2005employee insert 200520052005ju20052005ly20052005 2005 v7, 20052005n20057200572005

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Operation Waste Free will offer simple, convenient way for employees to recycle

Throughout the workday, County employees generate quite a bit of waste: paper, cardboard, plastic bot-tles, drink cans, etc. With no con-venient way to recycle these items, many of the waste products are un-necessarily thrown away.

In order to reduce waste in County facilities and provide a convenient way for employees to participate in an environmentally friendly program, the County is partnering with Gwin-nett Clean & Beautiful to launch Operation Waste Free. A pilot study will begin at the Gwinnett County Government Annex first to deter-mine the true cost of the program.

“Operation Waste Free will offer a convenient collection and recycling

system for paper and beverage con-tainers,” said Clean & Beautiful Exec-utive Director Connie Wiggins. “Thisprogram has the potential to recover more than 50 percent of the itemsbeing discarded daily in County govern-ment buildings. This recycling programwill help conserve natural resources, save energy, and reduce our depen-dency on foreign oil.”dency on foreign oil.”dency

The recycling program will provide a simple way for employees to re-cycle common off ice waste prod-ucts, including paper, newspaper, cardboard, drink bottles, and cans. The drop-off containers will be eas-ily accessible to employees and di-vided into two compartments: one for all paper products and one for cans and bottles. The bagged prod-

ucts will be taken to a recycling re-ceptacle outside the building where it will be picked up and taken to the Recycling Center, where county in-mates will separate the recyclables.

Operation Waste Free will begin at the Annex, but County officials are

Project BEST: HR/payroll go-live: August 29

The go-live for HR/payroll is Au-gust 27. This date reflects pay periodnumber 19. The first payroll checkfrom SAP will be dated September 16. SAP HR will include a new Em-ployee Self Service (ESS) that will display your compensation state-ment and Human Resources infor-mation. Employees will also use thenew ESS to enroll in benefits.

Training will begin on July 18, andclasses include time administration, as well as department liaison roles.

There will be open workshops be-fore and after go-live to ask questionsand give users the opportunity tohave hands-on experience with the new system. There will also be 300 step-by-step work instructions for the Human Resource transac-tions available through online help.

The modules being implementedare: payroll, organization manage-ment, benefits, compensation man-agement, personnel administration,personnel development, and time administration.

ESS will allow you to see yourpaycheck online, enroll in benefits,check online, enroll in benefits,checkdisplay benefits, display contact in-formation, display performance ap-praisals, update bank details, updatedependents, update W4/G4 Forms(tax withholding information), printbenefits forms, update addresses,and display leave balances.

For more information, visithttp://bestproject.com

. . . continued on Chat Room page 5

We want to know what you think! You will be receiving aHelp Desk message during the month of July with a link to asurvey regarding your currentrecycling practices and what youwould or would not like to see in a recycling program at Gwin-nett County. Be sure to take a few minutes to help us out!

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HumanResources

Employee Benefits

Gwinnett Safety

Awards and Honors

Employee ServiceAnniversaries

Gwinnett Safety

Resources

Employee Benefits

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Class Registration To register for a course, complete a regis-tration form and send it through interoffi ce mail to the Career Development and Learning Center, Gwinnett County Government Annex, or fax it to 678.377.4336. You may download the formonline at http://employee.co.gwinnett.ga.us/classes_h-r.htm. Re-member to get your supervisor’s approval before registering for the program (required).

Cancellation Policy To cancel a registration, call 678.377.4337.

Unless otherwise noted, all classes take place in the Career Devel-opment and Learning Center.

July 7 8:30am – 12:30pmDesert Survival – Team DevelopmentSynergy occurs when two or more people achieve results superior to those each could have accomplished individually. As team members work to complete a simulated task, they will begin to see their own role in the quality of the team’s performance.

July 12 8:30am – 12:30pmNew! Organizing Your Workspace – Part IILearn to work smart using Microsoft Outlook. Participants will learn tips and shortcuts to conquer e-mail, better manage time, and im-prove their business. The seminar will provide ways to plan your workweek and handle multiple projects.

July 14, August 10 9:30am – 12:30pmNew! Tall Ships (Team Building) Participants will take part in activities that require them, in a very short period of time, to plan and work together in order to com-plete tasks. Activities will provide a rich platform for learning about clarifying goals, collaboration, roles and responsibilities, communi-cation, commitment, innovation, and dealing with change.

