1. business and industrial
2. business operations
3. human resources

November 2014 • Vol.42 No.11
To view past issues of The Pen, visit
www.pinellascounty.org/hr/publications.htm.
Reflecting
Reflecting Our
Our Community’s
Community’s Diversity
Diversity
In 1980, Pinellas County Government
and the U.S. Department of Justice
voluntarily entered into an agreement to remedy gender and racial
inequities in our workforce. This
Consent Decree addressed underrepresentation of African-Americans
(Blacks) and Hispanics, as well as
under-representation of women in
non-traditional jobs such as skilled
trades, maintenance, engineering,
and executive positions. The goal
of the Consent Decree was to have
Pinellas County Government employees more accurately reflect the
demographic composition of the
available workforce in the County.
One immediate effect was doing
away with all promotional exams.
Instead, every promotional opportunity was advertised as an open
recruitment with targeted outreach.
Also, all jobs had to be advertised
in the local newspaper, as well as
in minority newspapers. Thirdly, a
justification process was established.
For each position, hiring supervisors
were required to provide the number of applicants from historically
under-represented groups, identify
the number of those who passed the
exam, and the demographic profile
of the individual who was hired for
the position.
Departments that hired a candidate
from outside of a historically underrepresented group had to prepare
a “justification” for this selection to
be reviewed by the Office of Human
Rights. This helped ensure that all
qualified individuals received due
consideration. The Decree also mandated that all applications, resumes,
interview notes, and tests were to be
retained beyond the standard of four
years set by Florida law.
Leaders in the County recognized
that the County’s workforce had to
change with, and be reflective of, the
demographic changes within Pinellas County. During the course of the
Consent Decree, our workforce became progressively more balanced.
The entire Unified Personnel System
made a concerted effort to engage in
proactive recruitment efforts, and to
give due consideration and promotions to individuals from groups
historically under-represented in
our workforce. The Consent Decree
was modified as we moved closer
to our goals. For example, in 1994
the Department of Justice relaxed
the promotional requirements, and
permitted promotional recruitments
if due to normal promotion progress.
Much of the credit for our progress
in achieving racial and gender balance is due to the efforts of Leon
Russell. Mr. Russell served as the
Director of Human Rights for 35
years. We can all be proud of his
championing the cause of equal
opportunity for everyone. Likewise,
our Appointing Authorities deserve
credit for their unwavering support
and endorsement of Mr. Russell’s
vision.
In light of our efforts, in February
2013, the Department of Justice approached Pinellas County to begin
the process to end the Consent
Decree. Recent EEO data confirmed
the progress that we have made. It
was noted, however, that there still
was underrepresentation of Hispanic
employees. In response, we have increased our Hispanic outreach in the
last year by advertising in Hispanic
newspapers and magazines, as well
as posting employment ads in both
English and Spanish.
INSIDE
(it’s clickable)
Tax Collector Receives Award ... 2
Ask Peggy ... 3
Contests ... 4
Promotions ... 4
Service Anniversaries ... 5
Retirements / REPCO News ... 6
EAC Elections 2014 ... 7
Upcoming Classes ... 7
Welcome Aboard! ... 8
Holiday Passport Event ... 8
It Takes TWO! ... 8
Avoid a $500 Surcharge ... 9
Tips / Pets ... 10
On July 16, 2014, the Consent Decree
ended for the UPS, and justifications
are no longer required. This lifted
a significant administrative burden.
Our commitment to ensuring that
the demographic composition of our
workforce reflects our County’s population; however, remains unchanged.
In order to give the best possible
service to all our residents, it’s important that we recognize the need to
embrace diversity.
Mr. Leon Russell, former Director of the Office of Human
Rights, retired in January 2012
P I N E L L A S
P E N
Pinellas Tax Collector Receives State Award for Excellence
Diane Nelson, Pinellas County’s
Tax Collector, earned a special
designation for excellence in the
field of financial operations.
A judging panel performed a
detailed review of the Tax
Collector’s financial records, practices and use of technology in
considering Nelson for the honor.
