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WEEKLY BRIEFS City of Arvada internal news Jan. 30, 2023 Spend a day in the life of an Animal Management Officer What types of work could an Animal Management Officer do on a typical day? Watch the latest Arvada Media Services video to learn more! The animal management department works throughout Arvada's City limits, taking care of wild animals who may be injured, responding to pets on the loose and answering calls to address sick and dead animals. These officers are civilians; however, they are sworn within the Arvada Police Department, which allows them to enforce city code and write tickets when necessary. Visit the City website to learn more about the work of this team. Water Tower to be lit on Friday, Feb. 3 in honor of Black History Month The month of February is Black History Month, and the Olde Town Arvada Water Tower will be illuminated on Feb. 3 to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society. We invite you to attend ‘A Chocolate Affair’ Bring your friends and family for a day of delicious chocolate therapy! A Chocolate Affair is an annual fundraiser to help stop child abuse in our community. This year's event will be held in historic Olde Town Arvada on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Delicious treats of chocolate-based food and drink may be purchased at $1 per taste. All proceeds benefit Ralston House, a local nonprofit that provides a safe and healing place for over 1,200 children and families who have been victims of abuse. Visit the Ralston House website for more information about the event. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- 2022 Employee Awards 2022 employees of the quarter/year were recognized in the Feb/March edition of the Arvada Report. Because space was limited for print, the communication team also created a webpage on arvada.org with more details regarding each nomination/award. ● View the Arvada Report writeup on page 4 ● View the Arvada.org webpage containing additional award details. Once again, thank you to these outstanding employees for their valuable contributions to our organization and the Arvada community. Organizational Service Effectiveness Work System Sign up for a Feb. 22 workshop on digital accessibility and inclusion with sight, sound and more Are you curious about the number and variety of digital tools appearing on the market for civic engagement? Want to learn more about how you can improve digital usability for people with disabilities, improve inclusion and provide a better user experience for everyone? Learn what it looks like to apply an accessibility-first mindset in digital civic engagement when you attend this online workshop on Enhancing Digital Accessibility - Sight, Sound, and More. Participants will leave with actionable tips to make accessibility improvements right away. The workshop will take place on Feb. 22 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. MST and costs $20 for members of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), which all City team members are. Reach out to Engagement Coordinator Emily Kolm at [EMAIL REDACTED] if you’re interested, and she will help you register and potentially assist with cost on an as-needed basis. February 2023 Fidelity phone appointments Sam Casad from Fidelity will be holding 30 minute phone appointments this month on Tuesday, Feb. 7 and Wednesday, Feb. 8. Any participant from ANY of our City retirement plans can sign up for one of these appointments. All appointments are FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. Please use the links below to access sign up sheets for these appointments. When signing up, please provide your name and a phone number for Sam to call you. On the sign up sheet, you will also see 5 additional alternate spots listed as well. These alternates will only be contacted if Sam has extra time during the day, or if he cannot reach someone who had signed up. He will call those people in the order they are signed up. Tuesday, Feb. 7 Phone Appointments Wednesday, Feb. 8 Phone Appointments Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- If you are unable to get a phone appointment, you can also speak to a Fidelity rep by phone by calling customer service at 1-[PHONE REDACTED], or by accessing the numerous financial resources available by logging into your account through Fidelity Net Benefits. “Smile, You’re on Camera!”: How to deal with First Amendment Auditors Many front line City employees encounter angry community members. Whether it’s displeasure with a water bill or a police matter, we as government employees sometimes bear the brunt of the public’s anger or frustration, even when it’s not our fault. Arvada employees do a great job dealing with such persons by staying calm, remaining professional, and providing appropriate services as best they can under the circumstances. There has been a recent trend across the nation for some citizens to confront police or other city employees or officials, calling their activities a ‘First Amendment Audit.’ The self-proclaimed “auditor” will attempt to instigate a confrontation while recording the encounter. They will be uncooperative and belligerent in the hope that they can bait the officer or employee into reacting to their exercise of “free speech” with inappropriate conduct or an improper arrest. If the employee takes the bait, the encounter will likely end up posted on social media, and may serve as the basis for a lawsuit claiming a civil rights violation. So, you may ask, what am I expected to do if confronted by an “auditor” with a camera in hand? Here is some advice: ● Remember that you need not tolerate behavior that makes you feel threatened or fearful. If you are confronted by a person who causes you to be afraid for your physical safety, take appropriate steps to ensure your safety and contact the police department for help, or ask a colleague to do so. APD officers will respond. They have the training and tools to de-escalate and address such situations. ● Be boring. These people want a negative reaction from you, as a government employee. It may be difficult, but don’t take the bait by engaging them in a debate or heated argument! If you react with anger of your own, you risk setting the stage for a legal claim asserting that the City violated the person’s rights. Keep your cool. The more you can appear outwardly calm and unemotional, the better. Social media hates calm people! ● Ignore the camera or recording device. If a person is legally allowed to be somewhere, they can be there recording. Since City facilities are public spaces for citizens to access government, cameras are okay here too. Answer the person’s questions and perform your duties as best you can; never mind that the person is recording you. Colorado law actually provides that a citizen has the right to record interactions with police when in public. While the law is specific to interactions with police, the general rule applies to other City employees as well. Remember – you never need to feel afraid of anyone at a City facility. Be “situationally aware” and call the APD for assistance if necessary. Otherwise, be boring and ignore the camera. Doing so will likely cause the person to realize you are prepared for their antics, and they will choose another place to pursue their agenda next time. