www.pinellascounty.org/hr/publications.htmMay 2020 • Vol.48 No.5

PANDEMIC: COVID-19 WARRIORS IIAs the COVID-19 outbreak continues, Pinellas County employees carry on, go the extra mile and deal with new situations as they arise. This month, we again pay tribute to our fellow employees throughout the publication.

All Public Works’ staff with vehicles disinfect them on a daily basis. Crew members arrive to work sites separately in order to maintain the safety of our staff and our community while provid-ing essential services.

BTS Net-Tel Bunch: (top row L-R) Justin Taylor, Chris Dusch, (center) John Boscarino, (bottom row L-R) Chad Paetzold, Gary Hicks. These employees are working on BTS networking and telecommunications requests.

County Attorney Office’s Legal Secretary Elaine Bucklin( left), her mother (Pinellas County Clerk’s Office retiree who will turn 98 next month), and her mom’s caregiver sporting masks made by Elaine.

Elaine has been working from home and in her off-time has made and donated hundreds of masks to individuals and organizations in the area. She has also donated handmade cards to groups who send cards to the elderly in care facilities that are currently unable to receive visitors to help brighten their day. She encourages others to join her in making or sending cards.

INSIDEClick on the topic to go directly to the page.

3Ask HR / Take the Employee Benefits Satisfaction Survey

4Free Access to Customized Legal Documents Through EAP

5

Teamwork, Focus and Dedication: System Upgrade Done Remotely/ Tax Collector Employess Send Relief During Crisis

6Employees’ Advisory Council / The Record Keeper

7

Empty Animal Shelters: Will This Pet Adoption Boom Bust? / Working From Home During COVID-19 Tips

8ULearnIT: Performance Management

9 More employee photos

10Service Anniversaries / REPCO News

11 Retirements

12 Promotions / Consumer Corner

13Welcome Aboard! / Daily Well-being Check List

14 EXTRA

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The PenA monthly publication by

Pinellas County Human ResourcesEDITOR: Mary L. Sault

Would you like to put something in the Pen?

Let us know by the first of the month. And be sure to include photos!

employee.communications@pinellascounty.org

BLOOD DRIVESYou can schedule an

appointment at www.oneblooddonor.org.

Also view the blood donation web page.

To view blood donation FAQs, process, and testimonials, visit OneBlood.

Many blood drives have been postponed due to COVID-19 but there is a great need for

donations. To confirm or make an appointment, contact One

Blood directly at www.oneblood.org.

Web pages to help you stay up-to-date and to help you cope.COVID-19 in the workplace - www.pinellascounty.org/hr/coronavirus/

Employee Blog - www.pinellascounty.org/hr/blog

Important information on COVID-19 in the community - www.pinellascounty.org/emergency/covid19/

Resources from Employee Benefits www.pinellascounty.org/hr/ coronavirus/pdf/benefits-resources.pdf

FAQs for employees - www.pinellascounty.org/hr/coronavirus/pdf/employee-faqs.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

Florida Department of Health - https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/

In times like these, it’s important to acknowledge the kind people that make difficult situations bearable. Pinellas Clerk employee Herlinda Lockheart made over 150 face masks for her coworkers. As a token of thanks, her Clerk family presented her with a special shirt, some goodies and a deep appreciation for her kind and generous heart.

A huge thank you is extended to the mom of Pinellas Clerk employee Angie Oxley, along with her neighborhood friends, for making over 250 face masks for our office. You may not be able to see the big smiles under the masks, but the kind act definitely made everyone’s day. Above and below: Criminal Court Records staff.

Solid Waste Business Waste Assessment Section meeting on MS Teams.

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Q. Our leave banks now show80 hours of COVID-19 leave asavailable for use. I understandthis leave is to be used if anemployee or close familymember has coronavirus-likesymptoms and has been advisedthey should not report to work.There are rumors that unused

COVID-19 leave hours will roll over into an employee’s annual leave if it is not used by the end of the year. Can you clarify if this is true?

A. It is true. Please view the COVID-19 web page foremployees. There you will find, among other information,the Families First FAQs. Here’s what it says about the un-used Emergency Paid Sick Leave.

