Classification and Compensation Study: Step One - Implementation - Pinellas County
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September 2018 • Vol.46 No.9
www.pinellascounty.org/hr/publications.htm
Classification and Compensation Study:
New Classification
Step One - Implementation Structure
On September 6, 8
2% of classified employees will move T
o avoid confusion, all classi-
2018, the Unified to a pay grade with a higher midpoint fied pay grade numbers have
Personnel Board than their current pay grade. If a changed. For example, a Veteri-
adopted a new general increase is awarded in October, nary Technician’s previous pay
classification plan those employees will receive a greater grade was CL14 and the new
and new pay increase than they would have pay grade number is C21.
plans for classi- received under the old pay plan.
fied employees Y
ou can review a Classification
Three employees may face a reduction in Crosswalk with previous and
as a result of the their pay because they currently receive
Classification and new classifications and new
an amount more than 10% above the classified pay grades.
Holly Schoenherr, Ph.D. Compensation maximum for their updated pay grade.
Director, Human Resources Study performed
They have the right to request a second-
by the consultant,
Evergreen Solutions. The new classifica-
ary review by Evergreen, then by the Pay Adjustments
HR Director, and then by the Personnel
tion plan and pay plans and associated How do the pay adjustments work?
Board. Their pay reduction, if it stands,
pay adjustments were effective Septem- will take effect January 6, 2019. T
hose positions which fall below
ber 16, 2018. Individual notifications market levels were addressed first.
were sent to all classified employees. Duties vs. Performance
Second, we brought the pay rate
Overall, Evergreen found that, based on It is important to understand that the to the new pay grade minimums
the number of years in their occupation, duties of the position were analyzed in and addressed resulting compres-
the pay rates for the majority of UPS the study, not the employee’s qualifica- sion.
employees are more than 10% above tions, longevity, or performance in the
Individuals at or above the new
what they would expect to receive if position.
midpoint will not receive pay
employed by other peer organizations, A Competitive Structure adjustments.
and that compensation including
benefits is competitive with peer The primary objective of the study was R
eview previous and new pay
organizations. to provide an equitable and competitive plans.
structure for classification and pay rates,
4
0% of classified employees (approxi-
mately 950) received an increase
as compared to the greater employment Career Ladders
Continued on page 2. C areer ladders help eligible classi-
in pay on September 16.
fied employees advance by mov-
Secondary Reviews ing them to a higher classification
with greater responsibility within
A
ll classified employees may request job duties, perceived inaccuracies, their job family (such as moving
a secondary review by Evergreen and omissions. from Accountant 1 to Accountant
Solutions if they are not satisfied with P
riority will be given to those who 2). Departments establish career
their classification or pay grade NO face pay reductions or downward ladders with the approval of the
LATER THAN MONDAY, SEPTEMBER reclassification. Personnel Board.
24, 2018. Link to secondary review As a result of the study the UPS
form. First, view an instructional R
esults of secondary reviews will go to gained 28 new career ladders and
video on how to complete the form. HR, to the Appointing Authority, the lost three. Career ladders may
supervisor and the employee. need to be adjusted. This will
W
hat information should be pro-
vided? Evergreen needs to receive If a pay rate changes, the changes will be part of the next steps of this
new information about your job not not be retroactive, in accordance with implementation process. Human
submitted in the JAT, such as added Florida Statute 215.425. Resources continues to work to
support departments.
The Pen Table of Contents may be found on page 2.
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Classification and Compensation Study:
Step One - Implementation - continued from page 1.
market. The pay plan establishes the structure within
August’s Question of the Month
In Our which the Appointing Authorities determine individual
pay rates, in accordance with the Personnel Rules.
What aspect of your job
Own do you enjoy the most? A Multi-Year Process
Words This is the first phase in a multi-year implementation
effort. The next phases will include examining current
The people. I enjoy working
compensation rules and guidelines, implementation for
with highly skilled and knowl-
exempt employees, possibly revising some of the
edgeable professionals who are
Personnel Rules, and addressing rank and range
truly invested in the safety of our citizens, both in EM
compression.
and those with whom I work throughout the County.
I love knowing that all that we do helps to protect Thank You
our community and keep it safe. I love working in the Appointing Authorities and the Employees’ Advisory Coun-
community and meeting the residents and business cil (EAC) have been included in every part of this process.
people who care deeply about Pinellas County — they Their participation, in conjunction with the information
really do appreciate the work we do for them and and recommendations provided by the third-party consul-
that makes all the difference. tant, Evergreen Solutions, has been instrumental to this
Mary, Emergency Management milestone achievement.
The people I work with! We have a great team at In addition, Evergreen could not have provided the level
Utilities! of reliable analysis we received without the engagement and
The Pen
involvement of the massive number of employees (89%) who
Patsy, Utilities completed JAT’s early in the process. Thanks to all of your
My favorite part of my job at Pinellas County efforts, the Unified Personnel System is positioned well to
Extension is getting to educate and talk to all of recruit and retain a high quality workforce.
the wonderful people who live, work, and play in
our beautiful County. We recommend all employees review the FAQs and other
materials related to the Evergreen study at
Trevor, Extension Services www.pinellascounty.org/hr/study.
I enjoy the diversity of my job. As an investigator it’s
rewarding to assist the consumers through the media-
tion process in an effort to resolve their complaints.
As Outreach Coordinator, I provide consumer educa-
tion to the citizens of Pinellas County.
INSIDE
Click on the topic to go directly to the page.
Anna Marie, Consumer Protection
2 In Our Own Words
3 Ask HR / Total Compensation Statement
September’s Question of the Month 4 Annual Enrollment 2019 /
FREE Retirement Planning Webinars
What piece of advice would you give to a 5 EAC Nominations Coming Soon /
new employee? County, FEMA Flood Map Meetings
6 While You Were Sleeping /
Complete online, email to employee.communications@
Billboard Emergency Alert System
pinellascounty.org or send to the hard copy address below.
