Stop and Smell the... Orchids

/

Yes, normally, that would be roses but in this case take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the County’s seven Orchid nominations for the annual Orchids and Onions contest this year. The awards call out the best and the worst of architecture and design projects in the county and are sponsored by the San Diego Architectural Foundation.

Overall, some 135 projects were nominated in five categories: architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, historic preservation and miscellaneous which can cover public artwork, statuary, exhibits, and this year, even streetlights.  

While most everyone certainly has an opinion, a jury of seven professionals (designers, architects, planners, artists, educators, and one member of the public) will have the final word on which projects deserve to win an Orchid or an Onion.

“[Our awards are] all about civic engagement, all of the entries are publicly nominated,” said Orchids and Onions spokesman Craig Howard. “One award component is whether your project is doing something good for your community.”

Without further ado, here’s the list of the County’s Orchid nominations:

Landscape architecture:

Waterfront Park: The 12-acre park has redefined San Diego’s front porch. Since the grand opening on May 10, an average of 1,200 people a day visit the park. On Memorial Day, the number of visitors grew to 3,500 and on the Fourth of July, about 10,000 people were drawn to the park’s lush lawns, sparkling fountains and the sights and sounds of fireworks over the bay.   


Architecture:

Rancho San Diego Sheriff Station: The 27,000-square-foot station opened in February and serves Rancho San Diego, Spring Valley, La Presa, Jamul, Casa de Oro, Mt. Helix and unincorporated areas in La Mesa and El Cajon. The station was built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver standards and features recycled building materials, natural day lighting, energy-efficient mechanical systems, low-water use landscaping and two retention ponds to treat stormwater.   

Pine Valley Sheriff’s Substation:  The 4,500-square-foot substation features a distinctive gable at its entrance and gives Sheriff’s deputies more space to serve a 400-squaremile area in the East County. The building offers natural lighting, water-conserving fixtures and a roof-mounted photovoltaic system to reduce energy use. 

Miscellaneous:

Public Art at the Waterfront Park: Two reproductions of large abstract paintings greet visitors to the Waterfront Park as they emerge from the underground parking garage. Local artists Harold Cohen and Allison Renshaw created the artworks and the originals can be seen inside the County Administration Center.  

Harold Cohen's "Starting Over"Allison Renshaw's "Last Call"

Public Art at the County Registrar of Voters: Two giant ceramic heads flank the entrance to the new Registrar of Voters building in Kearny Mesa. Renowned artist Jun Kaneko created the sculptures over the course of a year. They measure six-feet-high and four-and-a-half feet in diameter and act as conversation pieces to voters and other visitors to the County Operations Center campus.  

 

Artifact Display Project at County Registrar of Voters: Four displays by artist Jay Johnson offer visitors a glimpse into the past with County government memorabilia that dates back to the 1850s. The observation gallery draws visitors in with an expansive look at the evolution of the voting process.


 

Ramona Library Doors: The main entrance to the Ramona Library features stained glass panels surrounding the doors. Local artist James Hubbell created the brightly colored panels. The artwork is titled “Laurel Passage.” 

Typically, the top five Orchid and Onion nominations with the most online chatter qualify for the “People’s Choice” award. The public can vote for their favorites starting Thursday, Aug. 28 and ending Sept. 18.

The Fallbrook Library won the People’s Choice award in 2011. The County Operations Center won the 2012 People’s Choice award.  

The 2014 Orchids and Onions winners will be announced Oct. 2 during an awards ceremony at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Medical Rarity to CrossFit Superstar

/

 

Fernando Uribe, who lost more than 100 pounds, participates in CrossFit.

Fernando Uribe, a Supervising Probation Officer at the NCRC in Vista, has the secret to lasting weight loss success.

The secret is not in a pill, fad diet or trendy workout routines. The secret is to acknowledge you need to make changes, to set aside your pride, and to commit to your own health and wellness by making time for it, Uribe said.

Uribe, who weighed more than 325 pounds in 2009, realized he had to change when his scale read “error.”

“I thought it was broken, but it was me that was broken,” he said.

