Durham County Government’s Information Source

LOOKING FORWARD TO2015County Newswire highlights

upcoming events for Durham in 2015.

WELCOME TODURHAM COUNTYGet acquainted with two newemployees that you are sure to wantto know!

MANAGING FOR RESULTS

The new Durham County Managerspeaks on a new “laser-like focus” modelfor County government management.

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Wendell M. DavisCounty Manager

● Plan for whatwe want toachieve

● Budget forthe resultswe want

● Manage toensure weare achievingthose results

● And evaluateand learn todeterminehow we canmakeimprovements for betteroutcomes

MFR isuniversallyrecognized as abest practice forgood

I would like totake this thisoccasion to wishyou a HappyNew Year and towelcome you toour new andimproved CountyNewsletter. Ihope that youwill find theinformationwithin bothinformative anduseful. As CountyManger, it is myaim to makecertain that ourcitizens areinformed aboutimportant publicpolicy mattersand the role that

both ourexecutive andlegislativebranches ofgovernment playin addressingthem.

Since my returnto DurhamCounty we havebeen workingextremely hardto renew ouremphasis on ourstrategic plan,and moreimportantly, todevelop a laser-like focus onimportantcommunityoutcomes.  With

From the Desk of The County Manager

governance.Usingperformancemeasures,employee andcommunityengagement,processimprovementsand otherstrategies, webelieve themodel willbolster ourStrategic Planand improve howwe do business.If our StrategicPlan – adoptedin 2012 and tobe refreshed in2015 – is a mapfor where we

want to go, thenthink ofManaging forResults as theengine to propelus to thatdesireddestination.Our model,drafted by staffand blessed byour Board ofCountyCommissionerslast month, isillustrated below.I encourage youto take a look: itincludes the fourcomponents, aswell as, keyfoundationalelements that

will apply toplanning,budgeting,management andevaluation. Tolearn more aboutMFR I encourageyou to tune in toChannel 8 duringthe month ofJanuary at 10:30AM, or 3:30, 6:30PM respectively,to hear moreabout MFR.Finally, as wecontinue toprepare for a veryexciting future forour Durham, wehope to refinethis newsletterand keep you

Durham County Manager

Wendell M. Davis

more abreast onthe efforts beingmade to realizethose goals weso eloquentlyprofess in ourStrategic Plan.

I’m honored toserve you !

Sincerely,

the help of theCounty’sexecutiveleadership,departmentheads, the BoardofCommissionersand numerousstaff throughoutthe organization,we havedeveloped ournew businessmodel –Managing forResults (MFR).Managing forResults, in short,is an approachfor DurhamCounty to:

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Managing For Results Model

Wendell M. Davis

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The 10thAnnual DurhamCity-CountyMartin LutherKing, Jr.ObservanceProgram will beheld on Friday,February 20,2015 at theFirstPresbyterianChurch, locatedat 305 E. MainStreet inDurham.Durham CountyGovernmentpartners withthe City ofDurham to host

Durham City-Countycelebrate 10 yearMLK event.

White,chancellor ofNorth CarolinaCentralUniversity.

The DurhamCity-CountyMartin LutherKing, Jr.ObservanceProgram held itsfirst prolificleader in 2004.The keynotespeaker thatyear was Rev.Dr. CliffordJones ofFriendshipBaptist Church

in Charlotte,NC.

For moreinformationabout the 2015Durham City-County Martin

Celebrating a Leader’s Legacy

the event tohonor thevisionaryleader’slegacy.

The event,includingrenditionsfrom theDurham City-County MLKEmployeeChoir, will behighlightedwith amessage fromthe keynotespeaker, Dr.DebraSaunders-

10 Years & CountingCity-County celebrates it’s decade anniversary

Luther King, Jr.ObservanceProgram,contact theDurhamCountyManager’sOffice at 919-

560-0000 oremailpublic_information@dconc.gov.

First Presbyterian Church - 305 E. Main St in Durham

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Addressing Issues Faced by Boysof Color : My Brothers Keeper

Shortly afterPresident BarackObama launchedthe My Brother’sKeeper (MBK)initiative to addresspersistentopportunity gapsfaced by boys andyoung men of colorand ensure that allyoung people canreach their fullpotential, ChairmanMichael Pagestated hiscommitment tosupport thePresident byimplementing MBKDurham in the fallof 2014.

