Building Blocks for Being a General Services Planner

The new Sheriff’s Crime Lab, the Imperial Beach Library and the proposed library, park and sheriff’s station in Borrego Springs: what do they all have in common?

They are just a few of the many County construction projects underway or in development. A team of people makes these buildings become a reality, but one person directly manages the preparation of the County’s capital facilities program. Her name is Elyce Shorb, and she’s a Project Manager for General Services.

“Elyce is a definite star. She’s responsible for the management of the Capital Improvement Needs Assessment and the Major Maintenance Implementation Plan,” said General Services Project Management Chief Tom Fincher. “We also have a project manager and a recently hired facility analyst assisting in this monumental management effort.”

How important is this job? Well, the CINA is a list of all current and anticipated capital projects – buildings, essentially – over a five-year period. The current CINA list includes $1.1 billion in overall funding. The Major Maintenance Implementation Plan is basically the County’s fix-it list. The most recent MMIP involved more than $47 million.

“I never would have known that I’d end up with the County of San Diego,” said Shorb. “But I can see now that each step I took built the tool kit I needed to be in this position at this time.”

So how did she get here? She has a degree in city and regional planning from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. She got a job right out of college at Qualcomm and later worked for a local architectural firm.

But neither job fit what she had in mind. In 2008, she took a position as an Environmental Land Use Planner with what is now known as Planning & Development Services. She worked with the public on smaller scale projects as well as managed performance and process improvements. But once again, she got the itch to change.

She didn’t want to leave the County; she just wanted a new challenge. An opportunity arose at General Services. Shorb applied and won a project manager position in strategic planning. She’s been there about a year and a half.

“It was a great transition,” said Shorb. “It was a good fit for me personally.”

Shorb says she interacts with other County groups and their departments now. She loves watching County building projects grow and make an impact on the community.  

When it comes to major maintenance, she likes to take field trips to various facilities.

“It’s not just another cell on the worksheet. You can see their environment,” said Shorb. “It casts a different light on things.”

So what kinds of skills does a planner need? Shorb says planners should know: how to read plans and interpret the zoning ordinance, understand CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act, and have an interest in design.  Be familiar with AutoCAD, Excel and Microsoft Office. Planners should have an eye for detail, be organized and flexible in dealing with changing priorities.   

Shorb gets plenty of extra practice at home with the last two. She has 6-year-old twin daughters in kindergarten!

But back to work. Shorb says the County’s emphasis on the environment dovetails with her own passion for it. She appreciates the County’s ongoing goal to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED standards of excellence. She says the County has the leading edge over other counties.

“It’s the same path I would choose,” said Shorb. “I take pride in my work and pride in what the County is doing.”

HP is Now DXC

You may soon hear the initials “DXC” bandied about the workplace when discussing computers and such. DXC Technology is the new name for our information technology provider.

The Enterprise Services business of Hewlett Packard Enterprise— our prime IT provider since 2006 – has merged with another global IT services provider, Computer Sciences Corp. to create a new company called DXC Technology. The new name, DXC, was announced in February but the merger was completed Saturday. Executives at the new company celebrated the formation of the new company at the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange Monday.

What does that mean to us as County employees? Well, references to HPE (or “HP” for short) will start morphing into “DXC.” As far as services, the new company will be responsible for providing everything under both the current and new IT master agreement. The company name may have changed, but the people providing services to the County will largely remain the same.  

If you regularly have contact with people from HPE, one thing you will notice is a change in their email domain name to reflect the new company name. But not to worry, there will be time to get used to it. DXC employees will answer to both their old and new email addresses for at least a year.

InTouch – The Best Advice I’ve Had

Let me offer you a piece of advice. A few pieces, actually.

Don’t worry. I’m not launching a Dear Helen column. Most of this is not even mine.

I’m sharing words of wisdom that have made an impression on some of our County leaders. Understanding what helped guide them to where they are is useful for all of us.

So I gave these department heads the writing prompt: “the best advice I’ve had.” Here’s what they had to say.

