TAPS & JETS Vol. 91 No. 2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
A publication for current and retired employees of the Metropolitan Utilities District
pg. 3 pg. 4 pg. 5 pg. 6
Florence Divers Employee Safety During Pandemic HQ Renovation Update Zellars Promoted to VP
pg. 7 pg. 8 pg. 10 pg. 12
Employee Picnic Canceled Kudos & New Employees Retirements Give to the NEW Home Fund
TAPS & JETS VOL. 91 | No. 2 Summer 2020
TAPS & JETS is published quarterly for current and retired employees to inform them about the activities and accomplishments of the District’s employees. Your comments are welcome. Please send comments and suggestions to: TAPS & JETS, Metropolitan Utilities District, 7350 World Communications Dr., Omaha, NE 68122 OR Jessica Heidebrecht: jessica_heidebrecht@mudnebr.com | 402.504.7204. Board of Directors: Chair Gwen Howard, Vice-Chair Tanya Cook, Jim Begley, Tim Cavanaugh, David Friend, Jack Frost and Mike McGowan. President: Mark Doyle Produced and published by Corporate Communications Facebook: /mudomahane | Twitter: @mudomahane | Instagram: @mudwaterontap
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ON THE COVER: FLORENCE DIVERS Just before the Memorial Day weekend, with the sun starting to heat up, there was a different kind of pool day at the Florence Water Treatment Plant. With a small splash and some hightech gear, a diver entered Basin 2, slipping below the surface and disappearing out of sight. The diver is from Liquid Engineering, a company based in Montana, who spent two days at the site. The four-man crew helped prepare for the next major project at the facility. Corey Key, a commercial diver from Little Rock, Arkansas, has been on dive locations from Alaska to Florida. “We do mostly potable water, water treatment plants, tanks, towers, anything with drinking water.
TAPS & JETS | VOL. 91, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
We also do bridge and dam inspections and occasionally some underwater construction.” The highly trained dive team can give a clear picture of parts of the plant that no one ever gets to see. Special equipment allows the diver to give real-time video and audio right to the mobile control room, reading back precise measurements from 10 feet below the surface, and hundreds of feet away. At Florence the divers were getting confirmation measurements on seven large gates that will be replaced under the next phase of the capital improvements approved by the District’s board of directors. The project will cost just over $3 million. Mike Koenig, director,
Water Production and Pumping, said getting extra trained eyes below the surface is crucial to keeping things on track. “The divers go in and hand measure each one of those gates front and back, and the measurements will be sent to the manufacturer to complete the gates.”
the continued success of the Florence Plant. “It ensures the integrity of the plant as these are important basins to the treatment process. It ensures the longevity of the concrete inside of them and allows us to isolate them for future maintenance and inspection.”
Project leads say Basin 2 will be drained sometime in September, then the gates will be ready to install in October. As for the rest of Basin 2, it will receive a similar rehabilitation to what Basin 1 underwent in 2019 with surface preparations and new shotcrete sidewalls and joint sealants.
Overall the project is just the latest chapter in Florence’s long history of producing high-quality drinking water for Omaha and surrounding communities. Mike said, “Being that it’s evolved since the 1880s, and these two basins are still in play from the original 1800s is a testament to how well the plant has been maintained and used over the years.”
Mike said there will be a brief plant shutdown in October to complete the gate installation and the entire project is vital to
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EMPLOYEE SAFETY REMAINS TOP FOCUS DURING PANDEMIC AND CIVIL UNREST Employee safety remained the number one priority for the District over the last three months of the pandemic and the recent civil unrest in Omaha.
In addition to following its business continuity plan and providing daily communications, the District implemented several policies, including working from home, social distancing, use of face masks, hand washing, sanitizing work surfaces and restricting business travel. Supervisors reported absences daily to Human Resources as well as the location and work status of their employees. In addition, the District communicated its policies to outside vendors and contractors to ensure they follow the safety requirements when working at M.U.D. facilities and job sites. During the month of April, the District took the unprecedented step of isolating its three water treatment plants and purchased 24 RV campers for employees to shelter in place. Employees at each facility were split into Team A and Team B, and took turns working seven- to 14-day tours. In early May, after three tours, the District suspended the isolation process and began normal staffing levels using social distancing and proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Starting May 4, the District began a threephase process to begin recovery. In phase
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one, many field operations returned to work at normal staffing levels. A focus group was developed to create guidelines for phases two and three. “We have been methodical and intentional in our actions because our employees’ safety and wellbeing continue to be our number one priority,” said President Mark Doyle.