Chairman Page’spromise came tofruition onNovember 13th, asmore than 160individuals fromgroups with theheart-felt desire tosupport the successof minority malesgathered at theCounty’s Health andHuman Services

Building for acommunity summit.

The eveningconvened by Pageto collaborativelyaddress thechallenges faced byDurham’s men ofcolor to focused onhelping young menand boys of colorachieve better lifeoutcomes.

“This projectinvolves theentire communityand we mustcontinue on thisjourney for thelong haul. Thereare too manyyoung peoplewho desperatelyneed us to keepworking to maketheir lives betterand we cannot letthem down,”Chairman Pagerecently quoted.

Participants vieweda short videotapedmessage from

President Obamaencouraging themto join othercommunities acrossthe nation who areworking on hisinitiative. Thesummit alsofeatured speaker,Dr. Bryant T. Marksof MorehouseCollege in Atlanta,Georgia, whobegan the session

with a presentationchallenging thegroup to rethink thelearningenvironment as itrelates tomotivating andsupportingsuccessfuleducationaloutcomes for youngmen of color. Dr.Marks, an associateprofessor ofPsychology anddirector of theMorehouse MaleInitiative, has beenappointed byPresident Obama toserve on theAdvisory Board ofthe White HouseInitiative onEducationalExcellence forAfrican Americans.

The group,challenged to make

a change in Durhamfor boys and menwho are oftentargeted,misguided andliving a communitiesthat make policieswithout them inmind, engaged inthree breakoutsessions. Thesessions’ topicsincluded:

● EducationalAttainment

● Job Trainingand Placement

● CourtInvolvement

After assessinginformationgathered, the needfor a Youth Summitsurfaced. OnJanuary 24, 2015,the MBK Durham

Youth Summit will beheld to hear directlyfrom young peoplewho will be affected bythis initiative.

To sign up a youth oryoung man, ages 11-21, for the upcomingsummit, emaildhines@dconc.gov.

For more informationabout the My Brother’sKeeper DurhamInitiative, emailmybrotherskeeper@dconc.gov

or visitwww.dcomarketing.wix.com/mbk-durham) <

Photos by Steven Paul Whitsitt Photography

Dr. Bryant T. Marks meeting withmembers of Durham’s community

MBK: Community Summit Nov

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Second Time AroundAt the DurhamBoard of CountyCommissioners’Worksession onDecember 1,2014, the BoardreelectedCommissionerMichael D. Pageas chair andCommissionerBrenda A.Howerton as ViceChair. TheDurham BOCCelects a chair andvice chair fromtheir five-memberboard annuallyeach December.

CommissionerPage, elected tothe DurhamBOCC in 2004,

served as chairfrom 2008-2012.He became chairagain in Decemberof 2013.

CommissionerHowerton waselected to theDurham BOCC in2008. She was firstelected as vicechair in December2012, andcontinues to servein the role as of herrecent reelection.

The 2014-2015seats for the duowill be the secondterm the two haveserved together intheir leadershiproles for the Board.

In the summer of2014, DurhamCounty ParamedicBrandon Pittmanwas in route to anon-emergency call,when a distress callcame in for adrowning. Pittmanand his EMS partnerwere closest to thecall, so they werere-routed to TwinsLake Park where a

in, they pulled theboy from the water.Pittman than ledresuscitation effortsthat allowedstabilization of theboy fortransportation to anearby hospital.The family of theyoung man pulledfrom the water isthankful forPittman’s hand insaving their lovedone’s life.

“When Ijumped in thelake the onlything goingthrough my

mind is there isa 12-year old in

this water.”

