Get to Know a Dedicated Employee EXCITEMENT GROWING AS DCRP WORK PROGRESSES
The picture for the Downtown Campus Reinvestment Project came into focus during an exciting tour of the construction site on Aug. 18. Our Mayor Jerry Weiers, City Councilmembers and city staff toured the site, where beams, walkways, office space, stairs, the City Council dais and other features are taking shape in the modern, enhanced structure.
The project is a 6.5-acre transformation of the City Hall campus, which includes Murphy Park. City Hall was originally completed in 1984 Our City Architect Eddie Garcia shared details of the design and planned amenities, while accompanied by employees from Okland Construction and Holly Street Studio, the construction and design team that is reconstructing the building. This reinvestment in our downtown aims to promote a resilient civic campus for our community over the decades to come. About 300 city employees will work in the newly reconfigured City Hall on a regular basis. It’s estimated the development will be substantially complete by mid-April 2026, when employees will start to move into the renovated site. Enhancements at Murphy Park will likely be complete a month later.
For more information on the project and a link to the construction web-cam, visit the DCRP webpage.
Find out what a day in the life of Jelisa Vinger, Development Services representative, is like, in the video our videographer Alfredo Kaspar created to the right.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
EARN POINTS FOR EATING FRUIT, VEGGIES
Did you know eating vegetables and fruits can help reduce your chances of developing diseases?
This month is Fruits & Veggies More Matters Month and our city urges all employees to participate in the Healthy Habit Challenge – More Veggies Today – from Sept. 9 to 26. You are encouraged to eat at least one extra serving of vegetables or fruits per day and to track them in the WellStyles portal. Registration for the challenge starts Sept. 3. You will earn points for tracking fruit and vegetable consumption each day and bonus points for tracking them for 12 or more days.
You can register for this challenge on the WellStyles/Personify Health webpage.
READY, SET, LEAN INTO EFFICIENCY
Get in the Glendale Lean Academy game! The next Lean Academy Yellow Belt Certification Course will run from Sept. 17 to Nov. 19.
Score a touchdown in the academy, which helps instill a culture of continuous process improvement throughout our city. The Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt course offers a comprehensive introduction to the principles, methodologies and tools of Lean Six Sigma. You can progress through the online course modules independently following a set timeline.
Please note that you must ask and get approval to attend this from your immediate supervisor and department director. Don’t sit on the sidelines! Register today for the Lean Academy Yellow Belt Certification course here. Learn more about the program on the Lean Academy page.
MORE UPCOMING EVENTS
LEARN TO MANAGE BLOOD PRESSURE
High blood pressure can cause problems for the heart, kidneys and eyes You can learn more about it, including what a healthy reading is, during the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Webinar: Managing Blood Pressure from noon to 1 p.m. on Sept. 24.
During this Zoom webinar, participants will learn the definition of blood pressure, what causes it to be high, how it affects bodies and how to reduce the risks of developing unhealthy rates.
Register for this event here.
CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
National Hispanic Heritage Month is just around the corner and our city is offering great, educational and fun ways to celebrate! Americans observe this time to mark the heritage, history, cultural diversity and traditions of Hispanic Americans from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
Our Parks and Recreation Department will host Viva La Fiesta at the Glendale Community Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 1519. This FREE event is geared towards people ages 55 and older and will feature delicious flavors, lively music, cultural performances and fun games as everyone celebrates Hispanic traditions
Save the date for the Inclusion Network’s Hispanic Heritage Month event at 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 8 in our Main Library auditorium. The featured speaker will be Jerry Garcia, PhD, pictured above left, a faculty member at Maricopa Community Colleges, who teaches Mexican American History and Culture, among other courses.
Register for this event today through NEOGOV.
GOOD THINGS TO KNOW IN GLENDALE
USE MICROSOFT EDGE FOR WEB
The city has adopted Microsoft Edge as the preferred web browser. This decision aims to enhance our browsing experience, improve security, and standardize our digital tools. Edge integrates with our existing Microsoft 365 tools, improving productivity by offering seamless access and collaboration features
What to Expect:
The Edge Browser will default to the new Employee Portal.
For questions or assistance on how to use Edge see this webpage.
This move to Microsoft Edge as our favored browser is a step towards creating a more secure, productive and collaborative digital workspace for everyone. We appreciate your cooperation during this transition and look forward to maximizing the benefits this change brings to the city.
VOTERS WILL CONSIDER BOND QUESTIONS
Our city is placing two important bond questions on the ballot for voters to consider in November. These bond items aim to prepare, protect and preserve infrastructure in Glendale.
The first question asks voters to invest in flood control and water retention. If approved, it would go towards storm drains, pipes, inlets and catch basins in order to try to provide safer roads and remove water during heavy rainfall and monsoons. Voters will consider a second question of whether to provide funding for city operations facilities that help support critical operations, including the maintenance of public safety vehicles, city vehicles, fuel stations, traffic signals, streetlights and street signs. You can learn more in the video that our videographers created to the left and on our city’s bond questions page.