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- You can also read this article for information on this topic. If you have questions about how to handle First Amendment Auditors, reach out to Assistant City Attorney Aaron Jacks at [EMAIL REDACTED]. Mark your calendar for the Mile High Skate Fest on Feb. 25 Come roll with us at this on-skates fundraiser with skating and non-skating clinics, vendors, snacks and a bar! The event is on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Rollerdome (2375 South Delaware Street, Denver, CO 80223). Funds will support the Denver Roller Derby League. Tickets are $8 - $20 and you can purchase them on the Eventbrite website. Please email Accounting Specialist Catherine Munic with any questions at [EMAIL REDACTED]. 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 Stop the Bleed Feb 3 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register on ArvadaU Project Management (in-person) Feb. 15 from 1 to 5 p.m. Register on ArvadaU First Aid (in-person) Feb. 6 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register on ArvadaU CPR (in-person) Feb. 7 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register on ArvadaU Federal Contracts (online) Feb. 10 from 1 to 2 p.m. Register on ArvadaU Evacuate, Evade, and Defend: Active Shooter (required) New Dates Added: March 17, March 27 and April 13 Register on ArvadaU Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- DEI Commemorate Rosa Parks Day on Feb. 4 Rosa Parks Day is Saturday, Feb. 4, an observance to honor the civil rights activist who was born on this day in 1913. This day promotes equal opportunities, civil rights and fairness across communities in the U.S. Rosa Parks was arrested in 1955 for disobeying an Alabama law requiring black passengers to relinquish seats to white passengers when the bus was full. Her arrest sparked a 381-day boycott of the Montgomery bus system and led to a 1956 Supreme Court decision banning segregation on public transportation. We encourage you to visit the Library of Congress website to learn more about Rosa Parks’ life and work. Attend a Feb. 16 workshop on how to create belonging in the workplace It’s hard to bring your best self to work when you don’t really feel like you belong there. But having a truly representative, inclusive public service is vital to amplifying the voices of the community it serves. Register for this free online workshop on Feb. 16 from 9 to 10 a.m. MST to learn more about how to create or further a culture of belonging in the workplace as a public servant or a policymaker at any level. You’ll learn how to: ● Identify why a sense of belonging is so important in the workplace ● Understand what it means to create a culture of belonging ● Recognize barriers to building an inclusive workplace culture This workshop will also be recorded and sent to all registrants. We hope to see you there! Vibrant Community & Neighborhoods Work System Help us name Arvada’s newest park! The City’s newest park is located just north of the Van Bibber Creek Trail and southeast of the Ward Road and W. 58th Avenue intersection. Park amenities include a multi-use play field, a shade pavilion with picnic tables, new playground equipment, native vegetation and open space, direct access to the Van Bibber Creek Trail and more! If you anticipate using this new park, we invite you to help the City’s Parks team and the Arvada Park Advisory Committee (APAC) name it! Take our Speak Up Arvada survey to select your preferred park name generated by APAC and/or offer up to 5 of your own idea(s) for a park name. The survey will close by Feb. 27, 2023. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Let your teacher friends know: Field field trip season at Majestic View Looking for a learning adventure? Majestic View offers school-aged programs that meet Colorado State Science standards. But space fills FAST! Let your teachers or learning groups know to email or request a program online at majesticviewnc.org to book their home-school, scout or class field trips early. Topics are customizable, hands-on and filled with nature fun! Community and Economic Development Work System New grocery store proposed for Old Hobby Lobby lot A pre-application meeting was recently held to discuss a proposal to construct a new, roughly 40,000 square-foot grocery store building and rehabilitate the facades of several existing in-line retail spaces within the Northridge Shopping Center. The property is zoned MX-U (Mixed Use - Urban) and has a Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use map designation of Mixed Use. In order to construct the new grocery store, the existing building (which used to house a Hobby Lobby) would be demolished. Additional improvements would include upgrading the parking lot and adding additional parking spaces as well as new landscaping and outdoor seating areas in front of the buildings. A site plan and minor subdivision would be reviewed administratively. Stay tuned to the Weekly Briefs for more information to come on this proposed construction as it progresses. Infrastructure RTD Northwest Rail Study: Online option If you are interested in participating in RTD’s NW Rail Study but were unable to attend the public open houses, the organization has also provided an online option for feedback Visit the self-guided online meeting between Jan. 31 and Feb. 21 to view the same information that was available in the open houses and take the opportunity to provide your input: Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- The Study is evaluating extending commuter rail service from the existing Westminster Station on the B Line to Boulder and Longmont. To learn more about the Study and sign up for informational emails from RTD, visit RTD’s website. City owned residential property leasing update The City owns several residential properties that can be leased as an affordable housing option to eligible City employees. City Manager Lorie Gillis recently approved the policy related to leasing this type of property. Soon, Public Works Director Jacqueline Rhoades will be posting the availability of property to be leased. The policy outlines the process for applying and how the selection will occur. Please look for this posting soon. Employee Updates Newly hired Christian Stark, Utility System Technician-Associate Level, effective 1/14/2023 Amber Brooks, Civil Engineer II, effective 1/17/2023 Nalini Margaitis, Senior Sustainability Coordinator, effective 1/23/2023 Promotions Julie Master Police Officer, effective 12/17/2022 Trevor Hettinger, Master Police Officer, effective 12/17/2022 Christopher Love, Master Police Officer, effective 12/17/2022 Timothy (Tim) Martinez, Streets Technician III, effective 1/14/2023 Dixielee Rodriguez, Development Technician II, effective 1/15/2023 Zachariah Kirwan, Utility Foreman, effective 1/23/2023 Arthur (Art) Sams, Plant Operator B, effective 1/23/2023 Resignations Matthew Duffey, Police Officer, effective 1/27/2023 New Hire Orientation Fresh from New Hire Orientation on Feb. 1, 2023: Join us in welcoming our newest hires (left to right) Nalini Margaitis - Senior Sustainability Coordinator and Amber Brooks - Civil Engineer II - Utilities Design. Email your news to