F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N GA N E W S L E T T E R F O R A N D B Y M A R I N C O U N T Y E M P L O Y E E S

S E C O N D Q U A R T E R 2 0 0 6V O L U M E 1 1 • N U M B E R 2

Fostering SuccessBy Tom Vasgird—Auditor-Controller’s Office

Maria Campos (H&HS) was separated from her mother at theage of 8 and remained in the foster care system until turning18. She took the hand she was dealt, but refused to let itdetermine her life. She wasn’t blessed with wild cards oraces, but is on her way to showing the world a royal flush.Today, at the age of 24, Maria is backed by a loving andsupportive husband. They have two daughters, ages 5 yearsand 20 months. ■ If a convention of the world’s mostupbeat and optimistic people were to take place, we couldexpect to find Maria, a Support Service Worker withWomen’s Health Services, leading the gathering in a chorusof “giving up is not an option.” Her professional goal is tobecome a Nurse Practitioner. ■ Maria has an absolutework ethic and is committed to making the world a betterplace through perseverance and shooting for the stars. Butthis steadfast determination is tempered by compassion thatis a result of years of painful detours and challenges. ■

When asked what makes her different from other foster carecases, Maria responded that she is not content with justaccepting life at face value. She said she must keep thinkingbigger. She acknowledges and sincerely thanks those whowere, and still are, there for her. This includes a therapist

The Communications Division of PublicWorks is better known by its folksiermoniker as simply the “radio shop.”Located in the General Services build-ing on the Civic Center campus, here is where staff maintains the countywideradio communications network andequipment. When you walk into theirtechnical services room, you can justfeel the electrons bouncing off you like phaser rays off a force field. Everynook and cranny is filled with electronic components and gadgets, gauges and dials, cables and wires, widgets,gizmos, and doodads. Right next doorare the installation bays where theradio technicians work their magic in

Foster dad Cesar Lagleva and Maria Campos

who worked with her as a child, her husband, and herformer foster father, Cesar Lagleva (H&HS), a Juvenile HealthPractitioner with Community Health Services. ■ Cesar is astandout guy whose contributions cannot be overstated. Hewent the extra mile for Maria through eventual guardianship,and let her live in his home for over a year after she turned18. He helped her buy her first car, and today continues tosupport her emotionally. There are other heroes in Maria’slife, but her husband and Cesar are at the top of the list. ■

What makes Cesar exceptional? According to Maria, it hasto do with listening without judgment, always trying to under-stand, keeping an open heart, being there no matter what,

It’s a MERA-CALLBy Shelly Grant and Bob Beaumont—DPW

installing radios and related equipmentin vehicles. Part of the greater magichappening in the radio shop these daysis providing maintenance and installa-tion services for the Marin EmergencyRadio Authority (MERA). ■ MERAcame about in the 1990s when forwardthinkers throughout the county formed a central organization to develop and implement a unified public safetyradio communications system. The idea was to use leading-edge technology toprovide the most effective emergencycommunication system possible forpublic safety agencies. One of the indi-viduals spearheading that movementwas Public Works Director Farhad

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Jimmie Hudson and Tom Buell high atop the Radio Shop tower

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Maria’s message

to other foster kids

is one of hope and

encouragement,

suggesting they find

out what the world

has to offer and

go for it.

F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N G

Editorial BoardJoan Brown, Editor-in-Chief, Human Resources,

Civic Center Volunteers, 499-7167Heather Burton, Aud–Cont. Office, 499-6169Jack Govi, County Counsel’s Office, 499-6117Cio Hernandez, H&HS, 507-2848Larry Kay, Public Works, Nicasio Corp.Yard, 446-4421Kelley Litz, H&HS Admin., 20 N. San Pedro Road,

San Rafael, 499-6924Joe Spaeth, Public Defender, 499-6321Colleen Weems, Staff to Editorial Board,

Human Resources, Civic Center Volunteers, 499-7407

Design: Rob Roehrick, Roehrick Design Copy Editor: Bill Pryor, Civic Center Volunteers Photographer: Janice Hughes, D.A.’s OfficeProofreaders: Jane Donohue and Leslie Miller,

Civic Center VolunteersPrinting: Marin County Printing Services

Frankly Speaking is a quarterly publication for and by Marin County employees. Send articles, cartoons,photos, poems, etc., to Joan Brown, HR, Room 407,Civic Center. E-mail info to jbrown@co.marin.ca.us orsend a disk using Microsoft Word, with hard copyattached. Identify disk with subject, your name, andphone number. On photos, include all names and thename of the photographer. Digital photos must beshot at the highest quality setting.