July 21, 28 1:00pm – 5:00pmCreative Thinking This workshop will shift a participant’s perspectives from the usual mode of thinking to a different frame of mind and will provide a brief, theoretical grounding in the topic of creativity.

July 26 8:30am – 12:30pmTools and Techniques for Solving Quality ProblemsLearn to use measurement tools and techniques to solve problems and improve work processes. Participants will also learn how to expand thinking in order to get past roadblocks that can obstruct the problem-solving process.

August 2 8:30am – 12:30pmWorld Class Customer Service Assess your current level of customer service competency and learn how to delight and surprise your internal and external customers by exceeding their expectations.

August 4 9:00am – noon7 Habits RenewalLearn to identify and generate possible solutions to problem areas in using the Seven Habits. Participants will also learn how to keep the Seven Habits “alive and well” in the workplace and have the opportunity to hear and share success stories.

August 12 9:00am – noonNew! Investment FundamentalsParticipants will hear about and discuss stocks, bonds, and cash equi-valents: how they work, their advantages and disadvantages, and the risks involved. The seminar will cover proven investment concepts and steps that can help you design a sound investment strategy.

Aug. 16. 16. , 18, 23, 25, 30; Sept. 6, 8, 18, 23, 25, 30; Sept. 6, 8, , 13, 13, , 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, 8:00am – 10:00amSpanish Level I This course is designed for individuals who have little to no previous exposure to learning a foreign language.

August 17 1:00pm – 5:00pmJust My Type: The Personality GamePersonality style, participants will learn about four personality di-mensions. The game gives everyone an opportunity to discuss how behavior preferences impact relationships with others and how they can learn to work together more effectively and productively.

August 18 8:30am – 12:30pmA Penguin in the Land of PeacocksMeeting the challenges of an increasingly diverse world can be diffi -cult. This workshop features a video that provides an insightful, inspir-ing, and non-threatening way to illustrate employee empowerment, creativity, and teambuilding skills within the context of diversity.

August 24 9:30am – 12:30pmBAFA BAFA This interactive course creates a situation for participants to explore and experience the impact that culture has on perceptions and on the way we treat others.

JULY

Staff Contact Information

Department of Human ResourcesOrganizational Development Section

Tina Woodard, PHR • Section Manager678.377.4333

Beverly McLee678.377.4331

Career Development and Learning Center Gwinnett Government Annex750 S. Perry Street, Suite 250

Lawrenceville, GA 30045Fax: 678.377.4336

Jerry Kelly678.377.4332

Julia Ferguson678.377.4337AUAUA GUST

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$ave Discounts$ave Discounts

Subway (Pike St/Hwy 120 location only) Fridays $3.99 (6" Sub Combo Meal)Wings Landing (Flier available in HR) Monday – Friday 10 – 15% off

Fitness International: 770.682.8111, no contract, $62.50 registration fee, $37.85/month

Flippers Peachtree Cinema 8: Buy 1 ticket, get 1 ticket free (same show and time only)

Lady of America: 770.339.4393 12-month contract, $50 registration fee, $29.95/month, 12-month contract, $50 registration fee, $29.95/month,

Lake Lanier: Gwinnett County Days, July 1 – 3 and August 5 – 7, $2 off parking, $16.99 tickets. Call 770.932.7200

Oasis Bowling: 770.271.2552, discount fl ier available in Human Resources lobby

Six Flags Over Georgia: Buy 1 ticket, get 1 ticket free or $15 off one-day

admission(Pick up coupon in HR lobby)

Johnanna Weathers at 770.822.7914 for information. Don’t forget, discount infor-

(Pick up coupon in HR lobby)

Employee Relations section offers training

opportunities

The Department of Human Resources’ Employee Relations Section wants to keep you informed about policies and procedures through training that may affect or enhance your supervisory ability.

Training is offered in the following formats:

• Small group, supervisor, or mandatory training– This will include special topic training

• Department policy training– Tailoring policy training with the indi-

vidual department in mind, enhanc-ing the departments’ awareness of County and department policies and procedures

• Regular monthly training sessions

July 288:30am – noon

GJAC Conference Room CA Fundamental Look at the Merit Rules

and the County Administrator Policy: A Review of the New Changes

July 281:00pm – 4:00pm

GJAC Conference Room CCorrective Action and the

Performance Appraisal Process

August 111:00pm – 4:00pm

GJAC Conference Room CAmericans with Disabilities Act

August 188:30am – 11:30am

and 1:00pm – 4:00pm

GJAC Conference Room ADrug- and Alcohol-Free Workplace Annual Training (Annual Review of County Policy)

Contact Johnanna Weathers, Employee Relations Manager, at 770.822.7914 for details about the training program. To register, call the Organizational Devel-opment section at 678.377.4337.

