7/23 Weekly + Photo Contest

Hi all, 

I have a reminder about the employee survey, an update on our Kiwanis Event, information on a paid study that ASU is conducting, some HR updates, and an announcement about our photography competition. 

Employee Survey: As a reminder, the Tempe Employee Survey is still open from now until August 1st. I’ve mentioned this in a few emails in the past month but wanted to offer a couple of final pushes and some additional perspectives on why everyone should take it. 

Besides winning some prizes for yourself or your workgroup, there’s a pretty important incentive for sharing your thoughts in the survey - the data collected gives UAEA a solid foundation for addressing workgroup or city concerns over the next 2 years. It's one thing for us to share with a department that 3 members have come to us with concerns, it is another thing if we are able to point to a survey where 50% of department staff expressed concerns about a similar issue. Even if you have positive or neutral feedback about a department, that can still be helpful, as it helps us understand where we need to spend more time and energy over the next few years. I want to reiterate that recent surveys have led to direct changes in the City - the Employee Forum with our City Manager, the upcoming Employee Recognition Program, and many Segal changes came as a result of feedback from employees in the past 4 years. 

You can find and take the survey here. 

Kiwanis Event Update: Thank you to everyone who came to our first pool day at Kiwanis last Sunday! We had around 50 attendees who enjoyed the wave pool for 2 hours. Special thanks to VP Brittainy Nelson who is on vacation but coordinated the event setup and food. 

UAEA would like to look into doing more events like this on a consistent basis (budget and resources permitting) but would appreciate some feedback on what people are interested in. If you would like to provide feedback on this, please feel free to fill out this Events Survey where you can indicate your preferences and provide feedback on possible week days, times, and event types. 

M-Pac Older Adult Exercise Study: UAEA was forwarded some information about an ASU study that may be relevant to our members. The study is researching different health intervention strategies and ways to increase physical activity for adults between the ages of 45 and 65. People between those ages who sign up will receive a free Garmin health tracker watch, 6 months of free physical activity coaching, and a small cash stipend. If interested, you can reach out to hello@mpacstudy.com or call 602-649-2428. 

In case anyone has concerns about running afoul of employee rules, I have confirmed with HR that employees can sign up for this - please just advise that you should not participate during your work hours or use your City email/any City devices to contact the study or upload information. 

PhD and Employee Recognition Updates: UAEA attended the quarterly 6-sided Partnership meeting on Monday and received updates on 2 things that may be relevant to emmbers.

First, HR mentioned that they are evaluating the current rules surrounding tuition reimbursement for PhD students. They are not considering removing tuition support for PhDs but are considering adding some restrictions to narrow what employees can focus on and ensure the PhD is relevant to a career with Tempe. For reference, no Tempe job currently requires or prefers a doctoral degree - employees pursuing a PhD are mainly doing so for their personal pleasure or interest. I did not have an immediate reaction but requested some information about the number of people taking advantage of tuition reimbursement to get a better idea of possible impacts. I also noted that some people may come to Tempe explicitly because we have such a permissive tuition reimbursement program. HR said they would circle back with the 6-Sided group in a few weeks with a more concrete proposal or considerations. Before that happens I would like to give members the opportunity to weigh in. If you have any comments about the importance of maintaining our existing program or anything else related to PhDs, please feel free to send those to president@uaeatempe.com. 

Second, Employee Development Director Jeremy King gave an update on the Employee Recognition Program. This is Tempe’s new city-wide program to recognize exemplary performance of employees in all areas. Jeremy’s team has finalized the program logistics and will be presenting it to Directors at an upcoming meeting. Jeremy did not have a specific date about when the program would be finalized but said the new version would likely be announced and launched in 2-3 months. 

Photography Contest: UAEA is pleased to announce our 3rd Quarter Contest, a photography competition. I’ve attached a flyer with more details (and am slowly updating bulletin boards with the same information), but the general gist is that we’re looking for photos of Tempe landmarks, the people who work for Tempe, or Tempe details that people may miss. These do not need to be professional quality shots (anything taken with a phone camera is fine), but quality and composition are elements the judges will consider - if you need some quick tips on how to take nice photos with your camera, check out these links. If you’re interested, a full list of rules can also be found here. 

Members can submit entries at this link from Thursday, July 23rd (today) through Thursday, August 27th. Winners will be announced in our 4th Quarter Newsletter. 

August Member Meeting: Our next Member Meeting will be on August 20th, 2026, from 5-6PM at the Apache PD Substation at 1855 E Apache Boulevard, Tempe AZ 85281. Non-PD personnel can park in the visitor parking lot east of the building, then enter through the main lobby. We will be in the conference room to the right of the main entrance. Members can rsvp to attend between now and August 13th, 2026. 

Free/Discounted Summer Activities: If you’re looking for free or discounted things to do with friends or family this summer, this webpage has a list of activities in and around Phoenix. 

Besides free days at certain museums, don’t forget about the Culture Passes offered by Maricopa County libraries. These offer free entry for up to 2 people at places like the Desert Botanical Garden, the Arizona Heritage Center, Reid Park Zoo, and the Phoenix Art Museum. Passes are first-come, first-served, for library patrons, but I just learned that their websites can tell you which are available at every branch. 

Member Recruitment Drive: UAEA is running a Member Recruitment Drive from June 1st through August 1st of this year. Every current member who refers a new member and every new member who signs up will receive $25 giftcards. New members and members who recommended new members will also be entered into a giftcard drawing at the end of this promotion - the more people who sign up, the more giftcards will be drawn. A full list of the promotion rules can be found here.

Community Resources: UAEA is aware of rising fuel prices and how this is impacting members. We are having some internal city discussions about possible workplace changes, but also wanted to post some resources for members who may be struggling to make ends meet. This is a similar list to what we posted in November with a few new additions. Please feel to reach out if you have additional recommendations about local resources. 

AZ Food Bank Network: This link contains information about dozens of food banks and assistance sites across Arizona. You can search by the directory and the zipcodes they provide services for to find food banks in your areas. 

AZ Medical and Nutrition Assistance: This is an Arizona-State run program that can help connect people with Arizona State programs that provide assistance for people who need medical coverage, WIC support, or additional access to nutrition. I do not know all that the program entails. 

Maricopa County Utility Support: This is a Maricopa County program that can help people receive assistance paying for utilities. Some cities have unique offerings while others are covered under one umbrella program. 

AZ 211: This is a Arizona-State run help line that can help people connect with a variety of resources and support they may be unaware of in their area. 

Tempe Employee Relief Fund: This is a Tempe-run program (paid for by employee donations) that can provide support of up to $1,200 to assist Tempe employees with unplanned emergency bills (housing, mortgage, utilities, etc). 

Employee Assistance Program: If you have insurance through the City of Tempe, you can take advantage of the EAP, a group of resources which can provide free therapy, legal consultations, or classes on stress management. 

Cheap Recipe Guides: These are two free cookbooks designed for cooking high-nutrition and easy meals on a budget. Even if you’re not a fan of the recipes, there are some good tips on stocking a kitchen with affordable and long-lasting staples. 

Free Transit Pass: This contains information on how to obtain your free bus, streetcar, and lightrail pass as a Tempe employee. 

Sun Bucks: This program offers direct payments in the summer to families whose children receive free or reduced cost school lunches

Thanks for a great week, everyone!