Reporter of the Quarter: Jennifer Walter

ScheduleArticles Due Publication DateTuesday, June 6 Friday, August 4Tuesday, Sept 5 Friday, October 27Tuesday, Nov 21 Friday, February 2, 2007

F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N G Purpose and Priorities

The Marin County newsletter is intended for internal communication. Thenewsletter will not include partisan or non-partisan political activity, or issuesrelated to labor disputes and grievances.

C O M M U N I C A T I O N •D I V E R S I T Y •R E C O G N I T I O N •E D U C A T I O N •N E W S •F U N •I N T E R A C T I O N

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Make it OfficialAre you considering adopting your stepchild? The first week in June is Stepparents’ Week, andthe Civil Division of the Superior Court has a packet for you, How to Adopt a Child in California.This provides step-by-step instructions along with the documents needed for court. This packetalso can be used for agency, international, and independent adoptions.

Marin Master Gardeners, a chapterof the University of CaliforniaContinuing Education program, haspublished a revised edition of theirvery informative book, Bay AreaGardening. The Marin MasterGardeners are 200 dedicated,trained volunteers. The book con-tains 64 essays about landscap-ing, garden design, controllingpests and disease, and othertopics. It’s available at local

bookstores for $18.95. Or, send a checkor money order for $20.00 (shipping and handling)to “UC Regents” to Marin Master Gardeners, 1682Novato Blvd., Suite 150B, Novato, 94947.

Court Names KimBy Norma Johnson—Courts

After serving as assistant court executive officer forsix years and interim court executive officer for oneyear, Kim Turner was appointed Court ExecutiveOfficer for Marin Superior Court. ■ “I am thrilledto have the opportunity to put years of public serviceexperience into this institution,” Kim says. As actingcourt executive officer, she says she has focused onrebuilding relationships. “I am committed to openingdoors and reaching out to the community, as the court is a public institution thatshould reflect the values of the people we serve and meet their needs.” ■ Kim hasbeen instrumental in helping establish the Legal Self-Help Center of Marin, whichprovides legal assistance to individuals who are not represented by attorneys. Sheserves on the Board of Directors for the Center. ■ Born in San Rafael, she

received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Sonoma StateUniversity. She is a fellow of the Institute for Court Management through theNational Center for State Courts, founded by former Supreme Court Chief JusticeWarren Burger. She received the 1999 award for best research project from theNational Center for State Courts for her analysis of administrative implementationof the changes to the California superior courts after the enactment of the 1998 TrialCourt Funding Act. ■ Prior to joining the court, Kim worked for the City of SanRafael for two years and the Department of Health and Human Services for nearlyseventeen years. Kim lives in Petaluma with her two daughters, Erin and Paige. Sheloves gardening, walking, exercising, and reading. ■

Kim Turner (Courts)

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Marin County Superior Court employees discussed their roles in trial court performance onFebruary 13. Sara Matlin, from Marin Abused Women’s Services, also spoke to employeesto raise consciousness of issues of domestic violence. Jan Starnes, an education specialistfrom the Administrative Office of the Courts, gave a refresher course on customer service. L to R: Barbara Jones, Frances Kennedy, Sheyanne Byrd, Penney Wentland, Jeanine Miro,Annette Garcia, Mario Charifa, Yvonne Aguilar

Kim has been instrumental in helping establish the Legal Self Help Center of Marin which provides legal assistance

to individuals who are not represented by attorneys.

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By Steve Petterle—P&OS

I picked up the phone and made thecall. I got voice mail. I wasn’t nervouswhen I asked her to return my call at“415-499-639forward,” but then I pan-icked. I abruptly stopped speaking. Andif she didn’t notice my misspoken words,she would surely notice the long, awk-ward pause. How could I recover?My mind raced through the possibilities. I could laugh and say I was just joking. I could provide a lengthy explanationthat my brain was working too fast andthat I was planning to say “Please callme at 415-499-6394. I look forward toyour return call” and I skipped a fewwords. I could cough and pretend I waschoking. I decided to hang up. It seemedlike the right thing to do under the cir-cumstances. ■ In my defense, I hadbeen distracted by her voice message.“Hi, this is Jane Doe. (Garbled noises inthe background.) Darn! (Pause.) This islike the fifth time! (Beep.) Hi, this is JaneDoe. Please leave me a message and I’llcall you back.” Didn’t she listen to herrecording? So I just left my number as415-499-639forward and then hung up.■ Should I call back and take thechance of leaving another message?“Oops! I just called and left a messageand I meant to say that my number was415-499-6394, not 415-499-639forward.And, by the way, you really need tocheck your outgoing message.” I feltuncomfortable with that. I was starting to sweat. If I knew Jane Doe, this wouldbe something that we could laugh abouttogether over coffee. ■ But I didn’tknow her and that simple fact becamekey in the solution to my dilemma. Janeworked for a big firm with many otherpeople, so I just called somebody elsein the office and got the information Ineeded. No sense stressing. ■ It’s notlike she would have called me backanyway. There’s no “forward” key on a telephone. ■