Charity Spotlight

The American Kidney Fund – The Ameri-The American Kidney Fund – The Ameri-The American Kidney Fund –can Kidney Fund is the leading nonprofi t health organization providing direct fi nan-cial assistance to thousands of Americans who suffer from kidney disease. In addition to the direct fi nancial aid program, the national organization provides invaluable services through public and professional education, community service, kidney donor development, and research programs.

Warning signs of kidney disease • Swelling of parts of the body, especially

around the eyes and ankles• Pain in the lower back• Burning or unusual sensation during

urination• Bloody or coffee colored urine• Urinating more often, especially at night• Listless or tired feeling • High blood pressure

Visit the American Kidney Fund Web site, www.arbon.com/kidney, for information.

If you would like to contribute to this charity or another participating charity through the County’s Charitable Contribution program, pick up a charity authorization form in the

Human Resources Department, or request the form through interoffi ce mail. For addi-tional information, or to receive a charity payroll deduction authorization form, con-tact Dee Roberts at 770.822.7923.

Giving is people helping people.

Human Resources requests exit interviews

Departments are strongly encouraged to schedule departing employees for an exit interview with Human Resources. Exit in-terviews last approximately 45 minutes. To schedule an appointment, please call:

• 770.822.7923• 770.822.7925• 770.822.7907

Exit interviews offer the Department of Human Resources the opportunity to ob-tain information that is helpful with hiring, retention, and turnover.

Human Resources holds any information received in confi dence.

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There are some great summer acti-vities available through the North Pines Center. Visit the Web site, www.eapworklife.com, and log in with the username, “gwinnett,” and password, “county,” and take a look at the parenting and humor links. Un-der parenting tips, the afterschool link will take you to “activities.”

Have a really great summer and feel free to call the EAP at 770.449.1111 to make an appointment convenient to where you work or live.

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humanresources

Don’t let your temper rise with the temperature: stay cool!

The temperature is not the only thing that goes up during the summer; sometimes our tempers rise as well, but the counselors at the County’s employee assistance program suggest that we do our best to stay cool. If you are dealing with a coworker who is having a bad day and taking it out on you, it is wise to avoid replying with a sarcastic comment; take the high road and walk away.

Because most of our time is spent at work, we are more likely to lose our cool at work. Sometimes it helps to do a little values clarifi cation exercise by simply reminding yourself what is important. The answer of-ten seems obvious, yet sometimes we forget and need to remind ourselves this question: “What is so important that I need to get really upset and take it out on a coworker or family

member?” When you put it like that, very few things seem that important.

There was a story on Public Radio about a woman whose vehicle was rear-ended on September 11, 2001. She admitted that nor-mally she would have felt justifi ed in losing her cool, even suing him without a second thought. But the events of September 11 put things into perspective for her. Even she was surprised by her calm reaction.

So this summer, take the time to put things into perspective, make an effort to be es-pecially cordial to your coworkers and stay cool.

Submitted by Ken Scroggs, LCSW, LPC, LMFT, CEAPPresident/CEO, North Pines Center, Inc.

Wellness Activities

Lunch and LearnJuly 14

Health Risk Assessment ResultsJuly 26

Tai ChiWednesdays from 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Walk a WeighMondays at noon

Weight Watchers at WorkFridays at noon

YogaWednesdays from 6:45am – 7:45am

and 5:00pm – 6:30 pm

For more information, please call the Employee Service Center at

770.822.7927.

The National Association of County Infor-mation Officers (NACIO) strives to create a better understanding of the duties of County government and to improve the communication skills of NACIO members and other county off icials. Each year, the organization recognizes agencies and indi-viduals for their outstanding work on spe-cial projects and events.

