Ubits September / October 2019
Starlit theater
Oct. 21 – Nov. 1 H.U.G.S. Drive Benefitting HopeSparks
New creative activities at Taidnapam Park wow customers Almost 350,000 people visit Tacoma Power’s four beautiful parks annually. They camp, boat, picnic, and swim, but have also requested other activities to do. Rotating assistant park supervisor Donna Dean-Wilson answers the call. Donna spent the last four summers working at Taidnapam Park, which sits on the shores of Riffe Lake near Glenoma in Lewis County. She finishes her master’s in elementary education next April. Donna applies her passion for education at the park by offering fun, new activities for children and adults between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. “There aren’t a lot of activities for families to do together at most parks,” said Donna. “My goal is to help families make more memories together at our campgrounds.”
Some customers already enjoy memories of participating in last summer’s Family Tournament, for example, which included a squirt-gun battle, beanbag competition, egg run, three-legged race, and a joke-telling contest between kids and adults (using a megaphone, no less).
Saturday Field Days
“I started Saturday Field Days last summer. Every Saturday we offer sports such as soccer, volleyball, kickball, and more. We also do arts and crafts, like making Popsicle picture frames and friendship bracelets,” Donna said. “For small children, we have a bubble machine and an activity table. My favorite competition for older kids and adults is the ‘Pool Noodle Standoff’ wherein they stand in a big circle holding up their pool noodles, then drop them and Continued on page 6
In this issue
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Leadership accountability at TPU
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TPU Academy kids bloom
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Interns make the grade
— ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU —
Feedback is invaluable to our roadmap ahead together As a management team we continue to work at addressing the feedback from our TPU Employee Satisfaction Survey. Part of that effort includes improving our ability to receive feedback. Fortunately, we have several initiatives underway to help leaders welcome feedback. Personally, I value feedback from across the organization and the diverse perspective that each employee brings. I believe we are stronger as a team and an organization when diverse feedback influences our actions. As managers, we look to set effective, measurable strategies, hold one another accountable to the goals we set, and to you who support them. Crossorganizational accountability is also important. We recognize our direction has impacts on your work, and your achievement is our organization’s success in the eyes of the community we serve. The work we accomplished during my first year with team TPU directly ties to the goals set after listening for 100 days to the community, employees, and policymakers. This input helped set attainable goals with achievable success marked by feedback from the Public Utility Board, who represents our community. Their job is to see that we are accountable for doing what we say we will do. Their feedback is also an important part of personal growth as
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a leader, leadership team, and organizational improvement. The Board helps ensure we perform and gauges whether we stay the course or need to adjust as we look ahead. As the work of 2019 begins to wrap up and we move as an organization into 2020, the Board cites several successes during the year that align with the direction we set to accomplish and expresses the importance of keeping them top of mind. While leading the charge, our employees rallied to see that direction through to fruition. Your success is our success. Together, some accomplishments include: • Coordinating with City government and aligning with Tacoma 2025 goals • Establishing a safety culture
You can also expect to see a push for greater emphasis on these initiatives in the coming year: • TPU emergency response capabilities • Poverty simulation • Workforce pipeline and internship program • Environmental leadership Thanks, team TPU. You have successfully supported our first year together. Working with such a talented and dedicated team of professionals who commit to serving our community through public service is an honor. Each employee contributes to the success and character of our organization. Let us all remain open to constructive feedback from one another and to adjusting course as we map our strategies for much good work ahead.
• Focusing on equity and accessibility
• Engaging with the community
TPU Academy kids bloom from STEM
“Bring it Home” campaign hits it out of the park Thanks to the many employees and community members who participated in Tacoma Public Utilities marketing effort with the Tacoma Rainiers Minor League Baseball club this season. Employees helped bring important utility topics home in our community through one of America’s favorite pastimes. Here is a look at the numbers.
bits & pieces
TPU employees teamed up with the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound to help inspire youth toward STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-related careers during TPU Academy. The program launched in 2018 with much success and year two brought expansion to three clubs, allowing youth to play and learn. Children learn from TPU employees on the job through classroom mentoring and field trips. Interaction with staff in STEM roles helps tie learning to jobs in our community and potential future careers with TPU. As experts in their fields, select employees from Tacoma Power, Tacoma Water, and Tacoma Rail enjoy participating and making a difference in young people’s lives. Although the kids may be too young to think about becoming a locomotive mechanic or water engineer, the goal of TPU Academy is to set the wheels in motion for a successful future.
