GEO News June 2013 Single Pages.indd

O
E
G
VOLUME 25 - NUMBER 9
S e 1986
W
E
N
c
GEO
ed Sin
g
Keepin
Inform
s
e
e
y
Emplo
3
1
0
2
JUNE 2013
“State of the City” Address
and Wellness Fair
Photos on Page 6.
HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER TO OPEN SOON!
CITY OF KISSIMMEE EMPLOYEE AND
FAMILY HEALTH AND
WELLNESS CENTER
100 ALASKA AVENUE, KISSIMMEE, FL 34741
The center will be open:
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
(Closed for lunch - Noon - 1:00 pm.)
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
(Closed for lunch - 1:00 pm. - 2:00 p.m.)
Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Congratulations to
our Graduates.
Details & Photos on Pages 4 & 5.
Medical Staff:
Dr. Juliette Langner (Monday - Wednesday)
Dr. Gary Visser (Every other Thursday and Friday)
Dr. Adam Langley (Every other Thursday and Friday)
LPN - Tamara Walker
MA - Paola Pedrosa
• Anyone on the City’s health insurance plan, both employees and
dependents, can participate.
• No co-pays. No charges for Center Visits.
• Dependent children ages 8-years-and-up having ear, nose and throat
issues may participate.
• The clinic will be geared to provide primary healthcare, urgent
healthcare, and wellness programs aimed at improving long term health.
See Page 2 for How to Register and More Details
Artist Reception
Story and photos
See Page 8.
1
CareHere - 877.423.1330
www.carehere.com
BRAVO PROGRAM
2013 PENSION MEETING SCHEDULE
MONTH
DATE
TIME
BOARD
June
4
4
6
6
22
10
10
8
8
5
5
12
9:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
Police
Fire
Fire
Police
General
Police
Fire
Police
Fire
Fire
Police
General
August
(Financial)
September
October
November
(Financial)
December
(Financial)
The Bravo program is designed to
recognize employees going above
and beyond the normal call of duty
in their effort to deliver excellent
service. Supervisors have the
privilege of writing a Bravo and may
present it to any employee who was
noticed performing the extraordinary
service. Employees may ‘redeem’
their Bravo in Personnel for a token
acknowledging their achievement.
Some recent examples of great
Bravos include: Went on your
lunch hour to pick up supplies; Did a
fantastic job handling an emergency
situation very professionally; Cleaned
and organized our supply room and
cabinets. Keep up that great service
to your customers and you could be
the next Bravo recipient!
GLAD YOU ASKED
Should you plan to attend one of these scheduled meetings,
please call to confirm the meeting date and time prior to your arrival.
The “Glad You Asked” Program was
developed by the City Manager to
provide a means for employees to
get answers to questions, express
opinions or voice complaints about
the City.
CITY OF KISSIMMEE EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY
HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER
EMPLOYEE
OF THE MONTH
The Wellness Center is Open Only to Employees
on the City’s Health Plan
Each month an “Employee of the
Month” is selected by a committee
of his/her peers. The winner is
chosen from a group of employees
nominated by his/her co-workers.
• All patients MUST BE REGISTERED in the CareHere System
before visiting the clinic.
• Register with CareHere by visiting www.carehere.com or by calling
877.423.1330. City of Kissimmee first time access code is CKEME3.
• No Walk-ins ... you MUST schedule an appointment.
• All medicine refills require an appointment with the provider.
• First-time visits, annual physicals, and pap smears require 2 back-toback appointments.
• If you are 10 minutes or more late for your appointment, be aware that
you may be rescheduled.
• Cancel appointments online or by phone up to your appointment time
to prevent “NO SHOW”.
• Center visits do not require use of personal sick leave.
WHERE DO
I GET A FORM?
The Glad You Asked form can be
found at U:\AllCity\Forms\Glad You
Asked Form PDF.pdf.
The Employee of the Month
nomination form can be found at
U:\Common\AllCity|Forms|EOM
Nomination Form PDF.pdf.
Both forms can be picked up in
the Personnel & Risk Management
Department.
