Ubits January /February 2019
March 23 Bowl-a-Thon Supports Boys and Girls Clubs of Pierce County
In this issue
Over 20 Click! employees transfer to new jobs In preparation of a potential new business model, 23 employees who worked for Click! now have positions within TPU – in T&D, UTS, Conservation, Facilities, Customer Services, Power Shared Services, and Public Affairs & Communications. Over the past couple of years, City and utility policymakers have worked to identify a business model that is compatible with a highly competitive market. Revenue challenges and legal proceedings spurred the pursuit of a potential private partner to continue the legacy of the Click! network. The City, under any scenario, will maintain ownership of the network. “Our goal has been to identify alternative jobs for Click! employees within other areas of the city. Many Click! employees have applied for several jobs within the city, worked hard to meet the qualifications, and have patiently waited for the right opportunity,” said Power Superintendent Chris Robinson. “Click! is
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New hire to focus on equity
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125 years strong
operating with a lean crew – just 53 employees – all of whom are working hard to continue to provide outstanding service to our customers.” As policymakers continue their discussions about Click!’s future, utility leaders are working with the labor unions to provide more options for Click!’s remaining workforce, and to ensure the potential of a smooth operational transition to a private partner. “We built an online tool for employees to get information about job opportunities and skill assessment while also working with the unions to put together alternative options for employees who do not find other jobs within the city,” Chris said. “We’re not there yet, but want to be prepared for that eventuality.” The Public Utility Board and City Council will likely continue their discussions about a new business model for Click! in the first quarter of 2019.
Community Connection calendar
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Tacoma’s well water
New hire to focus on equity and empowerment A local woman returns to her roots in Tacoma to enhance TPU’s efforts to further integrate equity into its operations and services. The City of Tacoma recently hired Mia Navarro, a Tacoma native, to implement its Equity and Empowerment Framework at TPU. Utilities Director Jackie Flowers announced the effort earlier this year. Her job as the policy and program manager is a new position created in partnership between TPU and the City’s Office of Equity and Human Rights (OEHR). The 2019/2020 biennium budget established the satellite office at TPU. Mia will lead a team of two employees she will recruit in 2019 to support the OEHR’s work at TPU. “We will start by convening a committee with representatives from Power, Water, Rail, Customer Services, Public Affairs & Communications, and the Management Services Office that will report to the Executive Leadership Team,” explained Mia. “Using the City’s Equity and Empowerment Framework as a guide, the committee will develop TPU’s goals and strategies around equity, and identify the resources and timeline necessary to accomplish those goals.” Data will play a significant role in developing the implementation plan.
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The City defines equity as “when everyone has access to the opportunities necessary to satisfy their essential needs, advance their well-being, and achieve their full potential. Additionally, it is when social, economic and political outcomes are not predicted based upon a person’s race, gender, age, or sexual orientation.” During her first 90 days, Mia is immersing herself in TPU’s history, structure, culture, and current initiatives. She plans to meet with people in all divisions and sections to understand what TPU does, find out what currently works regarding equity and inclusion, and “what we can do to get even better,” she said.
Tukwila Works (similar to 311), Summer High School Internship Program, and other community engagement activities. She also served as associate director of community services for the Tacoma Housing Authority, helped implement the Systems Change Initiative to End Family Homelessness at Pierce County, and worked in several other roles, including executive director, for the Washington State Coalition for the Homeless. Mia holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University. She lives with her family in Tacoma.
“Invite me to your small groups; give me a chance to experience the utility from every level. That’s why I am here.” “Expect to see me out in the field, at team meetings, even in a work truck,” Mia said. “Invite me to your small groups; give me a chance to experience the utility from every level. That’s why I am here.” Prior to joining the City of Tacoma, Mia served as the community engagement manager for the City of Tukwila for two years. There, she managed the City of Tukwila’s Equity Policy and Equity Policy Implementation Plan, Community Connector Program,
HELLO EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES
Looking ahead together
It is 2019, and we have positioned TPU for a successful, productive – and hopefully calmer – year. TPU experienced a tremendous amount of change in 2018. Thank you all for your dedication and commitment to our organization, and for sticking with us through the many transitions. The results of last year’s CAT Safety and Employee Satisfaction Surveys are in. Thank you for your feedback. The leadership team values and appreciates your input. Using the survey results to inform us, we will pursue initiatives that contribute to a safe, positive, supportive culture where employees feel inspired to do their best work together. We plan to model it from the top down. You can expect to see shifts in how TPU’s leadership operates using the L.E.A.D. program to guide us, if you haven’t already. We look forward to pursuing enhancements in year two that support our ability to build work relationships based on trust and respect. The foundation we build with one another will see us through the exciting year of work ahead. Coordinating with the City of Tacoma’s Vision 2025, enhancing equitable access to TPU services, supporting economic and workforce development, highlighting our environmental stewardship and improving our resilience through safety, emergency management, and cybersecurity investments, will keep us busy. I will drive these initiatives alongside you as we also continue to pursue Workforce Connect, the transition of Click! Network, and the deployment of advanced meters. It will take everyone working together to accomplish these goals. I am confident we are the team to do it.