While not required by the Act, the Appointing Authorities are anticipating, barring any changes or extensions to these Acts, that after the end of the 2020 calendar year, unused Emergency Paid Sick Leave hours will be rolled over to be-come regular “annual leave” hours for employees who were employed on April 1, 2020 and are still employed when the leave rolls over.

Q. If an employee has tested for COVID-19, are theyrequired to report their test results to their department?

A. Yes, a department can inquire of an employee abouttest results for COVID-19. As this is due to an emergency,the County Attorney’s Office advises that a department hasthe latitude to inquire about test results for the health andsafety of all others they may come in contact with at work.Additionally, it is hoped that the employee would willinglyanswer the question about the test results, in private withtheir supervisor, especially if they are positive, so that thedepartment can take all the necessary steps to safeguardothers and to take the precautionary steps to ensure thework site is sanitized as necessary.

Q. Is there a central County location where our depart-ment could get some safety supplies such as masks andgloves, hand sanitizer? I have been ordering limited sup-plies but am unable to order masks from our vendors andlimited supplies are available for disinfecting wipes, handsanitizer, sanitizing spray, etc. Our department has manyfield staff that are working full time in the field and our of-fice staff is also maintaining lobby hours.

A. Like many other departments in the County, obtainingsupplies like masks, gloves and sanitizer has been a chal-lenge. Departments are working with their vendors andsuppliers and attempting to get supplies and have met withsome success. Most departments are working on their ownthrough their vendors, much like it appears that you have.

Departments can contact Real Estate Management if they need supplies that they can’t get a hold of. Employees may also bring their own supplies. All employees are encour-aged to follow the CDC guidelines regarding practicing good social distancing while at work.

Take the Employee Benefits Satisfaction

Survey by May 21Which benefits are most important to you?

How satisfied are you with the benefits and services you receive?

Human Resources needs your feedback to ensure we continue to provide Pinellas County employees with meaningful and high quality benefits.

The survey is hosted by Survey Monkey and can be completed at your work or home computer, on your cell phone or tablet. All answers are anonymous.

Please take 5-10 minutes tocomplete thesurvey.The survey closes Thursday, May 21 at 5 p.m.

Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PCBenefits

It’s hard not to feel isolated right now with social distancing, masks and stay-at-home orders. We miss our old “normal” life and the daily connection of coworkers and friends.

This blog is for you!

Connect with other employees to share COVID-19 stories and support.

Link: www.pinellascounty.org/hr/blog

Blog Guide for instructions on how to create a post.

View the more than 130 posts from fellow employees with topics like:

Coping and managing stress COVID-19 stories and photos Working from home Staying motivated Messages of thanks from your Appointing Authorities COVID-19 support and resources

... and much more.

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YOUR TOTAL REWARDSHealth ● Wellness ● Retirement ● Compensation

Benefits Partners

DENTALCigna(800) 244-6224www.mycigna.com

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)Optum(866) 248-4096liveandworkwell.com

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (FSA)WageWorks(877) 924-3967www.wageworks.com

HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT (HSA) Optum Bank(800) 791-9361www.optumbank.com

LIFE INSURANCEStandard Insurance Company(855) 290-9479www.standard.com

MEDICAL/BEHAVIORAL/MENTAL HEALTHUnitedHealthcare(888) 478-4752www.myuhc.com

PRESCRIPTIONExpress Scripts(866) 544-9221www.expressscripts.com

VISIONDavis Vision(800) 999-5431www.davisvision.com

Take Care of Yourself

The Know Your Benefits Series features benefits programs you need to know and understand so you can make the right choices for you and your family.

In May’s To Your Health newsletter, you will find:

The Five Love Languages

The ABCs of Asthma

Coping with COVID High Fives!

Family COVID Corner

... and more.

Free Access to Customized Legal Documents Through EAPOur EAP provider, Optum, offers employees and retirees access to create customized legal forms, such as wills, advance directives, durable power of attorney for finances, HIPAA autho-rization, and many other common legal documents.

Per Optum, “Dealing with traffic tickets, contracts, wills and other legal matters can be confusing. What’s more, finding your way through the legal system can be complex. Learn about finding the right profes-sional for your legal needs and more.”

Each legal document is custom-ized for our state of residence and available for all 50 states. In addition to wills, power of attorney and estate planning

documents, complaint letters, fam-ily and divorce documents, living trusts, loans and sales, and real estate-related legal documents are available too.

