F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N GA N E W S L E T T E R F O R A N D B Y M A R I N C O U N T Y E M P L O Y E E S

T H I R D Q U A R T E R 2 0 0 6V O L U M E 1 1 • N U M B E R 3

The G-Channel!By Jennifer Walter—Treas/Tax

The phrase “No news is good news”certainly doesn’t apply to Marin’s newgovernmental information networkchannel, or “G-Channel.” This innova-tive media channel is possible now thatthe county has the ability to providedigital video over the Internet. Whenthe devastating floods hit San Anselmoover the New Year, the town lost all itscomputer servers and was unable tocommunicate with its residents. Thecounty’s IST department built an emer-gency website on which San Anselmocould post notices and announcementsfor its ravaged community. Subsequently,the G-Channel has evolved into a

The recliners you see in the firehousesare comfortable; they just don’t getused as often as you think. ■ In otherjobs, now is the off-season, down time,or a lull. For the Marin County FireDepartment, it’s time to get ready. Whatmight the Fire Department have to dowhile still preparing for the hot and dryseason ahead? ■ A day might beginwith fitness training, showering, check-ing e-mail and calendar, completingradio checks, inspecting the vehicles,power equipment, medical supplies,and protective gear, cleaning the dor-mitory, briefing the crew, removing a four-foot snake from the lobby, and loading supplies for the mail run. Then the day’s real work begins. ■

Someone has fallen on a trail in the Mt. Tam watershed and suffered severeleg lacerations. A motorcyclist has gone off the road and broken his collarboneand femur. Two small children are

G-Channel Group, L to R: Irina Popova, Mikhail Posylkin, Chris Camilleri,Carla Halyard, and Gareth Nicholas

broadcast network which can serve thevarious communities and governmentagencies of the county. The networkincludes live streaming video andaudio, text, still photography, and on-demand broadcasts. ■ The networkhad been in development for about ayear, and the prototype went live inApril. Phase 2, which is projected to becompleted by September, will link theG-Channel with the two Comcast publicaccess television channels once the net-work connection is available. Ultimately,the G-Channel will include a Spanish-language portal. Says Carla Halyard,IST’s E@Work Manager, “We neededone central place in the county wherethe cities and the county can communi-cate to the public about disasters, localcommunity events, and breaking news.”

When the Smoke ClearsBy Kellie Moore & Phoenicia Thomas—Fire

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locked in a car. An oak tree has falleninto power lines, breaking the lines andigniting a fire. Two acres of wildlandhave burned near San DomenicoSchool. An elderly diabetic person whohas a history of heart problems has lostconsciousness. A family down the street

Continued on page 11

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Firefighters’ Keith Wallace and Adam Vollmer “knocking down a well-involved” Toyota Tacoma.The fire was in West Marin.

needs help lifting their dog into the carso they can take her for chemotherapy.A local business must be inspected forfire safety compliance, and a welfarecheck-in is needed for a communitymember. ■ There are 70 seasonalemployees with varying levels of

Due to an unusually

long wet winter, we

are faced with what

might be one of the

worst fire seasons

ever. The diligent

training is needed

to make sure that

everyone is ready.

F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N G

Editorial BoardJoan Brown, Editor-in-Chief, Human Resources,

Civic Center Volunteers, 499-7167Heather Burton, Aud–Cont. Office, 499-6169Jack Govi, County Counsel’s Office, 499-6117Cio Hernandez, H&HS, 507-2848Larry Kay, Public Works, Nicasio Corp.Yard, 446-4421Kelley Litz, H&HS Admin., 20 N. San Pedro Road,

San Rafael, 499-6924Joe Spaeth, Public Defender, 499-6321

Design: Rob Roehrick, Roehrick Design Copy Editor: Bill Pryor, Civic Center Volunteers Photographer: Janice Hughes, D.A.’s OfficeProofreaders: Jane Donohue and Leslie Miller,

Civic Center VolunteersPrinting: Marin County Printing Services

Frankly Speaking is a quarterly publication for and by Marin County employees. Send articles, cartoons,photos, poems, etc., to Joan Brown, HR, Room 407,Civic Center. E-mail info to jbrown@co.marin.ca.us orsend a disk using Microsoft Word, with hard copyattached. Identify disk with subject, your name, andphone number. On photos, include all names and thename of the photographer. Digital photos must beshot at the highest quality setting.

Reporter of the Quarter: Ian Roth

ScheduleArticles Due Publication DateTuesday, Sept 5 Friday, October 27Tuesday, Nov 21 Friday, February 2, 2007Tuesday, March 6 Friday, May 11Tuesday, June 5 Friday, August 17

F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N G Purpose and Priorities

The Marin County newsletter is intended for internal communication. Thenewsletter will not include partisan or non-partisan political activity, or issuesrelated to labor disputes and grievances.

C O M M U N I C A T I O N •D I V E R S I T Y •R E C O G N I T I O N •E D U C A T I O N •N E W S •F U N •I N T E R A C T I O N

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Track and HireBy Sue Kettmann—H&HS

Five years ago, MarinCounty purchased a software product calledthe “OnLine EmploymentCenter” from JobAps,allowing job applicantsto fill out and submitapplications electroni-cally. This spring, thepackage was expandedwith the addition of anew module called Track& Hire. Gerry Nortonand Vicki Martinez

(HR) oversaw the implementation of the new JobAps module, which puts the entireMarin County recruitment and job application process online. ■ The online application looks different from the old paper form, and a Social Security numberno longer is required. You can link directly to the exam plan for any recruitmentand find the Human Resources (HR) contacts for that opening, along with the datesof each step in the recruitment process. Information and applications are availableonline 24 hours a day. Hard copy applications are scanned into the system whenHR receives them. There is also the option of being contacted by e-mail instead of U.S. mail, which provides quicker information on test results. ■ If you arerecruiting for a vacancy in your department, you can keep an electronic eye on the applications as they come in and review the history of past similar recruitments(as they enter the system) for exam-planning purposes. ■ The JobAps software is a stand-alone product which will be linked to the new SAP Personnel Systems that are being installed countywide. Gerry and Vicki have managed the entire “go-live” process on this product and have trained over 90 supervisors and managersin its use. ■

Gerry Norton and Vicki Martinez (HR)

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Order Your Free Tickets!Sunday, September 3, 5:00–9:00 p.m.Stafford Lake Park in Novato

Fireworks, music by the R & B All Stars,food, and great fun for all ages!

