Zoo Education Office Collecting Books for Africa

Looking to clean out your garage? Need some motivation? How about joining the Zoo in helping students in Africa learn more about conservation.

Zoo Education Curator Rick LoBello has been involved with the North Luangwa Wildlife Conservation and Community Development Project in Zambia for a number of years. Working in cooperation with the Owens Foundation, last year the Zoo starting sending books to Zambia for school children living near North Luangwa National Park. The Owens Foundation was organized to support the Africa conservation efforts of Jim and Delia Owens, authors of the Africa conservation classic Cry of the Kalahai.

Books dealing with wildlife, conservation, biology, zoology and science in general may be dropped off at the Zoo. New or used wildlife magazines will also be accepted. The Zoo needs not only books, but also donations for the El Paso Zoological Society Education Projects Shipping Fund. For more information, contact Rick LoBello at 521-1881 or lobellorl@elpasotexas.gov.

Join a Team and Participate in Relay for Life

The El Paso Employees Association is looking for team members to participate in the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) annual Relay for Life. The event will take place Friday, June 9th – Saturday, June 10th. Last year, the Association, through their participation had a great time and raised over $3,000 to help in the fight to find a cure for cancer. The team, named City Team Spirit, will be returning to Burges High School on Friday, June 9 for a night of celebration and lots of fun. City employees are invited to take part in this important event that assists with funding local ACS efforts and operations.

If you are interested in joining a team, please contact one of the following City employees for information: Lulu Garza at garzalx@elpasotexas.gov, Terry Ramírez at 541-4260, Robert Sandoval or Juan Fernández at 771-5725 or Camille Salcido at salcidocd@elpasotexas.gov.

To join a general City team, please contact Bebe Vasquez at 541-4369.

Downtown Construction Updates: Daily Commute Advisory

Effective Monday, May 15, construction began on Mesa St. from Mills St. to Main St. This project is a part of the Central Business District Phase III (CBD III) City initiative centered on addressing street and drainage improvement in the downtown area.

The scope of work will consist of the removal and replacement of existing asphalt pavement, sidewalks, and driveways and will also include the replacement of existing traffic signals and the removal and replacement of existing street lighting. The improvement project will also upgrade all existing water and sanitary sewer lines.
Traffic will be redirected towards Oregon
** To view a map of this area, click here.

Additionally, the construction which began at the beginning of May on Stanton St. from Franklin St. to Wyoming St. is also underway.

Franklin to Wyoming is a one-way street traveling north
Traffic will be detoured to the right at the Franklin intersection up to Campbell
**To view map of area, click here.

Please be advised to consider the construction sites on your daily commute as each of these projects is expected to last a period of four months. Construction was recently completed on Franklin St. adjacent to City Hall and current construction on Mesa St. from San Antonio to Texas is expected to be completed this week. This will assist in alleviating traffic flow in the area.

Downtown street improvements began on Monday, February 6, 2006 in a City initiative centered on addressing street and drainage issues. The Engineering Department has worked with downtown business owners and the Central Business Association to schedule and begin improvements and reconstruction of streets in the downtown area accordingly.

El Paso Police Department Safe Communities 2006 Community Safety Fair

Entertainment, food and fun! Join the El Paso Police Department and the Safe Communities Program for the 2006 Community Safety Fair at the El Paso County Coliseum on Saturday, May 20, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Admission is FREE. There will be fun for all ages! Demonstrations by K-9, SWAT, Bike and Motorcycle Units will be presented for all to see. Find out more about career opportunities with the El Paso Police Department or sign up to become a department volunteer. See the latest police vehicles, fingerprint and face paint the kids, and catch a special appearance by McGruff before the bike rodeo. Learn about child abuse awareness, water safety, traffic safety and crime prevention. A limited number of FREE BIKES & FREE HELMETS will be given away during the event.
Safety seat inspections will be available from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

This event is co-sponsored by Get Fit El Paso, EP Fitness and the El Paso Sports Commission. Take advantage of the opportunity to see and meet representatives from the El Paso Police Department, Safe Communities, Texas Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information on the 2006 Community Safety Fair, please contact Safe Communities at (915) 564-7352.

Art in the Park Festival to Showcase Community Artists

Art in the Park, the largest outdoor Arts and Crafts festival in El Paso, will be at the Memorial Park reserve area on May 20th & 21st. The event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. Artists from all over the community will be featured, with their wares on display. There is also a constant slate of entertainment scheduled for the public to enjoy.

The event will have door prizes given away every hour and food and beverage vendors will be on hand. Admission to Art in the Park is FREE. For more information on the Art in the Park festival, please contact Eliseo Duran at 533-3311.