The Pen
“The Legacy Award is one of the
highest achievements the Florida
Tax Collector’s Association can
award a local Tax Collector,” said
Florida Tax Collectors, Inc. (FTCA)
President Lisa Cullen, Tax Collector in and for the Brevard County
political subdivision. “The judging
process was arduous and included
a detailed review of the financial
functions of the Tax Collector’s
Office. I am very proud to say that
Ms. Nelson has earned the designation. She represents the very top
echelon of elected officials.”
Last year, Nelson earned the
Excellence in Financial Operations
Award after demonstrating
proficiency in four areas of
expertise: Innovation & Automation, a Perfect Annual Audit
Report, Customer Focus, and
Budgeting. For the 2014 Legacy
Award, Nelson demonstrated that
the office had further enhanced
its financial operations.
A five person judging panel
made up of government financial
executives from throughout
Florida reviewed the Tax Collec-
“The citizens of Pinellas County
can be very proud of Ms. Nelson
for the award-winning manner
in which she operates the Tax
Collector’s Office,” Cullen said.
“The panelists’ review of her office
went far and above reviewing her
perfect audit report. The review
included methods utilized by
Ms. Nelson to deliver service to
the people she serves and
consideration of the technological
innovations she has developed
and put into place.”
From FTCA press release,
10/23/2014
Don't forget to check the employee
blog – Our Space – regularly.
Bookmark it! There is news every day!
YOU can post to the blog. It’s easier
than you might think – give it a try!
Share your photos, celebrations,
upcoming events and check for the
latest news from the County.
If you have questions, please contact Mary
Sault at 464-5098 or
msault@pinellascounty.org.
The Pen
PUBLISHER: Peggy Rowe
EDITOR: Laura Berkowitz
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Mary L. Sault
A monthly publication by the
Pinellas County Human Resources Department
How to Participate:
It’s easy to get involved in The Pen. You can
contribute by informing us of noteworthy
news or sending us story ideas. You can
also ask about writing a guest column or
submit photos of co-workers at work in your
department.
PHONE: (727) 464-5098
FAX: (727) 453-3660
E-mail: employee.communications@pinellascounty.org
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tor’s processes as related to the
four areas of competency.
Pay Your Property Taxes in November
to Receive 4% Discount
Property tax bills were mailed out Friday, October 31st. Pay your
bill in November to receive a 4 percent discount! Payments
must be received online by 11:55 PM EST on Sunday, November 30th or have a November postmark to be eligible for the
discount. However, since the last day of November falls on a
Sunday, payments submitted in-person at Tax Collector offices
and drop-off events on Monday, December 1st will receive the
4% discount. Visit www.taxcollect.com or call (727) 464-7777
for more information.
BLOOD
DRIVE
Mark Your Calendars
Clearwater Courthouse
315 Court Street
West Parking Lot
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Every donor is three more lives saved!
P I N E L L A S
P E N
ASKPEGGY
The Pen
Peggy Rowe
Director of Human Resources
Q. In my department we
have implemented an overtime
policy of compensating a team
member. Overtime and comp
time is rewarded at 1.5 pay but
flex is only straight time. We are
instructed to flex the time off
during the week that we work
the 8 hours of overtime. Can we
be “forced” to flex time off?
A. Overtime compensation
is required when eligible
employees, as defined by the
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA),
work in excess of 40 hours in a
work week. Eligible employees
may be compensated either in
payment [by computing the
employee’s hourly rate of pay
multiplied by one and one-half
(1½)] or, at the discretion of the
Appointing Authority or designee,
an employee may be granted
compensatory time off in lieu
of cash payment. Compensatory
time must also be granted at the
rate of one and one-half (1½)
hours for each hour of overtime
worked in the week (not in
excess of 8 hours in one
work day).
If management requires
employees to flex time in order
to avoid exceeding 40 in a work
week, that is permissible and
is not considered overtime.
Generally, the requirement to
flex the time to avoid paying
overtime is done as a cost
saving measure. The counting
of overtime hours begins when
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more than 40 hours have been
worked in a work week. Because
in the flex scenario there is no
overtime involved, there is no
overtime payment necessary.