7 Learn About Florida Amendments 1 & 2 /
“In Our Own Words” is a place for employees and UF Pros Receive Awards
retirees to send in your stories. You pick the topic! 7 Help Shape the Region’s Transportation Future
We’ll take your submissions any way you’d like to send 8 Clerk’s New Website - Easy on the Eye
them—from an Outlook message to a handwritten note.
9 Reminders for Employees: We Are Still in
Please keep it to no more than three paragraphs. All
Hurricane Season
pieces will be reviewed and may be edited.
10 Training Classes / Tech Bits
Online, you can complete a quick and easy
11 Colors of Pinellas Art Show Judges
Story Idea Form.
12 Service Anniversaries
Emails may be sent to Employee.Communications@
pinellascounty.org. 13 Retirements
14 Promotions / Pets of the Month
Hard copies may be sent via interoffice mail to
Human Resources Communications, 15 Welcome Aboard!
4th floor, 400 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater. 16 Green Pinellas / The Record Keeper /
Consumer Corner
Please be sure to include your name,
department/location, and a way to reach you. 17-18 EXTRA
P-2
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Q. W hat is the guideline, rule, or policy regarding Keeping You
membership in a professional organization or
society paid for by the County? Informed
A. Human Resources does not have a rule or policy Explore the Human
with regard to this whereas individual Appointing Resources Website:
Authorities may. In your case, the County Adminis- www.pinellascounty.org/hr
trator has a policy which you may find on the
intranet under Administrative Directives, then Benefits
under 9. Office of Management and Budget, Employee Relations
Professional Membership Fees.
Health and Wellness
Q. W ill we get a bump in the pay plans and a raise in October? Jobs/Career Opportunities
Pay and Classification
A. Regarding the bump in the pay plans, yes. The Unified Personnel Retirement
Board approved a 2% upward adjustment to the pay plans to be
effective September 30, 2018. This is not a pay increase but does Training and Development
increase the minimum, midpoint and maximum of the pay grades.
Read Our Publications:
The Board of County Commissioners and Appointing Authorities
with other funding sources are considering a FY19 budget that T
he Pen - employee newsletter -
includes a general increase equal to 3% of the midpoint of employ- (monthly)
The Pen
ees’ pay range. If adopted, the increase will be effective October 1, T
o Your Health - employee wellness
2018 and will be calculated on the midpoint of the pay ranges in newsletter (monthly)
effect September 30. This would incorporate the new pay plans and
L
eadership Notes - newsletter for
the pay grade adjustments.
supervisors and subscribers
(monthly)
Your Total Compensation R
etiree Connection - newsletter for
retirees (quarterly)
Statement V
olunteer Voice - newsletter for
volunteers (bi-monthly)
If your benefits were effective on or before April 1,
2018, you should have received your Total Follow Us on Social Media:
Compensation Statement in your mailbox at F
acebook - PCGovCareers
home. This statement contains personalized
F
acebook - PinellasVolunteers
information on the compensation you receive
including salary, health and pharmacy benefits, T
witter - PCGovCareers
retirement benefits, life insurance benefits, Instagram - PCGovCareers
disability insurance, and more. Much more.
L
inkedIn - PinellasCounty
We want you to take advantage of all the benefits
avaible to you. Get more information online at Learn About the Latest
www.pinellascounty.org/hr/whatweoffer. Employees' Advisory Council
Activities:
E
mployees’ Advisory Council
Stay Up-to-Date on Projects:
The Pen C
lassification & Compensation Study
A monthly publication by the
Read Our Reports:
Pinellas County Human Resources Department
EDITOR: Mary L. Sault 2
017 Annual Report
Would you like to put something in the Pen? 2
017 Employee Voice Survey (semi-
Let us know by the first of the month. annual)
And be sure to include photos! H
R Strategic Plan 2018-2020
employee.communications@pinellascounty.org
P-3
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Annual Enrollment 2019
Benefits Annual Enrollment coming in November
What’s the same this year? ◆ Employer provided life insurance at
one times your current salary, and
E
veryone must enroll in OPUS – supplemental and dependent life
even those who “opt out” and newer insurances
It’s coming. The Benefits Annual hires who just enrolled for the first ◆ The Annual Leave Exchange
Enrollment period for 2019 will time. program
be November 1 through 14. E
veryone must attest to their use of
It’s time to start thinking about tobacco products. What’s new this year?
any changes you’d like to make D
omestic partner documents must
be updated each year. H
ealth premiums will increase about
for 2019. For example: 8% this year, due to rising health care
W
e will offer the same health plans
H
ow much do you need to put with United Healthcare Point of and prescription costs.
in your Flexible Spending Service Plan (POS) and the Consumer T
he tobacco premium will be $500
Account (FSA) for 2019? Driven Health Plan (CDHP) with over the course of the year instead
Health Savings Account (HSA) and the of the pro-rated $400 in 2018. More
H
ave your eligible dependents information will be forthcoming in
changed? same coverage.
W
e will continue to offer: the near future.
D
o you need to update your ◆ Dental insurance through Cigna E
mployees who choose to “opt out”
The Pen
beneficiaries for life insurance? with a dental PPO and a dental of health plan coverage because they
HMO have alternate coverage (such as a
D
o you want to participate in
◆ Vision coverage through Davis spouse's policy) will need to com-
the Annual Leave Exchange
Vision plete a notarized Opt Out Affidavit.
program in 2019?
◆ Pharmacy coverage through R
ates for employer provided basic
We want to get you thinking employee life insurance, supplemen-
Express Scripts
about your 2019 benefits so you’ll tal life insurance and dependent
◆ Employee Assistance Program and
be prepared for enrollment. life insurance are increasing due to
managed mental health
◆ Flexible Spending Accounts for claims experience.
healthcare and dependent care Please Remember
Your employer (Appointing Author-
Employee Biweekly Health Premiums* ity) continues to pay the bulk of the
cost of your healthcare. The cost share
Coverage 2018 Premium 2019 Premium
percentage remains the same this year
Employee Only $10.45 $11.27 — you pay 3% and your employer pays
Employee and Spouse or 97% of the total cost of employee only
$120.61 $130.10 coverage. If you have another level of
Domestic Partner
coverage, you pay approximately 15%
Employee and Child(ren) $96.22 $103.80 and your employer pays approximately
Family $197.61 $213.17 85% of the cost.