Pet Care-A-Van Offers Dog and Cat Spay/Neuter Services

Services are being offered at the following locations during May. We ask the public to take advantage of this free spay/neuter service!!!

Owners must follow these guidelines for dogs and cats getting spayed/neutered:

• No food for 12 hours prior to registration, water is okay

• No animals under 4 months

• No animals over 6 years

• Animals must be in good health. Our veterinarian will decide if your pet is a surgical candidate.

• Current proof of Rabies vaccination is required (if no record, we offer rabies vaccination/registration for $10 for animals getting spayed or neutered only)

• Microchip is offered only for animals getting spayed or neutered for a $10 fee.

Gus and Goldie Learn to Swim Session
The 9th Gus and Goldie Learn to Swim session of the season began May 1st, with classes meeting twice a week for four weeks. Participants can still sign up at any indoor aquatic facility for $30.00 a session. Swim lessons are offered at all of our facilities for patrons ranging from 6 months of age to adults. Day and evening classes are offered at each facility at approximately 10:00 a.m., 5 p.m. and 6. p.m. In order to form a class, four or more participants in each ability group must register. Classes are offered Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday for 4 weeks. Classes are formed based more so on ability rather than age group.

Club Rec
Club Rec, the popular summer camp for youngsters in the City of El Paso, is currently taking registration. The camp will run from June 5 - July 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The camp is open to boys and girls between the ages of 6-12. Anyone interested in registering for this fun-filled summer camp may do so at any of the City Parks and Recreation centers. A two-week session is $40 and scholarships are available. For more information, please call 541-4331.

El Paso Museum of Art Receives Four Publication Design Awards

The El Paso Museum of Art received four Mitchell A. Wilder Publication Design Awards at the annual meeting of the Texas Association of Museums (TAM) in Beaumont, TX. Members’ Update 2005 was designed by Jud Burgess and Andy Reynoso of Substance. Ernie Sanchez of Rockett Advertising designed New Perspectives: Visiting Scholar Lecture Series-Extending the Legacy: Collecting African-American Art, Linda Ridgway: Reconsider, and EPMA Membership Brochure.

Named in honor of Mitchell A. Wilder, founding director of the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, an advocate of excellence in museum publications, this competition was organized by TAM to recognize achievement in graphic design and media production and to encourage quality in public presentations.

Street Department Offers Thanks to Life-long Employee

El Paso Streets Marked with Years of Service
Alberto Delgado is one of many vital City employees making a huge contribution to the community. Mr. Delgado began his career with the City of El Paso on November 29, 1971 as a Traffic Signal Tech I, with the Traffic and Transportation Department (TTD).

Mr. Delgado was promoted to a Traffic Signal Tech II in May 1974, promoted to a Traffic Signal Tech III in February 1978, promoted to Traffic Signal Maintenance Supervisor in February 1981 and then promoted to Traffic Signal Division Supervisor in November 1990. He was provisionally appointed as Traffic Field Operations Manager in Jan 1994, and took the permanent promotion to Traffic Field Operations Manager in July 1995.

In 1997, the Traffic Signal Division became part of the Street Department. Mr. Delgado was instrumental in the transition of the operational functions from the TTD to the Street Department.

Mr. Delgado’s dedication and hard work allowed the Citywide Sign Inventory Project and this year’s ADA project to be completed in a timely and efficient manner. Mr. Delgado oversees the operating budget of $2,585,000 for the Traffic Signal and Signs and Markings division, plus $3,500,000 in FY 2004 CIP funds.

A huge thank you to Mr. Delgado for a life long career with the Street Department and helping make El Paso a great place to live

It’s Road E-O Time!

On Monday morning, April 24th, just before the winds took their toll at the Clint Landfill, employees from Environmental Services saddled up their equipment and hit the dirt. A puff of gray smoke marked the 11th annual Road E-O for the Department. The Road E-O Competition uses an obstacle course and other criteria to measure how well operators can maneuver, drive and use their equipment.

This two-day competition saw its exciting conclusion on the cool Saturday morning of April 29th, when the collections units took to the pavement to test their skills. The total event involved 45 employees and drew a crowd of friends and family. The first place winners will be heading to the state event in Dallas this coming June. Congratulations to everyone who participated in this fun event. Best of luck in Dallas!!