Free off-site parking and shuttle servicewill be available, or you may pay topark at the Stafford Lake lot.

Tickets are free to employees and theirimmediate family members. Send yourrequest in before August 21 to get yourtickets by August 24.

Office of Supervisor Cynthia Murray Attention: Susannah Clark Questions? Call 499-7395

Vacation Photos Wanted!It’s entry time for our 11th AnnualPhoto Contest. Employees can be eitherthe photographer or in the photo takenany time since the fall of 2005.Previous participants are welcome!

Printed or high-resolution digital photosare welcome and should be submittedto Janice Hughes, c/o District Attorney’sOffice, Room 130, Civic Center, or sentto jhughes@co.marin.ca.us bySeptember 1, 2006.

Winning photos will be published in theFourth Quarter Frankly Speaking, dis-played in the Civic Center Cafe, andawarded prizes!

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We did it! At 7:00 a.m. July 3, the switch was thrown on the first of two releases of the county’s new integrated business-information system, called MERIT. Estrella Wilson(Treas/Tax), who has worked for the county for 23 years,entered the first transaction into the new system shortly afterit “went live.”

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By Steve Petterle—P&OS

I drilled down and the fields populated as if by magic. But I’mnot talking about oil or Texas—I’m talking about SAP, and myME21N was now complete. Iclicked execute (still not aboutTexas) and the process wasunderway. There were no appar-ent errors—nothing that wouldstop the purchase from movingforward. But after all of my effortsand good intentions, despite thehours I spent playing in the sand-box, together with the multitudeof items I placed onto the parkinglot, I shipped my first live order of Ethan Allen fire hydrants toHamburg. Then I sent my envi-ronmental engineer to Hamburg,too. He wasn’t pleased. But sincehe was there, I asked him to pickup the fire hydrants. At least itwasn’t a wasted trip. Finally, Ipaid for both items with Malteselira. I don’t know the exchangerate, but I think it was a prettygood deal. ■ I don’t under-stand everything yet, but I’mstarting to speak SAP. I knowabout a WBS and I can grasp thedifferences between a MIGO, aME22N, and a CJ40, even thoughI don’t know why they’re namedlike that. But then, I don’t have to know. After all, I don’t knowabout carburetors and I can stilldrive a car. I guess right nowwith SAP, it’s like I have alearner’s permit. That means Ican’t access the system after darkor with people nearby. Soon,however, I’ll be able to steer withone hand while talking on a cellphone and chewing gum. ■ Dothey drive on the right-hand sideof the road in Hamburg? ■

PERSPECTIVE

PETTERLE’S

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By Dana Armanino—CDA

It has been almost three years since thecounty installed a 75 kW solar systemon the General Services Building.Based on the success of that project, itis time for the sun to be put to work onmore county buildings. This time thecounty has decided to up the ante bytargeting two buildings for solar pro-jects, with a combined capacity of 365kW. ■ The projects, brought beforethe Board of Supervisors by the depart-ments of Public Works, Cultural &Visitor Services, and the CommunityDevelopment Agency, were given preliminary approval on April 25. The county has partnered with theCalifornia Construction Authority toinstall a 204 kW photovoltaic (PV)system on the Exhibit Hall of the MarinCenter and a 161 kW PV system on 120 N. Redwood Dr., which houses

the Social Services offices. Both PVsystems will be paid for through a com-bination of rebates and long-term, low-interest loans. The county will not haveto spend any capital up front, and theannual loan repayments are expectedto be lower than the projected energysavings. The team which worked on thisproject included Rich Wallace (DPW),Jim Farley (CS), and Gwen Rose (CDA),who has since left the county. DanaArmanino (CDA) is taking Gwen’s placeon the team. ■ The two installationswill generate about 687,000 kW hoursa year, enough electricity to power 113Marin homes. Switching to solar powerwill also reduce the county’s carbondioxide emissions by 361 tons a year.The Exhibit Hall/Fairgrounds project isexpected to break ground this fall. Staytuned for more updates. ■

Solar team members Jim Farley (CS), Dana Armanino (CDA), and Rich Wallace (DPW)

Through the Roof

Doug Long (DPW)surveys countyproperty lines atthe sand dunes atLawson’s Landing,Dillon Beach, WestMarin.

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4commute.” The contest had the potential to keep over 500 carsoff the road each day. ■ Each team of five typically had twonovice riders, two regular riders, and a Big Wheel (an elected official, media person, company executive, or manager.)Public Works recruited Eric Steger, Ernest Klock, DanDawson, Kevin McGowan, and Craig Tackabery as theirteam. Community Development chained in Dana Armanino,Curtis Havel, Kristin Drumm, Ben Berto, and Ian Roth.Supervisor Susan Adams competed on a team with four of her favorite bicycle commuters. ■ For each day that abicycle was used instead of a car, points were accumulatedfor the team: one point for the regulars, two points for thenovices, and three points for the Big Wheel. The tallies werechecked daily by team members, tracking the race amongdepartments and across the Bay Area. One wet weekendthrew a wrench into the collective spokes, but the weather heldotherwise. ■ At the end of the month, DPW and CDA were

jockeying both with each other and with one other strong contender from San Francisco. The Flying Macs from SanFrancisco ended the race in first place, with 253 points. CDAfinished with 252 and DPW with 249 points, in second andthird places, respectively, in the overall Bay Area contest.Although we didn’t get the rack for Marin, the spoils from thisevent include being healthier and well-fed. The DPW/CDAchallenge included the winning team being taken to lunch.Bike on! ■