GEO NEWS is published monthly by the
CITY OF KISSIMMEE GENERAL EMPLOYEES ORGANIZATION
101 N. Church Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 407.518.2304
Editor - Paula Liska
Printer - Todd Crose
This month’s contributors include:
Angela Bezold, Jason Carroll, Tamara Gary, Linda Gomez, Kerrie Hall, Belinda Kirkegard,
Jody Kirkendall, Stacie Miller, Laura Napier, Cinthia Pabon, Sandra Pereira,
Thomas Pouncy,Scott Pool, Sandra Toth, Mike Swett, and Stacy Zamfir.
2
DEADLINE
FOR THE
JULY
ISSUE
IS MONDAY
JUNE 10
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
The City of Kissimmee is honored to recognize
JEFFREY HANNA as the Employee of the Month
for May. Jeff is a Police Officer with the Kissimmee
Police Department. He has been a valued member
of the City’s team for more than 16 years.
Fellow employees speak very highly of Officer
Hanna, calling him the perfect role model for future
officers who are becoming a part of the KPD family.
Officer Hanna takes the time each and every shift to
make a positive difference. He treats the public and
fellow employees with dignity and respect. He is
helpful to fellow coworkers and helps in answering
any questions civilians may have concerning laws
and city ordinances.
Officer Hanna recently demonstrated his compassion while dealing with an individual
he encountered who suffered from a mental illness. He was able to build a good rapport
and determine the male was a missing endangered adult. Officer Hanna used his own
money to purchase food and coffee for the young man and facilitated a return home to
his family in Orange County. This action reflects great credit to Officer Hanna, but also
the Kissimmee Police Department as a whole. Officer Hanna is the epitome of what an
officer can and should be.
Officer Hanna was recognized as the Employee of the Month at the Commission
meeting held on May 7.
GIVE KIDS THE WORLD LANDSCAPE DAYS 2013
EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Join the team from Public Works
to help with the maintenance of
the City’s adopted villas at
Give Kids the World.
The quarterly landscape work days
are on Saturday mornings.
Lunch is provided.
Sometimes prizes are awarded at noon.
This Year’s Dates are:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 10
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9
For more information, or to sign up,
please contact JODY KIRKENDALL
at Ext. 2604 or [email protected]
2013
IMPORTANT
DATES
THE EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
CENTER OPENS
JUNE 3, 2013!
Independence Day*
Thursday, July 4
Labor Day*
Monday, September 2
Veterans Day*
Monday, November 11
Thanksgiving Day / Day After*
Thursday, November 28
Friday, November 29
Christmas Day / Christmas Eve*
Tuesday, December 24
Wednesday, December 25
Employee of the Month
Committee
Fourth Tuesday - 10 a.m.
City Manager’s Conference Room
City Hall - 5th Floor
Safety Committee
2nd Thursday - 9:15 a.m.
Personnel Conference Room
City Hall - 2nd Floor
GEO Meeting
3rd Thursday - 2:15 p.m.
City’s Manager’s
Conference Room
City Hall - 5th Floor
* OBSERVED HOLIDAYS
CITY HALL
WILL BE CLOSED
WE’RE ALWAYS SEEKING MATERIAL FOR THE GEO NEWS !
Do you have something to contribute? Please send to:
[email protected]
3
CONGRATULATIONS 2013 GRADUATES!
ANGELA BEZOLD (Public Works
and Engineering) and husband, Eddie
announce the graduation of their son,
Kyle Christopher Bezold from Osceola
High School. Kyle is dual enrolled
in Auto Mechanics at TECO, and
plans to further his career as a Diesel
Mechanic.
SANDRA PEREIRA (Finance) and
KEITH PEREIRA (Parks, Recreation
and Public Facilities) announce the
graduation of their daughter, Kenya
Pereira from Osceola High School.
Kenya was Brighthouse Sports Player
of the Year in 2012. Most recently,
she was chosen as Florida High School
Athletic Association’s District 11 Player
of the Year and selected as a member
of the 2013 Florida Athletic Coaches
Association All-Star Softball Team.
Kenya will be attending Florida A&M
University on a softball scholarship.
She will major in Physical Therapy.