Roll-Off

1st - Miguel R. Medrano
2nd - Ernie Lonvelin
3rd - Gerardo Valenzuela

Rear Loader

1st - Randy Youngblood
2nd - Martin Cereceres
3rd - Luis R. Morales

Automation

1st - Jorge Rojas
2nd - David Aranda
3rd - Rene Fragoso

Scraper

1st - Jose Ortega
2nd - Jose Tarango
3rd - Lorenzo Romo

Compactor

1st - Juan Trivizo
2nd - Jesus Marquez
3rd - Arturo Moya

Airport Employee Recognized for “Excellence in Teaching”

Mr. Howard S. Stanfield, Lecturer in the Department of Marketing and Management at the University of Texas at El Paso, and currently a part-time operations officer at El Paso International Airport, was selected as the Department’s recipient of the “Excellence in Teaching” award for the 2005-2006 academic year. The Business College Council (BCC) from the University of Texas at El Paso presented this award to Mr. Stanfield at the annual faculty awards Luncheon. The student body of the College of Business Administration chooses all honorees.

EPIA congratulates Mr. Stanfield on this prestigious award. “Mr. Stanfield is a valued employee and the airport is fortunate to have an operations officer with such a high level of experience and regard for the safety and security of the airport,” said Mr. Abeln, Director of Aviation.

Mr. Stanfield served in the United States Army starting in 1962, where the vast majority of his time was spent working in aviation. Mr. Stanfield retired as a Major in 1983. Mr. Stanfield began his employment with the City of El Paso in the Planning Department in January 1993, and began at the Airport as an Operations Officer in 1999 until his retirement in November 2004. Mr. Stanfield then returned in June of 2005, where he currently works part-time in Airport Operations.

Supervisor’s Academy for April 2006

Congratulations to all employees who completed the April class of the Supervisor’s Academy.

April 2006 Class:
Richard Adams, Yanhalte Alatorre, Enrique A. Martinez, Douglas McDonald, Sylvia Munoz,
Brian Roderick, Alonso Ruiz, Francisco Valdez, David Lara, Jeremy Munn, Martin Aguilar, Gustavo Armas, Mario Garcia, Mike Maldonado, Victor Rivera, Tyrone Bailey, Lazaro Castaneda, Antonio Diaz, Angel R. Flores, Jesus Frausto, Ruben Gonzalez, Gabriel R. Herrera, Gabriel Moreno, Carlos Portillo, Ricardo Sepulveda, and Ruben Sifuentes.

The following employees recently completed their New Employee Orientation and are new employees to the City of El Paso. Welcome aboard and we look forward to working with you!

Airport: Alfonso Aguilar
Fire: Alejandro Melero
EPWU: Gladys Lopez, Sergio Lopez, Rogelio Ordonez, Stephen V. Ramirez, Maria Session, Carlin Denise Stallworth
Municipal Clerk: Rebecca Caldwell, Albina Chapa Harshberger, Patricia Moreno
Library: Jose Fernandez
Museums & Cultural Affairs: Patricia Dalbin
Parks & Recreation: Elsa Taylor
Police: Guadalupe Leff, Nancy Ramirez
Streets: Ramon Reyes Estrada, Lourdes G. Pedorza, Maria E. Villegas, Roman F. Martinez
Sun Metro: Jesus Cancino, Greg McLaurin, Joseph Rochefort, Jorge Samaniego, Jose Trevizo
Zoo: Amanda Kay Park

City Employee Selected to Attend Power Pipeline 2006

Lorrine Quimiro of the Information Technology Department's Geographic Information Systems section has been selected for Power Pipeline 2006, a program of the Foundation for Women's Resources. Power Pipeline was created to provide emerging women leaders with the opportunity to interact with and learn from experienced women leaders. Each year, through the Power Pipeline program, the Foundation for Women's Resources invites a select group of emerging women leaders between the ages of 25 and 35 to spend a weekend sharing experiences and building relationships with each other and established leaders from the Foundation, Leadership Texas alumnae and other accomplished women leaders.

Quimiro will attend this event in late June. Congratulations, Lorrine, on this notable honor and opportunity!

Recognize an Employee You Know!

If you know a fellow employee who has made an achievement at work, in their personal life or even someone whose efforts should be recognized, help us to congratulate or recognize them in The Employee Connection! Send us an email at elpasopio@elpasotexas.gov.

Take Advantage

Don’t Walk – Ride!

Area youth can take the walking out of the summer by purchasing a Sun Metro Summer Fun Pass for only $10. Don’t Walk – Ride is this year’s theme for the Sun Metro Fun Pass, designed especially for area youth between 6 and 18 years of age.

The program encompasses a specially discounted student pass for unlimited rides on buses and trolleys from Memorial Day (May 29) through Labor Day (September 4), 2006. The cost of the pass is $10.00, a $50.00 savings compared to a regular monthly student pass of $20.00. Included with the pass are discounts and chances to win free gifts from area merchants. A parent or guardian is invited to ride with the child for free with a Parent/Guardian ID card.