Kings of the Clean Air CommuteBy Ian Roth—CDA

As gas prices broke $3 a gallon, Public Works (DPW) andCommunity Development (CDA) took the bike-to-work chal-lenge to new heights. The rivalry between these two depart-ments hit a new crescendo during May, Bike to Work Month.Rain or shine, the Team Bike Challenge (http://bayare-abikes.org/ btwd/members/tbc_signup.php), which wassponsored by 511.org and Mike’s Bikes, provided incentivefor this competition. There were 107 teams of five, across thenine Bay Area counties, competing for a bike rack to beinstalled in their area, and for bragging rights as “king of the

L to R: Kristin Drumm (CDA), Ian Roth (CDA), Ben Berto (CDA), Dana Armanino (CDA), Dan Dawson(DPW), Curtis Havel (CDA), Eric Steger (DPW) Not shown: Craig Tackabery (DPW), Kevin McGowan(DPW), Ernest Klock (DPW), and Susan Adams (BOS)

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Matt Bronson (CAO) checks in with the Bike to Work Day crew Bob Pascaretta, KristinDrumm, and Dodie Goldberg (DPW) who had canvas bags with goodies to pass out.Tracy Clay (DPW) coordinated the Civic Center reception and Jeri Stewart (DPW) pickedup donated refreshments for the bikers from Peet's Coffee and the House of Bagels. At least 34 riders stopped by on Bike to Work Day, May 18. Other very helpful volunteersincluded John Neville, Paul Ayala, Joanna Charlton, and John Berg (DPW).

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Ordering Green Audrey Andrus (DPW) lets us knowthat office supplies have become a lot greener. County vendors such asCorporate Express offer products thatare environmentally preferred, such as remanufactured toner cartridges,recycled plastic desk accessories, GreenSeal certified cleaners, refillable pens,and rechargeable batteries. Of course,ordering recycled paper products makesa huge difference; one ton of papermade from 100% recycled paper, ascompared to non-recycled paper, savesthe equivalent of 4,100 kilowatt hoursof energy, 7,000 gallons of water, 60 pounds of air emissions, and threecubic yards of landfill space. So, whenordering, look for the green choices.

There were 107 teams of five, across the nine Bay Area counties, competing for a bike rack to beinstalled in their area, and for bragging rights as

“king of the commute.” The contest had the potential tokeep over 500 cars off the road each day.

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Green CaféBy Rick Fraites—BOS

Several months ago, SupervisorCharles McGlashan dropped by theCivic Center cafeteria to grab a bite to eat, but became distracted by someenvironmentally unfriendly items.Various food and liquid containerswere constructed mostly from plasticand paper, i.e., from petrochemicalsand wood. They did a good job ofcontaining the cafeteria’s food and liquids, but could not be compostedreadily and therefore would end up in a landfill. ■ Charles met with hisadministrative aide, Maureen Parton,and his office intern, Redwood HighSchool junior Julie Goldrosen. Charleswas committed to a “greening of theCivic Center Café.” He assignedMaureen to work with Julie to researchpossible green food container alterna-tives. ■ Julie discovered a new worldof environmentally friendly food con-tainers available on the market, andprepared a thorough listing of greenproducts and supporting information.■ “Julie’s research and her energeticmotivation to complete this projectprovided Charles’ office with morethan enough information to continuemoving the greening of the cafeteriaproject forward. She was an excep-

tional intern, and we truly appreciateher efforts,” said Maureen. ■

Charles’ office contacted Jim Farley,director of the county’s CulturalServices, which oversees the operationsat the Civic Center Café. Jim requestedDan and Luke Offenbach of Ray’sCatering, the cafeteria management, toresearch the recyclable products marketto see if this was an acceptable alterna-tive. Although the finding was that thegreen products were double the cost of plastic and cardboard, the Board ofSupervisors chose this alternative, andwill subsidize cafeteria operations forone year to offset the cost. ■ “Wethought it was a great idea and, aspeople who grew up in Marin County,we had no problem choosing the envi-ronmentally friendly option. The otherpositive result from our switch has beenthe inquiries we have received fromother food vendors wanting to knowhow it was going. We were happy togive them positive feedback, and hopethat they will follow suit,” said Luke. ■

The next step in the greening processwas taken up by Dana Armanino(CDA), the Marin County GreenBusiness Coordinator. Dana reviewedthe data and made sure that the prod-ucts were truly non-petroleum basedand could be composted properly. She then gave the “green light” to moveforward. ■ “We decided to go with

two distributors. Natureworks PLA isone and has developed corn starch-based clear packaging for food andcup containers. The other company is Sugar Bagasse. They produce acardboard-like material from rice by-products. Their material can hold hotliquids, such as coffee and tea,” saidDana. ■ Now, our Civic Center Caféis one giant step closer to becoming a“lean green feeding machine.” Butthat’s not all. Soon, according to JimFarley, our county fair and other eventswill serve food and drinks in containersmade from these same green products.We can thank the team of motivatedcounty employees, SupervisorMcGlashan’s office, plus Ray’sCatering, and a young intern, JulieGoldrosen, for making our workplace,and beyond, more green. ■

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Luke Offenbach of the Civic Center Café with the newrecyclable food containers

