November 5,
2007
News You Can Use
Dave Ward is new T&D
manager
Tacoma Power Superintendent Gary Armfield selected Dave Ward as
Transmission & Distribution manager starting November 1. Dave has been an
assistant manager in T&D since 1996 and served as interim T&D manager for
six months last year. His experience, leadership skills and solid
understanding of the T&D organization, combined with his many other
qualifications, made him an ideal choice for the job. In addition to his new
management role, Dave also has begun working on plans to fill his former
position as assistant manager for T&D Engineering.
Former Energy Services employee passes away
Vivian Arter — wife of Tom Arter, Transmission & Distribution, and a former
Energy Services employee — passed away suddenly on Tuesday, October 30. A
memorial service will be held Tuesday, November 6, at 1 p.m. at the
Evergreen Chapel at New Tacoma Cemetery. A reception will follow at the
AmVets upper hall, 5717 S. Tyler Street, next to Moctezuma's on S. 56th and
Tyler.
Electrical outlets installed for PHEV use; overflow to Lot D
Installation of electrical outlet pedestals for recharging TPU’s planned
plug-in hybrid electrical vehicle fleet will begin on Monday, November 5,
and last about five days. The 11 TPU vehicles previously parked along the
south side of the Administration Building, including the convenience pool
vehicles, will be moved to Lot D during this project. Employee parking in
Lot D will be reduced accordingly. Remember that Lot G up on the 35th Street
hill is now available, even during pedestrian bridge construction, as long
as employees park away from construction activities and equipment.
Korean Electric Power
Company visits TPU
Staff from Korean Electric Power Company met with staff from Customer
Service, Tacoma Power and the Enterprise Application Support Division on
Friday, November 2, to discuss how TPU is
using SAP’s customer care system and learn more about Tacoma Power’s Gateway
Project. Four people, including an interpreter, spent the day on-site,
observing call center activities. Staff from SAP and past visiting national
and international utilities have commented on Customer Service’s high degree
of professionalism, finding it the high point of their visits. |
What's Cookin'
the Week of Nov. 5
Cup of Soup & Sandwich — $2.63
Cup of Chili or Chowder & Sandwich —
$2.81
Salad — $2.76
Hot Special — $3.03
Share the news
The deadline to submit items for Newsline is
10
a.m. Fridays. E-mail Newsline, or call editor Laurel Willoughby,
502-8754, if you don't have e-mail access.
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Tacoma
Rail group returns to the main facility
The
Maintenance of Way section of Tacoma Rail has moved back to the main Tacoma
Rail facility at 2601 SR 509
N. Frontage Road. The new contact numbers are
Alan Matheson, 502-8934;
Kari Halliday, 396-3285;
Lori Luscher, 502-8897; and
fax 396-3378.
SAP
support pack application postponed
During
the final SAP support pack testing phase last week, EASD staff discovered
that application of the packs could cause critical production
errors. EASD is currently working with SAP, but until we have a resolution,
the support pack application will be delayed. We apologize for any
inconvenience this might have caused. We will keep you apprised of the revised
implementation schedule. If you have questions, contact
Bradd Busick, 382-2665.
November
CityScape examines response to big December '06 windstorm
The November edition of CityScape recaps the heroic efforts of crews in the
field and people behind the scenes that helped restore power to nearly
100,000 customers. The show reminds viewers of the year-round work that
Tacoma Power crews do to strengthen the power system so that storm-related
power outages are kept to a minimum. It also reviews what customers should
do to prepare for possible power outages. CityScape airs all month on
Channel 12 on Mondays at 10 a.m., 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.; Tuesdays at 8 a.m., 4
p.m. and 9 p.m.; Wednesdays at 3 p.m. and midnight; Thursdays at 8 a.m. and
8 p.m.; Fridays at 2 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 1 a.m., 11
a.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 4 a.m., 8 a.m., noon and 7 p.m. Check listings for replay times outside Tacoma.
Give
Weight Watchers a try before the pumpkin pie brings you down
Downsizing can be a good thing . . . lose weight at work (and a size or two)
with lunchtime Weight Watchers meetings right here at TPU. You can still eat
the foods you enjoy, and you don't have to buy their food! You’ll also receive
support and motivation from your co-workers at the weekly meetings along
with knowledge and experience toward a healthy weight loss. If you’d like to
test-drive a meeting, contact
Gina Rich, 502-8449.
Utilities People
invites kids to Winter Wonderland party December 15
Put Saturday, December 15, from 10 a.m. to noon on the kids’ calendar.