To reach this legal resource online, start at: www.liveandwork-well.com and use access code

“PINELLAS.” Select the option

“Financial & Legal”, scroll down to,

“Highlighted benefits”, select “Legal & financial resources”, then select the state where you reside.

A legal consultation is also avail-able as well as mediation services. You may also create an advanced medical directive, also known as a

“living will.”

Call Optum with any questions or if you need assistance. Their toll-free telephone number is (866) 248-4096.

Parenting ChallengesNo one said it would be easy and it’s not!

The Employee Assistance Program offers a variety of

tools including articles and resource locators, plus

short-term counseling at no cost.

Visit www.pinellascounty.org/hr/EAP.

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Teamwork, Focus and Dedication BTS, OTI and Utilities Complete Upgrade of Billing and Revenue System While Working Remotely

Contributed by Georges Gonzalez, Utilities Customer Services Division Director

Over the last 7 months, the Utilities Customer Services team along with the Vertex Organization, Business Technology Servic-es (BTS) and the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) have been working on upgrading the Utilities SAP billing and revenue management system. Over the weekend of April 11th and 12th, the old R3 SAP system was taken down and the new SAP S-4 HANA was implemented.

The S-4 HANA 1909 system is the latest and most advanced SAP software there is in the market. In fact, Pinellas County Utili-ties is the first public utility system to implement and launch this version. To make things more interesting, many of us are currently working remotely. This upgrade was conducted 100% remotely with no on-site operation. This was also a first not only for Pinellas County, but for the SAP company and the utilities industry. There has never been a remote SAP upgrade prior to ours. In addition, an implementation of this magnitude normal-ly takes 15 months to 2 years. Our team completed the imple-mentation in 7 months, an amazing feat.

The approach taken early on was one of engagement. The Cus-tomer Services team, from meter readers, to call center repre-sentatives to back office staff along with supervisors and man-agers took complete ownership of the upgrade from day one. The upgrade from the R3 SAP outdated launch pad system to S-4 HANA Web-based intelligent application was the key to the division’s successful implementation. The approach was simple: every employee within the division played a role in the imple-mentation, ensuring that all key stakeholders and partners were involved at all phases of the implementation. It was important for all key stakeholders, internal and our external partners, to understand the effect the change would have in their daily operations, and to understand how a small change to a process would impact business processes down the line.

Every member of the Customer Services Division had a critical role to play by providing their thoughts and feedback as we de-veloped best practices and worked to develop and implement their ideas. The team kept in mind best practices with an eye on becoming a center of excellence. As a team, 183 processes were recommended and developed for improvement. We de-veloped a new billing system and automated 7 manual process-es. Through it all, we had challenging times, we had fun, and it was exciting to see the team come together. We always kept our customers, our processes and staff in mind along with our goal and an eye toward becoming a center of excellence. This was a journey that all members of the team and our partners can call a truly historic moment.

Tax Collector Employees Send Relief During Crisis

Each year, Pinellas County Tax Collector employees vote for the charity they would like to support in the coming year. For 2020, employees selected our local Ronald McDonald House. Funds are collected dur-ing the year through an internal program that allows employees to wear jeans to the office every other Friday when they donate $3 or more to the cause.

Typically, the donations are then turned over to the selected charity at the Tax Collector’s annual In-Service Day in Febru-ary. However, news spread about how the Ronald McDonald House was struggling for funds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The staff quickly gathered the dona-tions collected since the beginning of the year and distributed $805.75 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay.

The Ronald McDonald House Executive Director Lisa Suprenand sent an acknowl-edgment letter expressing gratitude and explaining how needed these funds are during this crisis.

“You are very kind to distribute the funds for our use during this critical time,” Suprenand said. “Since we cannot have volunteer groups make meals at our house, we are purchasing meals for our families.”

For more information about the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay, you can visit their website at www.rmhctampabay.org.