His sedentary lifestyle led to health problems that included abnormally high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

“My physician told me ‘no one in America has your numbers and is alive,’” Uribe said in his CrossFit testimonial. “My case was actually submitted for an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association as a rarity, since there was no medical reason why I should be alive; because essentially, I had gravy running through my veins.”

The father of two realized he had to make a dramatic transformation. With assistance from his physician and the personal mantra of “just keep moving,” he began a workout regimen.

He made small, consistent changes to his daily life. He took the stairs. He parked in the furthest parking spot in the lot. He wore a pedometer to measure his movement. And the pounds were steadily coming off.

But even as the weight melted off his 5-foot, 7-inch frame, he still had medical issues. He continued to feel numbness in his feet and fingertips as a result of developing type II diabetes.

Also read: Making the Case for Getting Fit 

His next big step was to modify his diet. He limited sugars and carbohydrates. And he lost nearly 100 pounds over two years by working out and eating right, but that was not good enough for Uribe.

He really stepped up his efforts in 2012 when he joined CrossFit AEQUITAS, a non-profit law-enforcement affiliate for the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. The affiliate was born in a San Diego Sheriff’s basement gym in 2010 when Judge Daniel Goldstein started working out during his lunch break.

CrossFit incorporates strength and endurance training exercies. Daily workouts vary with intervals and include running, Olympic lifting and jumping rope.

Since joining this gym, he’s built muscle, lost weight and improved his overall health as a result of the diverse and challenging workouts.

A smarter diet, increased physical activity and new attitude are the trifecta for his success. He’s dedicated to a healthy lifestyle and enjoys the benefits: the numbness is gone, he’s stopped taking his blood pressure and cholesterol medications, he is sleeping well, and has the energy to play with his kids.

Uribe made the commitment to change for the better four years ago. And every day has been better than the last and that’s no secret.

Farmers Market Sprouting Up at COC

/

Do you dig getting farm fresh fruits and veggies at dirt-cheap prices? Starting Aug. 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the County will host a farmers market with half-price produce for employees.

Daily Harvest Market will be selling locally grown produce at the County Operations Center through a partnership with the County and its wellness partner Kaiser Permanente. The partnership encourages employees to eat healthier, fresher foods and promotes local farmers, according to William Erese, the County’s Wellness Coordinator.

“Healthy eating is now both convenient and very affordable for County employees,” said Erese, who hopes employees visit the farmers market during their lunch breaks. “If this pilot program is successful, we are looking at expanding it to other County office locations.”

The monthly market will grow this fall, adding cooking demonstrations and home gardening workshops.

The farmers market will be held on the last Thursday of each month. In November, it will be held on Nov. 20 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Fill your fridge with healthy food choices. Shop the farm stand in the plaza near the cafeteria at 5520 Overland Ave. Go green: Don’t forget to bring your own reusable bag.

Have You Taken the Ice Bucket Challenge?

/

Wondering why your Facebook feed is flooded with friends dumping buckets of icy water on their heads? It’s the Ice Bucket Challenge.

In the chilly challenge, participants dump a bucket of ice water onto their head and nominate others to do the same within 24 hours or donate money to the fight against ALS.

Have you cooled down with this cool challenge? Share your YouTube videos with us. Paste links in the comment section below.

Lunch and Learn: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

/

Hungry for information? Attend the next lunch and learn session. The Pain Management: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome information session will be held Wednesday, Aug. 20 from noon to 1 p.m., in the Executive Room at the North Inland Public Health Center at 600 E. Valley Parkway in Escondido.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a pinched nerve in your wrist. Symptoms include tingling or numbness in the palm and fingers. It can weaken the hand and cause pain.

People who type on the keyboard frequently and for prolonged periods with minimal breaks are at risk.

Wellness Coordinator William Erese said this presentation will teach employees ways to prevent, recognize and manage the condition.

The course will be taught by Dana Mann, M.P.H., M.C.H.E.S, a health education consultant with 30 years of experience.

To register for the free lunch and learn, visit the Learning Management System (LMS).

County HR Earns International Excellence Honors

/

 

The County’s Department of Human Resources has gone international. The International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR) awarded the County its 2014 Agency Award for Excellence in the large agency division.