Big Green BoxBy Kit Tiura—Courts

As a direct result of California’s haz-ardous waste disposal regulations, agreater understanding of the effects oftoxic wastes on the environment, andthe Court’s position to be a model forother entities and the general public,Marin Superior Court has imple-mented a waste disposal program forbatteries and small electronics (cellphones, caluculators, power adapters,PDAs, etc.), meeting their goal of exer-cising moral responsibility and civicleadership. This is called The BigGreen Box. ■ The Big Green Box(www.biggreenbox.com) is a prepaidprogram which provides boxes capa-ble of holding and shipping 43 pounds

of electronic waste to a disposal com-pany for recycling. There now are twoBig Green Boxes in use. ■ Courtemployees have taken up the environ-mental cause with energy, pleased tohave such a handy disposal method

available to them and within such ashort time of the new laws going intoeffect. ■ Recycling electronics justbecame a whole lot easier with theintroduction of The Big Green Boxeson the Courts floor. ■

Editor’s noteThere are numerous other resourcesavailable for disposal of hazardousoffice waste. John Paterson (DPW) mailsrechargeable batteries to RBRC.org,which is a free service. They can bereached online at www.batteryrecy-cling.com. You can also send printer cartridges and mobile phones to RecycleFree, at www.recyclefree.com, as part of a prepaid plan. If your department isinterested in other resources, go onlineand Google “recycling batteries” for awealth of information.

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Various food and

liquid containers,

constructed mostly

from plastic and

paper, could not be

composted readily

and therefore would

end up in the

landfill.

Julian Yu-Jie Chen, born on April 15, is the happy return for Gloria Wu(Courts) and David Chen...verytaxing…and we have a plethora ofgrandparents, many of them first-timers. Congratulations to our Auditor-Controller, Richard Arrow, a first-timegranddad. He’ll be accounting for histime with young Jonah. Toby Olsen(Courts) is celebrating the arrival ofKailey Sue Kimbrel to Toby’s daughter,Michelle, and her husband, Michael. Anew type of brief was filed on May 2 ather birth. Also a first-time grandparentis Linda Alves (CDA) with Jacob Kyle,born to her daughter, Julie, and son-in-law, Kyle Reid, as planned on May 4.The Honorable Hal Brown (BOS) will be supervising his first grandchild,Gabriella “Ella” Brown, daughter to hisson Michael and his wife, Julia. ■

Spring vacations were unusual with theharmonic convergence of Julia Slater’s(HR) and Anita Erola’s (HR) adventuresin Harrogate, a city in the north ofEngland. They pondered this mystery atthe Old Swan Hotel, originally built in1840, which was the site of AgathaChristie’s re-appearance after havingbeen mysteriously missing for 10 days.She had been registered here underher husband’s mistress’ name! ■

Back in California, Rick Fraites (BOS)was witness to the 70th running of theHorned Toad Derby, and the 100thanniversary of the host town, Coalinga.All toads ran well and no injuries werelogged. After the event, every reptilian

entrant was returned to its place oforigin, as per instructions fromCalifornia Fish and Game. ■

Garland Murphy (H&HS) and MarionBoyd (CS) won gold and silver medals,respectively, in their age groups at theAlongi Racewalking Classic at theCollege of Marin on May 28. ■

There are housing lottery winners!Jackie Foster and Teressa Snyder ofthe Corte Madera branch of the libraryrecently moved into first-time homes,Jackie in San Rafael and Teressa atHamilton. This is especially wonderfulfor Teressa, who was flooded out of herapartment in Kentfield last winter.

O D D S & E N D S B y I a n R o t h

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Hamilton is also new home to JoyFossett (HR) with husband John andtheir four children, and Don Allee(CDA). ■

On June 18, 19, and 20, in San DiegoCounty, Deputy District Attorney MuratOzgur competed in three bicycle raceevents in the Western States Police andFire Games, aka The Police Olympics.Murat won two gold medals and asilver medal. He won gold medals in theRoad Race and the Criterium and thesilver in the time trial, second only to thestate champion in that event. Murat islooking forward to the World Gamesin Australia in 2007. ■

To facilitate team communication, thenorth crew of the Assessor’s appraisalstaff (ten employees, including twotelecommuters) recently moved back to the Civic Center after six ears at theBaywood Center in Novato. ■

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Groundbreaking began in mid-April on the new Marin County Fire Department building atThrockmorton Ridge Station. The new environmentally green station is scheduled to be completedby January 2007.

L to R: Julia Slater, Frank Slater, Anita Erola,and friend Dave Christie

California Horned Toad (really a lizard)

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For the next issue,please e-mail information on thepeople in your dept.to Odds & Endscolumnist Ian Roth,iroth@co.marin.ca.us

Liz Turner (Courts) loves the County Fair andit loves her. Here Liz admires her First Placeand Best of Show prizes for her Meyerlemons. She entered seven contests, bringinghome four first prizes.

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practice in Marin County. It includesinformation and fact sheets on bingeeating, anorexia nervosa, andbulimia. ■ The vision of the NutritionWellness program and the collabora-tive is a community that draws peopletogether to create an environment that strengthens the present andshapes a positive and healthy futureby promoting lifelong healthful eatingand active living. ■

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L to R: Ellen Szakal, Rebecca Smith, and Linda Armstrong (H&HS)hold the Nutrition Wellness Program Eating Disorder Guide. Theguide’s cover is a local student’s winning entry from the EatingDisorder Task Force’s contest.

