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WEEKLY BRIEFS - City of Arvada internal news October 30, 2023 City team members, it is time to vote early and drop off your ballots! Check out this conversation between the City’s Director of Communications and Engagement Rachael Kuroiwa and Jefferson County Clerk Amanda Gonzalez! You’ll learn more about the voting process and why it is important to vote early. Voting early ensures there’s plenty of time to cure your ballot if there are any issues and will help election officials deliver results faster on election night. You can read more about election security, find your closest 24-hour drop box or in-person vote center, sign up for email, text, or phone updates on the status of your ballot, sign up for a Jeffco Election Center Tour, or learn how to serve as a temporary election worker for upcoming elections on Jefferson County’s website. You can also view key election dates. Facilities team reduces energy consumption by 28% to achieve DOE Better Buildings Challenge The City joined the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Buildings Challenge in 2013 with the goal of reducing energy consumption in City facilities by 20% in 10 years. The City is proud to have surpassed this goal to achieve a combined 28% reduction in energy consumption across all facilities. Learn more about the City's efforts in our recent press release, watch this YouTube video with Facilities Manager, Kim Vagher about the program, or read the DOE press release. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Join us for a Veterans Day Appreciation event on Friday, Nov. 10 Please join us at the City Hall main entrance on Friday, Nov. 10 from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. for a Veterans Day Appreciation Event. There will be a ceremony, and after the ceremony there will be a small breakfast provided for Veterans in the Anne Campbell room. If you are a veteran and would like to attend the breakfast, please fill out this form to RSVP. View this flyer for more event details. We hope to see many of you there! Organizational Service Effectiveness Work System City of Arvada Workplace Giving Campaign Giving at work is easy, especially when you spread out your giving through a number of pay periods. We invite you to find the nonprofits and causes you care about most and donate directly through your paycheck! Everyone is welcome to participate in the City of Arvada Workplace Giving Campaign. Every dollar makes a difference! Sign up to contribute by Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 and your selected nonprofit(s) will receive your gift throughout 2024. Join with your coworkers to make a lasting impact! Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Did you know that City of Arvada Employees contribute over $10,000 each year to support nonprofits? That’s less than $5 per paycheck. Let’s work together to make this amount even higher next year! Please contact Jennifer Kemps on the Employee Committee Outreach team at [EMAIL REDACTED] or x6754. Open Enrollment 2024 The annual Employee Benefits Open Enrollment period is Oct. 23 through Nov. 3. This applies to all full-time and part-time benefited employees and health plan eligible employees. What makes Open Enrollment important to me? ● For most employees, this is the only window to make any Benefit changes and/or update Benefit coverage! ● Most 2023 Benefits automatically rollover to 2024, EXCEPT for Flexible Spending Accounts (Health FSA and Dependent Care FSA). ● No action is needed UNLESS: ○ You want to make Benefit changes. ○ You want to participate with an FSA Plan(s): You must actively enroll in the Flexible Spending Accounts to have a 2024 Plan. ● There are some enhancements to the UMR and Dental plans for 2024, so please attend one of the onsite presentations to learn about the enhancements. Virtual options and a recording will also be available. Open Enrollment contact information If you have any questions, contact Human Resources Benefits Specialist Leesha Neuhold at [EMAIL REDACTED]. Employee Survey coming Nov. 6 Every three years we’ve participated in the Top Workplace Survey, which is an internal employee engagement survey. Our next survey will launch Nov. 6 and close on Nov. 20. We need (and want) everyone’s perspective! Check out this flyer to learn more about the survey. In 2021, our response rate was 86% which gives us reliable data regarding our employee perspectives in key areas: leadership, direction and workplace environment. For this survey, we are compared to similar size organizations and considered for a Top Workplace distinction. We have been recognized as a Top Workplace in 2021, 2018, 2015 and in 2012. Our goal is to have 100% of employees participate! Please make time and complete the anonymous survey coming from Energage Survey ([EMAIL REDACTED]). It takes about 5 minutes to complete and will launch on mobile devices too. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Check out the wagon contest winners! Thank you to all City team members who came out to celebrate the Trick or Treat Parade with Pre-K children and Kindergarteners from Arvada K-8 and Lawrence Elementary. We were thrilled to see all the wagon contest entries and would like to share the winners of the contest with you! The Employee Committee will reach out to the winners with their lunch reward. Thank you again to all that joined and participated again this year! 1st Place Open the door, get on the floor, everybody walk the dinosaur 2nd Place Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me 3rd Place Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead Arvada West Girls Flag Football Team Wins State Championship Arvada West High School claimed a state championship in Girls Flag Football after beating Cherry Creek 34-14 in the final on October 14th. Congrats to the team for completing a perfect season of 25 wins and 0 losses. More than 72 teams across Colorado competed in High School Flag Football this season including several from Arvada. The State Champion Wildcats will be recognized for their achievements by City Council at their meeting on Monday, November 27, in Council Chambers. They will also be recognized at the Broncos game on December 31 before going off to play in the NFL Flag Championships at the Pro Bowl Games in Orlando next February. Special shoutout to AURA Deputy Director, Carrie Briscoe, whose daughter Hayden is now a state champ! Watch a highlight video of the 2023 Arvada West Girls Flag Football State Champions. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- 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. Here’s how to view City of Arvada job postings All City of Arvada job opportunities are posted on our job link. Arvada University Update 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 Trakstar New User Training Nov. 8 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Register on Inside Arvada In person, PD Training Room, City Hall Jeff Monzingo and Scott Jarvis Cultural Humility Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Register on Inside Arvada Government Center, Brighton Adams County Assertive Communication Nov. 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Register on Inside Arvada Virtual Employment Matters Customer Service Foundations Nov. 