If you and your colleagues are
working in excess of 40 hours in a
work week and you are eligible for
overtime payment please discuss
this further with your director or
contact someone in my department.
Again, FLSA eligible employees
must be compensated in cash
or compensatory time for hours
worked in excess of 40 in a week.
Please contact us again if further
clarification is needed.
Use It or Lose It
For those who have not used their
Personal Day or Floating Holidays,
the deadline to do so is no later
than December 13, 2014.
Remember, if a Personal Day is
taken immediately before or
after a recognized holiday, it
must be scheduled and approved
in advance.
Q:
Does the County have a policy
on the use of e-cigarettes at work?
A: The Appointing Authorities
have determined the use of
e-cigarettes is prohibited in the
same way as other tobacco products.
Q: When will training be offered
in FACE?
A: Human Resources will be
offering a series of workshops over
the next several months regarding
FACE performance management.
Supervisors can sign up now for
a new workshop in December
on how to summarize quarterly
conversations in FACE (more info).
Completion of the
biometric screening
and the online health
assessment prior to
December 31, 2014 is
required to avoid a
$500 premium
differential in 2015.
The year is almost over.
Are you on course to
completing your activities
to avoid the $500
premium differential
in 2015?
Track your progress at
myuhc.com or use your
Health4Me mobile app.
The Pen
A wise person once said, “Silent gratitude
isn’t much use to anyone.” I want to take this
opportunity to thank you all for your hard
work and dedication to our community.
I hope you are able to take time to reflect
on our many blessings. I wish you and your
families a Happy Thanksgiving.
P I N E L L A S
P E N
The 2015 Consortium
Training Catalog is
now available!
SUDOKU
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The Pen
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Get a head start on planning your training for the
New Year by looking over the new 2015 Training
Catalog. Find classes of interest, see class times and
dates then request them in OPUS OLM. Enhancing
your learning creates benefits for both you and
your organization.
Promotions
Promotions are published from 2 months prior. Example:
A promotion that occurs in May will appear in the July Pen.
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To enter this month’s contest send your answer to employee.
communications@pinellascounty.org or via interoffice mail to
The Pen, attention Editor. All correct entries will be entered into
a drawing. Entries must be received by November 30, 2014.
The winner will receive a special prize and be recognized in the
next issue of The Pen.
Pinellas Roots
Courtesy of Heritage Village Living History Museum
Q: Name this American novelist, poet and painter - a
member of the so-called “Beat Generation” - who
lived in St. Petersburg during the middle 1960s.
Board of County Commissioners
Airport
Frank Reilly....................................................Craftwkr 1
Business Support (DEI)
Sharita Jones........................................... Accountant 2
Public Works
Scott Breedlove..................................................Maint 2
Vincent Carboni.................................................Maint 2
Vincent Dipadua....................................Tree Trimmer
Joseph Hemberger............................................Maint 2
Billy Russ.............................................................Maint 2
Utilities
Steven Beharry........................ Wtr/Wstwtr Plt Oper
Warren Bown..................................Elect Equip Tech
Shawn Gardner.......................................... Meter Rdr
Shannon Ransom............................Proj Mgmt Spec
1
2
2
1
Health & Community Services
Michael Dowling.................................... Vet Svc Ofcr Sr
Michael Hill.................................................Vet Svcs Dir
Real Estate Management
Steven Daniel..........................................Constr Admin
Business Technology Services
Jonathan Ferguson........................................ BTS Supv
Clerk of the Circuit Court
A: Jack Kerouac ( Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac) perhaps best known for the book On the Road, married
Stella Sampas in 1966 and moved to St. Petersburg.
Kerouac died three years later at St. Anthony’s Hospital from internal bleeding caused by cirrhosis of the
liver.
