That Side Loader Sure is a Looker!!

The Environmental Services Department recently received national recognition in Waste Age magazine during their annual design contest. In an article entitled “Beautiful Beasts” the Department was given kudos for Best Side Loader for its meeting the criteria for having a great design and/or message incorporated that not only helps the community through the fundamental service the machinery provides, but also simultaneously serves to educate and inform.

Excerpt from Waste Age article:
Best Side Loader
City of El Paso, Texas, Environmental Services
For many people, the notion that blue bins are meant to hold recyclables is old hat. But that familiarity is absent in communities that have never had residential recycling. How do you teach residents to make that association and get them in the habit of placing their recyclables in that strange new container? That was the question faced by El Paso, Texas, before the city debuted its first curbside recycling program last April.

“We had done a pilot, but we had never done a full-fledged recycling program,” says Martin Val Verde, El Paso's solid waste superintendent. “Of course, we decided on the famous blue containers. We were trying to come up with a slogan that would be kind of a catch-all (no pun intended): ‘Drop it in the blue.’”

Several months before the recycling program launched, the phrase “Drop it in the blue” began appearing everywhere, including billboards, TV commercials and pamphlets. But Val Verde says one of the most important places the ads appeared were on the sides of the city's collection vehicles, including its side loaders — manufactured by Peterbilt, Condor, and Autocar with bodies by McNeilus.

Thanks in large part to this information campaign, residents were more than ready to recycle when launch day finally rolled around. “We had started putting out the bins in the middle of January, getting prepped for April,” Val Verde says. “By the time we hit routes, it was unbelievable. … We had guys going home at [8 p.m.] the first couple weeks because there was just so much.”

Discussing long-term goals, Val Verde says his department hopes to expand recycling services outside the city to the entirety of El Paso County. In the meantime, they will continue to drill the color blue into residents' heads with advertising and events. “The blue cupcakes went over really well at the picnic,” he says.

Capital Improvement Program Update: Reprogramming Approved

In an effort to maximize current bond funding available in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), City Council recently authorized the reprogramming of approximately $28.2 million to address new emerging unfunded priorities citywide.

From 1987 to the present, approximately $785 million has been programmed for projects to include various street and drainage and quality of life improvements – of which only $178 million remains in active projects. The reprogramming effort stemmed from a comprehensive evaluation of the CIP in order to identify unexpended funds that could be used towards more immediate capital needs. Funding recommended for reprogramming primarily included residual balances from completed projects within the program.

*Please see table below for a complete listing of new projects

Emerging Critical Needs	Amount
Facilities Condition Rehabilitation	$4,750,000.00
Parks Upgrade	$5,000,000.00
Health Administrative Facilities	$1,457,428.39
Cielo Vista Library	$1,500,000.00
Renovation of former YMCA	$2,000,000.00
Median Landscaping	$3,000,000.00
Overwidth Paving	$1,000,000.00
Carolina, Yarbrough & Zaragoza Overpasses	$2,000,000.00
Neighborhood Revitalization	$500,000.00
Street Light Installation/School Flashers	$1,000,000.00
Street Resurfacing	$6,000,000.00
TOTAL	$28,207,428.39

To view the presentation given at the City Council Meeting on February 5, 2008, please click here

Joyce Circle Improvements Begin

A project providing various drainage improvements on Joyce Circle mobilized on February 11, 2008 as part of the Storm 2006 Capital Project addressing the critical infrastructure priorities that have been identified citywide.

In order to expedite the necessary construction under this initiative, sections of southern Joyce Circle will be closed. The project scope will feature the following drainage improvements:

• Installation of new underground storm sewer system
• New sanitary sewer and water line
• Resurfacing of existing alley to provide positive drainage

• Expected construction period of  7 months
• Access will be provided to area residents
• Total approximate construction cost of  $494,702.94

Arbor Day Celebration

The State of Texas will have their Arbor Day Celebration on April 25, at Veterans Park in Northeast El Paso (5301 Salem). The event will have school children from nearby Fannin Elementary performing as well as assisting with planting the trees in the neighborhood. The Arbor Day Celebration also includes a State proclamation from Governor Rick Perry and a City proclamation that will be presented by Mayor John Cook on April 8. The city has developed many innovative ways by working with various community groups to provide a greater tree canopy in the city – as recognized by these State and City proclamations.

“Trees in the community cleanse air and serve as an air filter; so, the more trees we have, the more they help  in taking many pollutants out of the air,” says Barry Russell, assistant director of the City Parks and Recreation Department.

El Paso Zoo Launches “Drop it in the Blue, Sunny!”