Thanks to Utilities People, the Cafeteria and Auditorium will feature Santa
Claus, crafts, games, balloons and more. Use the sign-up sheet in the
Cafeteria to note the number of children you'll be bringing so Utilities
People can plan for them. For information on the party or to volunteer to
assist, contact
Jan Pieper, 502-8452; or
Denise Hottel, 502-8936.
The event is
open to Utilities People members and guests only. If you are not a member
and want to join, contact
Rick Herrmann,
502-8226. Annual dues are just $8.
These football guessers are getting pretty good
— three were perfect in week eight!
The winners in
week eight of the Cafeteria football contest were Renée Tresness,
Transmission & Distribution; Tom Clarke, Paint Shop; and Ed Miller, Generation,
with 14 out of 14 correct. All three will be in the Super Bowl contest. Renée was closer on the tiebreaker and won the Cafeteria
food card for the week.
The winner for week
nine will be
posted Tuesday morning. Ballots for week 10 are in the Cafeteria and must
be turned in by Friday, November 9, at
4 p.m. One entry per person per
week. The person who picks the most winners each week earns a $10 Cafeteria
food card and an entry in the Super Bowl contest at the end of the season. The
winner of the Super Bowl contest takes home a $50 gift card to the Outback
Steakhouse.
Get Smart
Classes to
help timely year-end closing and accurate financial reports
Fund accountants, PR/PO processors and bill payers should attend the
training sessions below. Handouts provided at the sessions will assist with
closing year-end 2007. Contact
DeAnna Herrera, 591-5852, with any questions.
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Fund accountant/asset accountant year-end preparation training
Thursday, November 8, 1 to 3 p.m., Auditorium
Tuesday, November 13, 1 to 3 p.m., Tacoma Municipal Building Room 248
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Year-end training for section PR/PO processors and bill payers
Wednesday, November 28, 1 to 3 p.m., City Council Chambers
Tuesday, December 4, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Auditorium
Giving Back
One employee eligible
for donated PTO or sick leave
Dennis
Johnson, Building Maintenance, is
eligible to receive donated PTO or sick leave. To donate, contact your
timekeeper or Public Utilities Human Resources, 502‑8158, for a PTO/sick
leave donation form. You also can download the form from the Human Resources
section of CityWeb.
List of names now available for Adopt-a-Family
Each year TPU employees have adopted families for the Christmas holiday. The
families provide Greater Lakes Mental Health with their wish lists, and the
adopters fill them as much as they can. If you or your work group wants to
help one of these families or individuals, contact
Gina Rich, 502-8449; or
Patty Gillingham, 502-8651, who can provide you with a list of names to
choose from. Your help and generosity is greatly appreciated!
Blood
drive coming on Friday, November 16
"Countess Vampira" Viv Leach, Finance, asks people to come to the
Auditorium Conference Room on November
16 to donate blood. Each unit of blood can give the gift of life to three
people. With the holiday season upon us, the need for blood is even
greater. Remember to drink plenty of fluids, have a hearty breakfast and
skip the caffeine. Contact
Viv, 591-5539, for an appointment.
Blanket drive added many warm bodies to our community
TPU employees responded to the Community Connection blanket drive in a way
that would make Linus proud. In the last half of October, TPU employees
donated 75 blankets, most of them new, for an estimated value of $1,650. The
blanket donations will be split between Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and
the Lakewood Area Shelter Association. Many families who receive assistance
in Lakewood literally have nothing, and the new blankets and bedding will
comfort them as we enter the winter months.
Tickets
on sale for General Government’s United Way basket raffle through
November 6
How do you feel about winning a spa weekend at the Salish Lodge? Who likes
portable DVD players? Do you like to travel? How about a $150 voucher on
Northwest Airlines? Maybe you'd like to be able to dole out gift
certificates to family and friends for the holidays or win a basket of cash
just for yourself. You can have a chance at these prizes and many more by
donating a dollar to General Government’s United Way basket raffle. City
computer users can take a look at the current list of
basket raffle items and buy $1 raffle
tickets from
Chris Moss, 502-8226;
Cindy Farmer, 502-8158; or
Erica Tucci, 502-8225, by Tuesday, November 6.
The baskets will be raffled at a 7:30 a.m. breakfast on Thursday, November
8, in the Tacoma Municipal Building Room 708 (need not be present to win).