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The best advice I have ever received is “treat people how you want to be treated – even when they don’t deserve it.”  We have all encountered situations at work or in our personal lives where we felt disrespected, frustrated, taken advantage of, or were treated rudely. Often our first instinct in these situations is to treat them the same way. In reality, the best way to stop rude behavior is to be kind and empathic because the person doesn’t expect that reaction. Experience, age, and teenagers have helped me live by this advice. When you treat people how you want to be treated even when they don’t deserve it, great things happen!

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Early in my career, my dearest mentor told me, “Generate within yourself an interest in all aspects of County governance and operations.”

He meant that I should pay attention to issues affecting the County as a whole, not just my own department.  The County is unique among municipal jurisdictions in that it has primary responsibility for so many services that affect the daily life and well-being of the communities it serves. The more you can learn about the County’s full spectrum of responsibilities, the more effective you become in your own department.

Always seek out and develop relationships across the entire County and all levels of employees. They are your greatest resource. The better you understand their mission, the more effective you’ll be in seeking their help or knowing when to offer your help to them. Also, the more you understand the individual mandates and regulatory environments under which departments operate, the less like a bureaucracy the County seems and your success navigating through the system will increase greatly.

Finally, when you develop an increased understanding of the entire County, the more pride you feel in the success of any individual department or employee.

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Dress Upward

Holly Crawford, Office of Emergency Services

Right after college, before I started my first job, my aunt took me shopping for suits. She said, “Always dress for the job you want next – not the job you currently have.” I can’t say I’ve followed her advice every day of my life. But I do think - in addition to preparation - looking the part is important. So, if you see me around the County dressed as a mermaid this will all make sense.

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You Can't Please Everyone

Adolfo Gonzales, Probation

Best advice I ever got:

You can't please everyone 100% of the time. That's the formula for failure.

It doesn't matter what you say or what you do, people will remember how you made them feel.

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Add Value

Dale Fleming, HHSA Strategy & Innovation

Regardless of where you are assigned, always try to be seen as an asset by your employers. Be the worker who is most efficient, who understands their job and its importance to the organization, who is open to new ideas, who is a good team player. 

I've always been involved in policy work. For me, this means knowing my job and how it fits in the overall organization and understanding why I do what I do.

Who in the world is doing cutting edge work in this area, either as a star performer at work, or a high-performing county or state? What would it take for me to raise my performance or my organization's performance to that level and beyond?

And, finally, at the end of each day, how do I answer this question: what value did I bring to the taxpayers who pay my salary? Because they are my shareholders, my investors. And they didn't voluntarily place their money into my "company," so that makes it even more critical that I try to do things that ultimately lead to better services and outcomes. Always ask yourself: how did I contribute today?

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Just Do It

Todd Adams, Civil Service Commission

“You get up, you dress up and you show up.” That applies whether it be for a job, school, following through on a favor for someone, exercising, or anything else.

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 Many years ago when I started in the environmental health profession, the laws for hazardous materials facilities were just beginning.  Being on the forefront of regulating businesses that stored hazardous materials and waste, we found a lot of dangerous and environmentally threatening situations.  Several of these situations turned into immediate responses from the fire department or enforcement cases.  I learned very quickly from my mentors that you always need to remain calm and stay on track, even though on the inside you are racing.  A leader that is calm and collected is important to help keep those around settled and focused on the situation at hand. I believe it has helped me as I have moved up in the ranks, reminding myself to keep a positive, calm and smiling appearance regardless of what is going on.

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Stay Committed

Mikel Haas, County Technology Office

The best piece of professional advice I ever received? Four words:  Conform to your commitment.

In my case, it was originally preceded by an exhortation about the need to fully commit yourself to difficult things. And the kicker, of course, was:  [and then] “Conform to your d*&# commitment.”   

It was a great lesson. Because it works for all things great and small. From simply returning a promised phone call – even if the timing becomes inconvenient for you – to finding a way to meet a seemingly impossible deadline when things start to go sideways. The internal compass, the mantra? Conform to your commitment.        

When you establish and hold to that, within yourself and those around you, tremendous things can happen. It is tried and true. So many things go right when you adopt and practice this – and so many things go wrong when you don’t.   

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Helen again here. Good thoughts, all of them.