Contributed by Amber Bradley, Customer Care and Communications Manager, Tax Collector’s Office

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In the past month, two EAC Representatives have resigned because of promotions within Pinellas County. Bill Gorman has accepted a promotion to Operations Supervisor in Stormwater at Public Works. Marion Nuraj has accepted a promotional position within the Clerk of Courts Records as a Specialist Supervisor. I would like to say that they represented the classified with integrity and passion and will be missed. I also would like to congratulate them both on their new career opportunities with Pinellas County and wish them well. – Lisa Arispe, EAC Chair

The following was written by Marion Nuraj, former EAC Representative:

When I ran for EAC Representative in Novem-ber of 2016, I did so because I felt the need to serve. As County employees, we are all public servants, but as EAC Representatives, we serve both the public and Pinellas County classified employees. I have served as the EAC Repre-sentative for Clerk-South since December of 2016 and have been on many committees and worked on different projects. The EAC is made of 15 Representatives, all coming from differ-ent County departments with different per-spectives and life experiences. It is that diversity that makes the EAC such a unique and special organization.

When I first came to the Council, I had one goal in mind: to be able to get Pinellas County to offer Voluntary Benefits (VB) such as supple-mental insurance. I had many employees approach me on the need of them and how beneficial it would be to them, especially since it wouldn’t require any monetary contribu-tions from the County. The premiums would be paid strictly by the employee but would need to be payroll deducted. The reason why this is beneficial for the employee is because the employees would get a lower premium if they were to go through the County group. But Pinellas County wouldn’t need to pay anything towards it. We formed a committee made of myself and 3 Human Resources (HR) staff members. Pinellas County put out an RFP (Request for Proposal) and we went over the proposals that were submitted by different companies. After 8 hours of going through all

of the contracts, the committee finally agreed to recommend a company to HR. This was around the time that the Evergreen Classifica-tion and Compensation study was taking place, so HR decided to table it to a later date. Now with the Benefits Advisory Committee forming, I am confident that they will follow through and revisit it because it is so beneficial for our employees. We are here to serve the employ-ees of Pinellas County and voice their con-cerns and wishes, and this is one of them. The EAC launched a survey on this topic and the answers have come out with an overwhelming support of having this additional benefit.

Recently I have accepted a promotion within the Clerk of Court and will be resigning from the EAC as a Representative - with a bitter-sweet note: It has been a pleasure and honor serving you and I have full faith that the EAC will continue to serve the employees of Pinellas County and look after your best in-terests. I urge my EAC colleagues to stay true to our values and ALWAYS have the employ-ees’ best interest in mind. Often times I have noticed that it is easy to distract ourselves and lose sight of what we are truly here for: to serve our employees. Even though sometimes you may not agree with something, ask your-self if it is in the best interest of the employees. Look around your areas and ask yourself if the employees you represent would benefit from what you are working on and most important-ly, always keep an open line of communica-tion between yourself and your delegates and employees. After all, we are here to “continu-ally improve the Pinellas County classified employees’ quality of work life.”

Empty boxes are available from Records Management on a first come, first served basis. After you enter an empty box request in the Oracle Records Management System, boxes are sent to you through interoffice mail and are delivered to your mailroom location. Each empty box delivery includes an address label with the recipient’s name. Please be sure to only take boxes from your mailroom that are addressed to you as there could be requests for empty boxes from others at your location.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us in Records Management at 464-5555.

THE RECORD KEEPER Empty Box Delivery

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Empty Animal Shelters: Will this Pet Adoption Boom Eventually Bust?

While the shelters are never completely empty, the adop-tion floor at Animal Services has been very quiet these days! Most days, we start with 4 or 5 cats and dogs in adoptions, but within an hour of opening we are empty or down to one pet. With lines at the door before we open, this has certainly been the proverbial “silver lining” many are looking for in these stressful times. Of course, if you think about it, the empty kennels make perfect sense since pets help their humans to com-bat loneliness and depression, as well as to decrease blood pressure and increase heart healthy activity, too. Stressful times call for furry, 4-legged therapists!

However, there is always a downside to consider, which leaves many wondering what

may happen when our lives return to “normal”? Will our local shelters see an influx of surrenders and stray intakes? The shelter staff I have spoken to remain optimistic. Due to the length of home quarantine and slow process of reintegration, the human-animal bond should be quite strong, and the pets should also be acclimated to their home environ-ment. Perhaps, the pet owner may

not even need to return to the workplace full-time. The work- at-home strate-gies deployed by companies all over the na-tion have been so successful, leading em-ployers to em-brace Zoom-

style meetings and collaborations through Microsoft Teams in place of traditional get-togethers.