The Sun Metro Fun Pass requires purchasers to have a “Sun Metro Student ID.” For those individuals who do not have a current Sun Metro Student ID card, they can pick one up free of charge at the ticket office located at the Union Plaza Transit Terminal at 400 San Antonio, Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For those who already have a valid Sun Metro ID card, the Fun Pass can be purchased at the Plaza Station located at 333 Oregon or at the Eastside Terminal at 1165 Sunmount starting May 23, 2006. Proof of age is required.

The Sun Metro Fun Pass will allow area youth the opportunity to access area City parks, recreation centers, libraries, swimming pools, the Zoo, the Art Museum and many more facilities at a discount. Some City departments will be providing summer activities and programs for youth.

The low price of the pass will also allow students the ability to access public transportation to go to work or to school for only $10 all summer.

Purchasers will be automatically entered into drawings throughout the promotion for various gifts and prizes.

Museum Membership Discount for City Employees

City of El Paso employees will receive Museum membership discount prices on all art classes and workshops for the Summer 2006 session, which begins June 6.

Weekly art camps will be offered Tuesday through Friday, mornings 9:30 to 12:00 and afternoons 1:00 to 3:30, for ages 6 to 14. Tuition for most classes is $56 for Museum members/city employees. Fees include materials and snacks.

Adult and weekend classes are also available, please log onto www.elpasoartmuseum.org for details. Family Workshops are offered the 2nd Sunday of each month from 1-3 p.m. Ages 3 and up are welcome and supplies are included. Museum member/city employee price is $10.00 per person or $25.00 maximum per family. Pre-registration is required for all Museum School workshops and classes.  

Health & Wellness

Healthy Hearts With Parks Walks

The Parks and Recreation Department is gearing up for year two of the Healthy Hearts and Parks Fun Walks in the City of El Paso. These Healthy Hearts events, which focus on health-related topics and incorporate a monthly two-mile walk, have become very popular. KTSM-TV Channel 9 along with Sierra Providence Health Network are co-sponsors of the event, which is open to individuals of all ages.

Joe Rodriguez, Recreation Services Manager for the Parks Department says, "Walking can be a very healthy and safe exercise and with our corporate partners can lead to a fit lifestyle and an excellent chance to meet new people."

City Recreation centers are currently forming walking clubs. Should you or anyone you know like to be a part of the upcoming walks or join a walking club in your area call 541-4331.

The schedule below shows the walking schedule culminating with an awards ceremony in October for those that participated in the most walks.

Healthy Hearts & Parks Fun Walks 2006
(All walks begin at 9:00 a.m.)

City staff recently lent a helping hand to assist the local Telemundo 48 affiliate station with a large-scale media event. This event, during which four of Telemundo’s network television shows were filmed in El Paso, was set-up and shot in our own San Jacinto Plaza. A special thanks goes out to employees that assisted with this event, from each of the following departments:

Streets
Fire
Police
Parks and Recreation
Sun Metro
Airport
Engineering
Communications & Public Affairs

We are currently within the budget process for the upcoming 2007 fiscal year. I would like to extend my thanks in advance to city staff for their assistance in the development of this budget.

Major issues facing the FY 2007 budget include:

• Pressure to reduce tax rate in response to large increases in property assessments just released

• Increased service demands associated with new facilities from the 2000 and 2004 Quality of Life bond initiatives that will be fully operational in FY 2007

• Growth in core services as a result of general growth in the City, particularly the expedited growth anticipated with the expansion of Ft. Bliss

• Expectations associated with the completion of the Open Space Master Plan

• Service demands associated with implementation of Council's strategic priorities

• Employee compensation increases including unfunded pension liabilities that will require resolution in the near term

General Links

• Human Resources
• City Employees' Pension Fund
• Police and Fire Pension Fund
• Neighborhood Toolbox
• Employee Newsletter Archive
• City Employee Events Photo Gallery
• The Portal
• City Events Calendar
• City News Page

Benefits Services

• Health Benefits - Access Healthsource
• Dental - Concordia
• Dental – Safeguard
• Vision – Block
• Unum Life Insurance – Disability
• ING Life Insurance – Dependent/Basic/
  AD & D
• ING – Deferred Compensation
• EP Fitness
• Del Sol Medical Center
• Las Palmas Medical Center

Contact Us

Do you have a question, comment or feedback on the Employee Newsletter? Let us know!

Send us an email at:
elpasopio@elpasotexas.gov

We value your opinion!