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Beating EatingDisorders By Pam Doerr—H&HS

Nationwide, 14-year-old girls are atabout a 28% risk of having eating dis-orders, and the risk in Marin at oneschool surveyed is almost double that,at about 53%. ■ Linda Armstrong(H&HS) is the Program Coordinator forthe Community Health and PreventionServices, Nutrition Wellness Program.Along with Rebecca Smith (H&HS), shespearheads the Eating Disorders Task

Force. They also have been workingon school wellness policies with the 19 school districts in Marin County.Linda’s Nutrition Wellness programfacilitates and coordinates the Marin

Physical Activity Nutrition WellnessCollaborative, comprising over 50organizations, which helps provideresources and guidance. The collabo-rative has developed a SchoolNutrition Wellness Policy Tool Kitwhich can be found at: http://www.marinschools.org/Wellness/table_of_contents.htm. The majority of schooldistricts has passed their individualschool wellness policies and will beginto implement these policies starting in the fall. ■ An Eating DisorderResource Manual is posted on thecounty website. It currently is beingupdated and revised and translatedinto Spanish. You can view it athttp://www.healthymarin.org/eating_disorder/guide.htm. This guide wascreated to provide resources to par-ents and professionals, as diagnosedeating disorders are a specialty that may not be well known by mostpractitioners. The guide referencespsychotherapists, MFTs, LCSWs, psy-chologists, and Registered Dietitianswho are familiar with this area of

By Sarah Gibson—Fire

This January the Marin County FireDepartment (MCFD) folks had LOSINGon their minds! Fifty-three persons will-ingly stepped onto a body compositionscale and took the FIT Challenge! Thegoal? To lose the most body fat over a 12-week period. ■ Four teams participated—one for each of the threeshifts, and the fourth a combination ofFire Administration, Human ResourcesDepartment members, and even someyouth family members! ■ At check-in,the participants had their body compo-sition, metabolic age, and total choles-terol measured. The biggest braggingrights usually came from metabolicage—a comparison of metabolism tocalendar age. A faster metabolismmeant a lower age–exercise can lowerone’s metabolic age. Surprisingly,many of the MCFD fire personnel weremotivated more by their metabolic agethan by their cholesterol levels! ■ Atthe firehouses, shifts motivated eachother to participate in daily workouts,

and to cook healthy and hearty fire-house meals. Sabotage was a commonoccurrence as well; the opposing shiftsleft goodies lying around as “gifts” foreach other. ■ The results? The MCFDshed a total of 137 pounds and anaverage of 3% of body fat. The winningshift lost 27 lbs and an amazing average loss of 6% body fat! Two members—each of whom lost over 20pounds—won “the Biggest Loser“awards. ■ Each person paid $25 toparticipate. Half of the funds went tothe holiday gift program for Childrenand Family Services (formerly CPS), and the other half was donated to the Memorial Air Tankers Pilots’Association Golf Tournament in honorof the late Marin County Fire FighterDick Bissig. ■ MCFD now wants tochallenge YOU! If your department isinterested in organizing a similar chal-lenge just for you, please contact MCFDPeer Fitness Trainer Sarah Gibson at415-488-7036 for more information. ■

Two firefighters participate in the FitnessChallenge by weighing in and recording fitness data.

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An Eating Disorder Resource Manual is posted on the county

website. It currently is being updatedand revised and translated

into Spanish.

Two members—

each of whom lost

over 20 pounds—

won “the Biggest

Loser“ awards.

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Team of theQuarterBy Jennifer Walter—Treas/Tax

The Agriculture Support Team has beenselected as the Team of the Quarter.The members of this innovative teamare Brian Crawford, Curtis Havel,Johnna Patri, Debbie Poiani, ChristyStanley, Christine Gimmler, LarryGrace, Phil Smith, Armando Alegria,Janet Mullin, Scott Callow, DavidSmail, and Rebecca Johnson fromCommunity Development; Eric Stegerand Berenice Davidson from PublicWorks; Anita Sauber from theAgricultural Commission’s Office; andLisa Bush and Steve Quirt from theFarm Advisor’s Office. ■ The agricul-tural industry brings many importanteconomic and environmental benefits toMarin County, but due to the numerouscomplex issues facing the industry, thesurvival of this valuable county assetwas in serious jeopardy. ■ TheAgricultural Support Team was createdto facilitate communications with

Back Row, L to R: Philip Smith, Curtis Havel, Brian Crawford, Larry Grace Front Row, L to R: ScottCallow, Deborah Poiani, Steve Quirt, Lisa Bush, Johanna Patri, Anita Sauber, David Smail. NotPictured: Christy Stanley, Christine Gimmler, Armando Alegria, Janet Mullin, Rebecca Johnson,Eric Steger, and Berenice Davidson

“…county staff

members are now

seen as partners

in supporting

the agriculture

industry.”

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various county departments responsible for agricultural regulations. A majorissue for agricultural producers was the difficulty of obtaining permits fortheir operations because the permitprocesses did not consider the uniqueneeds of agriculture. The team focusedon expediting the permit process foragriculture operations, developingincentives to continue agriculture use onproperties where rural development isplanned, and monitoring county poli-cies and practices related to agriculture.

Talent ShowedBy Janice Hughes—DA’s Office

On May 25, an Employee Art Showand Mixer was put on by the Board ofSupervisors at the Civic Center, whereour very own artists were able to showoff what they love to do outside of work.Many have had these creative outlets foryears, taking regular classes, findingpassion in what they do, and spendinghours doing their particular media with-out noticing the time go by. If you havesome work to show off or to sell, be sureto submit your work next year! ■

Janice Hughes with her photographs

Employees and visitors mingle at the Employee Art Show and Mixer

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The successful efforts of this highly specialized team have helped this once-threatened industry to grow and thrive.■ Says Supervisor Steve Kinsey,“Marin’s agricultural industry is enjoy-ing a period of growth and excitement.The proactive responsiveness that isprovided by the Agriculture Team members is a vital part of this newenergy. Instead of being perceived asproblematic bureaucrats, county staffmembers are now seen as partners insupporting the agriculture industry.” ■

