Ubits November /December 2019
Beyond the call of duty
Nov. – Dec. TPU Giving Tree Benefitting Salvation Army Tacoma
In this issue
Safety training kicks in for meter reader during on-the-job emergency Meter reader Matt Ricks believes in safety training. Last June, his training from TPU helped him perform more than a meter read for the Lindquist family. Duane and Shirlee Lindquist lived in a small home in rural Puyallup at the end of a long, single-lane gravel road. The road is so long that Duane (83) kept his waste bins strapped to the back of his golf cart for a little help getting them to the end of the road on collection day. When Matt arrived to read the meter one day early last June, Duane was driving his golf cart up the road, but it was not collection day. “When I approached, Duane was distraught, said his wife had been napping, and wouldn’t wake up. I had a bad feeling,” Matt said. Matt escorted Duane back to the house to assess the situation. He found Shirlee (84) in bed,
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Turning silence into voice
not breathing, and called 911 for help. That is when his CPR training kicked in. He had practiced CPR on a Recusi Annie manikin many times over his 18-year utility career (three-and-a-half at TPU), but Matt had never performed the life-saving task on a person. “I realized we needed to get her heart pumping — to get her blood circulating again,” said Matt. “I don’t want anyone to die or be hurt, but if you perform CPR correctly, certain things can happen. It was very hard.” Matt performed compressions and gave breaths to Shirlee as the 911 dispatcher counted them on the line. He worked about 10 minutes before EMTs arrived. Duane watched, asking his wife to wake up the entire time.
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Chinook returns at Cushman
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New Sustainability Action Team on its mark
Safety Training continued from page 1 Responders arrived and moved Shirlee outdoors, where they had more room and could rotate performing CPR to help her. Matt sheltered Duane from a change in the scene by settling him into a chair in the kitchen and poured him a glass of water. A firefighter then found a “Do Not Resuscitate” notice hanging on the couple’s fridge. Matt stayed to comfort Duane. When Shirlee’s daughter Shari Grant arrived, she needed to focus on questions from responders. Matt stayed then too. “He didn’t have to stay after everything, but he did, and Duane felt more comfortable with him there. He was so kind,” said Shari. “We truly appreciate everything Matt did, not only by trying to help my mom — which I’m sure was hard for him — but also for staying with and helping my step-dad. We are so thankful.” TPU director Jackie Flowers also recognized that Matt demonstrated a commitment to service by staying with the family until help arrived — a level of accountability to Shirlee’s safety. “Matt’s commitment to service extended beyond the scope of his job,” said Jackie. “With compassion and care, he quickly put into action a response based on safety training he’s received and good instinct driven by a genuine interest in Shirlee’s well-being.”
After Shirlee passed away, Matt admitted he felt shaken and wanted to go home, but told himself he could push through his emotions. What did he do next? Matt finished his shift and told only his then Supervisor, Britt Ruby (to be accountable for his time), and a few close colleagues on his vanpool home, about the incident. A few days later, Shari tracked Britt down so she could thank Matt for his efforts to help her mom and step-dad. “I was surprised by the response from the family,” said Matt. “It should just be human instinct to take care of each other.” In a quiet office presentation, Jackie, Customer Services Manager, Steve Hatcher, Assistant Manager, Tony Kendall, and Britt Ruby presented Matt with an “Above & Beyond Award.” Shari and her uncle, Don Hunter, also attended to surprise and thank him in person. “I was struck by Matt’s humility when being recognized by the family and in his dedication and actions he took on that day,” Jackie said. Jackie also noted that as TPU employees work throughout our service area and in remote locations, it is easy to see why they may, from time to time, encounter emergencies. She feels relieved
to know our employees have extensive safety training and a deep conviction for serving our customers and communities. “Matt clearly demonstrated heroic actions that day; his selfless service is appreciated,” Jackie said. The next time Matt read the meter at the Lindquist home, he took a lavender plant and asked Duane if he would plant it in his yard in remembrance of Shirlee. Duane passed away shortly after his wife, but the lavender still grows on the family’s property. Although Matt did not seek recognition for his efforts, he hopes his story encourages others to take safety training seriously and to look out for each other and older people in our community. He also acknowledged other meter readers who have assisted customers in the past — people like Mike Davis, who helped when a customer’s dog was under attack by a pit bull, and Erika Davis, who helped a woman in need of medical assistance. Matt feels meter readers and field investigators are the front line “eyes and ears” of TPU. He also hopes the public sees that TPU recognizes its employees and is a great place to work. Shari Grant gave TPU permission to publish this story using the full names and information about her parents.
