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WEEKLY BRIEFS - City of Arvada internal news April 1, 2024 Kite Festival still needs volunteers! With the event less than two weeks away, the Arvada Kite Festival still needs volunteers! We particularly need people to help with post-event cleanup and tear down. Use the sign-up link to help out! Sign up to volunteer for one shift or multiple, and forward to friends and family! Kite Festival Event Details DATE: Sunday, April 14 TIME: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. LOCATION: Stenger Sports Complex Parking gates open at 9:45 a.m. and are first come, first served. A bike valet will be on-site courtesy of Bike Friendly Arvada, so biking to the event or ride sharing is highly recommended! Bring your kite, or buy a kite at the festival, and enjoy a day full of free activities for all ages. Check out a kite demonstration from the Rocky Mountain Kite Association, visit the kid's zone, stop by the 70+ vendors, and celebrate the start of spring! Visit the Kite Festival webpage to learn more. Inside Arvada podcast: Episode 1 is live! The very first episode of the City’s new podcast Inside Arvada launched this week! Read the press release. In this first episode, Co-hosts Katie Patterson and Sean Star talk with the City’s Special Events and Public Arts Manager, Adelle Burton. Adelle shares information about the Kite Festival coming up on April 14 and all things City festivals and events in 2024. You can listen wherever you get podcasts by searching for “Inside Arvada” or visit our web page ArvadaCO.gov/Podcast. Thanks for listening! Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- I am Arvada I Am Arvada is a video series focusing on the City's mission, vision and values and how our work supports the community and City's priorities. Meet Utility System Technician Matt Dorland. City team members help distribute shoes to Jeffco Head Start The City of Arvada partnered with local nonprofit, Wholly Kicks, to distribute new shoes and socks to Jeffco Head Start families last week. Wholly Kicks works across the Denver metro area to support people experiencing poverty and/or homelessness. Through the distribution of new shoes and socks, Wholly Kicks aims to mentor and build relationships in “walking with” individuals experiencing economic disparity. Team members from the City Manager’s Office volunteered to help distribute the shoes. Pictured back from left: Tyg Taylor (Wholly Kicks Founder and Executive Director), Benjamin Perko, Rachael Kuroiwa, Katie Patterson, Heather (Wholly Kicks Volunteer) and front from left: Candice Svoboda, Brady Porterfield-Finn. Accessibility: Simple practices help a lot! All state and local governments are required by state law to meet accessibility standards as defined by HB21-1110. While early on our accessibility journey, we are making progress, and everyone in the organization can help. Make accessibility and inclusion part of your routine! Keep some simple things in mind: When composing any form of digital or print communication, including emails: 1. Write in simple, short sentences and avoid jargon and abbreviations. 2. Use bold for emphasis rather than italics, underlining or ALL CAPS. 3. Only use an image overlaid with text if you also include the text separate from the image. 4. Creative design is eye-catching and fun. But for those who don’t see well, or at all, elaborate styling can create a barrier to accessing the information. Unless you know how to style something using accessibility practices (most of us don’t), please reach out to a work system communication manager or our graphic designer, Steve MIlke, for help before you style! Visit Inside Arvada for more information about accessibility best practices and additional resources. Workplace safety goals in Trakstar As you are creating your goals in Trakstar, you will notice a new section related to workplace safety. Whether you sit at a desk, work in the field, are a supervisor or a director, increasing safety in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility. In order to help you get started, we’ve created some tips for filling out your safety-related Trakstar goals and posted them on Inside Arvada. Go there and get started on your goals now. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- OSE Work System Employee Committee Corner Thursday, April 25, is Take Your Child to Work Day! This year, work systems across the City have volunteered to host events for the kiddos throughout the day, including a pizza lunch at the Indiana Shops (gluten free and veggie options will be available)! If you are planning to bring your child to work, you must complete and return this waiver to the Risk & Safety Management office before April 20. Please email the signed form to Alison Lantzy [EMAIL REDACTED]. View the full itinerary. Please note that the event at Majestic View Nature Center has limited space and requires an advance RSVP. Your Risk & Safety Management office wants to ensure safety is incorporated into Take Your Child to Work Day. Please note the following: ● Children ages 6 through 18 may attend. ● Plan ahead! Do a sweep of your location before the event. Make sure anything hazardous or dangerous is safely out of the way. Make your colleagues aware of your special visitor. ● Consider the safety level of your work site; some work areas, such as those in which heavy machinery dangerous equipment is operated, are never suitable for kids. Construction sites are not safe for kids. ● You must have eyes on your child at all times. ● You or a coworker should accompany your child at all times throughout their visit. ● Your