The acclaimed Awards for Excellence recognizes the overall quality, accomplishments and contributions of public human resources divisions to one small, one medium and one large agency annually. The award will be presented on Sept. 22 in Philadelphia.

“We’re thrilled to win an Agency Award for Excellence. The international award speaks volumes to the hard work being done by our dedicated staff both in human resources and in all groups to make the County an employer of choice,” said Susan Brazeau, director of Human Resources.

The County’s human resource department, with 115 staff members, serves and supports more than 16,000 employees. It was up against numerous other large cities, counties and public agencies for the award. It was recognized in the following areas:

Employee Wellness Program

The County’s wellness program takes a comprehensive approach to health and well-being. From onsite fitness and cooking classes to biometric screenings and health risk assessments, employees are living well.

Work Safe Stay Healthy Strategic Plan

The Work Safe Stay Health program was developed to encourage all County employees to work safely. The County decreased the number of workers’ compensation incidents, workers’ compensation costs and total production loss due to injury last year.

Recruitment and Selection Efforts

The County receives approximately 100,000 applications for employment annually. It’s new online hiring and selection programs helps screen candidates and expedites the application review and hiring process.

Veterans Outreach Program

With one of the largest populations of veterans, the County is assisting veterans with their transition into civilian life with outreach programs. A veterans’ outreach team has attended numerous career fairs, summits and college networking event.

Employee Development

The human resources department offers a series of professional development training workshops to help employees improve their skills through online and classroom trainings. In addition, the County offers management seminars and leadership academies to prepare our emerging leaders.

Make a Difference During a Disaster

/

How will you respond in the event of an emergency? As a County employee, you are by law a disaster service worker and that means -- if you haven’t already been assigned a role -- you will likely be tasked with some duties outside of your normal job during and/or after a countywide disaster.

”As County workers our day-to-day mission includes delivering excellent public service -- and during a disaster that mission is no different.  The specific duties you are assigned, however, might change during large-scale emergencies,” said Holly Crawford, director of the Office of Emergency Services. “The more people we can train ahead of time as disaster service workers the less ‘just-in-time training’ will be needed.  And this will ultimately allow us to provide better service to disaster victims. We need your help in achieving that goal.”

Some of the roles that need to be filled include answering phones with 2-1-1, the County’s public information line, to connect residents with disaster information and resources, and working in a Local Assistance Center or in a County shelter. In all three assignments, you will be helping the public by directing them to resources that will help them stay safe during or recover from an emergency.

As we gear up for peak wildfire season, the County is asking all employees to consider which of those roles they might be best suited to fill in a disaster, and to then sign up for training classes to perform these jobs.  

All of this is part of the County’s Advanced Recovery Initiative program to ensure County workers are prepared to jump in and help others recover in a disaster.

Some County employees have already been identified as Advanced Recovery Initiative members for support to the County Shelter Team, Local Assistance Center Teams, County 2-1-1 teams, Emergency Operations Center staffing, etc. The Office of Emergency Services will reach out to you directly regarding upcoming training/refresher training.

County staff who have critical continuity of operations roles within their departments will likely not be called to work as disaster service workers.

The County needs at least 150 employees ready to step in as 211 operators. If you’re interested, you will need to go through a two-hour training session.  Trainings are scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 17 from 9 to 11 a.m. or from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and also on Monday, Sept. 22 from noon to 2 p.m. or from 2 to 4 p.m. They will be held at the ME’s Training Room, 5570 Overland Ave. at the County Operations Center.

County Local Assistance Center workers will help direct disaster survivors to local, state and federal resources that are available to them after a disaster.

Members of the County Shelter Team will be responsible for helping to manage and maintain an overnight shelter to house temporarily displaced residents during a disaster. Jobs will range from checking people in to setting up cots to helping to pass along the latest updates on the emergency event.

CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer reminds us all that helping is important and rewarding.

To begin, click just one of the three links below and you will be contacted about scheduling training for that emergency position.

•    County 2-1-1 Operator
•    County Shelter Team
•    County Local Assistance Center Worker

You might have to allow a program to run in order to view this video below of County employees who were trained to work as 2-1-1 operators during a previous wildfire disaster.