Left to right: Tony Kendall, Jackie Flowers, Shari Grant, Matt Ricks, Steve Hatcher, Britt Ruby, and Don Hunter after presenting Matt with an “Above & Beyond Award” for his efforts to care for customers, Shirlee and Duane Lindquist, in the field.
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— ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU —
Turning silence into voice at Cowlitz improves safety culture Employees are helping managers at the Cowlitz River Hydroelectric Project change the trajectory of how they tackle issues in the workplace. Fostering inclusivity, instead of blame, is helping identify areas to improve and makes talking about issues like safety, well, safer. After feedback from the Employee Satisfaction Survey, managers at Cowlitz began to solicit more feedback and input. That is one way the team is creating a slow but steady culture shift in people’s willingness to speak up, share information, and ideas to improve. A new emphasis on analyzing the root cause of safety incidents also paves the way toward solutions and prevention. “Employees want their voices heard during decision-making,” said Hydro Project Manager Chad Chalmers. “They don’t want a manager simply telling them ‘this is what you’re doing.’ They want to feel they have valuable input.” The need for input rings especially true at Cowlitz. People there work in a challenging environment with complex jobs that change constantly. Only 22 to 28 staff (including seasonal) work within a 30-mile radius, so anyone out with an injury can mean a productivity loss and stress on people who pick up the slack. People also feel emotionally connected to their colleagues.
“We’ve got a gentleman who was seriously injured three months ago. It’s hard on everyone. Particularly him and his family,” said Rich Tevis, a hydro project mechanic at Cowlitz. “It’s also hard on us not to have our pal at work.” Rich says safety at Cowlitz has always been important, but how they talk about it has evolved. Free-flowing feedback about incidents and “near misses” during meetings helps analyze causes and identify solutions for safety risks rather than point fingers. They also discuss incidents from other utilities to prevent them at Cowlitz. Chad plans to update part of a safety incident reporting form to focus some questions on root causes rather than blame also. They use the same form for near misses. He says the Caterpillar program helps employees work as one team that “cares about people,” too. “If people feel concern about getting in trouble or that they’ll be thought of differently by co-workers, they won’t report,” Chad said. “We want to change that dynamic, so more people feel willing to speak up.” Rich said people seem more willing today than ever before. Sometimes, the first time people hear about an issue is during a safety meeting. He says conversations often happen organically now, but some of that may be generational.
As a public entity, the utility must report safety incidents by regulation, which Rich says may also alleviate some stress. All private organizations are required to report, but some use punitive or reward-based systems that have the opposite effect. “With a reward-based system, for example, everyone gets a new Carhartt coat if they reach 2,000 hours without an injury,” Rich explained. “If you reach 1,900 hours, it’s in the middle of December, and you cut your hand on a grease cartridge, with a program like that you won’t report it. No one wants to be the goat who makes everyone lose their coat.” Rich feels encouraged by what he reads from the director and managers. Open dialogue is making it safer and healthier for people physically and emotionally. With an understanding that being human is ok, people can focus on solutions and their work.
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bits & pieces
Evergreen Options participants vote in record numbers for grant winners
Double take: Spring Chinook returns increase at Cushman
North Fork Skokomish Salmon Hatchery employees saw years of hard work realized in the 2019 returns of spring Chinook. The returns are only the second for the species in almost a century. The first spring Chinook returned to the North Fork Skokomish River in 2018. Hatchery staff collected 35 adult females and 78 adult males. In 2019, employees collected 75 adult females and 81 adult males. The females were not only more plentiful but also larger, which resulted in a greater egg take. Staff harvested 302,000 eggs compared to 112,000 last year. For the first time, this year’s returns were fish born and raised at our hatchery (another organization raised the fish for us that returned last year). Employees typically harvest 4,000 eggs from each female, depending on the stock. We averaged 4,100 eggs per female this year. Our experts believe the fish naturally spawn in the rivers now, amplifying restoration efforts. As the spring Chinook population multiplies, the number of eggs retrieved will grow as will the number of fish that naturally spawn. The North Fork Skokomish Salmon Hatchery is one of two hatcheries at the Cushman Hydroelectric Project. Most hatcheries in Washington state are sport hatcheries. However, the Cushman hatcheries are conservation hatcheries. L E F T : Cushman fish facilities manager Andrew Ollenburg prepares a fish for the egg take. A B O V E : Hatchery staff prepare to collect biometrics on a spring Chinook to determine if it is ready to have its eggs harvested.