For Your Benefit
November is Diabetes Awareness Month — Consult your doctor about symptoms
Early diabetes symptoms can be subtle or seemingly harmless — if you have
them at all. In fact, you could have diabetes for months or even years and
not know it. In the United States alone, more than six million people are
unaware that they have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes
Association. Understanding possible diabetes symptoms can lead to early
diagnosis and treatment, and a lifetime of better health. For more detailed
information, visit
www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-symptoms/DA00125. In the meantime,
consult your doctor if you begin to have these symptoms:
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Excessive thirst and
increased urination
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Flu-like feeling
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Weight loss or gain
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Blurred vision
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Slow-healing sores or
frequent infections
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Tingling hands and
feet
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Red, swollen, tender
gums
What's Happening & When
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Through November 6:
TV
Tacoma's Video Voters' Pamphlet helps voters decide on City Council,
Port of Tacoma Commission and Tacoma School Board candidates. The show
plays several times every day through November 6 on TV Tacoma; it also is available online at
www.tvtacoma.com.
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November
13:
Employees located at TPU can receive free flu shots during the health fair on Tuesday,
November 13.
(Shots also available at the Tacoma Municipal Building on November 6.)
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November 13:
SharePoint implementation and basic training. Get your
supervisor’s approval and attend the session from 8:30 to 11 a.m. in
the City Council Chambers at the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market
Street. For information,
contact
Rick Clark, Network Support,
591-2057.
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November 15:
Learn about generators and generator safety at the Generator Workshop at Ron
Jones Power Equipment,
14423 Pacific Avenue S.
in Spanaway, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Register by calling 502-8377.
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November 30:
Last
day to complete a confidential Mayo
Clinic health risk assessment. Receive a personalized report
plus a $25 gift card good at more than
300 merchants.
Register or log on at
www.cityoftacomawellness.org. Click the Health Risk
Assessment link, complete the assessment and follow the directions
to receive your gift card.
(It will take about 48 hours before you receive the
e-mail link that allows you to redeem your gift card.)
For more information, contact
Becky Lee, 591-5116.
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December 8: Utilities People bus trip to Leavenworth for
Christmas tree lighting.
Bus leaves from the Administration Building by the fountain 7 a.m. and
returns about 9
p.m. $25/members and $30/non-members includes the bus
trip and refreshments. To reserve your seat, contact
Rick Herrmann, Generation, 502-8226.
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December 12 and 13:
Mammogram vans from Swedish
Medical Center will be at TPU giving free mammograms to
any female City
employee age 40 or older who is symptom-free and not pregnant, or who is
35 or older with her primary care provider's referral.
Make appointments with
Swedish at 206-320-2500 or
breastcareexpress@swedish.org. Contact
Shannon Hoffman,
591-5823, with questions. (Vans also will be
in the Market Street
parking lot across from the Tacoma Municipal Building December 3, 4 and
5.)
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Through December
31: Timekeepers
have
incentive
goal completion
reports for employees in their sections.
Submit community
involvement hours with the worksheet available in Human Resources or on CityWeb under
Departments/TPU/TPU Incentive Program. Contact
Erika Tucci, 502-8225, with questions.
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January 30 to February 4:
Annual excursion to Big Mountain (now Whitefish
Mountain) in Montana. $525 or less per person includes train to and from
Whitefish, Montana; bus to the mountain; and hotel accommodations. Discounts
available for kids. Contact
Josh Newman, Click! Network,
502-8442.
Bargain Shopping
Submit
your ad to Newsline
Ads run in two issues of Newsline.
The deadline to submit ads is 10 a.m. Fridays. E-mail
Newsline, or call editor Laurel Willoughby, 502-8754,
if you don't have e-mail access.
Please include at least your first name,
and phone number or e-mail in your ad. Ads
for business activities, online auction ads and calls for charity
sponsorship are not allowed. About once a month, ads
will be borrowed from the Cafeteria bulletin board and included in
Newsline.
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Need
to fill in time for the Employee Incentive Program? Did you love Cub
Scouts when you were a boy? Men and women are invited to see if they
would enjoy being a cub master for Cub Scout Pack 509 Summit – Sleeping
Giant. The current cub master is about to follow his son into the Boy
Scouts. We have a strong pack both financially and in numbers at around
50 boys ranging from Tiger to Webelos II. The pack, through our
fundraisers, pays for the boys to go to camps and many other great
outings. We have great den leaders and family participation. If you’re
interested, contact current cub master Joe at 253-539-0775 or wolf den
leader Stephanie at 253-970-7610. You also can visit the Web site at
www.pack509tacoma.org.
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Woohoo —
sold almost everything, and thanks to those who helped! Still have the
extremely "man den"-friendly 42x24-inch big screen
TV w/matching glass table, $500 or best offer; and Shucks go-kart
like new, $175 obo. Pictures available of both.
Laurel, 502-8754.
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