*The same premiums apply to the Point of Service and Consumer Driven
Health Plans. The premium includes medical care, prescription coverage,
Employee Assistance Program (EAP), managed mental health, and vision care.
FREE Retirement Planning
Webinars from FRS
The Florida Retirement System is offering free financial planning
webinars for FRS-covered employees via webcast. These workshops will Please watch your email, your home
be held after regular work hours on Tuesday, October 2 and Wednesday, mailbox, and The Pen for updates.
October 3, on these topics: Using the FRS to Plan for Retirement,
Investment Planning, and Nearing Retirement in the FRS.
View the flyer to learn more and to register.
P-4
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
County and FEMA
to Hold Flood
Map Meetings
Who Would You Like to Represent You? Contributed by Marketing & Communications
Annual elections for Employees’ Each year, half of the Representatives’ Pinellas County and the Federal Emer-
Advisory Council (EAC) Repre- positions are up for election, so if your gency Management Agency (FEMA) will
sentatives are coming soon. EAC area is not listed, you’ll have an oppor- hold community meetings Sept. 25-27
Representatives advocate for you tunity to participate next year. to provide information to citizens fac-
and your coworkers to the Person- ing impacts by proposed changes to
The Employees’ Advisory Council serves
nel Board and the executive level the Flood Insurance Rate Map.
in an advisory capacity to the Unified
decision-makers. Personnel Board concerning personnel FEMA released the updated map
If you’d like to get involved, matters, policies, rules, and regulations in June, and many Pinellas County
consider nominating yourself as affecting employees. The EAC plays a property owners are seeing a projected
an EAC Representative. Or think vital role for employees and manage- change in their flood risk that could
about a coworker who would be a ment at Pinellas County to facilitate lead to higher or lower insurance pre-
great choice and nominate them. working together and discussing issues, miums. Residents can find out whether
solutions and accomplishments for the their property is affected by going to
Candidates are required to have
benefit of all involved. pinellascounty.org/flooding and click-
been a permanent employee in
the classified service for at least Visit www.pinellascounty.org/hr/eac to ing on the map link on the center of
The Pen
one year. learn more about the EAC. To find out the page. A video tutorial explains how
the name of your current EAC Repre- to use the map.
If you are a classified employee
sentative, see www.pinellascounty.org/ The community meetings will be held
working in one of the following ar-
hr/eac/pdf/rep-del.pdf. in an open house format and will allow
eas, watch your email for a nomi-
nation form on Monday, October For more information, contact Charles citizens to talk to insurance specialists
1st. The deadline for nominations Toney, EAC Chair, at 582-2382 or by and technical experts who can explain
will be October 15th. email at ctoney@pinellascounty.org. the coastal modeling used to create
the preliminary map. Representatives
BCC Group 3 Public Works from several cities and the Southwest
BCC Group 4 Utilities Field Services, Dunn, Keller, Logan, South Cross Florida Water Management District
(Swiftmud) also will be in attendance.
BCC Group 5 Animal Services, Emergency Management, Human
Services, Safety and Emergency Services Citizens planning to attend are advised
to bring their elevation certificates if
BCC Group 7 Parks and Conservation Resources they have them. In some cases, the
BCC Group 8 Airport, Building Services, Convention & Visitors Bureau, certificates may be downloaded from
Contractor Licensing Department, Development Review the map referenced above for proper-
Services, Economic Development, Marketing & Communi- ties in the unincorporated county or
cations, Planning, Purchasing, Risk Management obtained from the cities in which the
Clerk South Criminal Court Customer Service, Criminal Court Records, property is located. The meeting dates
Clerk’s Customer Information Center, Court Assistance/Jury and sites are as follows:
Services, Records Management, St. Petersburg Branch, T
uesday, Sept. 25: YMCA at Lealman
Tyrone Branch Community Campus, 5175 45th
Tax Collector All classified employees at the Tax Collector’s Office Street N., St. Petersburg, 6-9 p.m.
Other Appoint- Business Technology Services, County Attorney, Forward W
ednesday, Sept. 26: Countryside
ing Authorities Pinellas, Human Resources, Human Rights Recreation Center, 2640 Sabal
Springs Drive, Clearwater, 6-9 p.m.
T
hursday, Sept. 27: Seminole Recre-
ation Center, 9100 113th Street N.,
Seminole, 10 a.m. -1 p.m. and 6-9
p.m.
Human Resources and Volunteer
Services staff were at USF St. Pete’s
Get on Board Day to inspire
students to get involved in the
community.
P-5
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
While You Were Sleeping
Contributed by Patsy Heiss, Utilities
Pinellas County In the early morning hours of Wednesday, August 15th,
Bright Idea Award Utilities Maintenance crews responded to a water main
leak on 107th Avenue in Treasure Island. As they arrived
on scene at 2:00 a.m., they found the roads in a several
block area covered in sand and thigh-high water. They
determined that a 12-inch water main had a catastrophic
What's Your Bright Idea? failure. All of the sand and water made it impossible to
The Employee Suggestion Awards Program has been re- isolate the break by shutting off the local valves; their
warding employees for their suggestions for almost four only option was to shut down the two major water mains
decades. And we've dressed it up with a new logo! that service St. Pete Beach and Tierra Verde first.
The program awards up to $2,500 cash to employees Maintenance crews contacted operators at S. K. Keller Wa-
for ideas that improve productivity, efficiency, quality ter Treatment Facility to develop a plan for isolating the
and/or cost effectiveness. break locally with minimal water service disruption to our
customers in the south beaches.