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Funding for this program is pro-vided by Comcast, in conjunctionwith the Marin TelecommunicationsAgency. ■ The website wasdeveloped by Carla and her ISTstaff of Mikhail Posylkin, ChrisCamilleri, Gareth Nicholas, andIrina Popova. The G-Channel canbe accessed through the MINEand the county’s public website. For further information or to postinformation on the channel, contact Carla Halyard by phone at 499-7865 or by e-mail at chal-yard@co.marin.ca.us. All depart-ments are encouraged to submitmedia of any type pertaining togovernment activities or issues. ■

G-Channel cont’dFrom front cover

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E M P L O Y E E S O F T H E M O N T HE M P L O Y E E S O F T H E M O N T H

When it comes to keeping our creeks safe and clean, Engineering Technician III Bené Da Silva (DPW) is a man of action. During last winter’storrential rains, Bené was out there withthe neighbors, working long hours toprevent damage to residential property.He supervised the placement of sand-bags and the stabilization of an erodedcreek bank using an innovative andenvironmentally sensitive solution.Bené‘s influence extends to future gener-ations through his leadership in localwatershed education programs and histutelage of the Marin ConservationCorps crews. He takes the time toensure that these young people under-stand their role in improving waterquality and providing flood protection.With his quick response to creeks in distress from bank erosion, floods, anddegrading habitat, Bené preserves envi-ronmental quality. DPW is fortunate tohave had him on its staff since October2004. He exemplifies what it means tobe a dedicated county employee and toserve the public well. ■

By Margaret Bohan—DPW

Deputy Jeff Carroll has worked for the Sheriff’s Office for over 20 years.For the last three years, he has beeninvolved with the implementation of theMarin County Records ManagementSystem. ■ Jeff’s skills and knowledgein computer technology were invaluablein selecting the Report Writing, Custody Management, and RecordsManagement System currently beingused by seven Marin County policeagencies. He oversees that project and manages several other technicalsystems, including patrol car computercommunications for the Sheriff’s Officeand six other local law enforcementagencies. ■ Jeff’s expertise is calledupon continually by his peers, hissupervisors, and Sheriff’s Office admin-istrators. When Jeff speaks about com-puters, everyone listens. He handles ahuge workload with a positive attitudethat inspires others around him to excel.Jeff always makes himself available toanyone who needs assistance, givingvoice and meaning to the county’s mis-sion of providing excellent service. ■

By Patricia Seyler-Campbell—Sheriff

Who’s got the answers about navigating the maze of complicatedrules and legal procedures for filingcourt documents? Jim Halligan, LegalSecretary II, with 25 years of experi-ence in the District Attorney’s Office(DA), is your person. ■ As a legalsecretary, Jim directed the DA SuperiorCourt desk for over 20 years. Highlyregarded by the attorneys for his professionalism and attention to detail,his reputation among departments,agencies, co-workers, and the publicalso is highly admired. ■ Jim pre-pares, screens, evaluates, schedules,tracks, certifies, and prioritizes amyriad of paperwork from varioussources. He also prepares for parolehearings and serves as a highly reli-able key team communicator/informa-tion source, just to tap a few of hismany coordinative roles. ■ WithJim’s tireless dedication, both to theoffice and the community, combinedwith his strong work ethic, the Countyof Marin is very lucky to have him as a DA’s Office major team player. ■

By Janice Hughes—DA

Accomplish Great Things!Focus on the Wildly Important: Human beings are wired to do only one thing at a time with excellence.

Create a Compelling Scoreboard: People play differently when they’re keeping score.

Translate Lofty Goals Into Specific Actions: To achieve goals you’ve never achieved before, you need to start doing things you’ve never done before.

Hold Each Other Accountable—All of the Time: Knowing others are counting on you raises your level of commitment.

–Franklin Covey, The 4 Disciplines of Execution

Discipline is thebridge between goalsand accomplishment.

–Jim Rohn

10

Vincent Nuzzo(Elections): I dove to catch a football ona pebbled drivewayin Newark, NewJersey, when I wasabout 8 years old. I fell and my templesplit open. I remember the guy who rushed me to the hospital in a four-door1946 Hudson.

Robert La Prevotte(DPW): I was 7 yearsold on our backyardswing in Fresno. My brother, sevenyears older and onthe cross-bar aboveme, forced the swinghigher than I wantedto go. I slid right off and broke my leg. Heis now a San Francisco police lieutenant.

Renee Anderson(Courts): My 6-year-old brother acciden-tally dropped his endof an old ten-footwooden plank whilewe were trying tobuild a fort in St.Ives, England. My end slipped, sending a long rusty nail into my thigh. No stitches or infection, but I had to get atetanus shot.

Gail Rouchdy(H&HS): I caused aninjury. When I was in first grade, mydearest friend hadpolio and worebraces on his legs. In a pickup softballgame, I was my friend’s designatedrunner. Watching from the sidelines, theclass bully repeatedly made fun of him for having a girl run for him. I told him tostop. When he didn’t, we got into a scuffleand I accidentally broke his arm.

Roving ReporterBy Norma Johnson—Courts

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September 1–7 is Childhood InjuryPrevention Week. What is your

interesting childhood injury story?

HaikuBy Bob Beaumont—DPW

August memoriesDancing in a sprinkler’s mist.First epiphany.

Fire Safety MeasuresBy Scott Alber—Fire

A few simple measures can be taken that will significantly increase your home’schances of surviving a wildfire. Use the following checklist to reduce fire hazards in your home’s “defensible space zone” (100 feet around your house or to yourproperty line):

■ Cut all seasonal grass to less than three inches.■ Remove dead vegetation from roof and gutters (repeat as needed during the

entire fire season).■ Remove dead vegetation on the ground, such as leaves, branches, and other

combustibles.■ Post four-inch address numbers that are clearly visible from the main roadway.■ Store firewood and other combustible items a minimum of 30 feet from structures.■ Remove dead vegetation from trees and shrubs.■ Remove tree limbs within 10 feet of the ground.■ Remove tree branches within 10 feet of chimneys.■ Clear flammable vegetation a minimum of 15 feet from propane tanks.■ Clear vegetation a minimum of five feet on each side of the driveway and

overhead branches a minimum of 15 feet vertically.

