The annual open enrollment period starts on May 1, and there are many opportunities to get your questions about city benefits answered
The in-person and virtual kick-off sessions for open enrollment will be held in-person from 10 to 11 a m in the Main Library Amphitheater on April 30, and that same day from 2 to 3 p m in a Microsoft Teams webinar Anyone interested in attending one of the kick-off sessions should register through NEOGOV Great news! The city is increasing the employer contribution to the Health Savings Account (HSA) from $1,000 to $2,000! Learn more about the HSA by attending a live webinar on May 6 Register here
Get ready for the Benefits, Wellness and Education Fair from 10:30 a m –2:30 p.m. on May 8 at the Civic Center. Employees can ask questions of benefits companies’ representatives, check out wellness vendors and educational institutions, as well as receive FREE chair massages, audio testing and lunches. Our Human Resources Department creates a festive atmosphere at the benefits fair, as seen in the photos of them dressed in outfits to represent different decades last year. This year’s theme will be “Score Big with Benefits,” and all employees are encouraged to wear their favorite team jersey or T-shirt.
Employees can obtain one-on-one assistance with enrollment from May 1215 at the Adult Center. More details will be available soon.
Open enrollment itself runs from May 1 to 16, a time when all benefitseligible employees must enroll, even if they aren’t making changes/waiving coverage with any of the city’s plans.
Watch your email and check out the GRID – details will be available soon!
Curious to see how you are making a difference around the city?
Enjoy the latest City Manager’s Report.
APRIL
APRIL 23
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
GRAB A CUP OF CREATIVITY AND INDULGE IN PASTRIES
Get your creative juices flowing with your family members while indulging in pastries at the Parks and Recreation Department’s Paint & Sip Tea Party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Glendale Community Center.
There will be a photo backdrop with tea-time dress-up props, sensory tables, DIY fan decorating and pastry-decorating sticker activity sheets. All children attending the event should be accompanied by an adult. This event is recommended for kids ages 7 to 11 and their families. Blue Corn Bakery will provide pastries.
Learn more and register for this FREE event at the link below.
PAINT AND SIP
SWING INTO GOLF LEAGUE FUN WITH COLLEAGUES
There is still time to enroll in the city of Glendale Golf League, which will play games from April 30 to Sept 17 at Falcon Dunes Golf Course & Golf Shop/Luke Air Force Base at 15100 W. Northern Ave. in Waddell.
The deadline to register for the league is April 23. A golf league meeting will be held at 3:30 p m on April 30 at Falcon Dunes Dining Room/Bogey Bar, then there will be a practice round afterwards.
Teams are being formed now, and the league will have a maximum of 18 teams. Participants must pay a $5 non-refundable fee for scoring software. A $25 fee also is required, but will be refunded to each member and teams that do not exceed three no-shows for the season.
Once the league kicks off, tee time will be at 4:30 p m every Wednesday The cost is $29 with a cart and balls are available for purchase. Submit your team name, golf participants’ names and email addresses as soon as possible to Mike Kingery at MKingery@glendaleaz.com.
TEENS CAN USE PROBLEM-SOLVING TO ‘ESCAPE’ AT LIBRARY
Looking for a fun activity for your teenagers to engage in while they socialize with other teens? Check out the Teen Escape Room Afterhours: Mystery at the Museum from 6:30 to 8:30 p m in the Roadrunner Room at the Foothills Library.
Teen sleuths will decode cyphers, solve puzzles and search for clues in this engaging escaperoom activity. The storyline is that priceless treasures have been stolen from the “Foothills Branch Museum ” Participants will have to help the “historians” and “archivists” find the culprit and recover the missing artifacts.
This event is open to those ages 12-18. Once the program begins, the doors will be locked and no one can leave until the program ends, unless there is an emergency.
Registration for this event will be open from 10:30 a.m. on April 18 to 6:30 p.m. on April 25. To learn more, visit the link below.