The following employees received a Best of Class Award for the following projects:

• Shannon Coffey in the Photography (Sin-Shannon Coffey in the Photography (Sin-Shannon Coffeygle Color or Black and White) category

• The Facilities and Communications Divi-sions for Gwinnett Glows in the Special Projects (Community Event) category

The following employees received a Supe-rior Award for the following projects:

• Shannon Coffey for the Hispanic Heritage Shannon Coffey for the Hispanic Heritage Shannon CoffeyMonth and Teen Dream Walk Logos in

NACIO 2005 Awards of Excellence Competition Award Winners

the Graphic Design (Logos, Themes, Let-terheads) category

• Bob Thompson in the Photography (Sin-gle Color or Black and White) category

The following employees received an Excel-lence Award for the following projects:

• Shannon Coffey for the Gwinnett Glows Shannon Coffey for the Gwinnett Glows Shannon CoffeyLogo and the Suwanee Branch Library Grand Opening in the Graphic Design (Logos, Themes, Letterheads) category

• Shannon Coffey for the 2004 Health and Shannon Coffey for the 2004 Health and Shannon CoffeyHuman Services Annual Report in the Graphic Design (Brochures and Publica-tions) category

• Trent Bumgardner and Trent Bumgardner and Trent Bumgardner Derrick Skinnerfor the McDaniel Farm Park in the Audio Visual Productions (Videotapes) category

. . . continued on Chat Room page 6

NACIO 2005 Awards of Excellence employeebenefi ts

gwinnett county, georgia 770.822.8000 chatroom

DPU offers chain saw safety class

The Department of Public Utilities is offering a special class for chain saw safety – open to all County employees!

July 22, 8:00am – noon DPU Central Facility

There will be classroom lecture and the class will fell and buck a tree on site. For questions, contact Melissa Black at 770.822.7851.

5

Keep colleagues on military duty in your thoughts

As we have been reporting since May 2003, several County employees who are also military reservists have been called upon to support our nation’s efforts overseas. As of press time, fi ve Gwinnett County em-ployees were serving on active duty. If you have a postal or e-mail address for those

listed, please call Johnanna Weathers inthe Department of Human Resources at 770.822.7914.

CorrectionsJohnny R. Brewster, Sr. Corrections Offi cerRashed Dukes, Corrections Offi cer

Planning and DevelopmentLuis Polanco, Bldg./Dev. Inspection, Asso. I

Police DepartmentHeather Van Kampen, Sr. Police Offi cer

Sheriff’s DepartmentWilliam Watson, Deputy Sheriff

humanresources

Clean Commute Web site offers easy tracking, free prizes

If you missed your chance to talk with Clean Air Campaign representatives in May, keep your eye out for them in July! They will be making their rounds again – this time armed with goodies for employees caught in the act of “clean commuting!”

More than 90 County employees have regis-tered on the Commuter Rewards Web site, www.commuterrewards.com/gwinnett. Reg-istration is easy and logging clean commute activities is even easier! So far, County em-ployees have saved more than $2,000 by carpooling, biking, taking transit, or walking to and from work.

Congratulations to the following employ-ees! They were selected at random from Gwinnett’s Clean Commute Web site for the Clean Air Campaign’s monthly prize drawings. One of the prize winners, Kathy Bryant, actually won two prizes – one in – one in –

the random drawing and one in a drawing for National Bike Week. Kathy rides her bike to and from work – a nine-mile round – a nine-mile round –trip – at least twice a week.

Kathy BryantJudy Buffum

Wanda P. DayKathy J. Duncan Peggy P. Kelley

Jennifer M. Mitchell Debra M. White

Winners received a $25 Visa gift card for log-ging clean commute activities for the month of May. One out of every 10 employees reg-istered on the Clean Air Web site will be randomly selected as winners each month, so register today for your chance to win! Be sure to visit www.cleanaircampaign.com for clean commute ideas and options!

Recycling. . . continued from Chat Room page 1

The Benefi ts Offi ceis serving. . .

Lunch ‘n’ Learn

Women’s Health: The Heart of the Matter

Presented by Gwinnett County Employee Service Center

Facilitator: Liz Giames Registered DietitianGwinnett Hospital System

Topic: Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in women? Re-ducing your risk of heart disease does not have to be an impossible task. Learn several strategies that can help make your heart last a lifetime, including the latest on heart-healthy eating.

Date: Thursday, July 14, 2005

Time: Noon – 1:00pm

Place: Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 2nd Floor, Conference Rm. C

Fruit will be served so bring your lunch and join us!

hoping to expand the program to otherGwinnett County Government locations ment locations ment locaby late fall.

Did you know?