LEFT: (Sunny the sea lion giving a high-five to Bill, one of his trainers)

On February 6th, the El Paso Zoo officially launched the new Sea Lion Recycling Program with our Partners in Education: The El Paso Zoo, Keep El Paso Beautiful, & the City of El Paso Environmental Services Department. At the El Paso Zoo’s “World of the Sea Lion” Amphitheatre, Sunny the sea lion demonstrated a new part of his daily presentation by tossing a recyclable plastic bottle in the City of El Paso’s Blue recycle bin to help educate El Paso Zoo visitors about the need to recycle to save our planet and the ocean waters that sea lions swim in.

The Launch of the New Sea Lion Recycling Program could not take place without our Partners in Education: The City of El Paso Environmental Services and Keep El Paso Beautiful. We are all involved in educating El Pasoans about the importance of recycling, and since we have over 100,000 children visiting the Zoo every year – what better a location than the El Paso Zoo to teach kids and their parents about dropping plastic bottles and recyclables into the City of El Paso’s blue recycling bins?

Educating the future generations is at the forefront of the El Paso Zoo’s priorities. We are highly involved with the conservation of rapidly disappearing animal species, many of which are now being affected by environmental and ecological changes globally.

The El Paso Zoo is becoming THE place to learn about all aspects of conservation with the soon-to-open El Paso Water Utilities Discovery Education Center that will focus on water conservation and our desert, and the El Paso Electric Renewable Energy Demonstration Project Windows to the Wild Outpost which will feature solar energy and a wind turbine.

With events like Party for the Planet: An Earth Day Celebration on April 19th, we hope that people will see the El Paso Zoo as the best place to learn about their planet’s different ecological systems, how we are all connected and our responsibilities to our planet.

And now, one of the El Paso Zoo’s most popular animals – Sunny, the sea lion – will be spreading the message about the importance of recycling. Everyday, bottles and trash get tossed in the Rio Grande and some of that ultimately ends up in the ocean, polluting it and affecting wildlife – including Sunny’s sea lion friends. So, through this new program, Sunny is teaching kids that what we do here in El Paso can have an effect on our ocean even though it’s hundreds of miles away.

(Zoo Keeper Billie, Sunny dropping a plastic bottle into the City’s Blue Recycle Bin)

Recycling is so Easy - Even a Sea Lion can do it. Just Drop it in the Blue, Sunny!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ADDITIONAL PHOTOS OF THE EVENT

Groundhog… Er, Prairie Dog Day at the El Paso Zoo

Who says you need a groundhog to pop out on Groundhog Day? The El Paso Zoo says our Prairie Dogs are the next best thing. Instead of Punxatany Phil on February 2, 2008, the El Paso Zoo called on Peekie Boo, the Prairie Dog to predict an early spring or a longer winter. If Peekie Boo saw his shadow – it’s six more weeks of winter, but if it was cloudy and Peekie Boo did not see his shadow, winter is soon to end.

Peekie Boo the Prairie Dog’s official forecast as read 2/2/08 at the El Paso Zoo Prairie Dog Mine:

Here Ye! Here Ye! Here Ye!
Welcome fine friends and esteemed guests.
We are gathered here At Prairie Dog Mine on this most austere Groundhog, er.. ah Prairie Dog day February 2nd, 2008 – Because who says you have to have a Ground Hog to forecast the weather? We in the Southwest Desert feel that Prairie Dogs are just as special as those pesky East coast Groundhogs. Peekie Boo, the Southwestern Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators, will rise to the call of Bob Gable, we hope, ye official prairie dog keeper of Ye ole El Paso Zoo. Bob? If we can Summon Peekie Boo and find out his prediction.

RIGHT:  (Bob checks Prairie Dog)

After casting a weathered eye toward the thousands… well, a couple of his faithful followers here today, Peekie Boo has consulted with Bob Gable and directed him to the appropriate scroll, Bob can you read the proclamation:

YE OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
"As I look around me,
a bright Southwestern sky I see,
and a shadow beside me.
Six more weeks of El Paso-Style winter it will be!"

Thank you ladies and gentleman and fellow prairie dogs, and we bid you good day.

RIGHT:   El Paso Zoo Prairie Dog Assistants: Bob Gable, Liz Kern, Janelle Murphy, Veronica Alaniz, Tony Zydonyk

Coach Operator Recognized for Heroism

During a recent Mass Transit Board Meeting, Sun Metro recognized one if its’ professional Coach Operators, Henry Jones, for his heroic efforts. Sun Metro received a call on December 28, 2007 from Ms. Silva, commending Mr. Jones for his bravery upon encountering an accident, stating he didn’t see the danger he put himself in by climbing on an overturned SUV and pulling the accident victim out of her vehicle.