TAMARA GARY (Central Services)
and husband, Ken announce the
graduation of their son, Zachary
Gary from Auburndale High School.
Zachary will be attending St. Leo’s
University with a sports and academic
scholarship. He plans to major in
Sports Business.
SANDRA TOTH (Kissimmee Police
Department) and husband, Douglas,
announce the graduation of their
grandson, Cody Toth-Allen, from
Harmony High School. He played
football since middle school and made
the Varsity team at Harmony in his
freshman year. Cody also set a school
in track, and has been the recipient of
many awards and trophies. He will
be attending Valencia College this fall.
Cody’s parents are Nichole Padilla and
Todd Allen.
4
LINDA GOMEZ (Personnel and
Risk Management) announces the
graduation of her daugher, Jasmine
Gomez from the University of Florida.
Jasmine graduated Cum Laude with
a 3.75 from the University of Florida
with a B.A. in Political Science and
a double minor in Communication
Studies; General Theater and a
certification in Political Campaigning.
She will be attending Boston University
of Law to pursue her dreams of one
day becoming a lawyer.
MIKE SWETT (Parks, Recreation
and Public Facilities) and wife,
Catrina, announce the graduation of
their daughter, Karleen P. Howard
from St. Leo University, where she
received her Master’s Degree in
Business Administration. Karleen will
start her doctoral program in August,
studying Educational Leadership.
CONGRATULATIONS 2013 GRADUATES!
STACIE MILLER (Kissimmee Police
Department) announces the graduation
of her son, Tyler Miller, from St. Cloud
High School. He will be attending
Belmont Abbey College in North
Carolina where he will wrestle for
the Crusaders. Tyler plans to tackle
a double major, Criminal Justice and
Psychology.
JAMES NAPIER (Kissimmee Police
Department) and LAURA NAPIER
(Central Services) announce the
graduation of their daughter, Taylor
Napier from Harmony High School
with a 3.8 GPA. A member of the
National Honor Society. She earned
the highest amount of community
ser vice hours at Har mony by
volunteering as a youth cheer coach
and her involvement with the Best
Buddies program, Special Olympics,
Relay for Life, and other organizations.
Taylor is dual enrolled at Valencia,
maintaining a 4.0 GPA and should
be graduating with her A A next
spring. Upon graduation, Taylor will
attend UCF pursuing her degree in
Psychology.
THOMAS POUNCY (Public Works
and Engineering) announces the
graduation of his daugher, Jada, from
Pine Forest High School in Fayetteville,
North Carolina. Jada plans to attend
North Carolina A & T to pursue a
degree in nursing.
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
STATE OF THE CITY & WELLNESS FAIR
CINTHIA PABON (Kissimmee
Police Department) and husband,
Luis, announce the graduation of
their daughter, Maria Mercedes Pabon
from Gateway High School. Maria
plans to continue her education at
Valencia College and pursue a career
as a teacher. She also is interested in
learning cosmetology.
5
CONGRATULATIONS
RETIREES!
FOR SALE
TOWNHOUSE - Beautiful 3 bedroom,
2 bath in Stonefield Parkway Subdivision
off Osceola Parkway. Gated community.
Asking $160,000. Also MOVING SALE
at same location. Contact Anita Valle
at 407.572.7897. (As per ANA DELIA
WATKINS). 6
SERVICES
SERVICES
TUPPERWARE CONSULTANT –
New and innovative products + stainless
steel cookware and monthly specials.
Parties (in home and online), fundraisers
for your non-profit organization. Contact
Dana Hurlburt 407-590-3316, tupper_
lade@hotmail or www.my.tupperware.
com/danahurlburt (as per ROGER
HURLBURT) (2)
MARY KAY BEAUTY CONSULTANT
- Mary Kay Spring Sking Care
Complimentary Facials. Please call for
appointment. Contact ANA DELIA
WATKINS - 407.709.1535. (6)
AVON REPRESENTATIVE - If you
need a book or to place an order, please feel
free to contact me. JANE HODGSON
407.873.3753 (2)
NEED CASH? GOT GOLD? – Gold
continues to rise in $$$ so if you have
gold that is broken, with missing parts, or
no longer use we will pay you CASH $$$
for it. Our payout is significantly more than
those of the pawn shop. We will weigh
with you present. Contact Sylvia Cruz 407.832.9153 (As per ERIC CRUZ) (6)
DONATIONS - Accepting donations of
clothing, shoes, household items, toys, etc.