All employees in the classified service including tempo-
rary and part-time employees are eligible. Boil Water Notice Averted
The suggestion should identify a problem or area which Any sustained drop in water pressure below 20 psi would
could be improved and recommend a remedy or im- require customers in the affected area to fall under a
provement. precautionary boil water notice, which lasts a minimum
The Pen
How do you submit a suggestion? Complete the of 48 hours until the water passes bacteriological testing.
Suggestion Form. Precautionary boil water events can cause major opera-
tional disruptions for restaurants, hotels and medical
For complete information on the program, visit the facilities, which would be particularly devastating for our
Suggestion Awards Program web page. beautiful beaches in summer.
Fortunately, Utilities maintains a 2 million gallon water
tank and water booster station located in St. Pete Beach
that is controlled remotely from Keller. This booster sta-
tion is meant to augment the system, but not sustain
Billboards Save Lives – normal pressures for extended periods of time.
With Your Help! Following the agreed upon repair plan, maintenance
crews valved off water from the two main feeds while
Contributed by Emergency Management Keller ramped up the water booster station in order to
Billboard keep water pressure above 20 psi. As the Keller team
Emergency Management (EM) sends
a big thank you to Deborah Fulton
Emergency worked to maintain
of Utilities for helping us with the Alert water pressure above 20
psi, maintenance crews
Billboard Emergency Alert System System hurriedly pumped water
(B.E.A.S.)
down and shoveled out
The B.E.A.S. program started this summer. Those who sand to find the local
own or manage an electronic billboard can become an valves and isolate the
EM partner and use their signs to display emergency main break.
messages. The signs that are in front of businesses and
agencies then become a valuable tool when there is an Firefighting
emergency, like an evacuation for example. The signs Needs Met
can also be used for other safety messages.
The pumps must be shut off when the water level in the
Last month in the The Pen, we challenged employees tank falls to 10 feet so that it continues to hold enough
to help with the program by identifying digital signs water for emergency firefighting. The repair crews indicat-
that might make good partners and Deborah accepted ed they were getting close to isolating the leak when the
that challenge. She found 19 potential sites! Once we tank level hit the 10 feet cutoff. After a brief discussion,
get your suggestions we will follow up with the proper- the decision was made to keep the pressure up and let
ty owner to see if they would be interested in becom- the tank go down to 9 feet. Finally, at 6:15 a.m. with only
ing a B.E.A.S. partner. ten minutes left until the tank would reach 9 feet and the
If you would like to help by suggesting potential loca- pumps would be shut off, the maintenance crews were
tions, email us at EMA@pinellascounty.org (please put able to isolate the leak, and water pressure was restored
BEAS in the subject line). We’ll keep track of the leads to the south beaches just in the nick of time for morning
and recognize your success in future editions of The showers.
Pen. You can find out more about the B.E.A.S. online at No two repairs are the same, but our team always has the
www.pinellascounty.org/BEAS. customer’s best interest in mind!
P-6
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Learn About Florida UF Professionals Receive Awards
Amendments 1 & 2 At Annual Conference
Contributed by Marketing & Communications Contributed by Jeffrey Gellermann, UF/IFAS Extension Director
Among several issues on the November 6 ballot, Florida At the 2018 University of Florida
voters will decide on two statewide amendments that Extension Professionals Association of
would affect property taxes. Florida, Pinellas County was well repre-
Amendment 1 would provide an additional homestead sented with Ramona Madhosingh-
property tax exemption for primary residences on as- Hector (Extension Services) receiving
sessed value from $100,000 - $125,000. Most Pinellas the Individual Program Leadership
homes (2 in 3) would not qualify for this exemption. If Award for her work in successfully
the new exemption passes, it conceptualizing, planning, budgeting, cultivating local
will reduce local government partnerships, delivering and evaluating Sustainability Con-
funds countywide by a nections. She developed an innovative Community Film
projected $42.5 million Series in the Tampa Bay region from 2014-2017. This
starting in FY 2020. novel platform for Extension programming reached 540
individuals. She was also awarded the Visionary Leader-
Amendment 2 would make ship and Early Career Service Award for her work in
permanent the current 10% sustainability education and for her leadership in the UF/
cap on Assessed Value for non- IFAS Staffing Steering Committee.
homestead properties,
including businesses and second homes. This cap is set The Florida Association of Extension Pro-
The Pen
to expire at the end of this year. fessionals awarded Lara Milligan (Exten-
sion Services) the Early Career Leadership
As a County, our goal is to provide education that al- Award for her work in positively impacting
lows our citizens to make an informed decision about environmental change in her local commu-
these proposed amendments. You can learn more at nity and providing leadership on statewide
the County’s website. If you are part of a neighborhood natural resource issues.
association or civic group, you can also request a speaker
on this issue for your next meeting. Way to go, Ramona and Lara!
Help Shape the Region’s
BLOOD DRIVES
You can schedule an Transportation Future
appointment at Contributed by Forward Pinellas
www.oneblooddonor.org.
Transportation • Innovation • Mobility for Everyone
Downtown Clearwater Public Works (TIME) are critical factors as the Tampa Bay region contin-
Courthouse 22211 US Hwy. 19 N. ues to grow. By 2045, our region will have over a million
315 Court St., west lot Building 1, Clearwater more people living and working here. It’s time to make
October 24 November 1 the decisions that will determine our future.
11:00 - 4:00 12:00 - 5:00
To meet those challenges, Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco
Logan Lab Utilities Building counties are working together to develop a Long Range
1620 Ridge Road 14 S. Fort Harrison Ave. Transportation Plan. This plan will be a blueprint to help
Largo Clearwater shape growth and implement transportation projects.
October 30 November 8
8:30 - 1:30 To create a plan that works, we need your feedback. It
will take a combination of investments to move people
around our region, both today and in the future. We’ve
Mark Your Calendars created a survey for you to give input on three concepts
for how our region might grow.
The survey at itstimetampabay.org will end
September 30.
P-7
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Clerk Website Redesign: Easy on the Eye
If a project manager wants to end up
with a top notch product at the proj-
ect’s culmination, consider starting with
team composition. Intentionally assem-
ble a team of near opposites – older/
younger, experienced/rookie, masters/
students – and you’ll end up with a
well-rounded group and interesting,
if sometimes lively, conversations
and dynamic.