ESCAPE ROOM
MORE WAYS TO GROW IN GLENDALE
LEARN LATEST FINDINGS ON DIABETES
Don’t forget about the Blue Cross Blue Shield of AZ Webinar: Diabetes Education from noon to 1 p.m. over Zoom.
Diabetes is one of the fastest growing public health issues in the United States. Learn about the latest research results on diabetes, including risk factors, classification and normal blood glucose levels. Click the link below to register.
DIABETES EDUCATION
TAP INTO HUMOR, OTHER TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE STRESS
Did you know April is Stress Awareness Month and National Humor
Month?
Research shows laughing daily can provide immediate and long-term stress relief, as laughter releases endorphins (feel-good chemicals).
There are many tools city employees can access through the GRID in order to support their mental well-being. The GuidanceResources Employee Assistance Program offers confidential counseling and other wellness resources Our city’s WellStyles portal provides many FREE tools and resources to promote mental health. Check out the “Stress Less” webpage on the link below.
STRESS LESS
GAIN TOOLS TO BOOST EFFICIENCY IN LEAN SIX SIGMA TRAINING
Registration is underway for the next round of Lean Six Sigma Training
The next Green Belt Certification course will run from May 7 to Aug. 6. Interested employees must register for this class by May 2. Employees must have completed their Yellow Belt Certification to take part in this Green Belt course.
City employees who are new to Lean Six Sigma Training can sign up for the Yellow Belt Certification Class The next round of the Yellow Belt Certification will be offered from May 28 to July 30. Interested attendees must register by May 23 for it.
The purpose of the Glendale Lean Academy is to instill a culture of continuous process improvement throughout the city. To register, visit the Glendale Lean Academy webpage.
GEAR UP FOR FREE GOODIES, COSPLAY FUN AT COMIC BOOK DAY
MAY 3
Get ready for interactive fun at the Free Comic Book Day event at our Velma Teague Library at 7010 N. 58th Ave. and Drawn to Comics store at 5801 W. Glendale Ave. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Expect FREE comic books, as well as visits from comic book artists and cosplayers, along with games and crafts at this all-ages annual event.
Learn more at the link below.
COMIC BOOK DAY
CONTINUOUS GROWTH IN THE CITY
BOOST WELLNESS WITH COURSES THROUGH AVIDON HEALTH
There is an easy, fun way to earn points in the Wellness Portal!
Check out this quick quiz to score 50 points for the wellness incentive. Avidon Health is a portal that contains interactive courses to educate users about sleep, nutrition, chronic health conditions and more wellness-related topics
All benefits-eligible city employees can access Avidon Health, which provides more in-depth learning options than the content on WellStyles. Some helpful tools it features are a Mood Tracker, as well as articles on Exercise and Stress Management, Embracing Winter: Mindfulness Techniques for the Colder Months and Deskercise (Avoid the Perils of Prolonged Sitting).
Good luck on your wellness journey!
Almost half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, and many don’t even know they have it. Untreated high blood pressure can increase the risk for heart attack and stroke.
Researchers have discovered that people who monitor and record their blood pressure are more likely to see reductions and reach their blood pressure goals. The good news is Good Life Wellness has installed a blood-pressure testing unit at the Field Operations Department office at 6210 W. Myrtle Ave. Employees can find it in the Fleet Customer Service entrance in Building G.
They can take their blood pressure in less than a minute and wallet cards are there to write down results. It is accessible through the back entrance of the Field Operations campus on Orangewood Avenue.
Learn about blood pressure readings through the American Heart Association link below.
LEARN USEFUL TECHNIQUES TO BOOST LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Would you like to polish your leadership skills?
Check out the Leadership Toolkit: Daily Do's and Don'ts class in NEOGOV that describes steps to keep in mind as leaders fulfill daily responsibilities It explains some best practices to incorporate into normal routines, including behaving like a teacher and managing time productively. This course also reveals behaviors to avoid, including making snap decisions.
Learn more about it and enroll in the class via NEOGOV in the link below.