PERSPECTIVE

P E T T E R L E ’ S

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Alex, AceAdministratorBy Brenda Frechette—H&HS

After Matthew Hymel was promotedlast year to County Administrator, thesearch was on to find the right fit forthe Chief Assistant Administrator posi-tion he was vacating. Alex McIntyrepossesses the skills and experiencerequired and joined the Marin countyadministrator team on April 3. ■

Alex served as Tiburon’s town man-ager for over five years. Prior to that,

he was the town manager for PortolaValley, a community near Stanford.Although Alex was born in SanFrancisco and now lives there, he grewup in Pasadena, where his father wasthe city manager. You might say it is afamily tradition! Alex earned his BA inpsychology and political science at UCIrvine and his MPA at USC. ■ Whenasked about his decision to work withthe county, Alex says, “I’d like to testmy ‘management mettle’ and do some-thing new and different. It is intriguingto shift into a far more complex environment.” Under his leadership,Tiburon developed a secure financialposition. Alex brought an “open door”policy to the town, encouraging staff to get to know what each other does in order to improve communication. “I don’t believe in secret agendas,” hesays. But perhaps one of the real testsof what someone might be like to workwith is to ask the person who answersthe phone. When I called Alex to setup an interview before he started, theTiburon receptionist said, “Oh, you areso lucky to get him! He’s the best!” ■

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PD R&R By Colleen Weems—HR

The Public Defender’sWork/Life BalanceCommittee offers a numberof outlets to PD employeesto help them bring a littlebalance to their busy andintense days. The commit-tee, whose members areGlenda Brewer, PedroOliveros, and Rose Spikes-Anderson, has sponsored noontimebrown bag sessions in the depart-ment’s law library. Speakers haveincluded a feng shui expert who also gave individual consultations to staffers, a dietician from MarinGeneral Hospital, a meditation andyoga expert, and a gardener whoprovided gardening tips. The commit-tee also organizes an annual depart-ment outing to an evening Giantsgame, and a book club that included

a well-attended talk by a local attorneyand author. Another successfulendeavor was a noontime presentationby department shutterbugs who sharedtheir photographs with co-workers. ■

“We’ve got a very congenial andcohesive office,” says Glenda, “andwhen you talk about things other thanwork, especially when you work in astressful environment, it’s a good wayto relate to each other.” ■

Dylan Schaffer, author of Misdemeanor Man, talks with PDstaff during one of its popular noontime brown-bag sessions.

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6:00 a.m. County Operational Area EOC activated.

6:30 a.m. Local Emergency proclaimed by Asst. Director of Emergency Services. Novato EOC activated.

10:00 a.m. Levee failure near Novato Hospital. Novato evacuates neighborhood. 10,000 county residents without power.

2:00 p.m. EOCs closing in Novato, San Rafael, Mill Valley. County EOC de-activated.

New Year’s Day County staff begins Initial Damage Estimate (IDE) 2006 resulting in an estimated $118 million of damage

countywide.

Mon., Jan. 2 Governor declares a state of emergency for seven initial counties—Marin not included.

Tues., Jan. 3 Marin County/Operational Area Recovery Operation Center (ROC) activated to coordinate recovery efforts, handle media inquiries, and open Public Information Hotline. Governor declares a state of emergency for 10 counties including Marin, and requests Presidential Declaration of Disaster.

Thurs., Jan. 5 Cities/towns, Municipal Water District, and county officials conduct field damage survey/assessments with numerous county staff, including road crews, firefighters, and building inspectors. ROC staff begins collecting and analyzing damage assessment data.

Marin experienced the wettest December in 50 yearswith flooding causing more than $100 million in damage,with about 300 county staff working to save lives and prop-erty. What follows is a chronology of events, with highlights,attesting to the efforts of our staff rising to the challenge asdisaster workers in an emergency.

Wed., Dec. 28 The National Weather Service forecasts two major winter storms. County Office of Emergency Services (OES) and other departments begin preparations, including calls to local jurisdictions.

Fri., Dec. 30 County DPW Department Operations Center (DOC) activated. Three Swift Water Rescue Teams activated and deployed. Urban Search and RescueTeams mobilized.

5:00 p.m. Heavy rains start.

10:00 p.m. Ross activates Marin Emergency Automatic Notification System (MEANS) to advise residents and businesses along San Anselmo Creek. First responders monitor creek levels.