Because every second counts, you and your family need to know what to do beforea fire strikes. Although time is your enemy, early warning and home fire drills areyour allies. So, if your smoke alarm activates, “Get Out! Stay Out!” If you have anyquestions about fire prevention measures, please don’t hesitate to call the MarinCounty Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau at (415) 499-6566, or your localfire department. Be prepared! Be safe! ■

Getting Rights in SpanishBy Norma Johnson—Courts

In a continued effort to accommodate our multi-cultural community, Marin County Courts has implemented the use of a Spanish audio system as a supplement to video arraignments. Videoarraignments formerly consisted of an English-speaking DVD displayed on a television screen. A Spanish-language interpreter would then read the “rights of defendants” to Spanish speakers, a list of 13 basic rights, but which did not includeeverything in the video. Now the Spanish translationis played through a computer program as the DVD

runs; Spanish-speakers wear headsets as they watch the screen. The delay from separating English- from Spanish-speakers is eliminated, and a broaderunderstanding of the court process results. This service benefits about 20% of thedefendants arraigned for misdemeanors and infractions. ■

Spanish-speaking defendant during video arraignment

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Court SecurityMarin Superior Court heightened security at the courthouse on July 31 by permanently closing alloutside court floor entrances, except the one at the center arch where the buses stop. In addition,they closed all entrances inside the Civic Center, except the center arch stairway near the ATM,and elevators 5 and 6. Everyone now must enter the court floor through metal detectors and issubject to search.

Because every

second counts, you

and your family

need to know what

to do before a

fire strikes.

11

experience, nine new people in full-time positions, and 78 existing employ-ees. In April, training began for threeseasonal dispatch clerks. On June 5,five new full-time employees begantheir training academy. By June 11, 37seasonal employees had to be trainedand ready to report to their assign-ments. Between June 12 and June 30,the remaining 20 seasonal employeescompleted their training. Due to anunusually long, wet winter, we arefaced with what might be one of theworst fire seasons ever. The diligenttraining is needed to make sure thateveryone is ready. ■ When things gettough, firefighters remember the lookthat changed from petrified to hopefulof the person they pulled from a vehicle

surrounded by flood water. Theyremember that no matter what else ishappening, they have a job to do, andthat today’s intensive training will helpmake sure that everyone comes home at the end of the day. And when thesmoke clears, they never forget the menand women who came before themwho built this capable and effectivedepartment with their sweat and sinew.■ In the year ahead, the Marin CountyFire Department personnel will respondto over 3,900 calls, spend almost 40,000hours training, perform more than6,000 inspections, provide public education events, protect 251 squaremiles of unincorporated area in theCounty of Marin, and mitigate well over100 acres of hazardous fuel. In addi-tion, they could be assigned to morethan 50 incidents throughout the State

of California for as longas 14 days at a time. ■

But wait, there’s more. In addition to all this, they will maintain theirgrounds and facilities,host fund-raisers,manage a full ware-house, attend meetings,process thousands ofreports, manage the firecrew, and meet all thedeadlines required ofcounty departments. ■

Smoke cont’dFrom front cover

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Training with the CHP H-30 helicopter L to R: Dave Moore(facing away), Will Corbett John Payne, Nate Gray, MikeColeman, Scott Pedersen, Lorne Ahlers, Ed Buttles

Marin County Fire Department Strike Team 9150-C takes a moment after working together forseveral days on a fire in the Butte County area. Top Row, L to R: Dave Carr, Todd Overshiner,Travis Fox, Mike Coleman, Ed Buttles, Eric Hjul, Ken Finn, Manny Avila, Larry Mersereau BottomRow, L to R: Mike Finnegan, John Selfridge, Scott Pedersen, Jason Soderman, Breanna Buchannan

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Woodacre B shift “lounge” on the dozer transport. L to R: NathanGray, Alisha Branning, Chad Fedrick, Ed Buttles, Lorne Ahlers,Jason Weber, Ryan Bevilacqua

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The Fire Department promoted four fire personnel from withinthe ranks at a recent badge pinning ceremony. Chief KenMassucco (far left) stands with the newly promoted employees,from L to R: Senior Captain Randy Engler, Battalion Chief BillRoberts, Captain Jeremy Pierce, Senior Captain Joe Morena

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All set and waiting to help their community, the Marin City Ashift L to R: Captain Jim Boggeri with MCFD (and USAR) RescueK-9, Recon, a recent new full-time firefighter Matt Chan, andEngineer Bruce Schomaker.