Sincerely, Jackie
Habitat for Humanity
Community Connection 2019 Calendar of Events Bowl-A-Thon
3 HOURS – VOLUNTEER
March 23
Rebuilding Together
HOURS VARY – VOLUNTEER
April 27
Habitat for Humanity Woman Build
HOURS VARY – VOLUNTEER
May 4
1 HOUR – DONATION
May 6 – 17
Food & Basic Supplies Drive
1 HOUR – DONATION
June 3 – 14
Taste of TPU
1 HOUR – DONATION
July 17
School Supplies Drive
1 HOUR – DONATION
Aug. 5 – 16
HOURS VARY – VOLUNTEER
Aug. 17
Boys & Girls Clubs of Pierce County
Rebuilding Together South Sound
Habitat for Humanity
Book Drive
Communities In Schools of Tacoma
LINC women’s lead inspire connect
My Sister’s Pantry
TPU Senior Assistance Fund
HopeSparks
Dam Ride
TPU Senior Assistance Fund
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United Way of Pierce County Sept. 11 – Oct. 2 • Campaign Kick Off • Closing Ceremony / Basket Raffle Drawing • Celebrity Waiters Night
September 11 October 2 October 2
Habitat Build
HOURS VARY – VOLUNTEER
Sept. 21
H.U.G.S. Drive
1 HOUR – DONATION
Oct. 21 – Nov. 1
Adopt-A-Family
1 HOUR – DONATION
Oct. – Dec.
TPU Giving Tree
1 HOUR – DONATION
Nov. – Dec.
HOURS VARY – VOLUNTEER
Nov. – Dec.
Habitat for Humanity Pierce County
HopeSparks
Comprehensive Life Resources
Salvation Army Tacoma
Salvation Army Mall Volunteers
Salvation Army Tacoma
CONTACT ANY COMMUNITY CONNECTION LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR YOUR FAVORITE EVENT.
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bits & pieces
Zoo generates solar power thanks to utility customers who invest in renewable energy Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium now generates clean, renewable solar power thanks to customers who invest in renewable energy through Tacoma Power’s Evergreen Options grant program. A newly installed rooftop solar array will help reduce future electric bills for the nonprofit. Evergreen Options helps other organizations like the zoo launch similar projects. Soaking up the sun is popular for residents of the Asian Forest Sanctuary, but now the zoo is kicking it up a notch. Seventy-two solar panels now gather the sun’s energy on the roof of the sanctuary building where the animals live while not on exhibit. “We’re conscious of our utility bills like any business or organization,” said PDZA Operations Manager, Fred Ramey.” We’re constantly looking for ways we can conserve while lowering our footprint.” The zoo’s first solar generation project got its jumpstart with Tacoma Power’s first-ever Evergreen Options grant. The $50,000 grant covered over half of the project’s installation cost. The power generated will help reduce the zoo’s electric bills for years to come despite our cloudy winters.
“The grants that we offer under Evergreen Options are specifically for nonprofit agencies, government agencies, or schools, and the grants are up to $50,000,” said Tacoma Power Assistant Conservation Manager, Bruce Carter. Evergreen Options grants are made possible by customers who decide to pay a little extra on each power bill to fund renewable energy projects. Customers can volunteer to pay as little as $3 a month to support renewable energy. Besides solar, grant applicants can propose installations to generate power from any number of renewable sources such as wind, geothermal, or biomass. “There might be other potential renewable energy projects in the future besides solar power that we would look at and explore,” Fred said. The zoo may apply for additional Evergreen Options grants in the future. Fred notes it’s a great way to save on energy costs and it fits the zoo’s conservation mission. Tacoma Power recently awarded two new $50,000 Evergreen Options grants. The Tacoma Housing Authority and Bates Technical College will use the funding for solar projects as well.