Recycling one aluminum can can save enough electricity to power your

computer for three hours!

employeebenefi ts

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Just to restate the County policy on seat belt use: “Any County employee driving a Countyvehicle must wear the seat belt at all times.”It is the best way to avoid serious injury dur-ing a collision and to minimize damage to the body by always, always, always wearing a seat belt.

The National Safety Belt Coalition describes three possible events in a crash:

The fi rst is the collision that causes the car to buckle and bend as it hits something and comes to an abrupt stop.

The second causes the car’s occupants to hit some part of the vehicle. At the moment of impact, unbelted occupants are still trav-eling at the vehicle’s original speed. Unbelted occupants will slam into the steering wheel, the windshield, or some other part of the vehicle interior. There is also person-to-per-son impact: unbelted passengers sitting in the back seat become high-speed projec-tiles, often striking people in the front seat.

The third event often causes serious or fa-tal injuries: the internal organs are still mov-ing forward after the body has stopped,

Seat belts can mean difference between life and death

The 2005 Corporate Challenge is just around the corner, so don’t miss your chance to be a part of this year’s winning team. The Cor-porate Challenge brings together Gwinnett businesses for two weeks of sports compe-tition to raise funds for youth recreation scholarships. The Gwinnett All-Stars were the overall winners for 2003 and 2004!

The Keystones, made up mostly of public safety personnel, will also be representing Gwinnett County for the second year. Things will get interesting when the All-Stars and the Keystones go up against each other in these events. The 2005 competition will

Corporate Challenge 2005: September 11 – 23

take place September 11 – 23, 2005, at var-ious venues in Gwinnett County.

The Gwinnett All-Stars and Keystones will compete in 13 activities, including horse-shoes, golf, trivia, a 5K run, bowling, tennis, table shuffl eboard, billiards, kickball, laser-tag, putt-putt, rock climbing, and volleyball.

“We have had a great response so far! We have quite a few f irst-timers and some new captains this year,” said Cindy Knapp. Cindy works in Financial Services, and she is work-ing to get the players and events organized for Gwinnett County’s teams. “We have sev-

causing contact with other organs or the skeletal system.

Wearing a properly fastened seat belt dur-ing a crash causes the force of rapid decel-eration to be distributed over larger and stronger parts of the body, such as the chest, hips, and shoulders. The safety belt stretch-es slightly to slow down your body and in-crease its stopping distance.

The difference between life and death can be as simple as wearing your seat belt.

eral new events this year, so it is the perfect opportunity for new people to come out be-cause it will be everyone’s f irst time compet-ing,” she said.

There is plenty of room available to com-pete with the Keystones or the All-Stars in any of the events. There is still a need for rock-climbers, laser taggers, runners, and alternates for each event. Call Casey Car-roll at 770.513.5263 or Lorene Jackson at 770.338.7430 to sign up with the Keystones, or call Cindy Knapp at 770.822.7838 to be a part of the All-Stars.

NACIO awards. . . continued from Chat Room page 4

• Alicia Martin and Annette Bowen in Human Resources for the Returning American Heroes in the Special Proj-ects (Ceremonies) category

The following employees received a Meri-torious Award for the following projects:

• Heather Welchr Welchr and Shannon Coffey for Shannon Coffey for Shannon Coffeythe Citizens Financial Report in the An-

nual Reports (Magazine/Newsletter For-mat) category

• Kinsey Snell, Heather Welch, and Shan-non Coffey for the County Line/Chat Room Newsletter in the Internal Publi-cations (Newsletter Format) category and for the County Line Newsletter in the External Publications (Newsletter Format) category

• Heather Welch in the Writing (News Release) category

• James Corn for Logo Animation Tag in the Audio Visual Productions (Public Ser-vice Announcements or Other Short Videos) category

• The Facilities and Communications Divi-sions for the Gwinnett County Govern-ment Open House in the Special Projects (Community Event) category

Congratulations!