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Christie Woolard Hazardous Materials Spec. I, DPWAllen Tolman Mental Health RN, H&HSNola Eisenberg Sr. Clerk/Typist, H&HSJohn McConneloug Open Space Park Ranger, P&OSIris Page-Mbowe Accounting Asst., ISTDiana Antonio Detention RN, H&HSKris Goodman-Adona Accounting Asst., Treas/TaxKathleen Booth Sr. Clerk Typist, DPWSusan Lesher Detention RN, H&HSAlexander McIntyre Chief Asst. County Administrator, CAOMichelle Godinez Accounting Asst., Treas/TaxJulio Cifuentes Custodian, DPWChristopher Bondanza Deputy Sheriff, SheriffKelly Keller Mental Health Nurse Pract., H&HSElizabeth Pope Public Health Nurse, H&HSKathryn Nishimura Child Welfare Wkr. II, H&HSJeffrey Grey Open Space Park Ranger, P&OSRandall MacKenzie Telephone Maintenance Tech., ISTRebecca Leacock Lic. Mental Health Pract., H&HSVictoria Pollick Secretary, H&HSJosette Molloy Employment Devel. Counselor, H&HSMaria Del Arnao Secretary, P&OSRichard Bolmen Safety Officer, CAOAhmed Murad Accounting Asst., LibraryLisa Weddington Sr. Clerk/Typist, HRAnthony Soule Firefighter I, FireAnju Goel Deputy Public Health Officer, H&HSBarbara Fahy Eligibility Wkr. I, H&HSWilliam Yeager ERP Sr. Systems Analyst, Aud-Cont.Leon McNeil Deputy Dir. Building Inspection & Safety, CDAKara Long Appraiser I, AssessorShane Blair Appraiser I, AssessorJacqueline Jew Clinic RN, H&HSCraig Solin Park Ranger, P&OSErendira Olivas Support Svc. Wkr. I - Biling., H&HSMarcia McEwen Sr. Environmental Health Spec., CDAVincent Tajima Accounting Asst., Treas/TaxElaine Ginnold Registrar of Voters, Co. ClerkChristopher Warden Systems Support Analyst II, ISTDonald Carpenter Deputy Sheriff Trainee, SheriffDustin Finley Deputy Sheriff Trainee, SheriffMartin Scott Sheriff’s Service Asst., SheriffGeorge Bernheim Deputy Sheriff Trainee, SheriffSuzanne Bourguignon Sr. Transportation Planner, DPWTara Isbell Legal Process Asst. I, DA

&WELCOMEFAREWELL !

Welcome to New Employees! Listed in order of hire date from March 11 to June 3, 2006

Sarah Brubaker Deputy District Attorney I, DADavid Cole Group Counselor I, ProbationTracy Wong Dental Hygienist, H&HSLorena Sotelo Eligibility Wkr. I -- Biling., H&HSByron Karow Deputy Auditor-Controller, Aud-Cont.Yahna Grover Comm. Dispatcher I, SheriffTina Azmoudeh Legal Process Asst. II, DALynne Litzenberger Legal Process Asst. I, DARegina Schneider Intermediate Clerk/Typist, RetirementPatricia McBride Legal Process Asst. I, DARuth Pratt Sr. Planner, DPWCarol Lucchese Social Svc. Wkr. I, H&HSTerri Fachko Social Svc. Wkr. I, H&HSWilliam Reiter Social Svc. Wkr. I, H&HS

Farewell to Retirees!Edward Mestre Fire Operations Battalion Chief, Fire Frank Neer Sr. Fire Captain, Fire Nancy Nelson Sr. Clerk/Typist, HRMadelyn De Justo Asst., Registrar of Voters, Co. ClerkHenry Waschow Asst. Emergency Svcs. Coordinator, SheriffMary Ann Giusti Sr. Accounting Asst., Treas/Tax.Richard Howell Deputy Probation Officer III, ProbationRoberta Boyer Sr. Accounting Assist., H&HSDaniel Gallagher Sheriff’s Sergeant, SheriffJane Christensen Sr. Clerk/Typist, CoronerMark Euless Fire Captain, FireEdward Castleman Dep. Public Guardian/Conservatorship/Investigator, H&HSElaine Weston Supervising Public Health Nurse, H&HSCarole Turner Personnel Tech., HRGregory Fearon Resource Devel. Administrator, H&HSCarol Segler Mental Health RN, H&HSKenneth Carter Sr. Fire Captain, FireDiane Polish Child Welfare Worker II, H&HSLarry Bolstad Deputy Sheriff, SheriffCarol Tonnemacher Detention RN, H&HSPatricia Bonelli Deputy Probation Officer IV, ProbationPatricia Williams Deputy District Attorney IV, DAZarina Rahemtulla Sr. Clerk/Typist, H&HSJoan Bartow Court Processing Spec. III, CourtsNancy Greenfield Tax Accountant, Aud-Cont. Mary Grove Court Commissioner, Courts Sharon Robards Dep. Public Guardian/Conservatorship/Investigator, H&HS Myla Lyons Legal Process Specialist, Sheriff Hettie Partridge Legal Process Supervisor, Child Support Svs.

And the Results Are…By Matt Bronson—CAO

An incredible 95% of respondents said their county work isdefinitely meaningful in serving the community. The first-everCountywide Employee Survey was conducted this spring toask employees how well the strategic plan goals are beingachieved. The survey followed a series of focus groups con-ducted in 1999, which led to suggestions for areas to includein the strategic plan, such as leadership and management,communication, and training. ■ Out of about 2,400 employ-ees, 1,442 completed the survey, an unheard of response rateof 60%! ■ Employees placed high importance in a numberof areas, including valuing diversity, supporting work-life balance, and caring about employees as individuals. ■ Inaddition to the results listed in the margin, the survey alsoindicated several areas for improvement, including maintain-

ing a culture of accountability and listening to employee ideasand feedback. These results will be reviewed closely to con-tinue making improvements in the organization. ■ On July18, ISC members Ed Hulme (P&OS), Alysanne Taylor (Library),Carla Halyard, (IST), and Vikki Loufakis (HR) presented theresults of the survey to the Board of Supervisors, along withupcoming organizational development initiatives, such as thenew HR Management Academy and workforce planningefforts. Board members expressed satisfaction with the overallresults and what the results indicated about county employees.“I’m really proud of the county workforce,” said SupervisorCharles McGlashan. “It’s a privilege to be part of such a well-run organization with employees who care about their workand the community.” ■

Revealing Results■ 95% of respondents

feel county governmentwork is meaningful or

very meaningful.

■ 83% rated overallemployee experienceas good or excellent.

■ 76% had a good orexcellent understanding

of county goals andpriorities (two-thirds of

them indicated thisunderstanding has

increased in the pastfive years).