Though the boy isnow impaired as aresult of oxygendeprivation for

nearly 15 minutes,the family is verygrateful for his life.On October 24th,Pittman wasrecognized for hislife-saving effortswith the HometownHero BrantleyPearce MemorialAward., presentedby the EmergencyChaplin'sAssociation (ECA).“We work with someanonymity. WhenBrantley Pearce'smother thanked meand the otherwinners for what wedid for thecommunity it reallyhit home. We don'tget thanked for ourjobs too often, weknow that we aremaking a differenceevery day, butsometimes in theemergency theydon't have time tothank us or have

other things on theirminds. It [saving aperson’s life] doesn'thappen every day,but when it does youremember why youwork this job. Youcannot save everyone, but the onesyou save mean a lot.Mom represented allof those individualsthat didn't have achance to thank usduring theemergency. Thataward means a lot,her thanks meansmore.” <

¸:VIDEOTo view a videoabout Pittman’srecent honor, visithttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYfs8ZUEes8&feature=share

12-year old boy hadbeen underwater forsometime. On thescene the boy’sfriends, who kept aneye on the last placethey who kept aneye on the last placethey saw him,showed the first-responders exactlywhere he wentdown. Withouthesitation, Pittman

jumped in to savethe boy. Pittman, a7-year veteran ofDurham CountyEMS, said all he hadon his mind in thatmoment was “thereis a 12-year old inthis water.”Not too long afterPittman andadditionalemergencyresponders jumped

The Hometown Hero

The HERO

County Commissioner Chair

Michael Page

County Commissioner Vice Chair

Brenda Howerton

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Medical Improvements that Save Lives

sworn in by EMSChief Skip Kirkwood.

The uniquepartnership betweenDurham CountyEMS and theDurham PublicSchools offeredcoursework leadingto EMT licensure to agroup of seniorstudents at the Cityof MedicineAcademy, DPS’shealth professionsmagnet school. Theprogram wasinstructed by

Paramedic GlenLaBar, facilitated byCMA HealthOccupationsInstructor MelissaRussell, R.N., andsupervised byPrincipal JackieTobias. Eachgraduating studentwas presented an“EMS partnership”pin along with theircompletioncertificate.

DPS SuperintendentBert L’Hommeaddressed the

graduates, notingthat early in his adultlife he served as anEMT in the UnitedStates Air Force.

“You will be takingcare of people onthe worst day of

their lives,” he toldthe graduates.“That takes aspecial kind of

person.” <

Submitted by DurhamCounty EMS Director SkipKirkwood

On Friday,December 19, 2014,Durham CountyEmergency MedicalServices and the Cityof MedicineAcademy hosted ajoint graduationceremony. Theevent combined thegraduation ofDurham CountyEmergency Medical

Durham CountyEmergency MedicalServicesparamedics took tothe streets with anew cardiac monitoron December 15th.The Zoll X-Seriescardiacmonitor/defibrillatorenhances the careprovided to patientswith heart-relatedmedical problems.These new devicescombine thecapabilities of thetraditional cardiacmonitor/defibrillatorwith advancedfeatures. The X-Series has a fullsuite of CPR assisttools for real-timeCPR feedback andSee-Thru CPRartifact filtering tohelp minimize thelength of pauses inchest compressions,thus improving thechances ofsuccessfulresuscitation after acardiac arrestoutside the hospital.<

Paramedics Receive New Cardiac Monitors

Durham County : EMS

Services Academy#6, bringing 18 newEMS medics to thestreets of DurhamCounty, and thegraduation of theDurham County EMS– City of MedicineAcademy EmergencyMedical TechnicianPartnership class #1.

The new EMS medicshad their badgespinned on by lovedones, and were

A Unique Partnership

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Employees Honored for theirService

When ChildSupport AgentTonita Alstonjoined DurhamCounty in1979, she startedas a receptionist inthe Food StampDivision. Fastforward 35 years,she has worked invarious DSSpositions includingthe County’s ChildSupportEnforcementDivision where shehas been for thelast 22 years. Shehas seen a lot andserved a lot ofpeople pursuing thecareer she loves!When asked aboutthe benefits ofworking for theCounty, she simply

said “helping thechildren of DurhamCounty.”

Dedication to thepeople of Durhamand tough workhave been theformula Tonita hasmastered to remainwith the Countymore than threedecades. OnDecember 10th, sheand 256 employeesand retirees wererecognized for theiryears of service andcommitment to theCounty. Thoserecognizedreceived acertificatepresented byDurham CountyHuman ResourcesDirector CoraWilson and wordsof encouragement

from CountyManager WendellDavis and DurhamBoard of CountyCommissionersattending theevent.