People who have put off pet owner-ship may also be realizing it is not as difficult as they thought! Older pets

By Jennifer Renner, Volunteer Coordinator, Pinellas County Animal Services

who are house-trained require a minimal transition when returning to a workday schedule.

Another effort to combat increased surrenders due to financial hardship is by offering free services to those in need. At Animal Services, we offer free pet food to the community and we have been keeping the canned and dry food well stocked thanks to our pet store partners and caring citizens. Our partner shelter, Humane Society of Pinellas also offers a Pet Food Pantry to those in need.

With low numbers of dogs and cats in adoptions, our medical team has been able to focus on sick and injured strays who require more intensive medical care. Our front desk staff has continued to assist the public albeit one at a time, and I have been able to walk a mile (or twenty!) in a volunteer’s shoes. This experience made me realize how important volunteers are to our orga-nization and to see firsthand how we can improve the experience for them in the future as well. Volunteers will begin to return June 1st. We are look-ing forward to welcoming them back onsite!

Working from Home During COVID-19 TIPS

A significant percentage of Pinellas County employees are currently working from home. Our employ-ees and partners at the University of Florida/IFAS Extension Services have put together a list in 2 parts to help you manage. Here are highlights.

Choose a dedicated work space.

Get started early.

Pretend like you are going tothe office.

Structure your day like youwould in the office

Commit to doing more

Work hard when you can

Communicate your needs withthe family.

Save calls and emails for a sched-uled time.

Interact. Remember: You’reworking from home, not themoon.

Plan out what you’ll be workingon ahead of time.

Connect with home base – checkin with coworkers.

Take breaks away from yourdesk.

End your work day - every day.Carefully guard your home andwork worlds.

How to Work from Home Without Losing Your Mind (Mostly)

Written by UF/IFAS Extension Agents: Alicia Betancourt, Linda Seals, Ramona Madhosingh-Hector and Carol Roberts

BTS’s Randy Vandermolen is well prepared.

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ULearnIT Here FirstContributed by: Human Resources Organizational & Talent Development (OTD)

Performance Management

The Savvy LearnerLearning is essential to an

organization because:

The only constant in life is change, and you can’t have sustainable change without also having the new learning that goes along with it – beliefs, habits

and norms.

Additional Resources(Copy ID into search field after logging in to ULearnIT).

Planning an Effective Performance Appraisal

ID: amg_03_a02_bs_enus

Managing Employee Development

ID: amg_02_a02_bs_enus

Planning for Skills Needs and Managing Performance

ID: ahr_02_a01_bs_enus

What is performance management? Many employ-ees might be under the mistaken belief that per-formance management is simply an annual review, a self-evaluation, or a factor considered in a pay increase. The truth is that performance manage-ment is none of these things in isolation; true perfor-mance management is a process, and this process is one that is not necessarily tied to compensation. Performance management is the process of creating a work environment in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. So, how do you manage your performance?

Components of a Performance Management SystemGood performance management systems may contain multiple elements, but ultimately the specif-ic individual steps are less important than the overall system. A performance management system should include many of the following components in order to be effective:

Understandable job descriptions with specificcompetencies and responsibilities that areexpected to be demonstrated

Clear requirements and accomplishment-basedperformance standards, outcomes, and measures

Ongoing education, training, and learning anddevelopment opportunities

Continuous coaching, mentorship, and feedback

Regular performance development discussionswhere there is a check-in on progress towardsgoals

Promotional and career development opportuni-ties including lateral moves, transfers, and jobshadowing programs

While in the past, managers were responsible for tracking and developing performance with their own team members during an annual performance review and then reporting results to higher lead-ership, in the performance management process, research has revealed that it is far more effective to provide more frequent feedback. Many companies have dropped the annual review model and ad-opted a system of regular manager check-ins and informal feedback sessions throughout the year. This type of performance management can help employ-ees understand and align with organizational goals and objectives, making small adjustments over time instead of trying for one larger course correction at the end of every year.

Solid Waste: You can change the environment but you can’t change the nerd in us. Go team Rays.

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Recording ServicesRecording Services

Recording Services employees

While maintaining safety and social distancing guidelines, the Public Works’ Stormwater Operations team ensures essential services continue to be performed like preparing for the upcoming hurricane season by addressing flooding issues before they occur in problem areas.

