Progress: The Future is at Your Finger Tips

Things keep getting better and better. Online services have now made it easier for employees to view, or make changes to employment information or request time off from your desk or a City Kiosk computer.

Did you know that you can view your pay check on line the Wednesday before pay day? You can also view your past pay stubs back through 2001 and print them out as well. Need some time off? Requesting leave is now easy and convenient. Employees can request time off without creating a stack of paperwork and you don't need to chase down your supervisor to get him/her to sign the form. Let the system do that for you. And all you need to do is go to PeopleSoft and Kronos Self Service.

For those of you who still are not using the system, we invite you to get on board. Employees can keep an eye on their personal information by using any City personal computer (PC) with the City Network access. Updating your personal information such as your address and phone number, changing your tax withholding information, or revising your insurance benefit information during the open enrollment can be done with just a few clicks of your mouse.

There are several ways to utilize the systems. The Kronos Time Clocks allow you to access your leave balances and request time off. And even if you don't have a PC, you still have access to the online services. A number of Employee Kiosks have been set up throughout the City. What is a Kiosk? Kiosks are PCs that are available for your use at many convenient locations. The kiosks are located at:

• City Libraries
• Environmental Services Department Office
• Mass Transit Employees Break Room (and soon at the Fred Wilson Facility and Main Maintenance Building)
• Parks & Recreation Department - Westside Corral and North East Corral
• HR Lobby at City Hall
• Street Department to include the International Bridges

Landfill News

Environmental Services is continually looking for ways to effectively and economically improve the quality of life in El Paso.

-Environmental Services has just made it more convenient for customers to pay for disposal of their waste at the Clint landfill. Effective August 1, 2007, the landfill now accepts VISA or MASTERCARD debit and credit cards.

-In the continued efforts to keep the landfill safe and environmentally friendly, Environmental Services has installed a radiation detector to protect its workers, users, and the surrounding communities from any radiation contaminated waste from being disposed of at the landfill.

-As part of the agreement with Las Colonias subdivision, Environmental Services provided free curbside pick-up on Saturday, July 21, 2007 for their neighbors. A total of 21.3 tons of garbage and bulky items were picked up and disposed of properly.

-Environmental Services has submitted a permit modification to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for the construction of a Leachate Evaporation Pond. Leachate is defined as a liquid (mostly rainwater) that percolates through the buried trash and picks up any organic or inorganic substances in its path. The construction of the leachate evaporation pond will be a significant savings for the City of El Paso. Environmental Services will not have to pay to haul the leachate to a Wastewater Treatment Plant or perform chemical analysis tests. Environmental Services will also not have to pay registration fees, disposal and truck maintenance costs.

Major Downtown Construction Project Near Completion

Still moving ahead of schedule, the initiative addressing the complete reconstruction of several streets in the Downtown area is set for completion early this Fall with the final stages of construction set in motion. Throughout the past 18 months, the Central Business District Phase III Project progressed in ongoing phases of construction, substantially improving the operational and aesthetic conditions of the following six streets:

Franklin Avenue from Campbell St. to Santa Fe St.
Mesa Street from Main Ave. to San Antonio Ave.
Mills Avenue from Campbell St. to Mesa St.
Oregon Street from Main Ave. to Wyoming Ave.
Stanton Street from San Antonio Ave. to Wyoming Ave.
Santa Fe Street from Paisano Dr. to Loop 375

The scope of work for each segment of the project consisted of the complete overhaul of the street infrastructure and featured the replacement of existing asphalt pavement, sidewalks, driveways, existing traffic signals and street lighting. The improvement project also upgraded all existing water and sanitary sewer lines.

Final Stages
Construction on the last stretch of Franklin from Oregon to Mesa and work underway along the western portion of Santa Fe from Paisano to Loop 375 is expected to finalize by September. The last construction project under this initiative requires the temporary closure of the Mesa and Main intersection effective September 9, 2007 for approximately 6-8 weeks. To view a map of the alternate Sun Metro boarding locations during this construction period, please click here.

View of Mesa from Texas Before	View of Mesa from Texas After

Summer Music Series a Hit!