kids will be curious about the tools you use; use discretion when letting them explore. Don’t let them handle tools or equipment that could present mechanical, electrical, chemical or biological hazards. We look forward to seeing you and your child on April 25! About the Employee Committee Employee Committee representatives meet in order to plan and coordinate events as well as collect departmental updates to bring back to their respective teams. Check out the links below to see who your representative is, view the upcoming list of potential City events and browse Employee Committee meeting minutes: ● 2024 Find My Rep! ● 2024 Events Schedule* - 2024 all-city events are scheduled! *Please note: this is a working document and all events are subject to change. ● Meeting Minutes - March Please contact your Employee Committee at [EMAIL REDACTED] if you have questions. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- New! Register for the first Well Being Cohort! Only 30 spots available! The Wellness Committee and ArvadaU are offering a Well Being pilot learning program. Only 30 spots available; first-come, first served. The program is designed around Gallup's Workplace Assessment (creators of which includes Career, Social, Financial, Physical and Community Well Being. While 66% of people are doing well in at least one of these areas, just 7% are thriving in all five. If we're struggling in any of these domains, as most of us are, it damages our well being and wears on our daily lives and our work. When we strengthen our well being in any of these areas, we will have better days, months and decades. Details: register here ● Starts, Wednesday, 4/24 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for five sessions every other week. Ends June 19. ● External facilitator, five wellness punches given at the completion of the program, lunch included. ● Participant materials are the Well Being book; pre-work includes finishing your self-assessment. This program is available for employees who have been with the City for at least six months and have not been on a performance improvement plan. Register in advance on the Arvada University Learning Calendar. Contact Liza Nolder ([EMAIL REDACTED]) with questions. Session/topic Date Registration details Type of Training Host Speed of Trust April 11 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register on Inside Arvada In Person West Woods Community Room Chief Ed Brady Drinking Water/Distribution MRT April 11 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Register on Inside Arvada In Person Indiana Shops Evie Rhodes Generations in the Workplace *Punchworthy* April 17 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Register on Inside Arvada Virtual Jennifer Fairweather, Jefferson County Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Communication Tools: Interpersonal Mastery April 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register on Inside Arvada Virtual Employment Matters OSHA 10 Hour Training April 23, 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Register on Inside Arvada In Person Indiana Shops Conference Room Dale Robinson, HR Safety Consulting Inclusion and Belonging in the Workplace April 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Register on Inside Arvada Virtual Employment Matters Historical race-based property covenants in Jefferson County, Colorado May 1 from 9 to 10:00 a.m. Register on Inside Arvada In Person Anne Campbell Chris Thiry, Colorado School of Mines View City of Arvada job postings All City of Arvada job opportunities are posted on our job link. Employee status changes We invite you to view this spreadsheet to see employee status changes. Employees may demonstrate interest in similar job opportunities in the future by contacting Human Resources at [EMAIL REDACTED] or [PHONE REDACTED], or your supervisor, to obtain additional information. Infrastructure Work System Join us next week: W. 72nd Avenue Community Meeting April 10 The team will be sharing updates about the W. 72nd project, including progress on Phase 2 construction from Oak to Swadley Ct and information about Phase 3 from Oak to Kipling, including the railroad underpass. ● Date: Wednesday, April 10 ● Time: 5:30 to 7:30 pm (open house, drop-in window) ● Location: First United Church of Arvada, 7195 Simms St. Visit this project page for more information. We hope to see you there! Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Olde Town Hub top level closure scheduled to begin April 17 The Olde Town Hub parking garage is scheduled to close the top level (4th floor) beginning April 17 until approximately June 30. The exposed deck sees significant weather and traffic exposure that requires additional maintenance. The City team is working with the Olde Town Business Improvement District (BID) and other partners to encourage community members to utilize the G Line when visiting Olde Town for larger events during the closure. Parking information is available on the City’s Olde Town Parking webpage. Community & Economic Development Work System Ribbon cutting ceremony marks official opening of new AEDA offices Yesterday afternoon the Arvada Chamber of Commerce hosted a successful ribbon cutting to celebrate the official opening of the new Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) offices located at 5603 Yukon St., Unit A, in Olde Town Arvada. Remarks were made by Mayor Lauren Simpson, Vanessa Kendrick, Chairwoman of the Arvada Chamber of Commerce, and Iza Petrykowska, Executive Director of AEDA. If you were unable to attend the event, stop by AEDA next time you’re in Olde Town! Email your news to