There are over 1,000 miles of sidewalk and approximately 60,000 signs maintained by the Public Works’ Roadway & Bridge and Signs & Signals teams. Public Works continues to provide these essential services for resident and visitor safety while maintaining appropriate social distancing during these challenging times.

Joshua Goodrick supporting customer base.

Clerk’s St. Petersburg Branch

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SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES

Unavailable for Photo

15 YEARS James Abaka .................................................. Risk ManagementTodd Balika..........................................Clerk of the Circuit CourtRodney Bolt .................................................... Risk ManagementJohn Hoffman ................................................................... UtilitiesJan Price ...............................................Clerk of the Circuit CourtGabriel Serrano ...................................Clerk of the Circuit CourtSherri Skinner ......................................Clerk of the Circuit Court

10 YEARSKevin Campanaro ...........................Property Appraiser’s OfficeMelanie Goss ..............................................Tax Collector’s OfficeJames Hammond ...........................Property Appraiser’s Office

5 YEARSRashad Berrien ........................................................Public WorksAmy Brozell .........................................Clerk of the Circuit CourtGreg Concannon ................................ Real Estate ManagementRay Charles Dacres ..................................................Public WorksSteven Hessling ...................................Clerk of the Circuit CourtJ. Jenkins ...................................... Business Technology ServicesArlita Kelsay .........................................Clerk of the Circuit CourtCleosinda Mizutani ............................................Human ServicesMarcus Oania .............................Convention & Visitors BureauDontrell Smith ................................................................... UtilitiesUzman Syed ....................................Property Appraiser’s OfficeThandiwe Tenn ................................... County Attorney’s Office

3 YEARSRobert Abston ............................ Business Technology ServicesBradley Anderson ............................................................. UtilitiesDaniel Anderson ...............................................Building ServicesJesse Barker ..............................................................Public WorksManderley Barrows ............................Clerk of the Circuit CourtRuth Borkowski ..........................................Tax Collector’s OfficeNatalie Castro ......................................Clerk of the Circuit CourtSerena Chambray ...............................Clerk of the Circuit CourtMackenzie Comerer ..................Convention & Visitors BureauHolly Conner ...................................... Real Estate ManagementHailey Dietz ................................................Tax Collector’s OfficeDorothy Ferrentino ...................................... Code EnforcementBenjamin Friedman ........................... Economic DevelopmentKrishna Gandhi .................................... Management & Budget

Corey Gray .......................................................................PlanningAmanda Knoblock ........................................................... UtilitiesErich Kraemer ...................................................Building ServicesHeather Leon .............................................Tax Collector’s OfficeRebecca Lishefski ............................... Real Estate ManagementAllaina Luna ............................................................Regional 911Kevin McKeon .................................Property Appraiser’s OfficeEric Mills ....................................................................Public WorksRobert Mills ................................................................ Solid WasteNora Orlando ......................................Clerk of the Circuit CourtRussell Ostean ................................................................... UtilitiesPatricia Perez .................................................................... UtilitiesEdith Perez Lopez ............................................................. UtilitiesMark Roberts .....................................................Building ServicesMichael Schoderbock ....................................................PlanningDeeAnna Schultz .............................................................. UtilitiesMarco Sokell ...................................................................... UtilitiesDaniel Torres ..................................................................... UtilitiesSarah Vandergriff ......................................Tax Collector’s OfficeGregory Watson .......................................................Public WorksDenise Whisennant ........................................................Planning

30 YEARS 20 YEARS35 YEARS

Bonnie BuronUtilities/Plant Operations

Darenda RillProperty Appraiser’s Office

Cynthia EdenSafety & Emergency Services/ Ambulance Billing & Finance

Greg CarroBusiness Technology Services

Peter DuffParks & Conservation Resources/Horticulture

Mona McGuireReal Estate Management/ Detention

Jared RouillardFleet Management

Mark WilsonReal Estate Management

REPCO NewsIn recognition of current local government guidelines / directives for social distancing, masking and no group gatherings, REPCO meetings are cancelled until the guidelines / directives are relaxed to allow group meetings. For questions, contact Rudy Garcia at (813) 855-3466 or rdgarcia@verizon.net.