The Stats
• $2,640 for our Senior Assistance Fund, which grants one-time, $100 utility bill assistance to seniors in need. • 2,500 visits to the MyTPU.org/HomeRun web page helped people learn about water and energy conservation for homes and businesses, electric vehicles, Evergreen Options, and payment assistance programs. • 40,000 social media views from posts relating to #TPUHomeRun engaged our community. • 17,592,589 opportunities (impressions) allowed people to see our content through advertising.
TPU’s community engagement manager, John Gaines, throws the first pitch.
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Meet Vivian deZwager: The woman behind “Plant of the Week” A few months ago, TPU launched a new segment in our weekly newsletter, “Newsline,” called “Plant of the Week.” The informational briefs about plants around TPU quickly grew into a favorite among employees. In fact, “Plant of the Week” is so popular, employees peppered the Communications Office with questions the one time they skipped it. The new segment comes from the heart of a fellow team TPU member, Vivian deZwager of Grounds Maintenance. Vivian started her career as a drafter and CAD operator for a local civil engineering firm. When they added a landscape architectural department, she began to work closely with their designs and got hooked. After taking classes at South Seattle Community College in landscape design and construction, Vivian decided not to take another office job ever again. She interned with Metro Parks, worked at the W.W. Seymour Conservatory in Tacoma’s Wright Park, and spent two years at Watson’s Nursery before starting with Tacoma Power in 2005. Vivian’s favorite places include the small tree arboretum at the Pearl Street Substation, the Alaska Street Reservoir next to the Hilltop Gardens and the memorial garden inside the Southwest Training Center. You can see her work around Tacoma. Her home garden is curious too. In addition to 54 conifers on her property, Vivian maintains a green roof atop her detached garage. It features sedums, hens and chicks, and succulents – an oasis for birds and bees. Aside from plants, Vivian is a huge soccer buff, having played and coached throughout her life. She is thrilled Reign FC is in Tacoma. She is also a firstgeneration American – her parents immigrated to the U.S. in the early ’60s and met in Tacoma where her dad worked at the Port of Tacoma, and her mom taught school at Annie Wright. It may surprise some people that a utility has such a wide variety of skilled employees. TPU is more than just power, water, and rail utilities. Employees make team TPU unique in many ways. Keep reading “Plant of the Week” in “Newsline” and take some time to stop and enjoy the work of Vivian and her team around campus and Tacoma.
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Rail employees host teen “train”-ees for renowned summer camp Tacoma Rail hosted more than 100 high school students with an interest in railroads for a week-long camp as part of the National Railway Historical Society’s RailCamp. The summer camp is in its seventh year in Tacoma, and students come from all over the United States to attend. Teens learn the history of Tacoma Rail and have hands-on experiences in locomotive maintenance, operations, and railcar switching. “Tacoma Rail is often cited as the favorite stop on the RailCamp itinerary,” said Dale King, Tacoma Rail superintendent. “We produce a lot of happy campers.” Employees at Tacoma Rail hope the camp sparks interest in the short line rail industry to one day add talent to the pipeline and opportunities for young adults exploring potential careers in the rail business.
Senior Assistance Fund benefits from flavorful fundraiser The Community Connection leadership team hosted its annual Taste of TPU bake sale and appetizer cook-off recently, raising over $1,000 to help 10 seniors in our community. Thirty-three employees bought, baked or cooked to support one-time, $100 utility bill help for senior customers in need through the TPU Senior Assistance Fund. Each chef, baker, and participator got their name entered in two drawings for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Starbucks as a tasty treat for their efforts. After stirring the pot of names, Lizzy Combs won the Homemade Raffle, and Megan Davis scored the Store-Bought Raffle.
College interns make the grade at TPU Students across America compete for annual opportunities to exercise their college education on the job through internships either as part of their school curriculum or in addition to it. Every year, Tacoma Public Utilities is one of many organizations that step up to help prepare future leaders in fields from engineering to information technology. Spring through summer, TPU becomes a place for students to learn, grow, and contribute to meaningful work that either lands them a position in the utility or springboards their careers elsewhere. Internships provide fresh perspectives and new ideas to utility projects, and TPU gets to help develop our next generation of employees. “Internships have become one of the best ways to help students transition into the workplace, taking what they learn in school and getting to see it play out in real time,” said Alice Massara, a Tacoma Power strategic people program manager. “It’s no wonder the numbers are increasing and our halls are filling up.” About 875 students competed for positions at TPU. So far, we hired 23 or about 3%. In 2019, Tacoma Water received over 400 applications for internships compared with 70 to 100 on average in past years. Tacoma Power worked with Degrees of Change this year to hire two of our interns from its SEED program, which helps prepare diverse leaders to succeed in college and use their degrees to build more vibrant and equitable communities. The utility also hired 11 interns from the City of Tacoma’s Summer Jobs 253 internship program for high school students.