Mr. Jones witnessed the driver hit a patch of ice and lose control of the vehicle, causing the SUV to slide on its side, coming to a stop only after hitting a telephone pole. Jones said he chose to stop and help because, “the car had the potential to start on fire. It was the right thing to do, not only as a driver, but as a human being.”

Ms. Silva added that Mr. Jones remained extremely calm and went outside the call of duty to do everything he could to help the accident victim while emergency response units arrived on the scene.

Sun Metro Director Tim Omick praised the driver, saying, “I would like to congratulate Mr. Jones for going past his call of duty to ensure the safety of a member of our community, for providing exceptional customer service and I commend him for projecting a positive image in our community.”

El Pasoan Elected to Lead Texas Planners

First Hispanic elected by Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association
Verónica Rosales-Soto, AICP, has been elected to lead the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA). She is the first Hispanic elected to lead Texas planners. Rosales-Soto is also the first El Pasoan and first Latina elected to this position. Rosales-Soto will serve as President-Elect for two years before becoming President for a two-year term. She is a native El Pasoan.

The American Planning Association is a nonprofit public interest and research organization representing 39,000 practicing planners, officials and citizens involved with urban and rural planning issues. Over 900 planners belong to the APA in Texas.

“I am excited about the opportunities ahead for this great organization and humbled that my colleagues placed their trust in me,” Rosales-Soto said. The new officers were announced in October 2007 at the annual chapter conference and took office at the first APA Texas Board Meeting on January 19, 2008.

APA’s objective is to encourage planning that will meet the needs of people and society more effectively. APA sponsors professional development conferences and training workshops that foster planning for its members and promotes national planning month which is in October. Sixty-five percent of APA's members work for state and local government agencies.

Rosales-Soto used the APA slogan “making our communities better” in her campaign. “I strongly believe in this core value,” Rosales said. “It is a large part of the reason I returned to my hometown after college and graduate school.”

Rosales-Soto has been actively involved with APA at the local, state and national level since her return to El Paso after receiving degrees from Harvard and Princeton. Her planning career in Texas started in the El Paso Planning Department in 1997. From 2005 to early 2007, she was Director of Community Development for the City of Sunland Park in New Mexico and she is currently the Redevelopment Manager for the City of El Paso Economic Development Department. Rosales-Soto is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and teaches planning certification courses in Texas and at the APA national conference. She is a Bowie High School graduate.

Environmental Services Employee Accepted to Leadership Institute

William John Wolff, M.P.H, M.P.A. has been accepted to the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute (EPHLI). The Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute (EPHLI) is a 1-year program of seminars and workshops, special projects and individual study. Each year, up to 30 practicing environmental public health professionals are admitted to the program. The Institute was developed to strengthen the Country’s environmental public health system by enhancing the leadership capabilities of state and local environmental public health specialists.

Emphasis is placed on enhancing strategic visioning and direction-setting skills through critical thinking and analysis (systems thinking), political effectiveness, and organizational and team development; using the core functions of public health as a foundation for achieving environmental public health goals; creating proactive environmental public health leaders who can mobilize resources in response to the changing public health environment (core competencies); enhancing the performance outcomes of the essential services of environmental public health; and promoting and improving the delivery of environmental public health services to communities.

EPHLI graduates use what they have learned to increase the ability of their environmental public health programs to provide essential environmental public health services. These state and local programs will be better able to respond to emerging environmental public health threats and coordinate the delivery of effective services to areas affected by environmental disasters. Fellows attend four in-person sessions, complete a final project and complete systems thinking homework. Wolff will be attending the first session February 25 – 29, 2008 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Global Communications Center in Atlanta, GA.

Wolff served as the Environmental Quality Coordinator for the Health District for two and a half years and currently works for the City of El Paso Environmental Services Department. Wolff holds a Bachelors degree in Biology/Chemistry from Our Lady of the Lake University. He also holds a Master of Public Health in Environmental Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, LA and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Parks & Recreation Welcomes New Addition

Shamori Whitt will be joining the Parks and Recreation team on March 1st as project coordinator for Open Space Plan implementation.

The Parks and Recreation Department will be assuming lead agency responsibility for the plan's oversight in the near future.

Welcome, Shamori.

Going Paperless Reaps Great Result

The Adult Softball area in the Sports section of the Parks & Recreation Department has gone 85 % paperless. This has allowed for a savings of over 90 reams of paper and countless hours of staff time. A web site for the softball program is www.elpasosoftball.com. This website has received almost 3 million site visits since the inception in February of 2004.