That’s what Vanessa Castrogiovanni
(Communications Coordinator, Clerk of
the Circuit Court and Comptroller) did in
January 2017 at the start of the large-
scale project to redesign the Clerk’s Castrogiovanni, was trying to accommodate everyone and
website. She said, “With a homogeneous group or team, not always being able to do so. She said, “Challenges and
many opportunities for improvement can be missed. triumphs go hand in hand, particularly with a project of
That’s why diversity is key.” this size affecting so many stakeholders.” They endeavored
It started when Ken Burke (Clerk of the Circuit Court and to keep things that worked well on the old site – like the A
The Pen
Comptroller) said he wanted a platform where “citizens to Z List of Services – and made them work even better on
can find the information they want with less hassle.” the new site.
Indeed, the team’s final product is easy on the eyes, The redesign was done entirely by in-house staff. “Keeping
searchable (a new option with the redesigned site), has costs to a minimum is an absolute must, especially during
streamlined navigation and a more responsive design an era plagued by budget cuts affecting Clerks statewide,”
for viewing on all platforms, not just desktop. Take a Burke said. “Much gratitude is extended to the staff who
look for yourself – www.mypinellasclerk.org. invested their time and effort on this large scale project for
the benefit of our customers, both internal and external.”
The website had a soft launch in June 2018 and
officially went live in August. The website interacts with multiple systems (courts, official
records, finance, etc.) and has many moving parts. The
The team requested consumer feedback from internal average number of views in a week is 31,700.
and external customers. One of their challenges, said
THE TEAM
Vanessa Castrogiovanni (Communications
Coordinator, Clerk’s Administration) – Project
Manager
Jeff Gates (Executive Director, Court and Op-
erational Services Division) – Project Sponsor
Chris Short (Technology Officer, Clerk’s Tech-
nology) – Technology Lead/Systems Architect
Alan Hebdon (Project Manager, Clerks
Administration) – Lead Developer
Daniel Caruso (Information Technology
System Analyst, Clerk Technology) – Developer
Bill Beckie (Information Technology System
Analyst Senior, Clerk’s Technology) - Technical
Pictured from left to right: Vanessa Castrogiovanni, Ken Burke, Daniel Caruso, Jimmy
Duhamel, Chris Short, Jeff Gates, Emily Nunez.
Support
Team members not available for the picture: Alan Hebdon, Bill Beckie and Jayson James Duhamel (Desktop Publishing Tech-
Read. nician, Clerk’s Printing and Mail Services) –
Graphic Designer
Emily Nunez (SPC Management Intern,
Clerk’s Administration) – Content Develop-
ment/Graphic Design
Jayson Read (High School Intern, Clerk’s
Administration) – Lead Scribe
P-8
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Reminders for Employees
Contributed by Emergency Management
We are still in hurricane season! ger have to pre-register your pet but to have your plans in place before-
Some reminders for employees: there is a form online that Animal hand, including letting your supervi-
Services asks the public to print out, sor know how long you will need to
I f you plan on evacuating
your family, please consider fill out and bring with them to the make your home preparations.
shelter.
public shelters only as a last P
hase II employees will relieve Phase
resort. We strongly recommend I f you plan on evacuating your I post-disaster so they should be pre-
finding a host home with family family out of town, the County’s pared to work at that time. Personnel
or friends. If you live in a non- Phase I and Phase II employees have Pool (Phase 3) employees not reas-
evacuation area, can you host access to a discount that is being signed to a Phase I or II emergency
another family in your home? offered to their families by Rosen job will be called in as needed or
Human Resources has devel- Hotels. The group of hotels is located when the County re-opens.
oped a Host Home program for in Orlando and will be offering the The 2018 All Hazards Preparedness
county employees. Please call special rate once the County enters Guide is available at government of-
464-3796 for more information. the 5-day cone. Employees should fices, libraries, County departments and
It is very important that people call the reservation line at (866) online. Please send your friends and
33-ROSEN and reference the Pinel-
pre-register for special needs family to our website at www.
las County Emergency Rate. This is
shelters, which will be in the pinellascounty.org/emergency for valu-
based on availability. In advance
same locations as last year: able information to keep everyone safe
of Hurricane Irma, there was no
Dunedin Highland Middle and sound this hurricane season.
The Pen
vacancy at any of their properties so
School, Oak Grove Middle School
please have a backup plan if this is
and John Hopkins Middle School.
part of your emergency plan. Please
We encourage online registra-
remember that this is not a County
tion at www.pinellascounty.org/
program and is an offer made by
specialneeds. But if someone
the Rosen company. For information
cannot go online than they can
on the Rosen properties go to www.
call Emergency Management at
rosenhotels.com/our-hotels/.
464-3800 and we will help them.
As a hurricane approaches, Phase I
P et-friendly shelters are now
employees will be given time to leave
at Palm Harbor University High
work and make final preparations
School, Largo High School and
Gibbs High School. You no lon- for their family and property. Be sure
KNOW
OBACC
O
T
Employees who designated themselves as tobacco users
during the 2018 Annual Enrollment period have been
assessed the tobacco premium. This premium can be
discontinued by completing a tobacco cessation program
during 2018. However, there will be no reimbursements
issued for past deductions. Additional information can be
found by visiting the Tobacco Premium FAQs.
P-9
P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Upcoming Training Tech Bits
Classes OPUS Learning Management
Some classes fill up quickly so request enrollment early
(OLM) Learning History
through OPUS Learning Management (OLM). Are you trying to verify instructor-led classes that you have
completed?