Tacoma Link extension project starts with power pole replacements Government officials break ground on the Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension that will bring light rail from the Theater District, through the Stadium District and past downtown’s two hospitals. In October, Tacoma Power employees replaced power poles at multiple locations along the route. Employees recently kicked off work to replace Tacoma Water mains and meters at homes and businesses on the route. Their work will occur over the next couple of years.
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Plans for electric transportation in Tacoma underway
Commemorative website depictsa legacy of service The year 2018-2019 marks a century and a quarter for TPU. Employees continue to proudly provide public services that are vital to our community’s quality of life. View some of the milestones TPU and its employees have had over the years at MyTPU.org/125.
Local college, housing organization receive renewable energy project grants Tacoma Power recently awarded the Tacoma Housing Authority and Bates Technical College its Evergreen Options grants totaling over $90,000 toward renewable solar power projects at their respective campuses. THA will use its $50,000 grant to help pay for solar energy panels on a 12-bed Crisis Residential Center at its new Arlington Drive Campus. The facility will provide a continuum of care for youth ages 12 through 17 who experience homelessness. Bates Technical College is a two-year public vocational school known for its
commitment to helping low-income and disadvantaged individuals find familywage jobs. The college will use its $41,500 grant to install solar power lighting at its south campus. The project will increase safety, provide a learning lab for students, and support energy conservation. Employees who are also Tacoma Power customers can support local renewable energy through Evergreen Options by paying a small monthly fee on their utility bills for as little as $3 per month, a percentage of use up to 100 percent or a specific desired amount.
Growing interest in the economic and environmental benefits of electric vehicles (EV) is changing the auto market and driving Tacoma Power to help advance local electric transportation. The utility will play an important role adopting electrified transportation technology where practical, and providing services to assist customers with their emerging needs. Employees play a huge role in that. Some projects in the works or complete include: • Preparing a strategic plan that will communicate the utility’s role in promoting electric transportation. • Starting a two-year EV charging study in 2019 that will help the utility further understand residential customers’ EV charging behaviors. • Working with partners to increase electrification of transportation by adding more EV charging stations, helping schools acquire electric school buses, and working on a proposal for powering ships at dock with hydroelectric power instead of diesel fuel. • Working with Pierce Transit by piloting plug-in hybrid electric carpool vans, and planning on an expanded electric transit bus fleet. • Ongoing community outreach and education about EVs with EV Ride & Drives and owner tailgating events. • Offering free EV101 workshops to continue engaging and informing customers on the benefits of electric vehicles, tackling misconceptions and answering common questions. “Electrifying transportation is a tremendous opportunity to work with the City of Tacoma on projects that benefit our communities by providing low cost and carbon-free fuel while improving air quality,” said Tacoma Power Manager of Energy R&D, Cam LeHouillier. Supporting these efforts will also help make electric transportation more affordable. Staff will continue to assess the impacts electrification will have in Tacoma Power’s service area to prepare the utility for future demands such as additional and better-charging infrastructure.
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Pierce County Career Day gives students a peek at alternative paths to future careers in utilities As teenagers throughout Pierce County look to their futures, they are learning it does not always take a four-year degree to start on a path to a career that will pay enough to sustain a family. “Not every student wants to go to college and not every student wants to go into debt,” said Orting High School Counselor Penny Nelson-Schlegel. That notion draws hundreds of high school students to the State Fairgrounds in Puyallup each year for Pierce County Career Day. It’s the largest gathering where young people can scope out opportunities to become the skilled workforce of tomorrow. The construction, transportation, law enforcement, and utility trades participate in the event to give youth hands-on exposure to potential career paths. “Their pathways don’t necessarily always include college, so I wanted to bring kids in to look at the other opportunities that are available, because, as we know, the apprenticeship is the original four-year school,” Penny said. Tacoma Power and Tacoma Water have a big presence during the event like other municipal service providers. With many baby boomers nearing retirement, there is a need to attract skilled people who will continue to serve the needs of customers.
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“We do really have to continue looking long-term, and want to start thinking 20 to 30 years from now,” said Tacoma Power Superintendent Chris Robinson. “We’re still going to need people in the field and this is the place to get younger folks excited about those opportunities.” While some kids seem to know that engineers and many specialists who work at Tacoma Public Utilities need a traditional college degree, many do not realize electricians and technicians who work on the front lines can get on-the-job training. After an intensive apprenticeship and several years of advancement, most don’t realize a six-figure salary is not uncommon. “It’s pretty cool that we can come here in high school and see all these different options to see what we want to do after we graduate high school,” said one anonymous student. Another said she is unsure of her path and is “still just trying to figure things out.” For most students, the future seems distant, but Pierce County Career Day is about planting a few seeds that could blossom into a rewarding career. “We participate because we want kids to consider us in the future, come and work for our utility, and apply for our apprenticeship programs,” Chris said.