100,000 El Pasoans can't be wrong! See audiences respond to the closing of the 24th Music Under the Stars season.

http://extras.elpasotimes.com/audio/ranchera.html

City Employees' Accomplishment Creates Unique "Shop" in Town

The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) recently announced the certifications of two City employees, Miguel A. Montiel and Christine L. Esqueda.

Montiel, who recently joined the Internal Audit team in December 2006, was named as a Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) by the Institute. The CIA designation is awarded to internal audit professionals who have met the rigorous requirements of the IIA's CIA program, including a four-part examination, as well as high standards of character, education and experience.

Esqueda, a City employee since September 2005, completed the Certification in Control Self-Assessment® (CCSA®). The exam measures knowledge of the fundamentals, process and integration of control self assessment - a tool that can assist auditors, management and others examine and assess business processes and control effectiveness within their organizations.

The City of El Paso is proud to have such an accomplished Internal Audit Division in that the Division now has (5) five Certified Internal Auditors on staff, with one being CCSA certified. No other Internal Audit "shop" in the El Paso area has this type of expertise on their staff.

Health District Tuberculosis (TB) Program Poster Wins National Award
by Marie Villa, RN

A poster on the Border TB Photovoice Project presented at the National TB Controllers Association Annual meeting on June 11-14, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia won second place nationally. A panel of judges reviewed and rated all the posters based on relevance to TB control or TB elimination, clarity of information, and graphic/visual presentation. The Border Photovoice poster identified the objectives of Photovoice and the themes which were identified by the patients on both sides of the border who took the actual pictures. The eight patients that participated took pictures that depicted their perception of their disease. This is the second year the poster contest has been held. Over 60 posters were presented from universities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and regional agencies across the nation. This is a great feat given the poster was recognized on the TB Program's first attempt. The TB program also participated in developing two other posters presented at the conference. One poster was on the Evaluation Plan presented by the Texas Department of State Health Services and the other was on Enhancing Expertise and Certification of TB Nurse Consultants presented by Heartland National TB Training Center. The TB Program is very proud of this achievement. The Contact Investigation Poster contributors were 1-Oralia Zamora R.N.-TB Nurse Supervisor, 2-Anthony Rosalez-TB Public Health Specialist, 3-Arturo Hernandez-TB Public Health Specialist, 4-Alice Forti-TB Clinical Records Tech, 5-Marie Villa R.N.-TB Program Manager. 6-Lucy Menchaca R.N.-TB Public Health Nurse contributed to the TB Nurse Certification Poster and 7-Martha Trejo-Health Education and Promotions, Graphics Tech, assisted Marie Villa with development of the winning poster.

- Border TB Photovoices Poster

Airport Employee Recognized for Contributions

LEFT: Carmen, Scott and Richard Stanfield with granddaughter Emma

On April 16, 2007, Mr. Scott Stanfield, El Paso International Airport Operations Officer, received the Arthur S. Gifford Student Service Award. This distinction, awarded by the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the College of Business Administration and its students. Mr. Stanfield retired from UTEP this past May after teaching for thirteen years.

Mr. Stanfield is a retired Army officer, and has over 40 years of management experience within the federal and municipal governments as well as the private sector. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma and Masters in Business Administration from UTEP.

On a personal note, this past June, Mr. Stanfield and his wife Carmen, also a City retiree, celebrated their son's graduation from the United States Army Command and General Staff College. They continued the celebration the next day as their son, Major Richard Stanfield, married Ms. Kate Wallace of Lenexa, Kansas.

The El Paso International Airport is fortunate to have had Mr. Stanfield as part of its team since 1993.

Zoo Spotlight On: Valerie Hearn - Educator

As the El Paso Zoo grows to 36 acres and brings the animals of the African savannah to El Paso, new zoo staff member Valerie Hearn will be one of the Zoo educators tasked with a very important job as she helps create a wonderful experience for our guests and a connection to the natural world.

"Education and conservation are the goals and mission of the Zoo, we can educate about biodiversity even though we live in such an urban jungle," said Valerie. "We can give them meaningful experiences at the Zoo, and through our SSP program." (The SSP stands for Species Survival Program - and through the program, zoos around the world work to save animals as they rapidly disappear in the wild).

