10/16 Weekly Email

Hi all, 

I have a few updates and reminders this week. 

Monday’s Storm: I’m sure more details are coming in an upcoming Rosa email, but I wanted to extend my appreciation and congratulations for all the employees who have helped Tempe deal with the damage from Monday’s storm (and will continue to do so in coming weeks). If you were unaware of the extent of what’s going on, please reference this link or Mayor Wood’s press conference. I saw an incredible amount of damage and downed trees across Tempe Monday afternoon and evening and while things aren’t back to normal quite yet, the progress has been very impressive. I think it’s one thing for employees to be good at showing up and doing the same thing over and over again on a daily basis, but it’s another thing entirely to take those skills and apply them in emergency situations where the circumstances may be unknown or constantly in flux - that shows immense competency and resourcefulness. The community already recognizes all the work that City employees do to keep Tempe functioning but I think what’s happened this week has been above and beyond - I know your work is deeply appreciated and will do my best to sing your praises in upcoming meetings with admin and City Council.  

Johnny Reel: I was told on Tuesday that longtime City employee and UAEA member Johnny Reel passed away last week. Johnny worked in Tempe IT for many years and was always a cheerful presence if you called in needing support services. I developed a relationship with him while working for Solid Waste and spoke to him frequently in the last year as UAEA dealt with some technical issues related to applications and Peoplesoft. He was an incredibly knowledgeable technician who was genuinely passionate about what he did, and he’ll be deeply missed, both for his loss to the City and to our union. 

Updated Contact Information: Tempe has requested that all employees update their contact information so that they can send the occasional emergency alert or notification. The attached email has instructions for employees on how to update their information in Peoplesoft. I want to encourage all of our members to do this - it feels like a common-sense tool for ensuring employee safety and makes it easier for the City to keep employees up-to-date on important information. 

Prostate Screenings: Tempe is offering free prostate exams to eligible employees throughout the month of November. I encourage all eligible members to take advantage of this - prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and the second-most common hazardous cancer (behind lung cancer). 1 in 44 male deaths are due to prostate cancer but it is something that can be managed or even completely treated if caught early. Please see the attached email for more information. 

UAEA Holiday Party: This is a Save the Date for the UAEA annual holiday party. We will be at Spokes on Southern from 430pm to 7pm on Thursday, December 4th. Rsvps will open the first week of November. Please note that this is the first year we will be allowing plus ones - you can bring a friend, partner, or family member as long as they are above 21 (Spokes has restricted entry for underage individuals). 

Adopt a Path: UAEA will be cleaning up our Adopt-a-Path trail on Saturday, November 8th, We meet in the Tempe Parking Lot on the southeast Corner of Curry and Miller (approximate address is 1325 E Curry Road, Tempe AZ 85281, see attached photo), then walk north up our path to Mckellips Rd. Breakfast, drinks, safety gloves, trash pickers, and trash bags will be provided. Please bring a hat and/or sunglasses. This event normally takes 1.5 hours to complete, is eligible for community wellness points, and is a great opportunity to meet members of the board and your fellow union members. If you’d like to attend, please sign up here by Thursday, November 6th, at 5pm. 

Retirement Expo: Tempe is hosting its annual retirement expo on Thursday, October 23rd at the Tempe library (10am-2pm). I would encourage all employees to try and attend, regardless of how close you are to retirement - there are many steps you can take now to set yourself up for success down the road. 

CPR Training: The City is providing free CPR/AED/FA/Stop The Bleed training on November 4th (8am-4pm). This is an incredibly comprehensive hands-on first aid course that may be useful in either your professional or personal life. I don’t know about the current number of openings but would still encourage people to check - if you’re interested in attending, reach out to Manuel Padilla. 

October Member Meeting: Our next member meeting will be at 5:30am on Thursday, October 23rd, at the TMOC Building 1 Conference Room (ground floor of TMOC Building 1). Click here to rsvp by 5pm today. 

Thanks for a great week, everyone!