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RETIREMENTS

Over 30 Years Stephen Henry, Water/Wastewater Plant Operator 2, Utilities

30 YearsEric Fontaine, Water Quality Management Specialist 1, Utilities

Over 20 YearsCarol Hopper, Records Specialist 2, Clerk of the Circuit Court/Civil Court Records

Over 14 YearsJean Koss, Tax Technician 2, Tax Collector’s Office

Over 13 YearsJacqueline Laporta, Information Technology Systems Analyst, Clerk of the Circuit Court

13 YearsLewis Randolph, Utilities Maintenance Specialist 1, Utilities/Maintenance

Retirees Unavailable for Photo

OVER 35 YEARS

OVER 30 YEARS

OVER 33 YEARS

OVER 32 YEARS

OVER 31 YEARS OVER 30 YEARS OVER 30 YEARS

OVER 29 YEARS OVER 29 YEARS OVER 29 YEARS

Jay Perkins Engineering Specialist 2

Utilities

Jerry IrizarryEnvironmental Specialist 1

Development Review Services

Michael DecemberAutomotive Equipment Operator 2

Public Works/Stormwater & Vegetation

Colleen WhiteRecords Specialist Supervisor

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Carol McKinneyAccountant 2

Human Services

Thomas BocciaPrintshop Production Supervisor

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Donna BignottiRecords Specialist 2

Clerk of the Circuit Court/ Civil Court Records

Michael MillerTire Technician

Fleet Management

Donald DavisRecords Specialist 2

Clerk of the Circuit Court/Criminal Court Records

Valerie GrajirenaLegal Administrative Assistant

County Attorney’s Office

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PromotionsPromotions listed are for April 2020.

Board of County Commissioners

Administrative ServicesJanie Gardner .............................................Procure Pay Spec

AirportJames Fletcher .............................................Airpt Opns Supv

Human ServicesJulie Stevenson ..................................................Accountant 2

Safety & Emergency ServicesChristopher Armey ................ 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 2Zak Milewsky .......................... 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 2Michael Sloan ..............................911 Pub Safety Ctr Supv 2

Parks & Conservation ResourcesMichael Merchant ...............................................Park Rngr 2Jason Miller ...........................................................Park Rngr 2

Clerk of the Circuit CourtCorey Franz............................................................ Rec Spec 2Doreen Quondamatteo ....................................... Rec Spec 2Rachel Schmidt ..................................................... Rec Spec 2

Consumer Corner Keeping Your Loved Ones SafeDuring IsolationFrom Pinellas County Consumer Protection

During these times of social distancing and quarantine, older adults may be more isolated and therefore more susceptible to scams. Perpetrators can be strangers, but they can just as well be someone familiar to the person; a family member, friend or neighbor. Here are some tips to help keep your loved ones safe during this time of separation.

When you can’t physically be there, it’s especially important to keep in touch. Dailyphone calls and video chats can keep you connected. Let your loved one know youare there should an issue arise.

Be sure to ask questions about unexpected visitors, unusual phone calls or emails.Have there been any inquiries made about their personal or financial informationor unusual activity on accounts? These are important questions even if your lovedone is being cared for an assisted living or nursing facility.

Put preventive measures in place to reduce scams. Use caller ID, if you don’t recog-nize the number, don’t answer. Call block apps will help limit unwanted calls. Installantivirus and firewall protection on your computer. Don’t open and delete emailsyou don’t recognize.

Remember it’s not rude to hang up the phone or not answer the door to unwantedvisitors; especially during this time of quarantine.

There’s no better time than the present to protect our loved ones. Learn ways to shield them from potential scams. For more tips, COVID-19 related scams or to file a complaint, visit www.pinellascounty.org/consumer, or call (727) 464-6200.

Public WorksAndy Carr ................................................................Opns SupvBill Gorman ............................................................Opns SupvErin Lawson .................................................. Eng Sect Mgr-PELynn Smith...................................................Entomology Asst

UtilitiesConstance Bostick .......................................... Opns Mgr AsstMontez Brown .................................................... Meter Rdr 3Christopher Campbell .........................Wtr/Wstwtr Plt Opr 2Joe Graham ............................................................. Trne UF CIvan Ezquierdo .................................... Str/Wstwtr Plt Oper 2Dontrell Smith ................................. Wtr/Wstmtr Plt Opr Chf

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Board of County Commissioners

Welcome Aboard!New employees listed are for April 2020.