For two months, entering customers’ homes was suspended except for emergencies. As state and local agencies eased restrictions, the District implemented a re-entry plan May 26 and began scheduling appointments for various work, including furnace inspections, backflow testing and atmospheric corrosion testing. When entering customers’ properties, technicians followed safety protocols based on Centers for Disease Control recommendations. Employees wore PPE, including nitrile gloves, face masks, safety glasses and shoe covers. Customers were encouraged to go into another room or keep at least 6 feet of distance from the employee. The District also resumed work associated with the infrastructure replacement program. As a matter of public safety, replacing aging gas mains is a top priority. Since technicians had not been entering homes, there were scenarios of two gas mains in the ground – the old and the new.
Technicians entered homes to finish making gas service connections to the new mains so the old ones could be abandoned.
In mid-May, employees still working at the new headquarters building were temporarily relocated to the Operations Center to allow the contractor to expedite the construction schedule. Employees who moved into vacant office spaces were kept at least 6 feet apart for social distancing and work surfaces were cleaned and sanitized. In June, the City of Omaha issued curfews in response to civil unrest. The District’s management team monitored the situation and coordinated with local emergency management agencies. The District’s top priorities remained ensuring the safety, security and well-being of employees; protecting the integrity of its facilities and supporting public safety. Mark said the District’s response to the pandemic has been leading edge in the utility industry and he is proud of employees for their diligence to work safely while delivering reliable service to customers. In his weekly email to employees, dated June 6, he said, “…I want to reiterate how much I appreciate the work you do to continue providing life-essential services to the communities we serve. I am grateful to call you my colleagues.”
PROGRESS CONTINUES AT NOW-EMPTY HEADQUARTERS Four months after more than 130 employees relocated to the District’s new headquarters at 7350 World Communications Drive, nearly all of them moved again. This time due to the coronavirus. Like other departments around the District, most employees from Accounting, Corporate Communications, Customer Accounting and Information Technology were asked to work from home as part of the District’s response to the pandemic. Upon their departure, only a handful of employees remained working in the building. With what resulted in a “perfect opportunity” to expedite construction and renovation within the headquarters, the decision was made to temporarily relocate the remaining handful of employees to other worksites – whether at home or at the Operations Center.
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Melissa Polito, Plant Engineering, has taken on the role of project manager for the headquarters renovation. She said, “The move to turn the entire building over to our contractor, MCL, was not made lightly. We know there were employees impacted by the decision of having to relocate again. However, by doing this we were able to expedite the process and save the District thousands of dollars.” Since turning the building over to MCL in mid-May, a great amount of progress has been made. Framing on the first floor is nearly complete, making space for the executive offices, Law Department, board room and future home of Family Focus Federal Credit Union.
On second and third floors – which mirror one another – paint is being put on the walls, and
furniture for the building has been ordered. “It’s exciting to see the progress that’s been made over the past several weeks,” said Melissa. “Things are moving rather quickly, and we’re excited to have this special place to share with our employees when we’re finished.” Work is on schedule, with second and third floors expected to be ready for occupancy in late October. First floor is on track to be ready by the end of the year. Strategic move-in efforts are being discussed by the management team. Melissa said, “With the uncertainly of how the coronavirus may have an impact in the fall and winter, we are already having discussions about how to get our employees back in the building while keeping their safety top of mind.”
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PROMOTIONS & TRANSFERS
Dan Chaffin
Travis Crawford
Kevin Dvorak
Andrew Elvig-Cossette
Linda Gravert
Customer Service Technician
Water Maintenance Worker
Maintenance Mechanic II
Water Maintenance Worker
Customer Service Technician
Aaron Osterholm
Greg Ramirez
Felipe Rangel
Tina Valentin
Jon Wollenburg
Customer Service Technician
Foreman
Water Maintenance Worker
Administrative Clerk V
Training Foreman
Field Services
Field Services
Water Distribution
Construction
Maintenance
Water Distribution
Water Distribution
Transportation
Field Services
Construction
ZELLARS PROMOTED TO VICE-PRESIDENT The board of directors promoted Jon Zellars to vice-president, Procurement and Enterprise Services, at the May 14 board meeting. Jon has nearly 24 years of service with the District, most recently as director, Purchasing. He joined the District in 1996 as an engineer II, Engineering Design. Jon was promoted to design engineer in 2001 and advanced to senior design engineer in 2008. He became director, Purchasing, in 2013. Jon earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from University of Nebraska at Omaha and a master’s degree in civil engineering from University of Nebraska at
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Lincoln. He has a professional civil engineer certification and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Jon has been involved with the District’s Employee Speakers Bureau, serving as president in 2004. He was chairperson for the District’s annual United Way campaign in 2016. Jon currently serves on the Sanitary Improvement District 246 Board of Trustees, Family Focus Federal Credit Union Board of Directors, Nebraska Supreme Court Judicial District 4 Committee on Inquiry and is a member of the Institute of Supply Management. Jon and his wife of 30 years, Vicki, have five children and two grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his family, working on cars, landscaping and do-it-yourself projects.