BLOOD PRESSURE UNIT AT FIELD OPS MAKES TRACKING EASY
BLOOD PRESSURE
GOOD NEWS IN GLENDALE
Now more than ever, libraries are a critical part of communities. We’re proud to have four, very diverse city libraries that bring knowledge, access to information and resources to all our residents.
Shout-out to our 73 city librarians who showed their love of reading recently by dressing in different themed outfits during National Library Week They had fun sporting T-shirts that illustrate books in these photos Check out the video our Video Team created during this fun week
FAMILY BIKE RIDE FUELS GREAT PUBLICITY, FUN TIMES
City employees cranked up the fun at the Glendale Family Bike Ride 2025 on April 6
More than 900 people pedaled through short, long and extended tours of our city’s bike paths, starting at Sahuaro Ranch Park They also enjoyed “wheelie” fun activities in the park, including bouncing on inflatable rides, checking out health and wellness-related vendors and transforming old bike helmets into planters
The bike ride generated media stories on Fox-10, ABC-15 and 12-News and in the “Glendale Independent.” Our Mayor Jerry Weiers was interviewed for Fox-10 stories, and his interview is in the link next to his photo below, and Cassandra Johnston, our Traffic Education Program Manager, pictured next to Mayor Weiers in the top right photo, was interviewed for stories on ABC-15.
Great job to the Transportation, Water Services, Parks and Recreation and Field Operations departments, as well as Ali Waelchli-Brooks, our city’s Wellness Program Manager, for making this event possible
NEW SIGNS STRIVE TO PROTECT PEDESTRIANS
Our Transportation Department is paving the way to more safety It recently installed two, new speed feedback signs near Luke Elementary School These northbound and southbound signs remind drivers to slow down in school zones and aim to keep pedestrians safe They are part of a program initiated with the intent to improve student safety for those attending schools that are on arterial roadways
MORE GREAT NEWS IN GLENDALE
MAYOR’S YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION CLEANS UP CAMELBACK ROAD
A dedicated group of teenagers got their hands dirty to help beautify Glendale recently. The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission (MYAC) picked up garbage and debris on Camelback Road between 67th and 75th avenues on March 23.
MYAC engages students from the public, private and charter high schools in Glendale, giving them opportunities to make a positive impact on the city by getting involved in various community service projects. For this current school year, MYAC has 31 students, who have completed more than 500 total hours of community service, which averages out to 16 hours-plus per student.
In 1986, then Mayor George Renner created the commission to encourage Glendale’s young people to take pride in our community. Now our Mayor Jerry Weiers, pictured on the left, manages this group, and he recently said in a news release his staff compiled that, “I would not be surprised one bit if you are looking at the future Mayor of our city in this group.”
Great job to all the students in MYAC for their hard work and hearts for service, and to Mayor Weiers for setting an excellent example for them. You can learn more about the tremendous group of these teens on the MYAC webpage
POLICE SERGEANT TOUTS IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING DRIVING DISTRACTIONS
It’s national Distracted Driving Awareness Month, but our dedicated employees work hard to encourage residents to stay focused when they are sitting behind the wheel every month.
Our Police Sgt. Justin Ramsay did an excellent job talking about the dangers of distracted driving when ABC-15 interviewed him recently for a story. Sgt. Ramsay said it can only take a split second for an accident to occur when drivers look at their phones, put on makeup or do other things that take their eyes and hands off the road and steering wheel.
To drive home the point that it is crucial to stay alert and focus on what is on the road, our city’s Traffic Education Program Manager Cassandra Johnston teaches “Alive at 25” classes at local high schools. She teaches teen drivers in the class about the dangers associated with speeding, distractions, peer pressure and driver inexperience.
In 2022, there were 8,988 crashes on Arizona roadways attributed to distracted driving based on crash reports that the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) collected. You can learn more about distracted driving in Arizona on ADOT’s website. Check out the ABC-15 story in the link below.