And the winner is:
Brian Davis
Sixth Circuit Court
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Lynn Abbott............................................ Crt Rec Spec 2
Ryan Boylan...........................Info Tech Sys Analyst Sr
Karin Brooks......................Info Tech Sys Analyst SME
Linda Christian.................................................Crt Clk Sr
Leena Delli Paoli................................... Crt Rec Spec 2
Denarvis Fuller........................................... Fis Rec Spec
Karen Kelley.......................................... Fis Rec Spec Sr
Lynne Kittle................................................ Fis Rec Spec
Mable Lawley.............. Info Tech Sys Analyst Tech Ld
Catherine Moore........ Info Tech Sys Analyst Tech Ld
Tricia Smayda......................................... Crt Rec Spec 2
Tax Collector
Karen Backus................................................Tax Asst Sr
Lorry Brutcher...............................................Tax Asst Sr
Anita F. Williams.........................................Ld Tax Spec
P I N E L L A S
P E N
SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES
35 YEARS
Douglas O’Neill
Public Works
30 YEARS
Beverly Waldron
Human Resources
25 YEARS
Gwendolyn Brooks
Property Appraiser’s Office
The Pen
20 YEARS
Laura Jaeger
Safety & Emergency
Services
35 YEARS
Michael Clements, Airport
30 YEARS
Phyllis Bryant, Parks & Conservation Resources
Colleen Ford, Clerk of the Circuit Court
Joseph Bavlsik, Business Technology Services
Edwin Brown, Property Appraiser’s Office
Renette Bullock, Clerk of the Circuit Court
25 YEARS
John Thompson, Utilities
Anita M. Williams, Utilities
20 YEARS
Alisande Davis, Tax Collector’s Office
Cheryl Groundwater, Property Appraiser’s Office
Arthur Woods, Real Estate Management
15 YEARS
P-5
Guillermo Bay...................... Engineering & Technical Support
John Doldt...........................................Real Estate Management
Gloria Gere..............................Parks & Conservation Resources
Velina Lucas............................................... Tax Collector’s Office
Collis McKenzie............................ Safety & Emergency Services
Rakesh Patel........................................ Clerk of the Circuit Court
Angela Roberson................................Real Estate Management
Tina Walkup........................................ Clerk of the Circuit Court
Valerie Font...........................................Tax Collector’s Office
Robin Gwaltney-Harris.........Convention & Visitors Bureau
Ercel Hare......................... Parks & Conservation Resources
Isaiah Jackson.............................................................. Utilities
Deneta Jones.......................................................Public Works
Danny Miller.......................... Business Technology Services
Tammy Morano....................................Tax Collector’s Office
Linnie Randolph...................Convention & Visitors Bureau
10 YEARS
5 YEARS
Ryan Brinson.......................................Planning Department
Paul Cozzie....................... Parks & Conservation Resources
Michael Dowling.................. Health & Community Services
Nicholas Bridenback........................................Court Adjunct
Cynthia Fisher.......................................Tax Collector’s Office
Mark Sawyer............................... Property Appraiser’s Office
P I N E L L A S
P E N
RETIREMENTS
30 YEARS
OVER 26 YEARS
26 YEARS
Florence “Flo” Riggie
Inspector General Auditor 2
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Michael Bixler
Field Inspector 2
Environment & Infrastructure
Barbara Shiels
Administrative Support Specialist
Safety & Emergency Services
OVER 11 YEARS
Rena McKnight
Lead Tax Specialist
Tax Collector’s Office
Wanda Tibbetts
Senior Office Specialist
Environment & Infrastructure
The Pen
OVER 23 YEARS
OVER 7 YEARS
RETIREES UNAVAILABLE FOR PHOTO
OVER 13 Joseph Manninen, Senior Facility Manager, Real Estate
YEARS Management
Thomas Reed
Tax Specialist
Tax Collector’s Office
In case you missed it!
How much do you know about diabetes? The
November To Your Health newsletter included
diabetes myths and helpful resources. Also, lots
of photos of County employees in PINK!
P-6
REPCO News
REPCO’s December meeting will be held at
4:30 p.m. (instead of noon) on December 8 at
the Savory Restaurant, 12881 Walsingham Road
in Largo. Following the meeting the group is
going to the Florida Botanical Gardens to enjoy
the Holiday Lights in the Garden display. For more
information contact Rudy at (813) 855-3466 or
rdgarcia@verizon.net.