The El Paso Water Utilities Discovery Education Center, currently under construction at the El Paso Zoo, will be a place where in a hands-on approach, guests can learn about different topics relating to animals and the conservation of nature and resources. Valerie is especially excited to be able to work with children, and share exciting, amazing stories of the animal world as she helps them discover important lessons about nature.

The El Paso Zoo will be creating education curriculum in conjunction with the El Paso Independent School District, so that students who complete lessons at the Zoo will get credit for their classroom experiences. Working to develop lessons should come easy to Valerie. The former EPISD teacher brings with her a valuable background in science and biology, with a Master's Degree in animal nutrition, and prior volunteer work at the El Paso and Fort Worth Zoos, plus her time spent working at an animal clinic in Dublin, Texas as a Veterinary Assistant. "I've always had a motivation to promote conservation, and I always felt I belonged in the caring environment that a zoo provides." It's a great match - Valerie and the Zoo, for her passion about animals is evident when you talk to her. You are invited to come and talk to her… whether it's at the daily Sea Lion show or the Elephant training demonstration. Come visit the El Paso Zoo and say hi to our new Zoo Educator: Valerie Hearn.

"El Paso Zoo Welcomes New Staff"

The El Paso Zoo would like to take this opportunity to welcome the following folks who are new to this great Quality of Life department:

Jorge Garcia - Materials Supervisor
Shirelle Givens - V.O.E.
Derek Hardie - Zoo Garden Supervisor
Valerie Hearn - Education Specialist
Justin Lowrance - General Service
Raul Macias - General Service
Jesus Martinez - General Service
Victor Morales - Store Clerk


New Zoo Keepers:
Lela Lax - Area 1
Janelle Murphy - Area 2
Stephanie Spears - Area 3
Stacie Geise - Area 4


Welcome Aboard!!

El Paso Police Investigator is Narcotics Detective of the Year for 2nd Time

Earlier this month, the Texas Narcotics Officers Association named Detective Frank Gutierrez of the West Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Stash House Unit as the "TNOA Detective of the Year" for 2007. Detective Gutierrez was responsible for seizing over 30,000 pounds of Marihuana in the past year. The street value of the seized Marihuana is $24 million. This is the second time the Texas Narcotics Officers Association has recognized Detective Gutierrez as "TNOA Detective of the Year." He was first awarded with this honor in 2004. This is the fourth year in a row that the "TNOA Detective of the Year" has been an El Paso Police Detective assigned to the Stash House Unit.

EPFD Teams Compete at Texas Fire Olympics

Big up to El Paso Fire Basketball
On July 17, 2007 the El Paso Fire Department basketball team made the journey to Dallas to compete in the Texas Fire Olympics. Just about every major and mid-major city in Texas was there to compete in basketball. This was El Paso's time to step up to the challenge and that's exactly what they did. El Paso brought home the bronze medal. Even though El Paso didn't capture gold, they were definitely the best team in the Olympics. They proved that game after game, outplaying their opponents. It was a minor mistake in the final game against Dallas FD 1 that kept them from advancing to the gold medal game. It was not because they were outplayed by the big boys from Dallas, but because they missed crucial free throws when they had the lead with about 1 minute left in overtime. Eventually Dallas went on to win gold by defeating Ft. Worth. After that heart-breaking lost to Dallas, the Dallas players walked up to the El Paso team and showed tons of respect and told El Paso FD, "You guys are very good - probably the best in Texas." El Paso Fire surpassed big departments such as San Antonio, Austin, and Irvine. So be proud of your El Paso Fire Department Basketball Team.

The El Paso Fire Basketball Team would like to thank Local 51 for supporting and being a proud sponsor of the El Paso Fire Basketball Team. Thanks to our union, the El Paso Fire Basketball Team looked like a team with pride and class. They looked as good as they played and that was one of the keys to their game. Every time they were out there playing, the logo of El Paso was a reminder of whom they were representing and playing for. Thank you Local 51. Special thanks to Board Member Rick Marin for everything he did for the team.