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Register on Inside Arvada In person, Whisper Creek Community Room Employment Matters Employee Committee Corner 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: Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- ● Find My Rep! ● 2023 Events Schedule* *Please note: this is a working document and all events are subject to change. ● Meeting Minutes - October Please contact your Employee Committee at [EMAIL REDACTED] if you have questions. Vibrant Community & Neighborhoods Work System Arvada Golf hosts 700+ elementary students for fall Golf In Schools program The City’s Golf Team had 764 students from three local elementary schools (West Woods, Three Creeks and Swanson) participate in its Golf In Schools program this fall. Golf In Schools is part of a state-wide collaborative effort run by the Colorado PGA and participating courses. Teaching professionals from the City’s golf staff host the program each spring and fall. Third through fifth grade students are taught the basic fundamentals of the game as well as important life skills, such as sportsmanship, patience and etiquette. The Golf In Schools program also includes a field trip to the golf course, which you can learn more about in this video. Arvada-Blunn Reservoir wraps up 2023 season The District 3 Parks team closed out the 2023 season at the Arvada-Blunn Reservoir on Wednesday. The reservoir will now be closed through the winter until opening back up for visitors on April 1. The reservoir season was a success thanks to the dedicated group of volunteers known as the Reservoir Rangers. Here are some by-the-number highlights of the 2023 Arvada-Blunn Reservoir Season: ● 15,850 Anglers ● 32,800 Fish Stocked ● 1,861 Boats ● 7,012 Total Volunteer Hours The City is already looking for new volunteers to help with daily operations at the reservoir next season, so if you know any outdoor enthusiasts who are looking to serve the community, refer them to ArvadaCO.gov/Rangers. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Indoor Equestrian Center hosts Halloween obstacle course and more at Fall Break Camp The Arvada Indoor Equestrian Center and Sundance School of Riding recently enjoyed a successful Fall Break Horse Camp. Campers were able to ride, vault and dress up their horses for a Halloween obstacle course and parade to show off their new found skills to their families and friends. Sundance School of Riding is an example of one of the city's community partners (like the Arvada Air Modelers, Frontline Farming, and the Horse Protection League). The City owns the Arvada Indoor Equestrian Center located at 7650 Indiana St., and the Arvada Indoor Equestrian Center has been leased to the Sundance School of Riding since 2014. Sundance leases the property for the purpose of “developing and growing equestrian programming for the community.” Since 2014 the Sundance School of Riding has served approximately 700 youth campers each summer. Sundance focuses on providing a safe learning environment for horse care and riding lessons in both English and Western disciplines. The Sundance team offers summer camps, equine assisted activities, and overall horsemanship training. Sundance also offers open riding for the community by appointment. Majestic View Nature Center There’s a chill in the air and with a new season comes a new park bingo! Visit Majestic View and see if you can find the items on the new Winter Wonderland bingo sheet hidden around the park. It’s fun for all ages! Download the bingo sheet or pick up your copy at the Nature Center. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Community and Economic Development Housing Division launches Housing Survey The Housing Division recently launched a new survey to collect information about Arvada’s housing market, including the current housing needs of workers, commuters, and Arvada residents. The information obtained from survey results will help the City create programs to better address housing needs in Arvada as well as help inform housing planning in the future. Housing is seeking survey responses from Arvada residents, commuters, employers and their employees. Those who participate in the survey will be entered to win $100! The implementation of this survey comes at the direction of the newly formed Arvada Housing Advisory Committee. The Arvada City Council charged this new committee with developing a housing plan for the City, which will be created and presented to City Council over the coming months. The survey will be open through Nov. 24. Take the survey today! Infrastructure Facilities team shout out The Facilities Building Maintenance Team has been hard at work wrapping up a couple of projects. We wanted to share the absolutely incredible work on the new kitchen/break room for the Ralston Water Treatment Plant, as well as the renovation of the Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) office in Olde Town. Thank you very much for all your hard work!! Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Safe Community Burglary at Meyers Pool A man had pants on when he broke into George Meyers Pool at 7900 Carr St. He was last seen wearing a gray, long-sleeve shirt and leopard print underwear. An employee reported the burglary at about 4:58 a.m. on Oct. 19. A lifeguard coming to work noticed the break-in. Officers responded to the building and discovered damage, including three broken windows. There was approximately four to five thousand dollars in damage to the building and items inside. City facility teams worked hard to get the building open by 4 p.m. That same day, Arvada CSI processed this scene and later obtained surveillance video. The image below shows a screenshot from a video clip where the suspect appears to throw a speaker through a glass door. On Oct. 23, an alert Arvada Officer recognized the suspect, who was walking in the area of 5900 Kipling Pkwy. Officers and Detectives contacted 45-year-old Steven Cook, who was wearing a water sock on one foot. Cook had matching tattoos and was arrested after an interview. Cook was jailed on charges of second-degree burglary, criminal mischief, and theft. The Arvada Center for the Performing Arts Discount ticket opportunity for City team members Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella Performance dates: Nov. 24 - Dec. 31, 2023 Performance times: Tuesday - Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday at 1 p.m., Saturday - Sunday at 2 p.m. When a young woman is forced to be a servant by her evil stepmother, it takes knowing her self-worth, some wonderful friends, and a little magic to help her get out. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella takes a whimsical turn in the Arvada Center's production this holiday season, creating a mysterious but playful world where magic is real and dreams come true. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- This stylish contemporary take of the fairy tale classic promises fantastical costumes, hilarious dialogue, romantic lyrics, and unforgettable music for a truly magical experience. Content: ages 4 - adult City of Arvada Employee Discount Tickets $15 Tickets, limit 4. Tier II and Tier III seating only. Purchase through the Box Office, or by calling [PHONE REDACTED]. You must state which city department you work for, and use promo code 11209. Email your news to