Class of 2019 Engineering Interns at Tacoma Water (not all interns pictured): (L-R) Liam Ayers, Daniel Grimm, Christian Lewis, Gavin Klockeman, and Marta Galambos
Some of the 2019 Tacoma Power interns with TPU Director Jackie Flowers: Back (L-R): Mathew Fode, Daniel Grimm, Lee McCarroll, Benjamin Cheek, Angela Suffia, Robert Sanborn, Gabe Garner, and Bernardo Olivas. Front (L-R): Justina Yu (Tacoma Water), Director Flowers, Kylie Lim, and Mariah Morey.
Our 2019 Interns Tacoma Water 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 8.
Liam Ayers, UW: Water Supply Gavin Klockeman, UW: Water Quality Marta Galambos, CPSU: Distribution Engineering Christian Lewis, MSU: Distribution Engineering Daniel Grimm, UW: Water Supply Angela Suffia, UW Tacoma: Information Management Alex McCullough, GU: Water Quality Justina Yu, UW Tacoma: Finance
Tacoma Power 1. Benjamin Cheek, WSU: UTS 2. Ryan Floth, UW: Power Management 3. Matthew Fode, UW: T&D 4. Gabe Garner, WSU: Generation 5. Chris Irvin, WSU: T&D 6. Christie Kaldestad, GU: Generation 7. Christian LaCambra, WSU: Power Management 8. Kylie Lim, UW: T&D 9. Annalycia Matthews, UW Tacoma: UTS 10. Lee McCarroll, SU: T&D 11. Mariah Morey, WSU: T&D 12. Bernardo Olivas, UW: Generation 13. Lindsey Rosselini, GU: Facilities 14. Robert Sanborn, WWU: Generation 15. Danielle Szigeti, JHU/UW Tacoma: Power Management
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Taidnapam continued from page 1 run to the other side to grab one before it hits the ground. It’s hilarious and very popular!”
Expanded offerings
This year, Donna added holiday celebrations and water days to the mix. She hosted a summer camping kickoff party on Memorial Day weekend and a big Fourth of July celebration. The latter included water activities, a trivia competition, and a Glowstick Dance for kids, plus bingo for the adults. There was also a movie and ninja warrior-style competition for everyone. “We have a huge playground so we thought it would be super fun to do an obstacle course,” Donna said. “We had kids eight years old and up participate, and even three parents asked to compete.” Donna also built on the park’s existing popular scavenger hunt. Parents and kids look for tree faces, fairy gardens, trolls, Smurfs, and gnomes around the park, and receive prizes. “Customers love these activities, and it’s all thanks to Donna’s creativity and effort,” said park supervisor Fred Hendricks. Depending on the weather, the activities attract anywhere from 15 to 100 participants. Customers express their appreciation via the parks’ online survey: • “We were there over the Fourth of July, and I loved how you interacted with the kids. My grandchildren had a lot of fun finding the things you placed around the park.” • “The scavenger hunt is a little something fun that gets you out to see the whole park...my husband and I enjoyed it. #kidsatheart” • “Was pleased to see special activities for children on Saturday even though we don’t have young children living/camping with us.”
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Our parks You can find Tacoma Power Parks along the shores of lakes formed by our hydroelectric dams, which generate clean, renewable electricity. They include: •
Alder Lake Park (near Eatonville in Pierce County)
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Mayfield Lake Park (near Mossyrock in Lewis County)
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Mossyrock Park (on Riffe Lake near Mossyrock in Lewis County)
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Taidnapam Park (on Riffe Lake near Glenoma in Lewis County)
Employees focus on providing the best possible customer experience, and their results pay off: 94% of customers say they would recommend the parks to a friend.
Field games bring families together.
• “The scavenger hunt for our family was our favorite part; it gave us an excuse to get moving and have fun. Also, the parks and horseshoe area are amazing for the kids.” Donna said she receives fantastic support from her supervisors. She would like to expand the offerings because customers enjoy their experiences at the park. “Hearing that positive feedback makes all the work worthwhile; my supervisors
tell me if I have more ideas that I should go for it!” said Donna. Employees and customers can check out the activities next summer as day-use visitors or campers (make reservations at MyTPU.org/Parks). There is a $5 charge for a day-use parking pass on weekends and holidays at the campground during the recreation season when the activities take place (Memorial Day through Labor Day).