Follow-up tests show Tacoma’s well water remains safe
Who’s ready to relax?
Tacoma Water is good at meeting its mission of providing clean, reliable water. Late in 2018, after voluntarily testing for manmade perfluorinated chemicals known as PFAS, the utility shut down a well in its system. A first test at the utility’s Well 10C showed PFAS levels that exceeded the EPA Health Advisory Level of 70 parts per trillion; a second test at that well showed levels that were below the EPA Health Advisory Level. The only people who may have received water with potentially elevated PFAS levels were those who went to the well site at 7440 S. Cedar Street in Tacoma and filled their own containers with unfluoridated water. Tacoma Water tested all of its active well sites and drinking water sources, and can assure its customers that no one received water with PFAS levels above the EPA’s advisory level at their home or business. The utility will continue sampling and testing its water supply for PFAS to ensure clean, reliable water.
George Daulton, a TPU field investigator, retired in December after 39 years of service. Richard (Rick) Gee, a Tacoma Power carpenter crew leader, retired after 24 years of service. Albert (Buddy) Horton, a Tacoma Water, water service worker, retired after 35 years of service. James (Dennis) Moore, a TPU lead meter reader, retired after 32 years of service. Gary McCabe, a Tacoma Power maintenance mechanic, retired after 7 years of service.
Who’s new around here?
Casey Bartkowski Heavy Equipment Mechanic Tacoma Power
Megan Cammarano Engineer Tacoma Power
Erin Erben Assistant Section Manager Tacoma Power
Alex Hamlin Engineer Tacoma Power
Kyle Haney Utility Worker Tacoma Water
Anne Larrabee Management Analyst Tacoma Power
Nate Lazzaretto Electrical Worker Tacoma Power
Visael Lopez Utility Worker Tacoma Water
Bonnie Meyer Management Analyst Tacoma Power
Alyson Pedersen Utility Worker Tacoma Water
Michelle Pena Administrative Assistant Tacoma Power
Jeff Strobel Industrial Painter Tacoma Power
Jennie Wike Management Analyst Tacoma Power
Andy Woolf Hydro Utility Worker Tacoma Power
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Tacoma Public Utilities PO Box 11007 • Tacoma WA 98411
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Tacoma Water mitigates impacts on businesses during construction projects
Ubits is a publication for Tacoma Public Utilities employees and is provided as a courtesy to retirees. ubits@cityoftacoma.org • 253-502-8754
Two utility construction projects in Tacoma’s Stadium and Brewery Districts impacting many businesses recently completed. A partnership between Tacoma Water and the City of Tacoma’s Public Works Department on the Streets Initiative project and with Environmental Services on the Jefferson Avenue project involved road improvements and installation of underground utilities. Like most utility projects to improve neighborhoods, there are temporary impacts due to construction. The project along Jefferson Avenue required constructing a block’s worth of large water main and sanitary sewer directly in front of a brewery, UW Tacoma, and various small businesses in the heart of a busy traffic corridor. Utility employees worked to educate local businesses about the project and potential traffic and construction impacts. Feedback helped crews work around business schedules to perform the most disruptive work during times with the least amount of impact on local business operations. Tacoma Water also had the foresight to coordinate with other upcoming development in the same area so additional water main work would occur now instead of in the future to eliminate the need for disturbing the area again. Meanwhile, in the Stadium District, crews constructed water main along North I Street,
in front of businesses such as a salon, convenience store, theater, and pet day-care. Construction had many impacts including traffic congestion, parking restrictions, and temporary water service shutdowns. Crews minimized service disruptions by working on days when businesses closed or had limited operations. For businesses dependent on water, they set up temporary systems to maintain water service. Understanding those impacts is a team effort. Tacoma Water relies heavily on account executives at TPU who perform extensive community outreach to understand business needs, like hours of operation and water needs to help mitigate impacts. Account executives determine businesses’ schedules and regularly communicate about construction activities such as parking availability, water shutdowns, and road paving to keep businesses informed and crews aware of work impacts. Projects like these are ongoing examples of how Tacoma Water and TPU acknowledge and help support development and businesses by engaging early and often to provide the best possible service under less desirable, but inevitable circumstances for the future of local communities.