his brother, Joe Guerrero, then a city employee in the Finance Department. Joe advised Rene to emphasize his desire to work because he had a family to support. If you had two job candidates that were equal, would you hire the candidate who seemed to have no roots, or the candidate who clearly saw a future?

Vance Rogers, Managing Engineer, was Rene’s hiring supervisor in Street & Bridge Operations. After Rene’s interview, Vance called to tell him he was number two on the list. Rene recalled Vance told him something else might come up in a

month or two. Much to a very disappointed Rene’s surprise, the very next day, Vance called back. He explained that the other candidate wanted more money, and the position was Rene’s if he still wanted it. In Rene’s words, “It was a blessing.”

His first day was August 26, 1985; the high was 101 degrees. Rene was with the Street & Bridge Operations Overlay crew in Jester Estates. His job at the time was to smooth out the edges of freshly laid asphalt with a rake. The asphalt is hot at this stage, being poured from a paver. Would you stand in front of your 300 degrees oven with its door open when it’s over 100 degrees outside? Rene pondered that question all day, finally deciding, “I won’t be back.” PWD is thankful that Rene reset his career the next day when he woke up, re-thought, and went back to work.

As Rene reminds us, any Street & Bridge Operations rookie can’t wait to get their hands on operating the big equipment. Oftentimes, rookies make nice with operators just for that reason. For Rene, this process was too slow. No operator seemed willing to let him try his hand with the big equipment until Rene’s supervisor, Boyd Stowers in South District, pulled him aside to teach him paperwork. Timesheets and work of that nature was absolutely NOT what Rene wanted to do. Yet, because of his brother’s advice, Rene stuck to it. A short time later, Boyd was out of the office for an extended amount of time. Rene took initiative by asking the acting supervisor if he needed help with paperwork, and there you have it - opportunity realized. Instead of just landing a job, Rene launched his career.

After thirty years of service, Rene leaves SBO behind as a highly-respected friend, mentor and supervisor. Rene’s advice is, “I would tell my guys to take the initiative to learn and be someone other than just another employee.” On behalf of Brian Works, Division Manager for Pavement Operations.

HAPPY RETIREMENT A Fond Farewell | Best Wishes from your PWD Family

Ronnie Walker Ronnie Walker, Supervisor for Overlay, retired from the City of Austin at the end of August. Ronnie was with the City of Austin for twenty three years and will be greatly missed. Ronnie has worked with District Maintenance and Overlay, but has been an integral part of Street and Bridge Operations for his entire career. We wish Ronnie well in the retired life ahead.

2015 FALL STREET TALK 25

calendar

OCTOBER Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Friday

01

Saturday 03

02

Sunday West End First Thursday

First Thursday on South Congress

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ACL MUSIC FESTIVAL

$ PAY DAY

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Safety Plus Meeting

New Employee Safety Orientation

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1:00-5:00 PM

PE Q4 Classes Begin

Health + Lifestyle Expo

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Safety Plus Meeting

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ACL MUSIC FESTIVAL

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TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL

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Sunday Open Enrollment Begins

Safety Plus Meeting

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Safety Plus Meeting

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VCRB 8:00 AM VCRC 1:00 to 4:00 PM

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$ PAY DAY

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New Employee Safety Orientation

Sunday

1:00-5:00 PM

Defensive Driving Class

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

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FORMULA 1 RACE

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Sunday 01 Safety Plus Meeting

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Safety Plus Meeting

To find Austin events around town, visit austintexas.org/visit/events

calendar

NOVEMBER Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

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02

04

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Friday $ PAY DAY

Saturday

Sunday

OSHA 10 Hour Construction

New Employee Safety Orientation

1:00-5:00 PM

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West End First Thursday

First Thursday on South Congress

OSHA 10 Hour Construction

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FUN FUN FUN FEST

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Open Enrollment Ends

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14 EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR

Sunday 15

OFFICE CLOSED Veterans Day

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$ PAY DAY

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New Employee Safety Orientation Defensive Driving Class

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

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1:00-5:00 PM

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EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR

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Sunday OFFICE CLOSED Thanksgiving Day

OFFICE CLOSED Holiday Observance

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Sunday

To find Austin events around town, visit austintexas.org/visit/events

2015 FALL STREET TALK 27

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

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streettalk@austintexas.gov