Welcome new employees Curtis Bruun Hydro Project Mechanic Tacoma Power
Rory Belin Wire Electrician Apprentice Tacoma Power
Roderick Boatner Management Analyst Tacoma Power
Heidi Caudill Operations Manager Tacoma Rail
RECENT RETIREES
Thank you for your service Daniel Cox Engineer Tacoma Power
Brandon Daudt Line Electrician Apprentice Tacoma Power
Rajesh Kandel Engineer Tacoma Water
Timothy Knuth Wire Electrician Apprentice Tacoma Power
Chien-Te Liao Engineer Tacoma Power
Orin Mullen Wire Electrician Apprentice Tacoma Power
Nikolas Novotny Natural Resources Specialist Tacoma Water
Brock Ross Line Electrician Apprentice Tacoma Power
Christopher Smith Electric Meter & Relay Technician Apprentice Tacoma Power
Shea Sundahl Track Maintenance Worker Tacoma Rail
Bryce Wang Analyst Tacoma Power
Melinda York Engineering Technician Tacoma Water
Craig Carrara, a Tacoma Water service mechanic, retired after 29 years of service. James Baggarly, a Tacoma Power line electrician, retired after 35 years of service. Pamela Bolte, a Tacoma Water management analyst, retired after 30 years of service. Brian Berdan, a Tacoma Power wire electrician, retired after 30 years of service. Carl Foster, a Tacoma Water warehouse supervisor, retired after 35 years of service. Michael Graeber, a Tacoma Water service worker, retired after 37 years of service. Marcie Hedman, a Tacoma Power assistant section manager, retired after 35 years of service. Thomas Jackl, a Tacoma Water heavy equipment operator, retired after 33 years of service. Climeth Layman, a Tacoma Power hydro project electrician, retired after 12 years of service. Thomas Maruca, a Tacoma Power building maintenance worker, retired after 41 years of service. Richard Mercier, a Tacoma Water heavy equipment operator, retired after 21 years of service. Dylan Morford, a Tacoma Power line electrician, retired after 34 years of service. Rita Oster, a Tacoma Water utility services representative, retired after 42 years of service. William Pitt, a Tacoma Power systems dispatcher, retired after 18 years of service. Jennifer Renken, a Tacoma Power senior warehouse technician, retired after 27 years of service. David Rodahl, a Tacoma Water service mechanic, retired after 30 years of service. Cynthia Swanberg, a Tacoma Power natural resources specialist, retired after 26 years of service. Anita Zetterstrom, a Tacoma Power administrative assistant, retired after 28 years of service.
Tacoma Public Utilities PO Box 11007 • Tacoma WA 98411
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Keeping our utility crews safe The sun is still shining, and so are our power and water crews — working hard to keep the electricity on and water running in our community. Ensuring they make it home to their families and back to work each day is crucial. A variety of construction projects at any given time keep our crews working close to or within roadways where safety is a risk. That is why TPU makes safety a core value. Employees not working up high on or atop power poles, in the ground on water mains or street-side in support can help keep our crews safe in several simple ways: • Remain conscious of your surroundings. • Slow down and move over when approaching work sites.
Ubits is a publication for Tacoma Public Utilities employees and is provided as a courtesy to retirees. ubits@cityoftacoma.org • 253-502-8754
• Pay attention to the variety of cautionary and directional signage. Washington state cares about crews too. The state’s Move Over Law now includes work zones, adjacent lanes of the roadway, and 200 feet before or after work zone vehicles. Help our crews work and stay safe by remaining mindful in work zones.
Major projects you might see while driving Pierce County Road Project 99th Street Court East to 84th Street East • Removing trees and moving the right-of-way. • Setting 60 new power poles. Streets Initiative Main Replacement — East Fairbanks Street First Creek to East Roosevelt Avenue • Replacing the water main. • Installing new water services. East 64th Street Water Main Replacement McKinley Avenue to East Portland Avenue • Replacing the water main. • Installing new water services. South Puget Sound Greenscape South 50th to South 52nd Streets • Replacing the water main. • Installing new water services. Sound Transit Hilltop Link Extension (Tacoma Link Light Rail) North E Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Way, and Division Avenue to South 19th Street • Replacing the water main. • Installing new water services. • Moving the power lines.