Sean Guinzy
Information Technology Manager, SCADA Systems
Dustin Hoffner
Plant Engineering Senior Engineering Technician
Jeff Hyde
Jerry Johnson
Water Plant Shift Foreman
Shop Foreman
Water Pumping
Transportation
Kevin Jones
Engineering Design
Senior CAD Technician
Ben Koziel
Jonathan Kubricht
Building Operator
Senior CAD Technician
Maintenance
Engineering Design
Blaine Lazio
Jared McConnell
Customer Service Technician
Maintenance Mechanic Trainee
Field Services
Maintenance
In keeping employee safety top of mind, the decision has been made to cancel the 2020 Employee Picnic at the Henry Doorly Zoo.
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KUDOS
John Bazar
Construction
Shawn Dewitz
John Becklun Construction
Deric Ewer
Jacob Benak
Steven Bonge
Joe Flegg
Sean Fogarty
Construction
Construction
Construction
Field Services
Brenda Harmon
Kevin Hensel
Clayton Hill
Customer Service
Construction
Construction
Mark Brandt
Construction
Construction
Field Services
Nick Buhr
Jorge Cardenas Field Services
Field Services
Customer Accounting
Julie Fuehring
Ray Goldsberry
Steve Guardiola
Sylvia Huskey
Mike Jacobson
Darrell James
Jeremy Jensen
Customer Accounting
Field Services
Safety & Security
Field Services
Field Services
Construction
IN MEMORIAM John J. Bertino, 87, died June 25. He was superintendent, Field Services, when he retired in 1995 with 40 years of service. A veteran of the Korean War, John joined the District in 1955 as a junior mechanic. He was promoted to senior maintenance mechanic in 1959, to utility mechanic in 1967, to field foreman in 1970 and to superintendent in 1990. JOHN BERTINO
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LOREN JOHNSEN
Loren Johnsen, 81, died April 12. He was a senior computer-aided drafting (CAD) technician, Engineering Design, when he retired in 2001 with 42 years of service. A U.S. Army veteran, Loren joined the District in 1958 as a meter reader, Meter Services, and transferred to junior draftsman, Engineering Design, in 1961. He was promoted to senior draftsman in 1969 and to engineering estimator in 1975. Loren transferred to senior drafting technician in 1987 and to senior CAD technician in 1999.
Customers recently wrote or called to praise the work performed by these employees.
Andrew Johnson
Mark Kriegler
Al Kurz
Eric Mann
Colton Meador
Mike Paskevic
Jay Schnider
Chris Simpson
Mike Szymczak
Plant Engineering
Field Services
Dave Peters
Greg Ramirez
Forrest Roos Construction
Safety & Security
Customer Accounting
Bob Urbach
Jerod Urban
Garrith Whaley
Anthony White
Field Services
Tom Todd
Field Services
Construction
Field Services
Field Services
Field Services
Curtis Matthews
Construction
Shawn Sarvis
Construction
Construction
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Construction
Field Services
Field Services
Construction
Marlene R. Johnson, 78, died May 23. She was a cashier II, Remittance Processing, when she retired in 2008 with 12 years of service. Marlene joined the District in 1996 as a cashier I and was promoted to cashier II in 1997.
MARLENE JOHNSON
Construction
JAMES TAYLOR
Jim Taylor, 84, died June 15. He was director, Engineering Design, when he retired in 1998 with 31 years of service. Jim joined the District in 1967 as an engineer II, advancing to engineer I in 1968, to assistant design engineer in 1969, and to design engineer in 1972. He transferred to assistant superintendent, Gas Distribution, in 1978, and was promoted to superintendent later that year. He was promoted to director, Engineering Design, in 1989. Jim served five years in the U.S. Air Force and 19 years in the Reserves, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
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RETIREMENTS Dave Dalhoff, meter reader-reread, Meter Services, retired April 30 with 25 years of service. Dave joined the District in 1994 as an auto service person, Transportation. He was promoted to apprentice mechanic in 1995. Dave became a meter reader, Meter Services, in 1996 and advanced to meter reader-car route in 2001 and meter reader-reread in 2010. DAVE DALHOFF
KATHY HANSEN
TIM MAILAHN
Tim spent 26 years with the Army National Guard. In retirement, he plans to move to Fairmont, Minn., to enjoy life on a small farm. He and his wife, Mickey, have two sons and three daughters.
Kathy Hansen, customer account clerk V, Customer Accounting, plans to retire July 24 with 35 years of service. Kathy joined the District in 1985 as a customer service clerk, Customer Service. She became an adjustment clerk, Customer Accounting, in 1986 and was promoted to adjustment clerk-typist in 1988. In 1990, she was named customer account clerk III and was promoted to customer account clerk IV in 1998 and customer account clerk V in 2007.