You don’t have to be a Pinellas County retiree to
attend. Current employees and family members
are also welcome.
P I N E L L A S
P E N
Vote for Your EAC Representative
Each year, half of the Employees’ Advisory Council (EAC) Representatives positions are up for election. Classified
employees who work in the following groups will receive a ballot on November 21st to vote for their EAC Representative:
The Pen
BCC Group III - Public Works
(Transportation and Stormwater)
including Natural Resources, Infrastructure, Traffic, Administration
Group III Nominees
•
Paul Mayes
•
Steve Yeatman
BCC Group VII - Parks and
Conservation Resources
Group VII Nominees
•
Mike Brown
•
Richard Castle
•
Larry Gardiner
•
Patricia Kelley
•
Darry Martin
•
Anna Rowell
Tax Collector - All classified
employees at Pinellas County Tax
Collector
Tax Collector Nominees
•
Amber Bradley
•
Richard Carvale
•
Tiffany McCall
•
Brian Peckham
•
Cami Rettman
•
Kimberly Wheaton
BCC Group V - Health and
Community Services, Safety and
Emergency Services
Group V Nominees
•
Jason Anderson
•
Hazel Lane
Clerk South - Records & Information Management, Criminal Court
Records, Court Assistance/Jury
Services, Criminal Court Customer
Service, Customer Information
Center, St. Petersburg Branch,
Tyrone Branch
Clerk South Nominees
•
Teresa Cauley
•
Angela Ervin-Williams
•
Charlene Johnson
•
Peggy Poole
Other Appointing Authorities
BTS, Office of Human Rights,
Construction Licensing Board,
County Attorney, Human
Resources, Planning Council
Other Appointing Authorities
Nominees
•
Steven Zachem
•
Mercedes Pearson
Return your ballot
by December 5th
to Human Resources in
the envelope provided
for tallying by the
EAC Elections Committee.
Here is a quick comparison of the
role of EAC Reps and Delegates:
EAC Representatives are elected by
their co-workers to serve two-year
terms. The 15 Reps attend a total of
18 meetings per year (12 Reps meetings and 6 Delegates meetings). Reps
discuss issues and make recommendations to the Personnel Board and
Human Resources.
EAC Delegates are appointed
through an informal process that
determines an individual’s willingness
to serve. They are appointed every
January for a one-year term. There
are over 80 delegates who act as a
communication link between the
employees at their work locations
and the EAC Reps.
Elections will not be held in the following areas because the candidates were unopposed:
BCC Group IV - Utilities Field Services, South Cross, Keller, Dunn, Logan, Maintenance North. Congratulations to
Charles Toney.
BCC Group VI - Utilities Business Support, Call Center, Revenue Management, Planning and Design, Information
Management, Financial Reporting. Congratulations to Lisa Wombles.
For more information, visit www.pinellascounty.org/hr/eac or contact Charles Toney, EAC Chair, 582-2382 or
Camille Evans, EAC Liaison at Human Resources, 464-4064.
Training and Development Upcoming Classes
Some classes fill up quickly so request enrollment early through OPUS Learning Management (OLM).
Team Building 12/3 – 7 Hours
Teams aren't just for sports. Come and learn what it takes
to create and maintain a successful team at work! Learn how
to identify the characteristics of a successful team and team
members’ responsibilities in building and maintaining a
stellar team. Explore the “Stages of Team Development”
and practice communication skills.
P-7
Microsoft Office 2007 training - multiple dates
3 Hours
OPUS OLM lists introduction classes for Excel, Word,
Outlook and Windows 7 - Internet Explorer. Simply
search for ‘Introduction’ to display a list of classes then
select the date and time you wish to attend. Enrollment
is limited to ten persons per class.
To view a complete list of all courses, along with descriptions, go to the Consortium Training Catalog in OPUS. Need
assistance? Contact Training and Development at 464-3796 or email them at training@pinellascounty.org.
P I N E L L A S
P E N
Welcome Aboard!