Five Questions Every Leader Must Ask
October 4, all day, Clearwater OPUS has your learning history going back to 2010. You can
check the status, dates, and if there are any with pending
As leaders, we deal with both opportunity and evaluations. It also lists any External Learning you may have
challenges. While we are focusing on how to suc- entered.
cessfully engage our team to achieve our organi-
zations’ objectives, we also have to deal with the In OPUS:
consequences of missed targets, project failures, 1. Click on PIN OLM Learner
employee conflicts, and all the other speed
2. Click on Learner Home under Learning on
bumps that can affect our progress. Most of us
the right
do well to analyze the root cause identifying what
went wrong and assigning blame for failure, but
spend little time analyzing success. 3. Click the Learning History tab near the
This course will provide a simple framework to ad- top
The Pen
dress and come up with a working plan for your
greatest leadership challenges. This framework
uses a set of highly effective questions to shift a lick the + sign to expand Enrollments (Internal Learning)
4. C
group’s focus from a problem orientation to one or External Learning
of solutions and success.
5. D
on’t forget to use the Next options in
Breakthrough Listening
the upper right to scroll through the history
October 16, 8:30 - 10:30, Clearwater
We all know that good communication skills are
critical in every business environment. We also
know that communication often breaks down. For additional OLM information, access the Education &
When there’s a breakdown, we usually think the Training CBT’s (Computer Based Training).
solution is to speak more clearly. But often, the so-
lution is better listening. Each of us has a habitual
way of listening — a way of fitting what we hear
into our preconceived notions. Fortunately, busi-
ness listening skills can be learned and developed.
This course goes beyond the concepts of effective
listening and shows why we shouldn’t take listen-
ing for granted.
Email Etiquette Learning Paths
October 17, 8:30 - 10:30, Clearwater
In case you haven't heard the buzz, now is the
How many emails did you get today? Even though time to join your coworkers in this new initiative.
email is probably the primary way you commu- There are seven Learning Paths to help you build
nicate with coworkers you may not be sending it knowledge and skills progressively over time.
effectively. Would you like to get the most out of Certificates and microcertifications are available
every email you send? We will discuss the purpose for successful completion.
of email, components of an effective email, the
most important email component, structural com- To start on your Learning Path, see the Learning
ponents, and the most mishandled email com- Paths Guide, email training@pinellascounty.org
ponent. Along the way, you will discover things to or call (727) 464-3796.
avoid so that you get the most out of your email
communication.
Contact us at training@pinellascounty.org or 464-3796
with questions.
P-10P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Is there still time to register
for the Art Show? This Year's Judges
Craig Peterson, Beth Reynolds, Emily Shrider
Craig Peterson, painter, writer, designer;
YES! You have until this Docent, Dali Museum, St. Petersburg
Friday, September 21 to Mr. Peterson holds a Bachelors Degree
register online. in Art Education and Masters Degree
in Studio Arts from University of
Wisconsin. He has been a professional
artist, designer and educator since
Registering is easy and it’s free. Just visit the Art 1971. Mr. Peterson has exhibited in Eu-
Show web page and click on Register now. rope and the United States throughout
his career and was a visual art
You don’t turn in your artwork until October 9
and design educator in Duderstadt
so you have time to complete your artwork and
(Germany), London (England),
get it ready for display. Please make sure your
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida.
artwork is ready to hang when you bring it in.
It should be framed or mounted on hardboard
Beth Reynolds, visual storyteller;
The Pen
with wire or hanging brackets securely attached
Director of Photography, Morean Arts Center
to the back.
“Being a photojournalist has been my
If your artwork is three-dimensional, you are
passion for over 30 years.”
responsible for providing display items needed.
For example, a pedestal for a sculpture or a A native of St. Petersburg, Reynolds
mannequin hand for a ring. earned a Masters Degree in Fine Arts
in Photography from the University
View our Guide to Preparing Entries.
of Hartford and has been a photog-
rapher-educator for nearly 30 years.
SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL ARTS PROGRAM Her expertise includes documentary,
fine art and portraiture photography.
She teaches all levels of photography
and has extensive experience leading
travel-photo adventure tour groups.
Reynolds has exhibited award-win-
DON’T DELAY! ning documentary projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Florida, Kentucky and California and was selected to be the
DO Complete Your Biometric first Photographer Laureate for the city of Tampa in 2003.
Screening and Health Survey
Emily Shrider, fiber artist;
Why wait until the last minute? To get your 2019 Art Curator, Tom and Mary James/
health insurance premium discount, get your bio- Raymond James Financial Art
metric screening and health survey completed now Collection
instead of rushing at the end of the year. United
Healthcare covers the screening any time during Ms. Shrider has worked with the
the calendar year. There is no need to wait until collection of more than 2,500 pieces
the month it was completed in 2017. For more in- for almost 10 years. She has a
formation, see the Biometric Screening and Health Bachelors Degree from the Univer-
Survey FAQs. sity of Kentucky in Arts Administra-
tion and in May 2018 completed
her MBA at the University of South
Need Help with Rally? Florida St. Petersburg. As part of
There’s a handy Help her role at Raymond James, Shrider coordinates the vol-
Guide for Rally on unteers for the annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival
the HR website, as of the Arts and produces the RJ Associate and Affiliate Art
well as a program Show which is open to all employees of Raymond James
overview. across the country. She is also a Pinellas County volunteer
and demonstrates at Heritage Village as part of the Pinel-
las Weavers Guild. She is a fiber artist and enjoys spinning,
weaving, embroidery, beading, quilting and crochet.