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Almost 400 Evergreen Options participants voted for the 2019 Renewable Energy Project Grant recipients. Proposals came in from three nonprofit organizations, and participants selected projects from Tacoma’s Jason Lee Middle School and Franklin Pierce School District (FPSD) to win. Both Jason Lee Middle School and FPSD plan to use these projects as the focal point for solar learning labs that will teach students about the importance of new renewable energy sources while reducing energy costs. Jason Lee Middle School will use the grant and funds raised by students to install a 99.9-kilowatt solar array with a data monitoring system, first envisioned by three 8th grade students at the school. Once complete, it will be the second-largest solar array in Tacoma, providing energy and data from the system located on the roof of their athletics building. The FPSD will use its $50,000 grant to construct the 21 kW solar array at the District’s Farm. The energy generated from the project will go to power the Farm’s walk-in cooler where fresh produce is stored.
New Sustainability Action team takes action to make an impact Sustainability: It is more than a buzzword at TPU. The environmental responsibility juggernaut continues to gain momentum at our utility, from Director Jackie Flowers prioritizing TPU’s environmental stewardship in the community, to the (City-wide) Environmental Action Plan, to the utility’s robust customer conservation programs. But how are employees walking the talk internally? Where can they learn about taking eco-friendly actions at work that complement what’s happening externally? Enter the Sustainability Action Team. Last year, Tacoma Power’s Senior Leadership Team created the concept of a group with an exclusive focus on internal sustainability. Power Shared Services Manager Rachel Allen volunteered to be the sponsor. Bonnie Meyer, Tacoma Power facilities conservation and planning administrator, was selected to lead the team.
“Bonnie’s passion for the environment, coupled with her background of successfully helping organizations incorporate sustainable practices into their operations, made her a natural fit for the role,” said Rachel. Bonnie helped recruit other team members who represent every area of TPU.
Umbrella team
“The team promotes environmental responsibility and stewardship through education, communication, sustainable options, and opportunities for action,” said Bonnie. “The scope of our work is focused on employees. We will research best practices, encourage culture shifts, and share results.” The group gathered baseline sustainability data by polling 225 employees; 92% of respondents said they believe it’s important for TPU to have energy and sustainability initiatives.
The Sustainability Action Team’s vision and mission: VISION: The TPU Sustainability Action Team promotes environmental responsibility and stewardship by providing our workforce with education, communication, sustainable options, and opportunities for action. MISSION: Tacoma Public Utilities demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship and the community by operating its business in an environmentally sensitive way and encouraging its customers to use resources efficiently. The Sustainability Action Team ensures that inside TPU, there is an emphasis on environmental sensitivity and efficiency. This Team supports sustainable practices in our work environment. We use data, market research, and established best practices to execute comprehensive short-term and long-term strategies to transition to more cost-effective, efficient, sustainable business practices across TPU. We take action to make an impact.
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Administration Complex gets LED lighting upgrade Tacoma Power is reducing its energy use as part of a City-wide Environmental Action Plan. Power Shared Services’ Facilities, Production Engineering, Conservation Energy Programs, and Mechanical Maintenance recently did a feasibility study that identified new LED lighting as a project to help reach the City’s conservation goal. That project is in motion with recent upgrades. Facilities recently replaced 2,949 fluorescent bulbs with LEDs in the Administration Building South, and will eventually replace more than 5,000 fixtures throughout the TPU Administration Complex. The new technology provides better color rendering and lower glare optics, with greater control and flexibility than fluorescent fixtures. The LED lighting will save about 750,000 kilowatt-hours per year, which is between 6-7% of the total annual power use of the Administration Complex. “It’s great to see TPU’s commitment to reduce energy consumption,” said Roger Peery, a lighting program supervisor in Power Management. “It also improves the lighting quality
that will be visible to employees and customers.” The plan is to have half of the Administration Complex upgraded by the end of 2019. The completion of the initial phase came in under the estimated budget and already contributed to our conservation goals. The upgrades will also provide an opportunity for the Administration Complex to set an example for other commercial properties in the future.
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Meet your new Public Utility Board Earlier this year, the Public Utility Board underwent membership changes. Woodrow Jones retired as chair after a long career with the City of Tacoma and tenure on the Board. The Tacoma City Council appoints the five members who oversee utility operations and serve five-year terms, unpaid. The new Board’s priorities for our work include implementing a series of strategic directives designed to focus our utility on long-term results.
