Full Text
WEEKLY BRIEFS City of Arvada internal news April 3, 2023 Accessibility: Why it matters Did you know that 1 in 5 adults in Colorado identify as having one or more disabilities? This means approximately 20% of our customers, stakeholders and employees will benefit from all of us learning to create print and web assets that are accessible. Even our everyday internal communications will benefit from learning about and applying accessibility best practices! Additionally, a recent state law requiring municipalities to have fully accessible websites by July 2024 has motivated us to get ahead of the game, and the June 1 launch of our new website, ArvadaCo.gov, provides the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our commitment. We will need your help in achieving this goal. During the next several weeks, we will be sharing accessibility information, resources and training opportunities with the entire City team. All resources will be available on Inside Arvada (coming soon), and we will provide updates via the Weekly Briefs and, potentially, Everyone emails. As a City dedicated to delivering superior services to enhance the lives of everyone in our community, we believe that all residents, regardless of ability, deserve a robust experience when interacting with the City. Thank you all for your participation in making this happen. Show your badge! As part of the City’s ongoing attention to increasing safety for all, modifications have been made to the main City Hall entrance. You may have noticed the stanchions directing people who use the entrance to the security desk. This helps all visitors to City Hall stop at security to sign in. City team members are asked to get in the habit of showing your badge to the security guard, even if you are not asked. Thanks for being a part of our safety culture. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Meet our new April City team hires! Welcome to our newest team members joining us in Utilities, AURA, IT, HR, CED, CMO, Parks, Ralston House and Public Works! April's New Hire Orientation group photo: (Front) Cole Knippen, Jessica Metcalf, Loren Mahan, Leesha Neuhold, Tsega Mekonnen, Samantha Bradley, Daisy Sanchez-Caldera, Bobby Lucero and Klye Knapp. (Back) Christian Stark, Brady Porterfield-Finn, Giles Clasen, Isaac John Sittner, Jared Carlson and Robert Gonzales. Bulky Item Drop-Off event For Arvada residents, the first of three bulky item drop-off events this year will be next weekend, Saturday, April 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North Area Athletic Complex (NAAC), 19500 W. 64th Parkway. For more information about the event and what is and is not acceptable, visit arvada.org/bulky-item-drop-off-events. *These events are included in the minimum services that Arvada customers invest in as part of the City's Waste and Recycling Program. Meyers Pool Pre-Construction Open House Construction for the Meyers Pool project is scheduled to begin on a new parking lot in May. Join the City along with our partners at Jeffco Public Schools and Apex Park and Recreation District for an open house to learn more about the project and upcoming construction. Since the event is open house style, local residents and City team members alike are invited to stop by the existing pool at 7900 Carr Dr. on Wednesday, April 12th anytime from 9 to 10:30 a.m. or 5 to 7 p.m. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Community Household Donation Drive The Housing Team is hosting a Community Household Donation Drive to assist families in need with setting up their households with basic supplies. Household items will be accepted Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations: ● City Hall/Police Headquarters (main entrance off 59th and Ammons Street) ● Lake Arbor Community Station (8110 Vance Drive) ● West Woods (6644 Kendrick Drive) ● Whisper Creek (14360 W. 89th Drive) For a full list of items accepted and other details, visit the website or contact Alexa Ursetta at [PHONE REDACTED] or [EMAIL REDACTED]. Employee Committee Corner Join the Ralston House Fundraiser on April 6 Happy Brew Year! Join us at LUKI Brewery in Arvada, on Thursday, April 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to celebrate the tapping of the new COLD IPA. $1 per glass sold will go to support Ralston House throughout April and May. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and we will also be selling pinwheels for $5 each at the event. You can view more details at www.ralstonhouse.org/lukibrewery. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month The City of Arvada Employee Committee Outreach Team is supporting Ralston House Child Advocacy Center this April by planting a pinwheel garden outside of City Hall along Ralston Road. The garden and its location are designed to serve as a beacon of hope for children and youth in our community. If this is a cause that touches your heart, join your colleagues by making a donation toward the City of Arvada pinwheel garden today through paypal or invite a representative from Ralston House to attend a team meeting to accept donations. Thank you, City of Arvada employees, for supporting this very important cause. Additional fundraisers in support of Ralston House can be found at www.ralstonhouse.org/events. Organizational Service Effectiveness Work System Neighborhood Engagement updates Two exciting parts of our Neighbors Connected program are opening their application/reservations systems soon! Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- ● The Neighborhood Grant Program opens Saturday, April 8. The deadline to apply is April 30. This program is a great opportunity to plan creative and collaborative experiences for your neighborhood. ● The Block Party Trailer reservation system will open Monday, April 17. Be sure to apply early as reservations often fill up quickly! If you live in Arvada, please share this information with your neighbors and those new to your neighborhood. For more about the City’s Neighbors Connected program, visit the City's website to check out all we have to offer. Please contact Neighborhood Engagement Coordinator Brady Porterfield-Finn at [EMAIL REDACTED] with any questions. Here’s how to view internal job postings All internal job opportunities are posted on our internal job link and on Inside Arvada under the “Employee Resources” tab. Arvada University Update Register in advance on the Arvada University Learning Calendar. Contact Judson Smith ([EMAIL REDACTED]) with questions. Session/topic Date Time and/or resource link Type of Training Leadership: How to Engage Your Team Panel - Peer-to-Peer Sharing April 7 from 3 to 4 p.m. Networking after Register here In-person Radical Collaboration Two-day training: April 12 and 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day Register here In-person 7 Habits of Highly Effective People April 20 from 8:30 am to 4:30 p.m. Register here In-person Cloverleaf - Learn helpful tips! April 21 from 9 to 10 a.m. Register here Virtual Training Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- DEI: Surfacing and Addressing Bias in the Workplace May 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Register here In-person 7 Habits of Highly Effective People June 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Register here In-person Infrastructure Water Operations Career Day at Red Rocks Community College The Utilities Department is hosting a recruiting event at Red Rocks Community College on Thursday, April 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The team will bring a variety of equipment to the south lawn of the Lakewood campus to showcase the opportunities and benefits of working in water operations at the City! View this flier for more details about the event. Opportunity for City employees to lease City property The City property at 12605 West 72nd Avenue will be available for employee leasing next month. In accordance with Policy 4100.12 - Residential Employee Leasing Policy For City-Owned Property, we are notifying all City employees of this opportunity. The house has 4 bedrooms (3 upstairs and 1 downstairs) and 2.5 bathrooms and is approximately 2,000 sq. feet. There are required caretaking responsibilities for maintenance and aesthetics of the property. Propane is the source of heating for this property, and it is the responsibility of the tenant to maintain and test this system. Examples of minor repairs and maintenance include unclogging drains, addressing minor leaks, gutter cleaning, testing and maintenance of fire alarms and carbon dioxide devices and gardening and lawn care, including sprinkler systems. Major components issues or repairs needed (failures of the hot water heater, dishwasher, electrical panel, or major water leaks, roof leaks, mold, etc.), would need to be reported to the City Facilities team for management. To apply, please submit two letters to Jacqueline Rhoades, Director of Public Works and Chair of the Selection Committee at [EMAIL REDACTED]: 1. Letter of recommendation from your Manager and/or Director stating why you would be an appropriate tenant. 2. Personal letter of qualification stating your interest, why you would be an appropriate tenant, any applicable quality of life challenges, understanding of caretaking duties, and past rental history. The application deadline is April 17, 2023. Please see Policy 4100.12 for the full procedure. Please note that a second property at 7295 Kipling Street is also coming available in June. A separate process will be advertised for this property in the coming weeks in accordance with the policy. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Vibrant Community & Neighborhoods Work System 18th Annual Kite Festival Join the Arvada Festival Commission on Sunday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m for the Kite Festival! The event is at the Stenger Soccer Complex. Parking and a free bike corral will be available. Want to get outside and help us make the event a success? Sign up to volunteer! Arvada on Tap returns on June 24 Arvada on Tap returns on Saturday, June 24, 2023. Tickets are now on sale! Get your Early Bird General Admission tickets before May 15 and save some money. Visit arvadaontap.com for tickets and more information. Parks team installs new picnic table at Majestic View Park The Parks team recently installed a new picnic table adjacent to the tennis courts at Majestic View Park. The picnic table, along with the concrete pad it sits on and the nearby commemorative plaque, were donated to the City by the North Jeffco Tennis Club. The District 1 Parks crew worked collaboratively with the tennis club to complete the project by installing the picnic table and plaque for free. Fun fact: The stone the plaque is installed in was found at Lake Arbor and transported to Majestic View! Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Majestic View thanks our volunteers! It’s National Volunteer Month and we’re so grateful for our amazing volunteers! They keep our parks clean, help remove invasive species, monitor our wildlife cameras, care for our ambassador animals, maintain the health and beauty of our garden, teach programs, and so much more! Email your news to