Understanding theneed to recognizeemployees for theirtime andcommitment to thepeople of Durham,the County’s HRDepartmentintroduced theService AwardProgram manyyears ago. Theannual program isnot just a “standand be recognized”program. The roomis packed and thedécor is beautiful –a setting perfect forcelebration. Severalyears ago, a

Hawaiian themewas planned and arecent winterwonderland themewas perfect for theoccasion held eachwinter. In additionto the recognitionceremony, held foremployees in fiveservice-yearincrements,employees receivea token ofappreciation fromthe county.

Though eligible forretirement, Tonitahas no plans toleave her job at thistime.“It is a goodfeeling to know Ican retire at thisage. I know that mypassion for my workhas helped familiesin the county Ireside. That is a

good feeling too!”Tonita may beamong employeesin 2019 to celebrate40 years of service.

Tonita says that itwas byhappenstance thatshe began workingfor Durham CountyGovernment afterher father told herabout theopportunity helearned about froma colleague. Shebelieves she endedup just where she issupposed to be. Aplace where she hashelped make adifference in thelives of children inher community,made life-longfriends and evenencouraged herdaughter, who has

worked at theDurham LibraryMain for four years,to join the DCofamily. <

¸:VIDEO

Click the graphicup top to watchthis quick clipabout the mostrecent EmployeeService AwardCeremony andbanquet.

¸ If viewing online, click graphic above to view short clip.

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Durham County Hires NewBudget Director: Claudia Hager

MeetDurhamCountyEmployeeClaudiaHager.

She is theDurhamCounty’s newBudget andManagementServicesDirector.

Hager joins thecounty afterherpredecessorPam Meyerretired in the

summer of2014. She isprimarilyresponsible formanaging anddirectingDurhamCounty’sannual budgetprocess,assistingdepartmentswithpreparation oftheir budgets,and managingthe staff of thedepartment. Inaddition, sheleadsdevelopmentof the County’sCapital

ImprovementPlan andoverseespreparation ofmanagementanalysis andprogramevaluations forthe countymanager andthe Board ofCountyCommissioners.

Ms. Hagerbrings over 20years ofexperience inbudgetmanagement,fiscal analysisand strategic

planning inlocalgovernment,university, stateand nonprofitsectors. <

¸:VIDEO

Click the graphicup top to watchthis quick clipabout Claudia tolearn more abouther and what shedoes for ourCounty.

¸ If viewing online, click graphic above to view short clip.

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Durham County Hires NewRisk Manager : David English

Meet DurhamCountyEmployeeDavid English

Before joiningDurham County,David worked in riskmanagement forthe MetropolitanWashingtonAirports Authoritywhere hisresponsibilitiesincludedorganization-widerisk management,risk financing,contractual risktransfer, claimsmanagement, andsafety and losscontrol. Prior to histime with theAirports Authority,David worked incivil litigation for

the DC Office of theAttorney General.David has abachelor’s degree ineconomics fromGeorge MasonUniversity, a JDfrom the CatholicUniversity ofAmerica, and agraduate certificatein risk managementfrom BostonUniversity.

Why did youchoose DurhamCountyGovernment?I was interested inrisk managementfor localgovernmentbecause I love theidea of serving thecommunity that youlive in.

What will be yourbasic

responsibilities andwhat does thatmean for ouremployees

The RiskManagementDivision includesNgat Awass andmyself and ourmission is toactively protectCounty assetsand employeesthrough riskfinancing,contractual risktransfer, claimsmanagement,and mostimportantly,safety and losscontrol. We willbe collaboratingwith employeesacross the Countyto identify risk,

develop riskmitigatingstrategies, andfoster a culture ofsafety and losscontrol.

What do you lookforward to most inyour role?I’m most lookingforward to havingthe opportunity towork with folks witha range ofbackgrounds andresponsibilities fromall the differentdepartments acrossthe County. <

¸¸:VIDEOClick the graphic uptop to watch this quickclip about David and tolearn more about himand what he does forour County.