Board of County Commissioners
Airport
Erin Johnson........................................Airpt Oper Supv
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Edward Cassidy................................................ CVB Mgr
Engineering & Technical Support
Jessica Jones............................................Mgmt Analyst
Public Works
Mary James................................................. Sr Env Spec
Utilities
The Pen
Thomas Keith.........................................Util Maint Wkr
Jose Rios..................................................Util Maint Wkr
Michael Walker......................................Util Maint Wkr
Risk Management
Kelly Green.............................................. Office Spec Sr
Safety & Emergency Services
Michael Calderon......................... Law Enf Telecomm
Samantha Caruso......... 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Eric Douglas.................................. Law Enf Telecomm
Kim Gile......................................... Law Enf Telecomm
Peter Glasz..................... 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Stephanie Hannon....... 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Andrea Klemm............................. Law Enf Telecomm
Bradley Melone............ 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Cody Rogers................................... Law Enf Telecomm
Sean Santana................ 911 Pub Safety Telecomm 1
Human Resources
Joy Lamar......................................................... HR Tech
Melissa Reyes................................................... HR Tech
Property Appraiser’s Office
Ellyn Kubisiak........................................ Prop Rcds Asst
Tax Collector’s Office
Torrey Craig....................................................... Tax Asst
Andre Datu........................................................ Tax Asst
Corinne Fish...................................................... Tax Asst
Lauren Labiak................................................... Tax Asst
Gabrielle McPherson........................................ Tax Asst
Monte Meyers................................................... Tax Asst
Wanda Lopez.................................................... Tax Asst
Mason Parianous..............................Mgmt Info Coord
Evelyn Park........................................................ Tax Asst
Holiday Passport
Acceptance Event
In an effort to ensure citizens have plenty of
opportunities to apply for a passport before
the busy months of the holiday season, the
Clerk’s office will offer extended office hours
to provide more convenient hours for the
public. The first event was November 8. The
next will be:
Saturday, December 6, 2014
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Clerk’s Tyrone Branch
1800 66th Street North, St. Petersburg 33710
For additional information visit
www.mypinellasclerk.org or
call (727) 464-7000.
It Takes TWO!
Many of us use County vehicles as
part of our jobs. Whether you spend
most of your day on the road or
just hop in for an occasional meeting, we all need to work together to
keep these vehicles running
smoothly for a long time.
That’s why at Fleet Management, we’ve launched the
TWO program. We’re asking you to check your Tires, Water and Oil on at least a weekly basis. These simple steps
take only a couple of minutes but can prevent major
problems from developing in the future. We also ask that
you take note if any other issues arise with your vehicle.
By doing your part, it helps
us do our part in maintaining these vehicles and keeping them reliably on the
road when you need them.
Watch our video and find
more information on the
Intranet.
Remember, “It takes TWO.
You check, we do!”
P-8
New Employee Orientation class on Oct. 27.
P I N E L L A S
P E N
Time is running out...
AVOID A
500
$
SURCHARGE
The Pen
Your biometric screening and health assessment must be completed by
December 31st to avoid paying $500 more in 2015 healthcare premiums.
What is the biometric screening?
It is a blood sample to measure
cholesterol and glucose and a short
physical examination including blood
pressure
testing.
What is the health assessment?
The health assessment is a brief online questionnaire to provide you an
overall picture of your health and to
identify potential health risks.
What is the benefit of having a
biometric screening and completing
the online health assessment?
Employees who complete a biometric
screening and health assessment are
taking advantage of free preventive
care and identifying areas of their
health to focus on maintaining or improving. Specifically, the program:
• Identifies potential health risks
• Promotes wellness and productivity by encouraging employees to visit their doctor annually
and get regular blood work
done
And it’s paying off. Employees are being more proactive about their health.
There are fewer emergency room
visits and outpatient surgeries, and
our employees have overall increased
their use of preventive checks such as
mammography, prostate, and colon
cancer screenings.
For more information, see Health
Assessment FAQs. Or contact
Employee Benefits at 464-4570 or
employee.benefits@pinellascounty.
org.