Evan Liss......................................................Elec Admin

Clerk of the Circuit CourtBobbi Kelley ..............................................Fis Rec Spec

Business Technology ServicesDevin Ogden ........................ Ntwrk Telcomm AdminDavid Richards .............................................Sys Admin

Forward PinellasAmy Elmore ..........................................Plan Prog Spec

Development Review ServicesJustin Gearhart ..........................................Envir Spec 1Kailey Travis ................................................ Env Spec 1

Fleet ManagementMahesh Parmessar ......................................Feet Mech

Human ServicesScott Johnson .........................................Mgmt Analyst

Management & BudgetCharlie Jenkins ................... Bud & Fin Mgmt Analyst

Public WorksJoel Adams ......................................... Tree Trimmer 1Jashaun Harris .....................................................AEO 1Sean Mitchell ............................................Spray Tech 1Jared Tindell ................................................Crew Chf 1

Real Estate ManagementLance Byrne .................................................Craftwkr 2James McDermott ......................................GIS AnalystFrank Terry .................................Trades/Fld Svcs Supv

Regional 911Danielle Carson ............................. Law Enf TelcommTommy Johnson ..........................Law Enf TelecommYusef Nash ....................................Law Enf TelecommMichelle Peterson ......................... Pub Safety Ctr MgrTristen Ward ................................... Law Enf Telcomm

Supervisor of Elections

Daily Well-being ChecklistFacing a “new normal” is stressful. Establishing new routines is important and helps to manage stress. This daily checklist encourages us to take care of our bodies, our hearts and our minds and will provide some structure to the day. Feel free to check these off your list in an order that works for you.

UtilitiesTaylor Beehler ................................Elect Equip Tech 1Timothy Calvit ...................................................... Eng 3Emily Davis ............................. Wtr Qual Mgmt Spec 1Sean Higgins .....................................Util Maint Spec 3Katherine Sun ............................................. Engineer 1Michael Wilkes ............................... Proj Coord Admin

Simple daily steps to maintain your well-being:

Take a few minutes to be in the moment,enjoying something simple.

List 3 things you are grateful for today.

Do one thing to get your heart rate up.

Reach out to a human beyond your home.

Manage stress with one healthy activity.

Do one thing you will be glad you did later.

Prepare a healthy meal or snack for thenext day.

View the Daily Well-being Checklist Worksheet online.

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Employee and family news including kudos, weddings, births, graduations, memorials, and classified ads. Send your news to employee.communications@pinellascounty.org or call 464-5098.

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Gone but notForgottenThe Pen is saddened to report the passing

of the following retirees:

Classified AdsFor Sale: Vintage Schwinn bike. $100. Call (518) 378-9046.

Want to Get Rid of Stuff?Advertise here for FREE if you'd like to give away, donate, or sell something.

All County employees, active or retired, permanent or tempo-rary, may submit ads. Only personal items can be advertised—business or commercial ads or ads providing services will not be published. To submit an ad, complete this online form. Questions? Contact: Employee.Communications@pinellascounty.org.

The Pen is published once per month on or around the 15th. Submissions are due the 1st of the month.

Andrea Clemons Gammon (Ambulance Billing & Finanical Services) submitted the following:

May 4-8 was Nurses Appreciation Week. Andrea Clemons Gammon’s daughter, Ashley Gammon, RN, works in the Emergency Room Department at Lakeland Regional Medical Children’s Hospital. Ashley is a FRONTLINE HERO during this most difficult time for COVID-19. We appreciate all the first responders and healthcare providers.

John Diamond, 94, of Cape Coral, FL, passed away April 25. He retired in March of 1998. No obituary was located.

Harold Janinda, 89, of Clearwater, passed away April 15. He left in 2002 from the Clerk’s Recording Services and Official Records offices after 14 years of service as a Records Specialist 2. View his obituary.

John Prior, 79, of Largo, passed away April 7. He retired in 2002 from the Utilities Maintenance Division, South, as a Property & Stores Clerk, after 36 years of service. No obituary was located.

C. Norman Simison, 80, of Paducah, KY, passed away March 31. He retired in June of 2002 from the Highway Depart-ment as a Traffic Technician. View his obituary.