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JULY

7/6 8:30am – 10:30am Lockout/ Tagout

7/6 10:30am – 12:30pm Hearing Con- servation

7/6 2:00pm – 5:00pm Offi ce/Com- puter/Ergo- nomics

7/7 8:00am – 10:00am Hand and Power Tool Safety

7/7 10:30am – noon Bloodborne Pathogens

7/7 1:00pm – 5:00pm CPR Refresher 7/8 7:30am – 2:30pm CDL Defen- sive Driving

7/11 8:30am – 3:30pm Confi ned Space Safety

AUGUST

8/2 7:30am – noon Flagging Cer- tifi cation

8/2 1:30pm – 4:30pm Trench Safety

8/3 8:30am – 4:30pm Defensive Driving

8/4 8:00am – noon Workzone Traffi c Control

8/4 1:00pm – 3:00pm Back Educa- tion/Injury Prevention 8/5 8:15am – noon Gang Aware- ness Informa- tion

Most classes are held at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center (GJAC) in Room C of the Conference Center. Please cancel your reservation if you are unable to attend so those on the waiting list have an opportunity. Call 770.822.7835 to sign up for a class.

7

The United States Department of Agricul-ture (USDA) lists four steps for basic safefood handling, cooking, and storage. Be-cause you can’t see, smell, or taste the harm-ful bacteria that can infect food, follow the Fight BAC!TM guidelines to keep your food safe:

• Clean – Wash hands and surfaces often• Separate – Don’t cross-contaminate• Cook – Cook to proper temperatures• Chill – Refrigerate promptly

Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of the refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator should be 40°F or cooler and the freezer should not be above 0°F.

Always wash your hands before and after preparing food. This will help prevent the cross-contamination of raw food such as meat, poultry, or fi sh with other foods. Af-ter cutting raw meats, wash your hands, cutting board, knife, and countertops with hot soapy water. Sanitize cutting boards

with a solution of one teaspoon bleach in one quart of water.

E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Campylo-bacter bacteria are commonly found in raw bacter bacteria are commonly found in raw bactermeat, poultry, and fi sh. In addition to safe food handling procedures, another process used to battle bacteria is food irradiation. The process uses ionizing radiation to kill bacteria that can cause food-borne diseases.

Irradiation is a cold process. It does not signifi cantly increase the temperature or change the characteristics of most food. An irradiated apple will still be crisp and juicy. Safe handling procedures for irradiated food are the same as unirradiated food.

Irradiation is useful in four areas:

1. Preservation – The shelf life of food is extended by destroying or minimizingorganisms that cause spoilage and de-composition

Safe food handling, irradiation helps prevent food-borne diseases

Tips for safe fi ling

Filing cabinets are a major cause of work-place injuries, including bumped heads, mashed fi ngers, hand injuries, and strains.

Simple precautions can prevent fi ling cabi-net accidents:

• Never close fi le drawers with feet or any other part of the body; use the drawer handle to close the cabinet, making sure that fi ngers are not curled over the edge of the drawer when the drawer closes

• Close fi le drawers immediately after use

• Open one fi le drawer at a time to pre-vent the cabinet from toppling over

• Do not open a fi le drawer if someone else is close by or underneath

• Do not leave open fi le drawers un-attended

• Never climb on open fi le drawers

• Small stools used in fi ling are tipping hazards; they should be stored out of the way where they cannot cause falls

• Wear rubber fi nger guards to prevent cut fi ngers due to metal fasteners or paper edges

Source: National Safety Council, Safety & Health, Volume 171, Number 3

. . . continued on Chat Room page 8

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Awards, honors, and other notes of interest

Jane LeMaster was elected First Vice-Presi-Jane LeMaster was elected First Vice-Presi-Jane LeMasterdent of NACIO, National Association of County Information Offi cers, for 2005 – 2006. NACIO members strive to create a better understanding of the duties of coun-ty government and to improve the commu-nication skills of NACIO members and all other County offi cials.

Donna Mitchell CPS/CAP, Fire and Emergen-cy Services, has been elected as Treasurer for Georgia Division – International Associa-tion of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). This is the fi rst step to becoming President of the Georgia Division. The Georgia Divi-sion is responsible for all the IAAP chapters in the state of Georgia.

Congratulations to Deanna Moxley, Finan-cial Supervisor in the Accounting Division of the Department of Financial Services; she recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in busi-ness administration.

Congratulations to Ligia Negru on becoming a Certifi ed Floodplain Manager. She was rec-ognized at the June 21 Board of Commis-sioners meeting for her accomplishment.