As for me, my mother has given me wonderful advice throughout my life. But when I graduated from college she said her work was now done and the rest was up to me. “The world you will live in, is the one you build. You build it with your choices. Choose your character, your attitude, your words and your actions in a manner that allows you to live in the world you desire.”

Passing along the best of what we’ve learned is part of the County way. It’s what we call “threading” in the General Management System. Getting the benefit of others’ experience is way more efficient than trying everything yourself.

Some of this advice will probably apply to you and your situation more than others. Pick what works for you and make it your own.

Oh – and dress in layers. You’ll be glad you did.

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Want Important Employee Announcements? Get Details Sent to Your Smartphone

No matter where in the County you work, you’ll never be far from important employee notices and reminders. Simply sign up for announcements on your smartphone! You’ll get text messages about the programs that matter most to you – no more need to wade through emails, and you can sign up on your work or personal phone.

Sign up for text message announcements about Employee Wellness activities, Countywide events and professional development opportunities. Sign up for one, two or even all three distribution lists.

Employee Wellness texts will help keep you active with details about the quarterly wellness challenge, biometric screenings, the Amazing Race and other wellness activities.

Countywide event texts may include notices about the annual Halloween festivities, the San Diego State football pep rally at the County Operations Center, ERG events and lunchtime TED Talks with CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer.

Professional development opportunities texts will contain information about upcoming trainings that may be of interest to you in pursuing your career interests with the County. 

Signing up for the text notices is quick and easy (messaging and texting rates apply). 

• Text “CoSD WELLNESS” to 468311 for Wellness events
• Text “CoSD EVENTS” to 468311 for Countywide events
• Text “CoSD PROFDEV” to 468311 for professional development opportunities

Please note, this is different than the workplace emergency alert system. You don’t need to enroll in that program – during an emergency, notifications will automatically be sent to your work and personal cellphones as well as your desk phone. Please review your contact information in PeopleSoft Self Service to make sure it is up to date.

County Law Enforcement Teams Finish Desert Relay Race

Probation Division Chief Alex Zermeno running his 4.2 mile leg of the 2017 Baker to Vegas Relay.

Officers from Probation, Sheriff and the District Attorney’s office took off on a foot pursuit through the desert to compete in the 2017 Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay.  

The 120-mile race, which starts north of Baker, Calif. and ends in Las Vegas, is a law enforcement challenge that includes teams from throughout the United States and other countries. The race was held the weekend of March 25-26 and is about endurance, teamwork and camaraderie. Runners each complete a segment in the race, even throughout the overnight hours.

Competitors from Probation took first place with a 15-hour, 23-minute and 17-second finish in the Mixed Division, which means five members have to be women and all have to be sworn officers. Eighteen teams competed in that division. Overall, the Probation team finished 23rd of the 279 teams that competed in the race.

This is the 19th time the Probation Department has competed in the race.

via GIPHY

“Taking first place is the icing on the cake, after the long and hard work, in preparing to represent our Probation Department in this prestigious race,” said Probation Chief Adolfo Gonzales, who was at the finish line at 7:23 a.m. Sunday to cheer on the final runner. “I'm very proud of the commitment, dedication and perseverance of everyone involved with the B2V event.” 

Probation Team 24 had 20 runners, 4 alternates and 19 support staff. Among those were two members who either drove or took a flight into the area so that they could run their leg of the race and then immediately returned home.

The Probation team took first place in the Mixed Division in the Baker to Vegas Relay.

“It just shows how committed we are to making this race happen,” said recently retired Deputy Chief Probation Officer Dan DeLeon, who ran the last leg. 

In the past, the heat was often the most punishing part of the course, especially during the legs through the desert. But DeLeon, who has run the relay 17 times, said conditions were the best he had ever seen. He noted that this year it was cold at night. The highest temperature they ran in was 83 degrees when the race started at 4 p.m. and the coldest was 38 degrees in the middle of the night, he said.

A Sheriff's team member on the road to Vegas.The Sheriff’s Department finished 10th in the Open Division with a time of 14 hours and 53 minutes. The open division includes all sworn personnel of any gender or age. The Sheriff’s Team 12 finished 15th overall out of all the teams.