for the Unified Mission of Shiloh Missionary
Baptist Church’s Annual Community Free
Market. The Free Market is scheduled
for August 10. Please contact DEBORAH
ASHLEY at Ext. 3243 or 407.346.0484. (4)
DISCLAIMER:
“The G.E.O. News, its editors and staff, the
City of Kissimmee, its employees and officials
claim no responsibility for goods, or conditions
arising from goods advertised in this newsletter.
WANTED
CLARA FENN
KPD Communications
10 Years & 6 Months
STEVEN MILLER
Kissimmee Police Department
11 Years and 6 Months
Thank you for your years of service
and dedication to the City!
WELCOME TO OUR
NEW EMPLOYEES:
Police Department- Police Officers
MARLON DUNSTON
ANDRES GOMEZ
SADIA SIDDIQUI
CHRISTOPHER TUSING
Parks, Recreation & Public FacilitiesRecreation Leaders
EVITA PABON
ANTONIO SEARCY
NOTICE:
The GEO News newsletter is posted on the
City of Kissimmee Web site.
While we cannot estimate how much
exposure they will get, your ads and phone
numbers, etc. will be included in this posting.
It will be equivalent to an on-line classified ad.
If you have an issue with this info being posted
on-line, please contact [email protected]
or 407.518.2304. Thank you.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
Kissimmee Releases
First State of the City Address via YouTube!
The video covers:
MLK Phase III
Saving the Airport
192 Plans
Addressing Homeless and Struggling Populations
Lakefront Park
Economic Development
It can be accessed from the City’s website –
www.kissimmee.org – then click on the Spotlight!
6
WELLNESS CORNER
For your convenience go to
CityNet to obtain
health information from the
Wellness Corner.
It’s updated regularly with seminars,
meeting dates and pertinent
wellness information
for a healthier lifestyle.
Check it out today!
KISSIMMEE AWARDED PLAYFUL CITY USA
DESIGNATION FOR 3RD TIME
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With research proving play is critical to the overall wellbeing of children, 217 cities and towns, including Kissimmee, earned recognition
from national non-profit KaBOOM! as 2013 Playful City USA communities for their
efforts to give children the childhood they deserve by providing ample opportunities
for play.
Today’s generation of children play less than any previous generation despite the vast benefits of play. The Journal of the American
Academy of Pediatrics reports that play is essential to the social, emotional, cognitive and physical well-being of children.
Sponsored by the Humana Foundation, Playful City USA is a national program from KaBOOM! that celebrates and promotes local policies
that increase play opportunities for children and is a key platform in combating the lack of play among children.
“Being awarded the Playful City USA designation again is not only an honor but is also a benefit to our entire community. This designation
is a strong indication that our community and our municipal leaders understand and support the benefits of recreation, leisure services and
play. It also allows our City the opportunity to receive specialized grants that are not offered to other communities. Everyone benefits from
these grants and Kissimmee is proud to say that we have saved our citizens tens of thousands of dollars by being awarded several grants
through the Playful City USA program. It’s a valuable program and we are thankful for being designated a Playful City USA community,”
said Dan Loubier, Director of Kissimmee Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities.
"We are proud to be recognized for our efforts to bring recreational opportunities to our residents and visitors,” stated Kissimmee Mayor
Jim Swan, " Our vision is to make Kissimmee the best place to live, work, play, and raise a family".
KaBOOM!, the national non-profit organization dedicated to giving kids the childhood they deserve by bringing play to those who need it
most, created Playful City USA in 2007 to help local governments address the lack of play and it is through mayors, city council members,
parks and recreation departments, school districts and community leaders that the program succeeds in benefitting children.