P-11P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES
35 YEARS 30 YEARS 25 YEARS
Mercedes Pearson Cynthia Harris, Real Estate Gene Crosson, Development Review
Office of Human Rights Management, Al Bartolotta, Services, Allan Miller, Utilities
Forward Pinellas
20 YEARS
The Pen
Brigett Cerce Timothy Clark Dorothy Simpkins Jason Stuck
Safety & Emergency Public Works Public Works Public Works
Services
Unavailable for Photo
35 Years D ebra Brown, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Thomas Deeley, Public Works
30 Years H
enry Gonzales, Airport, Donald McDonald, Public Works
20 Years Janet Donegan, Building Services, Gene Fields, Human Resources
15 YEARS Donald Lomas....................................................Public Works
Courtney Degros.....................Safety & Emergency Services Willie Roundtree........................... Real Estate Management
Vincent Dipadua................................................Public Works Nicole Stallings................. Parks & Conservation Resources
Ronald Harders...................................................Public Works
Clara Kurtin................................................................Planning 3 YEARS
Wesley Merritt.....................................................Public Works Rachel Booth..............................................................Planning
Pamela Reddy................................Clerk of the Circuit Court Lindsay Brock......................................................Public Works
Donna Spurling.................... Development Review Services Sharon Concannon.......................Clerk of the Circuit Court
Carl Tomko...................................................Building Services Melody Coville.......................................Tax Collector’s Office
Rita Crouch............................................................ Solid Waste
5 YEARS Theodore Demps...............................................Public Works
Christine Alvarez............................Clerk of the Circuit Court Ivan Izquierdo.............................................................. Utilities
Lorry Brutcher.......................................Tax Collector’s Office Helen Kendall............................... Real Estate Management
Michelle Coates..............................Clerk of the Circuit Court David Kosior........................................................Public Works
Thuyvy Connelly................................... Contractor Licensing Patricia Landon............... Parks & Conservation Resources
Daniel De Loreto.......................... Real Estate Management Vincent Laporta...........................................Building Services
Charles Duff........................................................... Solid Waste Erin Lawson.........................................................Public Works
Gregory Duque...................................................Public Works Isaiah Osborne............................................................. Utilities
James Fletcher.............................................................. Airport Daisy Rodriguez............................................Human Services
Michael Iguina.............................................................. Airport Anton Smith........................................................Public Works
Adeliah Jackson.............................Clerk of the Circuit Court John Taylor..........................................................Public Works
P-12P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
R etirements
Over 39 Years Over 30 Years Over 29 Years
Douglas Lasner Arricka Grant Gerry Cora
Solid Waste Program Assistant Records Specialist 2 Project Management Specialist 2
Solid Waste Clerk of the Circuit Court Real Estate Management
28 Years Over 27 Years Over 20 Years Over 15 Years
The Pen
Vincent Colucci Steven Farber David Merens Ruben Bosch-Cardona
Administrative Support Deputy Tax Collector Electronics Specialist Senior Tax Technician, Lead
Supervisor Tax Collector’s Office Real Estate Management Tax Collector’s Office
Utilities
Retirees Unavailable for Photo REPCO News
Over 35 Years Randi Pappas, Planner, Planning REPCO’s October 8 lunch meeting starts at 11:30 a.m.
Department at Chopsticks Super Buffet, 2543 Countryside Blvd.,
Clearwater. A representative from Pinellas County
Over 34 Years Donna Mooren, Utilities Chemist 1,
Employee Benefits will join us to provide an update
Solid Waste, Jerry Johnson, Craftworker 1, Real Estate
on health insurance plans for retirees. If you have
Managment
questions, contact Rudy Garcia at (813) 855-3466 or
20 Years Anthony Legron, Property & Distribution Clerk, rdgarcia@verizon.net.
Tax Collector’s Office
You don’t have to be a Pinellas County retiree to
attend. Current employees and family members are
also welcome!
Our members asked, we listened. Our Pinellas Federal
Credit Union Mobile app is here! Download it today
and enjoy the convenience and security of WebConnect
Online Banking, right from your cellular device. View
account balances, deposit checks, transfer funds, find Pi-
nellas FCU ATMs and more – on your schedule – anytime,
anywhere. For more information about this and other
Pinellas Federal Credit Union services, call Member Servic-
es at (727) 586-4422. We appreciate your business! Thank
you for making us “Your Primary Financial Institution.”
P-13P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Promotions
Promotions listed are for August 2018.
Board of County Commissioners Clerk of the Circuit Court
Building Services Elizabeth Albenzio........................................... Rec Spec Supv
Joshua Adams*......................................................Bldg Insp 2 Teresa Del Rio...........................Exec Dir Crt & Opn Svcs Div
Anthony Stran......................................................Mech Insp 2 Christie Gilbertson............................................... Fis Rec Spec
Daniel Magelnicki..................................Asst Mgr Rcds Mgmt
Development Review Services Jeffrey Shue.......................................................... Fis Rec Spec
Danielle Batt..................................................... Code Enf Ofcr Daniel Caruso.................................... Info Tech Sys Analyst 1
Gina Berutti............................................... Proj Coord-Admin Mandy Barrows........................................................ Fin Acct 2
Shana Oberle...................................................Code Enf Supv
Human Resources
Parks & Conservation Resources Karla Cook*............................................................. HR Analyst
Benjamin Brainard............................................. Lifeguard Sr
Public Works
Property Appraiser's Office
Michael Baker........................................................ Crew Chf 2 Jay Allen.........................................................PAO Appraiser 4
Jordan Blendinger................................. Opns Field Coord Sr Emily Brown................................................... Prop Rcds Tech
William Logan.......................................................... Fld Insp 2 Kalani Cooner...............................................PAO Appraiser 3
Brian Phiscator................................................ Opns Mgr Asst Ashley Flaherty.............................................PAO Appraiser 1
The Pen
Kirk Smith......................................................... Fld Opns Supv Sharon Klapka................................................ Prop Rcds Supv
Ellyn Kubisiak................................................PAO Appraiser 2
Safety & Emergency Services Carola Santiago.............................................. Prop Rcds Tech
Lori Gray................................... 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 2 Tony Siragusa................................................PAO Appraiser 4
Julie McCoy.............................. 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1 Eric Vanderlaan............................................PAO Appraiser 4
Solid Waste
Joshua Lynch........................................................ Util Chem 1
Supervisor of Elections
Jeffrey Mendes...................................... Admin Supt Supv-CL
Utilities
Joey Bingham*.......................................... Elec/Mech Tech Sr
Shenita Cooper............................................Cust Svcs Analyst Tax Collector’s Office
Travis Jones*.............................................. Elec/Mech Tech Sr Christopher Mejia ......................................... Cust Svc Tech 2
Raymond Letts*..................................................... Eng Spec 2 Susan Aumack .............................................. Cust Svc Tech 2
Clarethia Monroe.........................................Cust Svcs Spec Sr Lynn Gerken ............................................... Cust Svc Tech 2
Ender Perozo..............................................Util Mainst Spec 1
Michael Seel.............................................. Elec/Mech Tech Sr
* Promotion effective in July.