Team Members: Mario Hawes Herrera, Aaron Gonzales, Shawn Gonzales, Mario Hernandez, Darrack Davis, Moises Martinez, and Coach Allan Parsons

Volleyball

The El Paso Fire Department Volleyball Team dominated by nearly sweeping all the volleyball events. The volleyball team also left a huge mark in Dallas by bringing home 2 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 1 bronze.

Players: Top row: Sam Villareal, Ed Snyder, Jaime Pando Bottom row: Gilbert Juarez, Ed Dragon, Juan Degadillo

SPECIALTY SECTIONS

TAKE ADVANTAGE

Improve Your Game at Butterfield Trail Golf Club

Butterfield Trail Golf Club offers the only state-of-the art, 12-acre practice facility in El Paso, and features all the necessities for improving your golf game. Come experience the all-grass surface practice facility (complete with large putting green and short game area) - perfect for warming up prior to a round or for a leisurely practice session on your lunch hour. The practice facility is currently open from 6:00am to 6:30pm daily. Fees are $10 per hour, per person and include unlimited practice balls, or $30 per person for use of the practice facility for the entire day. Golf lessons are also available from our Professional Golf Association staff and are held in a separate, private area. Lesson packages are available starting at just $35, and are by appointment only. For more information on the Tom Fazio designed Butterfield Trail Golf Club, or to schedule a lesson, call 915-772-1038, or please visit us at www.butterfieldtrailgolf.com.

HEALTH WELLNESS

Information from the Health District

- West Nile Virus Prevention

Fire Department Public Education

As El Paso area children head back to school, the El Paso Fire Department would like to offer parents, teachers and care-givers these safety tips to make back-to-school time a safe time.

Walking and Biking to School:
Even if you don't ride in a motor vehicle, you still have to protect yourself. Because of minimal supervision, young children face a wide variety of decision-making situations and dangers while walking to and from school. Here are a few basic safety tips to follow:

• Obey all traffic signals and the crossing guard. Never cross the street against a red light, even if you don't see any traffic coming.
• Walk your bike through intersections.
• Walk with a friend or family member.
• Never approach strangers.
• Wear reflective material - it makes you more visible to street traffic.
• Always wear a helmet when riding your bike.

• Most traffic accidents occur close to home.
• Safety belts are the best form of protection passengers have in the event of a crash. They can lower your risk of injury by 45%.
• You are four times more likely to be seriously injured or killed if ejected from the vehicle in a crash.
• Everyone needs to be buckled up properly. That means older kids in seat belts, younger kids in booster seats and little kids in child safety seats.

• Have a safe place to wait for your bus, away from traffic and the street.
• Stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals you to enter or approach.
• When being dropped off, exit the bus and walk ten giant steps away from the bus. Keep a safe distance between you and the bus. Also, remember that the bus driver can see you best when you are back away from the bus.
• Use the handrail to enter and exit the bus.
• Be aware of the street traffic around you. Drivers are required to follow certain rules of the road concerning school buses; however, not all do. Protect yourself and watch out!

FY2008 is just on the horizon. The formal budget process will be completed next week, with decisions made on formalizing a tax rate. I would like to share my appreciation of all the hard work done by each department during this budget process, especially the Office of Management and Budget and Financial Services Departments. Not only does each department dedicate hours upon hours to this process, but each department works hours upon hours to make our City operation a successful, customer-oriented, cost-effective one. I thank you for all the hard work, dedication and shared successes in FY 2007 and look to continue this dynamic momentum in the year to come.

On another note, I would like to recognize Deborah Burnett and the staff of the Municipal Court for organizing a donation effort to assist school children with school supplies. Thanks to these employees' generosity, 56 backpacks filled with school supplies were collected and donated to the Salvation Army. These individuals embody the generous spirit of our great City employees. I commend each of you.

General Links

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

Benefits Services

• Health Benefits - Access Healthsource
• Dental - Concordia
• Dental – Safeguard
• Pharmacy - RESTAT
• 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

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Send us an email at:
elpasopio@elpasotexas.gov

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