 

Online Permitting System Boosting Customer Convenience

/

A year after launch, the County’s online permitting system has both made it far easier for customers to get access to a variety of services and more efficient for the County to deliver them.

The Land Use & Environment Group’s (LUEG) Accela Citizen Access site now allows you to apply for and pay for certain permits online. You can submit plans, ask to schedule an inspection, and even conduct research on permits and property information.

Planning & Development Services offers some of their most common permits online, which now include roof-mount solar, HVAC and electrical permits.

“Roughly 50 percent of our building permits now come through online,” said Vince Nicoletti of PDS. “The online services not only save our customers time, but increase our efficiency through system automation so we can do more with less.”

Customers and industry members have been extremely satisfied with the new features.  

“San Diego County is one of the fastest and easiest permitting jurisdictions that we deal with,” said California Solar Energy Industry Association member Alexandra Sink of Solar City. “The County is certainly a leader in the effort to streamline permitting and I hope more jurisdictions follow their example.”

Online permitting came about based on customer feedback, when LUEG decided to streamline permit tracking technology across departments and improve customer access to apply for and view permits online.

The first phase of online permitting was launched barely a year ago, and use of the Accela system is now widespread throughout LUEG departments. Inspectors in the Watershed Protection Program in Public Works use it to inspect water quality treatment devices, commercial, industrial, and municipal stormwater facilities. Customers can view inspection data and can submit stormwater complaints through the Accela Citizen Access portal.

In the past, landfills, transfer stations, and franchise waste and recycling collectors used paper forms that were submitted to the recycling division for confirmation. Now, these operators enter their own data in Accela reports, cutting out the paper, and speeding the process.

At the Air Pollution Control District, customers can view their applications, copies of their permits, sites, inspection reports, invoices, and other related documents. They can also pay online for new applications for coating processes to include metal, marine, and wood.

Customers at the Agriculture, Weights and Measure (AWM) portal can request export and import inspections for plant material shipments. Starting in August, AWM customers can also submit payments for the point-of-sale scanner registrations.

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) also offers online payment for all of their permits. Customers simply go online with their permit number and pay each year without even needing to create an account. DEH has seen a 66 percent increase in their online revenue from FY2012-2013 to FY 2013-2014.

To date, more than 5,500 customers have registered online to submit, apply, and pay for permits. Accela applications have been so successful, the County has won praise not only from Accela, Inc., winning a recent community engagement award, but also a first place award from the National Association of Counties.

And there’s more to come. Services planned for the future include a property summary report that will provide basic property information such as setbacks, animal regulations, service districts, and more.  

3 New Employee Resource Groups Forming

/

The network of County employee resources groups (ERG) continues to grow. Three new organizations are in the early stages of forming this summer: groups for veterans, millennials and employees of Middle Eastern heritage.

Joe Cordero, CAO Liaison to ERG, said employee groups not only benefit the membership, but they benefit the county as a whole.

“The ERGs all focus on recruiting and retention, professional development, supporting the County’s initiatives and cultural competency,” Cordero said. “It is a part of diversity and inclusion.”

Interested in joining these groups at the very start? Here’s how to help or stay connected until they launch:

  • The Middle Eastern Employees group is looking for volunteers to help with formation. Interested County employees can contact Sara Agahi at for additional information or to be added to an interested members list. The group’s next planning meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 8 at 5510 Overland Ave., 4th floor large conference room. The group expects to launch this winter.
  • The Millennial group – formally calling itself the Association of Modern Professionals – said its mission will be to “bridge the generational gap through education, enhancement of the work culture, and networking while promoting Countywide initiatives.” Fill out this short form if you are interested in hearing more or joining. The group will reach out closer to launch.
  • The Veterans ERG is in the early planning stages of development. The group’s intent will be “to engage, mobilize, and deploy a Countywide network of passionate colleagues to support County initiatives and foster community relationships.” The group, to be named VALOR, is currently compiling a list of interested members. You do not need to be a veteran to be a member, just a desire to honor and support the men and women who serve our country past and present.

Additional information about the existing ERGs can be found online  at African American Association of County Employees (AAACE), Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees (APACE),
County of San Diego Filipino-American Employees Association (CSDFEA), The LGBT and Allies and the San Diego County Latino Association (SDCLA).