¸ If viewing online, click graphic above to view short clip.

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VeteransDayIn recognition ofthe sacrifices madeand service givenby veterans for thefreedom ofAmericans, theDurham CountyVeterans ServicesOffice hosted acelebration ofservice on VeteransDay 2014. CherylRawls, director of

HAPPYBIRTHDAYKIDSVOTING INDURHAM

Kids VotingDurham, originallyinitiated andoperated by theDurham Chamberof Commerce for sixyears, has providedyoung people in

Durham Countywith opportunitiesto vote on the sameissues andcandidates as adultson Election Day,whiletheirleadership skills.Kids Voting Durhamcelebrated its 15thAnniversary inDecember 2014.The Durham Boardof CountyCommissionersrecognized theorganization nowhoused in the

County CooperativeExtension Office attheir RegularSession onDecember 8th. ADurham youthleader and KidsVoting DurhamBoard Chair MikeShiflett maderemarks at thespecial recognition.

To learn moreabout Kids VotingDurham, visitkidsvotingdurham.org.

the Winston SalemVeterans AffairsRegional Office ofVeterans BenefitsandAdministration,was the guestspeaker for theevent. Otherspecial guestspeakers includethe HonorableDavid E. PriceCongressman for4th District and JayWeselmann, fieldoffice director forUnited States

Citizenship andImmigrationServices willadminister theOath of Allegianceto AmericanCitizenshipCandidates. Aspecial highlightfor the eventincluded thegranting ofAmericanCitizenship tocandidates who aremembers of theUnited StatesMilitary ArmedForces. <

Photos by Steven Paul Whitsitt

AndrewsSworn In

Sheriff MichaelAndrews wassworn in btJudge Hudsonfor his first fullterm onDecember 1,2014. Sheriff

Andrews tookhis oath ofoffice for a fouryear term.Andrews wasappointedsheriff whenformer SheriffWorth Hillretired from hisoffice early in2011.

Andrewscompleted Hill’sexpired term.

Andrews wife,pictured righttook part in theceremony.

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A Year in Review : 2014

Answering theCall of Duty

In addition tosecuring thechair’s seat for theDurham BOCC forthe secondconsecutive yearwith Vice ChairBrenda Howerton,Chairman MichaelPage respondedto PresidentBarack Obama’schallenge tocommunitiesacross the nationto become a MyBrother’s KeeperCommunity. InNovember 2014,Chairman Pagebrought togethernearly 200 leadersin Durham tobegin the

conversation tochange policy,programs andpartnershipsimpacting thesuccess of men ofcolor in Durham.

While theSummer of 2014was coming to aclose, things were

just heating up forCommissionersHowerton, Fosterand Reckhow intheir wins andappointments tostatewide offices.

CommissionerFred Foster wasappointed to vicechair of theHuman Servicesand EducationSteeringCommittee forthe NationalAssociation ofties.

Durham CountyCommissionerWendy Jacobscompleted theAdvancedLeadership Corps

(ALC) trainingclass offered bythe School ofGovernment atthe University ofNorth Carolina-Chapel Hill. ALCis a weeklong,

residentialprogramdesigned to helpmunicipal andcounty electedofficialsunderstand thebroaderchallenges ofgoverning, buildpersonalleadershipabilities, and learnhow to lead andactcollaboratively.

President RonnieBeale hasappointedCommissionerEllen Reckhow aschair of theNCACCEnvironmentSteeringCommittee. Shewill also serve onthe NCACC.

The Durham Board of County Commissionershad a great 2014! Their year included manysuccesses including appointments andawards.

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200 E Main St • Durham, NC • 27701

County’s New Leadership Academy Graduates its First Class¸ If viewing online, click graphic below to watch a short clip.

Congratulations, Graduates ofDurham County

Leadership Academy

Class of 2014:

Geri NettlesBarbara RumerDevin SparksChristine GrantJoel WhiteChris RobertsJames (J.T.) TabronJoel Wright

Pamela (Pam) McAuleyAlishia Harris-MooreSheila OldsKim SurlesTiffany LongLollie McCoyBrendan HartiganKaren Davis