TAKE ADVANTAGE

El Paso Zoo Event Calendar – MARCH 2008

March 15 (Saturday) Poison Jungle Safari Right here at the Zoo, the West Texas Poison Control Center shows you what to do if your child gets bit, stung or swallows toxic household items. (Hint: Call the Poison Help hotline: 1-800-222-1222)

The El Paso Zoo shows you up-close which animals are venomous.

March 29 (Saturday) 11th Annual Together for Children HALF PRICE It’s "all about the kids" during this daylong, half-price admission festival that invites the youngest members of our City to celebrate themselves!! All kids are welcome to be part of the children’s parade – even bring the tiny ones in strollers to participate!

HEALTH WELLNESS

Adult and Child Immunizations Are Available At Neighborhood Centers

The City of El Paso Department of Public Health Immunization Program provides immunizations to both children and adults who are uninsured or underinsured. There are six clinics open at a location near you. All clinics are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm and Saturday clinics are available. Walk-ins are welcome or call 771-5822 for appointments.

Ysleta Clinic 110 Candelaria Road also open 1st Saturday of every month	Northeast Clinic 5587 Transmountain Road also Open 2nd Saturday of every month	Tigua 7862 San Jose Road also open 3rd Saturday of every month
Henderson Clinic 721 S. Mesa St. of every month	Westside Clinic 5195 Mace St. Monday – Friday only	Canutillo Clinic 300 Farm Road Mondays only

• Fees: $10.00 for one immunization; $20.00 for two or more
• Cash, local checks only

• We also accept Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP

2008 Senior Games on the Horizon

The Parks & Recreation Department has been the proud organizer of the El Paso Senior Games for the past 25 years. The 2008 Senior Games will be April 12 – 27. The Senior Games are a variety of athletic events that adults 50 years of age and older compete in against their peers. They are open to residents of any state. Competitors are divided into groups according to five year age increments: 50-54; 55-59; 60-64, etc. The events are held in various locations throughout the city, using Parks & Recreation facilities whenever possible. They include cycling, race walk, bowling, billiards, washers, horseshoes, swimming, track & field, table tennis, dance, tennis and 5 & 10 K run. The top three finishers in each age group receive medals. The top five finishers in each age group for each event qualify to advance to the Texas State Senior Games, which is a qualifying site for the National Senior Games. In the middle of February, there will be a major announcement about the games – so stay tuned!

Carolina Recreation Center Class Offerings

The Center, located at 563 N. Carolina, is offering kickboxing on Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Class fee is $20 monthly. Carolina Recreation Center is also offering the following classes:

Ballet	Sat. 11 AM – 1 PM, Belly Dance Sat. 11 AM – 1 PM,
Piano	Mon. & Wed. 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM,
Folklorico	Sat. 9 AM – 11 AM,
Yoga	Mon. & Wed. 6:30 PM – 8 PM

The City of El Paso prides itself in being an entity that works closely with our community partner, Ft. Bliss. Ft. Bliss has for decades been a vital fixture in our community. Not only do we appreciate this military installation at face value; we appreciate each and every member of the military who has served and still serves here and around the world. Because of this passionate sentiment, the Mayor and City Council, along with various community stakeholders, have helped to put together the first ever Welcome Home Heroes Parade. This event was organized to show support and to say ‘thank you and welcome home’ to the courageous members of the 4-1 Cavalry, members of the 3-43 ADA and all the Fort Bliss men and women who have unselfishly served their country.

The parade will take place Wednesday, February 27, 2008 beginning at 12:00 pm. It will begin at Newman and Montana, and will follow various streets throughout our downtown. You can view the parade route in its entirety by clicking the following link: Parade Route Map

I encourage City employees to take the time out from their day and spend their lunch helping to honor and salute these brave men and women. I’ve also asked city department heads to give special consideration to City employees who may have family members from Ft. Bliss participating in the parade. If you are unable to make it out to the parade, KVIA Channel 7 will be broadcasting live at the parade, by stream on their website www.kvia.com, or you can listen to a live simulcast on KROD 600 AM.

On another note, we recently completed the 2008 Citizen Survey -- a survey conducted to identify citizen attitudes and perceptions about City services and general quality of life issues. We performed this survey in 2004, 2006 and subsequently in 2008 in order to track and follow-up on progress. I want to applaud employees for the progress that has been made in the citizen's eye due to your hard work and commitment to serving our community. Let us continue to work hard and improve our rankings! To view the full version of the 2008 Citizen Survey, visit the City's homepage at www.elpasotexas.gov and click on the Customer Service Survey link under the News and Notices Section.

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