GREAT NEWS IN GLENDALE
GROUP BRINGS DATA TO LIFE
Ingenuity was on display as city employees from many departments participated in the GlendaleViz Challenge last month at the Civic Center.
They shared insight on turning raw data into captivating stories. The goal was to help employees push boundaries, share their individual experiences and collaborate with other data enthusiasts. Stephen Gushue, our Business Intelligence and Analytics Officer in the Department of Organizational Performance, hosted this gathering aimed at growth and learning in the data analytical journey.
Ben Cserepes, a Senior GIS Software Engineer in our Innovation and Technology Department, gave a presentation on using the ArcGIS Survey123 datagathering tool. Keri Konold, a Department Performance Analyst in the Parks and Recreation Department, spoke to attendees about using the Placer ai platform
Tiffany Sandoval, Sr. Police Research & Management Analyst in our Police Department, won a challenge where employees had a few weeks to create a dashboard. Other employees who entered the competition were Merideth Jenson-Benjamin in Community Services, Jan Lawson in Transportation, Abdullah Muhammad in the City Manager’s Office and Thomas Relucio in Water Services.
Learn more about the Department of Organizational Performance, including open data, on this webpage.
MORE GREAT NEWS IN GLENDALE
TAP INTO LIFE-SAVING TOOLS, TRAINING
As part of our city’s commitment to trying to keep employees safe and healthy, our Fire Department, in partnership with the company Cintas, provides life-saving tools in many Glendale buildings. There are Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and Naloxone (Narcan) strategically placed in high-traffic, high-need areas around the city.
An AED is a life-saving device that is used to treat sudden, cardiac arrests. This helpful technology analyzes heart rhythms and can deliver a shock to restore normal rhythms when needed. An AED is most effective when used along with CPR during a cardiac emergency. Naloxone (Narcan) is a nasal spray that also can save lives as it can quickly reverse an opioid overdose.
While any city employees can use the AEDs and Naloxone to help someone during an emergency, without any required training, our Fire Department offers classes to help employees feel more confident in administering them. You can request training on utilizing AEDs and Naloxone, along with hands-only CPR instruction, by emailing FireDept@glendaleaz.com. The AEDs and Naloxone can be found in many city facilities listed here.
MEDIA EATS UP SANDWICH SHOP PLANS
Our city is on a roll when it comes to new businesses opening here and getting buzz for its tasty dining options.
Many media outlets have covered the planned opening of Pickleman’s Gourmet Café in Arrowhead Towne Center, which will be the first location for the business in Arizona. This fast-casual restaurant chain offers a signature, seven-ingredient bread, along with premium, No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) proteins, as well as housemade sauces. Besides toasted sandwiches, Pickleman’s also serves freshly chopped salads, tavern-style pizzas, savory soups and handmade cookies.
It is expected to open at the main south entrance on the upper level of Arrowhead Towne Center in late fall or early winter. Check out the media coverage of the planned opening in the links to the left.
CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY
DELVE INTO JAPANESE DRUMMING
Find your rhythm and have fun with friends and family members at the Japanese Taiko Drumming and the Instruments of Asia FREE lecture from 6 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Velma Teague Library.
Eileen Morgan will explore the fascinating cultures of the Far East via exciting performances and an interactive lecture that features the mesmerizing Taiko drum, as well as beautiful bamboo wind instruments and the unique percussion instruments of Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam. She will cover the geography and science of these instruments, including how using native resources affects how they are created and played. Morgan also will share how these instruments overlap with ones found in other cultures. The audience will be encouraged to participate in the conversation, including predicting how instruments are played and analyzing the results of those forecasts.
Registration for this lecture starts at 10 a.m. on Sept. 2 at this library webpage.
GET IN THE GAME AT CASINO NIGHT
Get ready for a night of fun and games at the Rose Lane Casino Night from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 19 at Rose Lane Community Center
You can play roulette and blackjack while sipping on non-alcoholic drinks and compete for prizes. No money is needed, and childcare will be provided at the center. Those playing games must be at least 18 years old.
Learn more on this Parks and Recreation Department webpage.
EMPLOYEE CELEBRATIONS
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW EMPLOYEES
Derek Brake - Police
Lupe Chavez - Transportation
Monica Driscoll - Water Services
Bradley Haenitsch - Field Operations
Thomas Holzschuh III - Transportation
Michael Kaylor - Water Services
Cade Lemon - Police
Brian Malinski - Innovation and Technology
Dallas Parke - Community Services
Jasmyn Parra - Community Services
Laura Post - Community Services
Isabella Procopio - Police
Arturo Rodriguez, Jr. - Water Services
Naomy Ruiz Vasquez - Police
Edwin Valdez - Transportation
HAPPY WORK ANNIVERSARY
Your hard work, dedication and loyalty are appreciated!