Tax Commissioner’s Offi ce names 2005 Quality Award winners

Tax Commissioner’s Citizenship Award: Brenda Kilgore

Department of Property Tax Employee of the Year: Nick Cole

Department of Motor Vehicles Employee of the Year: Brenda Kilgore

Leadership Awards – Department of Prop-erty Tax: Betsy Nailon; Business Services: Lisa St. Clair; Central Services: Nancy Cogs-well; Lawrenceville Branch Tag Offi ce: Robin Boss; Snellville Branch Tag Offi ce: Betty Hayes; Norcross Branch Tag Offi ce: Wilma Montfort; Peachtree Corners Branch Tag Offi ce: Lisa Matic

Team Member Awards – Department of Property Tax: Bill McCurdy; Business Ser-

vices: Jim Marchand; Central Services: Gail Everett; Lawrenceville Branch Tag Offi ce: Christina Harrison; Norcross Branch Tag Offi ce: Benita Hardwick; Peachtree Cor-ners Branch Tag Offi ce: Victoria Offor

Customer Service Awards – Department of Property Tax: Lisa Bivens; Business Services: Francine Desmarais; Central Services: Pam Snell; Lawrenceville Branch Tag Offi ce: Lin-da Morrison; Snellville Branch Tag Offi ce: Holly Dare; Norcross Branch Tag Offi ce: Kristell Douglas; Peachtree Corners Branch Tag Offi ce: Lyn Wallace

Service Anniversaries

The following employees will be receiving service awards in July:

5 Years

Corrections: Harry J. Breitinger, Johnny R. Brewster; Police Services: Christopher B. Cottier, Steven G. Loggins, Beth A. Smith;Probate Court: Mary I. Holmes; Public Utili-ties: Tom W. Ewing, Kenneth R. Hall, Mat-thew L. Howe, Ralph M. Luther, Terry Yard. Howe, Ralph M. Luther, Terry Yard. ;Sheriff ’s Department: Nakia R. Brooks, John C. Carroll, Michael A. Griffith, John Venezia; Trial Courts: Stuart G. Baker

10 Years

Clerk of Court: Martha H. Strickland; Cor-rections: Ronald L. St. Germain; Fire and Emergency Services: Derek P. Cobb, Charles D. Eggers, Randal K. Heath; Police Services: Jeffery H. Dunaway, Homer R. Weldon;Public Utilities: Jimmy E. Barrett, Howard T. Benson, Ann M. Cortese, Cheryl A. Ma-brey, Richard A. Rosbury; Support Services: Ronald J. Taylor; Transportation: Jeffrey T. Atha

15 YearsClerk of Court: Carole M. Hopkins; Com-munity Services: Patricia A. Vines; Fire and Emergency Services: Mark D. Garner, Rus-sell S. Knick, Johnny P. Queen; Police Ser-vices: Carlos M. Llorens; Public Utilities: James C. King; Sheriff ’s Department: Jerry Harrison, John F. Laurie, Curtis R. Ropp;Transportation: Ralph B. Payne

20 YearsCorrections: Calvin B. Waldroup; District Attorney’s Offi ce: Samantha L. Davis, Dan

Awards, Honors, Other Notes of Interest, and Service Anniversaries

W. Mayfield; Financial Services: Margaret L. Bowen, Christine H. Niggel; Fire and Emergency Services: James N. Hickey, Todd E. Mullinax; Police Services: Richard C. Gar-ner, Brian P. Reddy; Public Utilities: Bridgett J. Barnes, Kyle F. Duke, Florence K. Wil-burn; Sheriff ’s Department: David K. Sulli-van; Support Services: Eddie D. Barker

25 YearsFire and Emergency Services: Timothy W. Teague

Recently RetiredCommunity Services: Peggy Sanders, 23years; Support Services: Sandra Gunter,ter,ter15 years

If you or someone in your department has an accomplishment to share, please contact Kinsey Snell in the Communications Division at kinsey.snell@gwinnettcounty.com or 770.822.7135.

2. Sterilization – Foods that are sterilizedby irradiation can be stored for longerperiods of time

3. Control sprouting, ripening, and insect damage – Irradiation is an alternative to using chemicals for potatoes, tropical and citrus fruits, grains, and spices

4. Control food-borne illnesses

Scientifi c evidence demonstrates that irra-diation does not harm the nutritional value of food, nor does it make the food unsafe to eat.

In the grocery store, look for this logo on food packaging. The symbol is called the “radura” and is used inter-

nationally to mean the food in the package has been irra-

diated. A written description may also be present, such as “Irradiated to destroy harm-ful microbes.”

Safe food handling. . . continued from Chat Room page 7