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So
long, farewell to Bob Peters
Bob Peters, Real Property Services, will retire at the end of September. His
retirement lunch is on Thursday, September 20, at the Poodle Dog in Fife
from around 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. If you plan to attend, contact Mary
Williams, 502-8873, or Marsha Johnson, 502-8573, so they can get a head
count. The group also will hold a cake-and-coffee
reception for Bob from 2 to 4 p.m.
on
Thursday, September 27, in the 3rd Floor Conference Room.
Cafeteria football contest is off and running
— are you game?
Ballots
for Week 2 of the football contest are in the Cafeteria and must be turned
in by Friday, September 14, at
4 p.m. The Week 1 winner will be posted in the Cafeteria on Tuesday.
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 year. The winner of the Super Bowl contest takes home a $50
gift card to the Outback Steakhouse. One entry per person per week.
Get Smart
Learn "Customer Service Skills for TPU
Professionals" on Friday, October 19
Create an ACE
— an Astounding Customer Experience! In this class you’ll go over the ideal
traits of a TPU professional, understanding customer behavior and
communicating with customers. The class will be held Friday, October 19, in
the Main Floor Conference Room from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After you get
your supervisor’s approval, ask your area’s training representative to
register you by Thursday, October 4. For information, contact
Sheryl Brown, Human Resources,
502-8511.
Giving Back
Make
your United Way pledge
online with eWay
With the launch of this year’s United Way campaign, all employees who have a
City e-mail address will have the opportunity to participate through an
on-line pledging system linked to United Way of Pierce County. The campaign
team will send an e-mail after the United Way kick-off event on September 27
(except T&D, which kicks off on September 13), inviting employees to make
online donations through eWay. The program is simple, efficient and updates
in real time, so check back often to keep track of the campaign results.
Employees will receive unique log-ins and passwords so that privacy is
protected. Area coordinators will still distribute paper pledge forms to
everyone, for those who do not have e-mail addresses or who might prefer to
pledge by hard copy. (The team would like all paper forms returned,
regardless of whether they're used.) Look for a list of frequently asked
questions and answers about eWay in Newsline as the campaign
approaches, or ask your area’s coordinator.
T&D Planning and
Operations’ “Mystery Basket” clue #2
This prize is for two.
Did you know this about United Way? Kindergarteners can be better
prepared
About 60 percent of children entering kindergarten aren’t ready to
learn. Their physical health, social and emotional development, and language
and literacy skills aren’t adequate. With local community partners, United
Way of Pierce County launched the Devereaux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA)
Program in Pierce County. The DECA Program educates childcare staff and
parents on strategies to equip children to learn. Childcare teachers trained
through the DECA pilot program will help ensure that an additional 200
children in our community this year are ready to learn upon entering
kindergarten next year. Your United Way contribution gets kids off to a
strong start in school.
Get your fall beanies
Beanie bears and dogs are back, just in time for the fall holidays. Grab
yours quick — you know the cutest critters always go fast. Beanies are $6
each, or $12 for the bear couples. Proceeds benefit Community Connection.
Purchase beanies from your area’s Community Connection representative or
Erika Tucci, Community & Media Services. If you don’t know who your
representative is, see the roster on CityWeb under Groups & Forums/TPU
Community Connection.
Two employees eligible for donated PTO or sick leave
Simon Torres,
Click! Network; and
Cinda Johnson, Cushman Project,
are
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.
School supply drive helped homeless
students
Barb
Werelius, Management Services, thanks all employees who generously donated
items to the annual school supply drive. The
30 boxes of
glue, scissors, backpacks and other supplies will help homeless students
return to school well-prepared
through
the Tone Transitional Center.
Thanks also to Cindy Tweedy, other Mail Services staff and all those who
placed collection boxes in their areas.
For Your Benefit
Retirement introduction given this Wednesday
A retirement introduction will be held on Wednesday, September 12,
in the Tacoma Municipal Building City Council Chambers at 11 a.m. If you
plan to attend, contact the Retirement Office, 591-2035, by Tuesday,
September 11.
Deferred compensation information available on
October 4
Learn what
deferred compensation can do for you on Thursday, October 4, from noon to 1
p.m. in the Auditorium Conference Room. Rose Taylor, ING Financial Advisors,
is an experienced deferred comp representative who will discuss how this
program works through payroll deduction. Rose also will be available in the
Auditorium Conference Room from 1 to 3:30 p.m. for drop-in consultations and
from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for one-on-one appointments. Make an appointment by
calling 253-874-9742 or 800-478-7770. Rose can meet with you during these
times or at some other time convenient to you.