Deputies Steven Shepherd and Jennifer Albright at exchange point in the Baker to Vegas Relay.

The Sheriff's Baker to Vegas team including support staff. “We knocked off 9 minutes and 6 seconds from last year’s run time,” said Sgt. Denese Deal, a Baker to Vegas team captain for 15 years. “And we ran two minutes under our estimated run time with eight brand-new runners to the course. We did the best we could.”

DA Baker to Vegas runners ready themselves for the race.The District Attorney’s Office fielded two teams that both made a competitive showing in the Mixed Invitational Category. Team 57 finished at 18 hours 28 minutes and 46 seconds, and the DA’s Bureau of Investigations Team 226 had a time of 18 hours, 58 minutes and 58 seconds. Of the 46 teams that ran in the division, Team 57 finished 31st and Team 226 finished 35th. The Mixed Invitational category means all but two members have to be sworn and five members have to be women. Overall, Team 57 finished 194th and Team 226 finished 213th of all the teams that competed.

A DA team member on the challenging Baker to Vegas run.Team Capt. Chris Campbell said there were many last-minute challenges this year that meant they were still trying to put many of the runners, follow vehicle drivers and support team in place just days before the race.

“This truly is a testament to the commitment, dedication and teamwork that is apparent throughout the DA’s Office,” he said. “A special kudos goes to DDA Samira Seidu who agreed to step in for a downed runner the day before the race and ran a challenging six-mile leg despite being injured herself, ensuring our team stayed in the race.”

The DA team night shift on the Baker to Vegas Relay.

Probation officer and team member Shawna Berke echoed this sense of gratitude for support staff.

“None of this would be possible without the volunteers that go out with us. We cannot thank them enough,” she said.

The Probation Baker to Vegas team with the support vehicles provided by Mercedes-Benz of Escondido and Marvin K. Brown Auto Center.

Your Blood Could Save a Life

It’s that time of the year again…to donate blood.

The month-long County Blood Drive kicks off April 3. All employees are encouraged to donate blood and, if they qualify, to register to be a bone marrow donor at Be The Match.

Donating blood and bone marrow is safe, costs nothing and could save a life. Bloodmobiles will be at 19 sites across the county throughout April. You can make an appointment, or just walk in. Employees can use County time to donate blood, with approval from their supervisor.

If you can donate blood, do it. If you can’t, try to get a family member or friend to take your place. All blood types are needed.

This is the 33rd year the County has sponsored the blood drive, which supports the Live Well San Diego vision of healthy, safe and thriving residents and communities

Be the perfect match

The County is also encouraging employees to register to be bone marrow donors.

Registering for Be the Match is easy and pain free. All you have to do is swab the inside of your cheek and you can do it at one of the 19 blood donation sites.

Be The Match is especially looking for donors in the 18-44 age group because doctors request them over 90 percent of the time. This is because medical research has shown that cells from younger donors lead to better long-term survival for patients after a transplant. Registration is completely free.

People between the ages of 45 and 60 can also join the Be The Match Registry®, but will be required to make a $100 payment at the end of the online process. 

Be The Match is also looking for members of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds because patients are most likely to match someone who shares their ancestry.

Workplace Security: What to Do if Your Office Is on Lockdown

By Lt. Damon Blankenbaker 

The attack in Great Britain is a somber reminder that we all need to be prepared for any type of emergency or threat. The Houses of Parliament and nearby areas were immediately put on lockdown. What would happen if a County facility was put on lockdown? The County takes your safety and security seriously, and as the head of the County’s Site Security Initiative, I want to share important information with you about lockdowns.

You’ve probably heard the term lockdown. But what does it mean, and what should you do if the building you are inside is put on lockdown?

How would you identify a safe place to go, or a safe room?

Emergency personnel have often used the terms "lockdown” and “shelter in place" when ordering the public to find a safe place in the event of a threat.  These phrases are typically used to quickly communicate a threat or potential threat to your safety. The term lockdown has been used for decades in school systems.