Frank Mangano, water plant shift foreman, Water Pumping, retired May 2 with 20 years of service. Frank joined the District in 2000 as a water plant operator trainee. He advanced to water plant operator in 2001, and was promoted to water plant engineer in 2002 and water plant shift foreman in 2011.
Prior to joining the District, Kathy worked for Standard Blue. She and her husband, Mitch, have two daughters and two grandchildren. Geoff Hanson, shop foreman, Transportation, plans to retire September 8 with 29 years of service. Geoff joined the District in 1991 as an apprentice mechanic. He was promoted to mechanic in 1994, night foreman in 1998 and shop foreman in 2014.
FRANK MANGANO Mike Sapienza, stores clerk II, Transportation, plans to retire July 31 with 20 years of service. Mike joined the District in 2000 as an auto service person. He was promoted to maintenance mechanic helper in 2001 and stores clerk II in 2006.
GEOFF HANSON George Koppit, stores clerk II, Transportation, retired April 11 with 13 years of service. George joined the District in 2006 as an auto service person. He was promoted to stores clerk I in 2011 and stores clerk II in 2013.
GEORGE KOPPIT
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Tim Mailahn, instrument technician, Gas Production, retired May 30 with 38 years of service. Tim joined the District in 1981 as an auto service person, Transportation. He was promoted to auto mechanic III in 1982, auto mechanic II in 1985, senior mechanic in 1993 and stationary engine mechanic in 1999. In 2007, Tim transferred to the Platte West Plant as a lead water plant maintenance mechanic. In 2012, Tim was named gas plant operator, Gas Production, and he was promoted to instrument technician in 2014.
MIKE SAPIENZA
Prior to joining the District, Mike worked for the Department of Motor Vehicles and Ted’s Auto Service. In retirement, Mike plans to work part-time as a numismatic consultant. He has a son and two grandchildren.
NEW EMPLOYEES
JIM SHIELDS
Jim Shields, vice-president, Water Operations, retired June 30 with 37 years of service. Jim joined the District in 1983 as an engineer II, Plant Engineering, and was promoted to engineer I in 1985. In 1987, Jim was named assistant superintendent, Water Pumping. He was promoted to water supply engineer in 1989 and became director, Water Production and Pumping, in 1997. Jim was named vicepresident, Water Operations, in 2017. Jim earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from University of NebraskaLincoln and his master’s degree in business administration from University of Nebraska-Omaha. He currently serves as appointed commissioner on the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission, president of the Fort Calhoun Rural Fire Board and secretary of the Missouri River Public Water Supply Association. Jim previously served as secretary and trustee of the Nebraska American Water Works Association (NSAWWA) board, and member of the City of Fort Calhoun City Council and Planning Commission. He also was a member of the District’s Employee Speakers Bureau, serving as president in 1992. Jim is a registered professional engineer and Grade I water operator with the State of Nebraska. He received the Outstanding Operator award from Nebraska Health and Human Services in 2004 and the Water Industry Service Award from NSAWWA in 2012. Jim and his wife, Jill, have three sons and two grandchildren. In retirement, Jim plans to travel, enjoy his grandchildren and get his grandfather’s Model A Ford up and running.
Derek Bitzer
Nicholas Clifford
Electrician
Engineer I
Maintenance
Cassandra Revoy
Engineering Design Engineer I
Plant Engineering
Sreekar Pula
Information Technology ERP Technical/Functional Analyst II
Manoj Seth
Information Technology ERP Technical/Functional Analyst II
The next issue of Taps & Jets will recognize employees and their children who earned high school, technical college, undergraduate or graduate diplomas. Email high resolution photos to jessica_heidebrecht@mudnebr.com by Friday, August 14. Please include: name, school or college, degree/major (if applicable), date of graduation and parents’ names.
TAPS & JETS | VOL. 91, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
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Connecting those in need
with those who can help.
We’re in this together.
Now more than ever, our customers need you. COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented number of our neighbors, family and friends to face financial hardships and struggle to pay their utility bills. The life-essential services we provide every day are crucial to meet the needs of our community. Right now, our homes are the safest place we can be. Please consider helping our customers stay in their homes by giving to the Home Fund. Rest assured, your donation makes an immediate impact, with 100 percent of funds donated going directly to helping those in need. And now we’ve made it easier than ever to make a difference by donating online.
About the Home Fund: The fund, established in 1983 to assist seniors, people with disabilities and limitedincome customers suffering severe financial hardships, has raised nearly $4.5 million and served more than 35,000 households. The mission: To provide utility assistance by connecting customers in need with the community. Need assistance with your gas and water bills? Visit our website or call 402.554.6666. Want to help those in need? Make a donation today.