“Kids need to play actively, every day, at home, in school and in their communities, yet play is disappearing,” said Darell Hammond,
Founder and CEO of KaBOOM! and author of The New York Times Best Seller KaBOOM!: A Movement to Save Play. “Children spend
nearly eight hours a day in front of a screen; almost half of all poor students are deprived of recess; and to make matters worse, only one
in five children live within walking distance of a park. Playful City USA communities like Kissimmee are creating innovative programs and
initiatives and deserve recognition because of their efforts to give kids the childhood they deserve and best prepare them for their future.”
Hailing from 43 states, the 217 Playful City USA honorees range in size from seven-time honorees such as San Francisco and Spartanburg,
S.C., to first-time recipient Ellsworth, Kan. (population: 3,100). These Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to play
and physical activity by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community.
In the seventh year of the annual program, 16 Playful City USA communities received recognition for the seventh consecutive year, while
23 earned honors for the sixth time, 25 for the fifth time, 29 for the fourth time, 41 for the third time, 46 for the second time. KaBOOM!
recognized 37 communities with their first Playful City USA designation. Kissimmee was a 3-time honoree.
For the sixth consecutive year, Florida paced the nation with 32 Playful City USA communities. California earned second-place with 26
communities, while Texas finished third with 15 Playful City USA communities.
Each of the 2013 Playful City USA communities demonstrated creative commitments to addressing the lack of play among children. Playful
City USA celebrates and highlights these unique initiatives developed by communities across the country. A primary goal of Playful City
USA is to encourage cities and towns to share ideas, concepts and programs in an effort to increase play opportunities for children.
KaBOOM! selected Kissimmee for its outstanding dedication to play. Kissimmee has used its Playful City USA recognition to increase
public awareness of playspaces and amenities available throughout the city. The city's Volunteer in the Parks program creates a sense
of community ownership of playspaces in the community, while the city will host a play day in November to showcase Kissimmee's
recreation facilities and promote the importance of unstructured play.
The 217 Playful City USA communities are now eligible for $15,000, $20,000 and $30,000 grants via Let’s Play, a community partnership
led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group to get kids and families active nationwide. Grant recipients will be announced in the fall.
For more information on the KaBOOM! Playful City USA program, including Let’s Play grants and applications for 2014, visit www.
playfulcityusa.org.
7
CITY HOSTS ARTIST RECEPTION FOR
OSCEOLA COUNTY SCHOOLS VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM
The City of Kissimmee announced a partnership with the
Osceola County Schools Visual Arts Programs by displaying the
artwork of students, representing schools from throughout the
County. The Kissimmee City Hall Exhibit and Arts Moment
showcases the winners of the 2013 Arts Alive event as well as
other exemplary arts programs throughout the School District.
More than 20 pieces of student artwork
are on display. Many of these works
were selected for inclusion in the
highly esteemed Arts Alive Showcase
& Exhibition held each year by the
Osceola ACE (Arts for a Complete
Education) Coalition in partnership with
the Education Foundation of Osceola
County. Antonella Scarpatti, the Arts
Alive 2013 Visual Art Scholarship
winner, has artwork on display. Schools
represented include Michigan Avenue
Elementary, Gateway High, Osceola
County School for the Arts, Liberty High, St. Cloud High,
Osceola High and Celebration High.
The City is hosted an Artist
Reception on Tuesday, May 7,
from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
at Kissimmee City Hall. This
provided an opportunity for the
parents of the students, as well as
the community, to visit each floor
and observe the variety of student
artwork.
Refreshments were served. Visitors
will saw performances by the
Living Statues under the direction
of Joela Lowe, Denn John Middle
School art teacher and Nayda Flores, Cypress Elementary
School art teacher. The Osceola County School for the Arts
Flute Choir filled the air with wonderful live music for all to
enjoy. The Osceola County School for the Arts Flute Choir is
under the direction of Mr. Russ Weaver.
8
The evening included an Arts Moment presentation at the
Commission Meeting. The Gateway High School Thespian
Troupe performed one
of their award winning
musical selections that
was main staged at the
Thespian Festival in
Tampa. Drama teacher
Donald Rupe was the
2012 Arts Teacher of the
Year for the county.