P-9
MYTH #1 – Human Resources staff and my manager can view the
results of my biometric screening and my answers to the health
assessment questions.
This information is completely confidential and cannot be viewed by
Pinellas County staff. United Healthcare supplies the information in
aggregate form to Pinellas County so that we can see health trends among
our employees and provide programs as needed.
For example, United Healthcare provided aggregate data from the employee health assessments indicating a need for programming focused on Type
2 Diabetes prevention. As a result, we introduced a 16-week educational
diabetes prevention program for employees called Not Me! The County is
covering 100% of the cost of the program for any employee or dependent
over the age of 18 on our plan with fasting glucose between 100 and 125.
To date, 61 employees have participated in the program. Here are some
results:
• Average percentage weight loss was 4.7% (the national average
is 4.8%)
• Total number of pounds lost in 2013 was 520
Here’s what one of the participants had to say:
“ I make smarter decisions when it comes to food and exercise now.
I am in the habit now of reading food labels. If you set small goals,
you will continue to progress.”
MYTH #2 – I have to wait exactly 12 months from last year’s screening.
One biometric screening is covered by UHC every calendar year so if you
had a screening in October 2013, you don’t have to wait until October
2014; you could do the screening any time in 2014. The UHC health
assessment may be done every 6 months.
MYTH #3 – There is no hands-on help available for the assessment.
Employee Wellness staff are available for assistance over the phone or in
person if necessary. Contact them at wellness@pinellascounty.org or
464-3768.
MYTH #4 – I have to go to my doctor for a biometric screening, and
I can’t get in before the end of the year.
A doctor’s visit is preferred but if necessary, employees may get a biometric
screening at a CVS or Walgreens convenience care clinic at no cost (see
listing of 28 local clinics).
P I N E L L A S
P E N
FROM THE
RECORD
KEEPER
Create Sustainable Solutions
Vision • Innovation • Collaboration
Pinellas County
Green Office Audit
Offices will be awarded a
Certificate of Participation!
The Pen
How green is your office?
Take this survey to check your
green work practices.
The more staff in your office who
participate, the higher the level
of achievement.
Earn GOLD when 70% of your
staff completes the audit!
Questions? Contact Mary Campbell, Pinellas County Extension
New Box Records Storage
Pick-up & Empty Records
Storage Box Delivery
Requests for new box storage and
empty records storage boxes need to be
submitted through the Records Management System no later than Tuesdays at
2:00 PM the week of the event to allow
our technician time to process paperwork and labels, prepare boxes, and develop a route. New box storage is picked
up on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays and
empty records storage boxes are delivered on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of
each month.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact
Michele Koehler in Records & Information Management at (727) 453-3038.
Consumer Corner
Whether you’re a shopper at heart or cringe at the thought of a packed mall, Penny
Pitfall offers the following tips so you don’t waste your pennies.
• Make a List: Make a list of who you’re buying gifts for and how much you’re spending
for each person. Stick to the list!!
• Ways to Pay: Paying with cash will keep you from over spending … once the money
is gone, it’s gone. If you pay with plastic, it’s best to use a credit card; not debit. Credit
allows you to dispute a charge if there is a problem.
• Save as You Spend: Before you shop, search for sales, discounts, and coupons. Take
advantage of FREE store perks, such as gift wrapping or shipping.
• Exchange & Refunds: Retailers establish their own exchange and refund policy.
Before you buy, know the policy. If no refund/exchange policy is offered, it must be
disclosed at the point of sale.
For more tips on how to survive the holiday shopping season visit
www.pinellascounty/consumer.
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Pet
Sweet Pea is a 7 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. This playful girl
weighs 50 lbs. and loves car rides.
Remember, every one of the pets offered for adoption at Animal Services
are spayed or neutered and have all of their required shots. Visit Sweet
Pea and the other dogs and cats up for adoption at 12450 Ulmerton Road
in Largo, or see them online at www.pinellascounty.org/animalservices/
petfind.htm. To learn more about Animal Services, stop by the shelter,
call (727) 582-2600 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/animalservices.
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