Isaiah Senecal............................................. Util Maint Spec 3
Pets of the Month This is Vincent,
Contributed by Season Groves, Pinellas County Animal Services one of the friend-
Like a glamorous movie liest cats you will
star from yesteryear, Har- ever meet. When
low is a classic, head-turn- anyone walks
ing beauty queen. She’s past his kennel
young, luxurious, sociable, he is immedi-
easygoing, and sits well for ately at the door
treats and fan photos. Stop checking to see who is coming into the cat adoption
by for a pawto-graph and area, seeing if they will stop by to visit him. Once you
adopt this fabulous friend. open the kennel door, you realize that his left ear is a bit
different. It makes him special – he doesn’t mind (after
all, he was named after a very famous painter). He’s a
loveable, easygoing cat full of life. We are sure that
Vincent can’t wait to be part of a loving caring family.
Adopt one or both of these beauties, fully vaccinated, spayed, microchipped and more from Pinellas County Animal
Services at 12450 Ulmerton Road in Largo. View more adoptables at www.pinellascounty.org/animalservices/
Adoption_Center.htm.
P-14P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Welcome Aboard!
New employees listed are for August 2018.
Board of County Commissioners Business Technology Services
Darrin Delaney.................................Info Tech Analyst
Animal Services
Paul Nielsen............................................. Ani Care Asst
Human Resources
Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Kerri McManus............................................. HR Analyst
Whitney Fox........................................... CVB Sales Rep
Human Services Property Appraiser’s Office
Benjamin Seda......................... Hum Svcs Case Mgr 1 Ashley Nieves........................................ Prop Rcds Asst
Suzanne Wilson........................ Hum Svcs Case Mgr 1
Parks & Conservation Resources Tax Collector’s Office
Dominik Szargut ..........................................Craftwkr 1 Melody Hurley .................................... Cust Svc Tech 1
Keona Johnson ................................... Cust Svc Tech 1
Public Works Sasitorn Manning ............................... Cust Svc Tech 1
Alexander Fricas................................................Maint 1 Casey Metzger...................................... Cust Svc Tech 1
Deraille Jones................................................ Fld Insp 2 Jennifer Stoltenberg ........................... Cust Svc Tech 1
The Pen
Julee Sims...................................................Envir Spec 2 Michael Zgorzelski .............................. Cust Svc Tech 1
Bennie Walton...................................................Maint 1
Regional 911
Emilio Chavez............... 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Christopher Coons........ 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Cody Crenshaw............. 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Dorothy Gonzalez......... 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Chandra Morris............. 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Bianca Pascone............ 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Samantha Pettit............ 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Holly Phelps.................. 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Danielle Sharo.............. 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Real Estate Management New employee orientation August 27
Brooke Nix....................................................GIS Analyst
Solid Waste
Victor Perkins.....................................................Maint 2
Utilities
Travis Cool................................................... Meter Rdr 1
Casey Hellriegel.................................... Wk Plng Coord
Ryan Marino...................................................Trne UF A
Orlando Rivas.................................................Trne UF A
Clifford Williams......................... Contract Svcs Spec Sr
New employee orientation August 13 (#1)
AZ to Find it Fast:
HR from A to Z
Find what you need on the
INDEX HR website quickly and easily
with the A to Z Index. Access the link on the
blue menu bar from any Human Resources
web page. New index items are added fre-
quently. Let us know if you have items to add.
New employee orientation August 13 (#2)
P-15P I N E L L A S P E N SEPTEMBER 2018
Create Sustainable Solutions
Vision • Innovation • Collaboration
September is Fruits and Veggies-More Matters Month!
Fill your plate with a rainbow of colors, reap the many health benefits
and savor the delicious flavors.
Fruits and Veggies:
More Matters
Tips to Help Kids Enjoy
Fruits and Vegetables
What's in Season
For more Solutions for Your Life,
click image.
THE RECORD KEEPER
The Pen
Here in Records Management we are constantly looking for ways to improve our
operational efficiency. For example, our shelving units are designed to hold 20 boxes
on each shelf, with boxes stacked on top of other boxes. In order to safely store those
boxes, it is important that you use only approved box types for your records. When
you need empty boxes, please submit your request in the Oracle Records Manage-
ment System. We are happy to provide empty boxes to you on a first come, first
served basis.
If you have any questions about storing your records, please contact Michele Koehler at 453-3038.
Consumer Corner Selling Your Vehicle?
Are you thinking of selling or donating your vehicle? In addition to cleaning out your personal items, don’t forget to
clear your personal information from the car’s electronic system. Today’s cars are computers on wheels, with GPS, Blue-
tooth and much more. Your car stores information about you, which if not deleted may be accessible to the next owner.
Consider getting rid of the following data before you get rid of your car:
P
hones contacts/address book: When you sync your phone to your car, your con-
tacts and address book are downloaded.
M
obile apps: Information that mobile apps gather and store, such as log-in informa-
tion and garage door codes.
L
ocation data: Your car’s navigation system may be storing the address to your home,
office, friends/family or even your children’s school/daycare.
S
ubscription services: Satellite radio, mobile wi-fi and data services.
Connie Consumer
Many cars have factory reset buttons that allow you to reset the settings and data to its original
state, but that alone may not be enough. In the setting feature for most devices, you have the option to remove that
device from the system. You should also have your subscription services canceled or transferred to your new vehicle.
For more information about resetting and removing your information, check your owner’s manual, contact your dealer,
and visit your vehicle manufacturer’s website.
For more consumer tips, to check out the complaint history of a business or to file a complaint, contact Pinellas County
Consumer Protection at (727) 464-6200 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/consumer/tips.htm.
P-16You can also read