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Karen Larkin, Chair Term: 2015-2020
Bryan Flint, Vice-Chair Term: 2011-2021
Mark Patterson, Secretary Term: 2012-2022
Karen Larkin, a former City of Tacoma and State of Washington employee, joined the board in 2015. She has a long history of public service, having served 31 years in Tacoma’s city government and her last five years before retirement as an assistant director at the Washington State Department of Commerce.
Bryan Flint is the executive director of Sound Outreach. He is a member of Rotary No. 8 and an American Leadership Foundation Senior Fellow.
Mark Patterson is an attorney with the local law firm Vandeberg, Johnson & Gandara. He is a board member of Franke Tobey Jones and on the personnel committee of Associated Ministries of Tacoma/Pierce County.
Christine Cooley Term: 2018-2023
Carlos M. Watson Term: 2019-2024
Christine Cooley is the Water Resource Program manager for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. Christine is the past chair of the Sustainable Tacoma Commission, a member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, a volunteer with Forterra, the International Living Future Institute, and Tacoma Roots. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Pacific Lutheran University and a Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University in Environmental Policy and Management.
Carlos M. Watson is a realtor with Keller Williams in Tacoma. He is a member of the NAACP, Tacoma Black Collective, National Association of Realtors, Mocha Mentoring, Tacoma Urban League, and 100 Black Men organization. He attended Tacoma Community College and served in the U.S. Navy as an avionics technician.
Welcome new employees Travis Blough Railway Conductor Tacoma Rail
Alyssa Boettger Administrative Assistant Tacoma Water
Abel Debela Integration Developer Tacoma Power
Tyson Edgmon Railway Conductor Tacoma Rail
Scott Ferguson Line Equipment Operator Tacoma Power
Maddie Gray IT Analyst Tacoma Water
Jim Guenther Hydro Project Mechanic Tacoma Power
Maria Hernandez Administrative Assistant Tacoma Power
Ryan Huff Utility Worker Tacoma Water
Devin Johnson Railway Conductor Tacoma Rail
Mike Laier Railway Conductor Tacoma Rail
David Linehan Warehouse Supervisor Tacoma Water
Claire Litsky Administrative Assistant Tacoma Water
Christian Paige Education Outreach Manager Tacoma Public Utilities
Sakaio Peapea Utility Worker Tacoma Water
Ryan Raczykowski Carpenter Tacoma Power
Chandra Reiter Public Disclosure Analyst Tacoma Public Utilities
Stuart Rocho Systems Power Dispatcher Tacoma Power
Nick Smith Management Analyst Tacoma Public Utilities
Armin Wahanik Treatment Plant Operator Tacoma Water
RECENT RETIREES
Thank you for your service Kim Williams-Kerner, a Tacoma Power management analyst, retired after 17 years of service. Anthony White Operations Manager Tacoma Public Utilities
John Luu, a Tacoma Water senior principal engineer, retired after 31 years of service.
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Tacoma Public Utilities PO Box 11007 • Tacoma WA 98411
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Sustainability continued from page 5
“That was exciting news,” said Bonnie. “We want to integrate sustainability deeply into the culture, so the team was thrilled to see how much support for it already exists.” There are other groups within TPU, making positive environmental changes internally, but they tend to concentrate on smaller clusters of employees. “Our team serves as an umbrella to support the work of other groups, while our activities will focus on the whole TPU community,” said Bonnie.
Rigor with vigor
Ubits is a publication for Tacoma Public Utilities employees and is provided as a courtesy to retirees. ubits@cityoftacoma.org • 253-502-8223
The team brainstormed a bevy of potential activities and then developed a rubric to guide decision-making for prioritization. “We use a matrix to evaluate projects,” said Bonnie. “We grade them based on resource use, cost, level of employee engagement, longevity, and required time and effort. We rely on evidence, and take into consideration our internal evaluation as well as published research.” Employees will begin to see sustainable initiatives in the form of promotions accompanied by the team’s mark (shown above). The mark shows people they can feel confident that the action has support at the executive level. The team kicks off its first initiative in November: turning off the lights. Employees will see stickers that remind them to turn off non-automatic lights when appropriate, as well as task lights and under-cabinet lights when not in use. “There are great people here who have already made meaningful, sustainable changes,” said Bonnie. “Our team is about saving resources and creating a healthier work environment. We are looking out for the future by taking deliberate actions today.”