During emergencies, both terms could have several different meanings, but essentially, both mean to take immediate shelter where you are. This could apply whether you are at home, work, school, or even in a public place like a mall.

You may be ordered to lockdown by law enforcement, but if you feel you are in danger, it may be a decision you make on your own.

The most important thing to remember is that during a threat or other emergency, there isn’t a “one size fits all” procedure for locking down a location and securing yourself. Every person, business, and department will need to develop a plan tailored to their location.

Lockdown protocols then must be practiced and debriefed in order to be effective.

Below are some ideas to consider when considering how and when to lockdown:

1. Do not minimize a threat during a lockdown. Over the years, we have found examples where folks have misjudged or discounted the threat.
2. Use plain language when communicating a threat and the need for a lockdown. The use of codes is often ineffective, may cause a delay, and could easily result in mass loss of life.
3. Perimeter doors should be closed and locked at all times. These are doors that provide access to your building but should remain locked, such as a warehouse door or emergency exits. This will help ensure that the majority of our work locations can be secured quickly.
4. Identify rooms within your facilities that can be accessed and securely locked. Ensure that they provide a level of protection to delay a potential threat. Most active shooter events end within three minutes and 60 percent end before law enforcement arrive on scene.

Security at work starts with all of us, and you can get more information about site security by visiting the Employee Security page on InSite.

Meet Your Employee Wellness Champions

San Diego County has 21 Employee Wellness Champions who are both inspirational and great cheerleaders! The champions support the Employee Wellness Program by helping to plan, promote and organize wellness activities at their work locations.

These champions work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the program, which is committed to the health and well-being of employees, is a success.

“They are one of the backbones of the Employee Wellness Program,” said Employee Wellness Coordinator William Erese. “They are generous in spirit and go above and beyond through volunteering their time to help make our Employee Wellness Program successful.”

The impressive growth of the Employee Wellness Program is representative of the champions’ hard work. They push for program expansion to accommodate interest from employees at numerous worksites and help make wellness a part of our daily County culture.

You may have seen the champions’ spirited outreach in your department’s newsletters, an email about the farmers market, a personal invitation to participate in one of the numerous wellness challenges, onsite fitness classes, lunch-and-learn sessions or behavioral health programs that the Employee Wellness Program offers.

A healthy thanks to all of our Employee Wellness Champions. You get our adrenaline pumping for wellness! Read more about them here.

If you are interested in becoming a champion, contact the Employee Wellness program at DHRWellness.FGG@sdcounty.ca.gov

Workplace Emergency Alert System Launches; Confirm Your Contact Info

As part of our workplace Security Initiative, the County is introducing a new notification system that will be used to alert employees of active threats at our facilities.

The system will allow the Sheriff’s Department to send important notifications to your desk phone, cellphone – business or personal – and email with information and instructions, such as sheltering in place or keeping clear of a campus in the event of an active shooter incident.

Since many employees often travel between locations, alerts involving one site will be sent to all employees. Messages will explain which location is affected.

You do not need to sign up for the alerts. However, you do need to review and update your contact information in Employee Self Service (also known as PeopleSoft Self Service). Up-to-date contact information is critical and can make all the difference in a life-threatening situation.

Here’s how to update your contact information:

1. Log in to PeopleSoft Self Service. If you forgot your password, call the HP Help Desk at (858) 573-3938 or (888) 298-1222. (Sheriff and DA staff should call their respective help desks.)

2. From the Main Menu, click on “Self Service.”

3. From the drop down menu, click on “Personal Information.”

4. Select “Phone Numbers” from the drop down menu and update your business (work landline), business cellular and personal cellular phone numbers. Save the changes.

5. Next, from the same “Personal Information” menu, select “Email Addresses” and verify both your business and personal email addresses and update them if necessary. Save the changes.

The notification system is the latest component of our County Security Initiative. Last month, CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer sent us a video message with an update on the initiative’s progress.

Remember, safety starts with you! Get involved by learning more about the initiative–visit the Employee Security page on InSite, review the County security policy, or register for Active Shooter training in the Learning Management System (for Sheriff, DA, and SDCERA, click here). In addition, departments can request County Security Coordinators to present tailored training for your facility.