September is
Mental Health Awareness Month — mental illness affects one in five
According to the surgeon general, 20 percent of adults will experience a
diagnosable mental illness in any given year. A mental illness does not mean
you’re worried about tomorrow’s meeting, feeling extremely unhappy for
awhile when you missed out on a big promotion or sad when you lost a loved
one. It means you have a persistent, possibly chronic and often disabling
medical condition. In fact, individuals with a mental illness can have
“flare-ups” the same way people with asthma and diabetes experience their
chronic illnesses. Depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse are by
far the most common mental illnesses and are some of the most common
medical illnesses of any kind. For
more general information on mental illness, visit the Web site for the
National Alliance on Mental Illness at
www.nami.org. Source: Partnership for Workplace Mental
Health
Employee Assistance Program is
there for your mental health needs
The First Choice Health Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides expert
services around the clock to help with emotional, relationship, mental
health, parenting, family or personal concerns. When you contact the EAP,
you will be asked a few questions to help select a provider most closely
matching your needs. Counselors will help employees identify their needs and
refer them when necessary to providers within the City
of Tacoma's medical plan coverage. Employees are allowed three free
counseling sessions per issue. To find more information about the EAP, go to
CityWeb/Departments/Human
Resources and scroll down to the EAP section. Contact the EAP any time of
the day or night at 800-777-4114, 800-777-4969 (hearing impaired) or
info@firstchoiceeap.com.
What's Happening & When
September 10
For the 35th Street clean-up, meet Tony Rector, Water
Distribution, and Erika Tucci, Community & Media Services, between 4:15 and
4:30 p.m. on the east side of the Water Distribution Building near the meter
shop. For more information and to
let them know to expect you, contact
Tony, 255-7831, or
Erika, 502-8225.
September 12
Lunch 'n Learn in the Auditorium from noon to 1 p.m. Tacoma
nutritionist Nancy Morrow will discuss "Better Health Through Better
Nutrition: Five Principles for Optimizing Your Health." Complimentary
organic fruit will be available for all attendees. For more information,
contact Joe Nienalt,
Human Resources, 591-5406.
September 20
The blood drive is 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the
Auditorium Conference Room. Contact "Countess Vampira"
Vivian Leach, Finance,
591-5539, for an appointment.
September 21
For the
United Way Day of Caring, TPU employees will assist veteran nursing care residents
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. during a
picnic at the Washington Soldiers Home in Orting. If
you are interested in volunteering and would like additional information,
contact Debbie Bertram,
377-1915, or Liz Larson,
502-8769.
Through
September 23
Tacoma Water is looking for people to portray Wayne Drop at the Puyallup
Fair through Sunday, September 23. Participants
will receive a free ticket to the fair and can park free in a lot that has a
direct shuttle to the fair. The mascot-style costume comes with an ice vest
and a camel-back-style water bottle if it gets too hot. If you want to be
Wayne Drop, contact Megan
Millimaki, Water Quality, 502-8665.
Through September 24
Tickets for the 2007 United Way Basket
Raffle are on sale for $1. Baskets are on display in the Cafeteria, or go to CityWeb/Employee
Resources/TPU United Way to see online photos and a list of each basket’s
treasures. Purchase tickets from any
United Way coordinator or any member of the United Way campaign team. Find your nearest ticket seller by checking the list on the TPU United
Way CityWeb site. If you have questions, contact
Patty Gillingham,
502-8651, or Erika Tucci,
502-8225.
Throughout September
TV Tacoma’s September CityScape program features a profile of Utilities
Director Mark Crisson. He looks back at the major accomplishments during his
15 years as director and also discusses the challenges he faces ahead as a
public utility advocate and new head of the American Public Power
Association. Mark's last day at TPU is in late October. CityScape airs all
month on TV Tacoma several times each day of the week. Check local listings
for replay times both within Tacoma on Channel 12 and outside the city.
Through the end of October
2008 Entertainment Book sales benefit Utilities People.
Travel, dine, dance, bowl, go to movies, all for half price when you buy the
2008 Entertainment Book for just $20 from Utilities People. The 2008 book is valid now through November 1, 2008; the 2007 book is
still valid until November 1 this year. To purchase your Entertainment Book,
contact Rick Herrmann, Generation, 502-8226;
Liz Larson, Director's Office,
502-8769; or Jan Pieper, Customer Service, 502-8452.
November 1 and 2
Crafters, begin preparing for the Community Connection Holiday Craft Sale. There is a $5 per day business license charge for each
vendor, and 10 percent of each vendor’s sales will help Community Connection
purchase grocery cards for low-income seniors. If you have questions,
contact Julie Arnestad,
Energy Services, 502-8538.
November 13
Free flu shots will be offered
to TPU employees at the health fair on Tuesday, November 13.
Watch Newsline this fall for more information.
December 12 and 13
Now upgraded with digital technology, the mammogram vans from Swedish
Medical Center will be at TPU. Watch Newsline this fall for
appointment information. Contact
Shannon Hoffman, 591-5823, with questions.
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.
-
Have 12-foot boat,
need trailer. Rollie, 380-3503.
-
Downtown condo for
sale. Top floor of the historic Perkins Building, view of Commencement
Bay, steps away from large rooftop deck. Spacious rooms, 16’ ceilings,
custom window treatments, cherry cabinets, gas cookstove and fireplace,
underground parking, additional storage unit. Walk to restaurants,
museum, theaters, light rail. $248,950. Steve, 206-380-3779. Check
listing at
www.iggyshouse.com, property #181188.
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