Sat., Dec. 31 Heavy rains continue with widespread local flooding.

4:00 a.m. Ross Valley floods, with 48” to 54” of water down San Anselmo Avenue. San Anselmo Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activated. Mill Valley conducts door-to-door voluntary evacuations in Sycamore neighborhood. Novato Creek floods.

4:45 a.m. Asst. Director of Emergency Services approves partial activation of County/Operational Area EOC.

5:00 a.m. Red Cross emergency shelter opens at West Marin School. Rescues made in San Anselmo, Ross, and Kentfield.

5:30 a.m. Mill Valley Evacuation Center opens.

The DPW Roads crew was honored at a special ceremony on March 14 for their outstanding on-the-ground efforts during the December floods.Front Row, seated, L to R: Richard Mache, Farhad Mansourian, Dave Anderson, Chuck Edwards Middle Row, kneeling, L to R: Pete Maendle, Rick Ebert,Dave Fish, George Petracopoulos, Larry Kay, Steve Pollock, Adam Kerch, Paul Machado, Steve Mitchell Back Row, standing, L to R: Glenn Davis, TedBertolini, Scott Joubert, Travis Fleetwood, Jim Bozzard, Scott Nygard, Dale Patterson, Dan Hunter, Jim Marino, Dave Dolcini, Steve Soldavini, DaveCodiroli, Steve Fleak Not Pictured: Larry Lewis, Ken Zepponi, Jon Roberts

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sStaff who rose to the challenge

Alva Ackley • Martin Acosta •Caroline Albee • Ron Alves • Dave

Anderson • Audrey Andrus •Dana Ansari • Laura Armor • Sue

Atkinson • Manny Avila • HughBaker • Pat Balderama • Chip

Banks • Cynthia Barnard • DaleBarrett • Justin Barrow • RickBates • Bob Beaumont • Jeff

Bedoya • Larry Belveal • MichelleBendzick • John Berg • Lewis

Berry • Ben Berto • Ted Bertolini •Ellie Bloch • Christopher Boden •Jim Boggeri • Kathleen Booth •

Marion Boyd • Jim Bozzard •Chris Bramham • George

Brewster • Danny Briones • MattBronson • Rich Brothers • Adam

Brown • Mark Brown • BobBrunner • Breanna Buchanan •

Brian Burkhard • Jamie Byrnes •Nicole Calmels • Chris Camilleri •

Ed Campigli • Dawn Carlson •Chris Carlton • Dave Carr • Ross

Cascio • Chris Chamberlain •Joanna Charlton • Laurie Childers

• Wendy Chipps • CindyChurchfield • Nathan Clark •

Tracy Clay • David Clemmer •Dave Codiroli • Todd Coleman •

Peter Coles • Cyno Connolly • WillCorbett • Chuck Corbin • Karen

Cornett • Stewart Cowan • FrankCox • Alex Craig • Brian Crawford• Andrew Cross • Liza Crosse • Pat

Cunningham • Jack Curley •Martha Cushman • Bene DaSilva

• Berenice Davidson • Dean Davis• Glenn Davis • Nancy Davis • Eva

De Negri • Chris Deibel • DaveDell’era • Daniel Derby • KerrieDesbiens • Carlo Dimesio • Dave

Dolcini • Kristin Drumm • RickEbert • Chris Edwards • Chuck

Edwards • Dan Eilerman • JennyEllis • Douglas Endy • Eric

Engelbart • Randy Engler • DavidEscobar • Joyce Evans • PatrickFaulkner • Jake Feickert • John

Ferrari • Dennis Farrell • PhilFifita • Marianne Figen • Maria

Figueroa • Marilyn Filbrun • KenFinn • Dave Fish • Steve Fleak •

Travis Fleetwood • Ron Ford •Steven Fracolli • Rick Fraites •Darrell Galli • Gabriel Garcia •

Erin Garibaldi • Jessica Gerber •Frank Giammona • Rich Gibson •

Josh Gilmore • Renee Glazier •Pricilla Godfrey • Frank Godino •

Chris Godley • Ari Golan • JoseGonzales • Larry Grace • Don

Grafe • Nate Gray • Phyllis Green• Maggie Guiott • Amanuel Haile• Carla Halyard • Tim Hampton •Steve Hancock • Ursula Hanks •

Kathy Harrington • PatriciaHartigan-Bloom • Ethel Havens •Vincent Hawkins • Mike Hawks •

Bryan Hayworth • Dennis Healey• Steven Heaslip • Robert

Heilman • Dan Hess • Damon Hill• Glenn Hinchee • Edward

Hofeditz • Martin Hollis • JimHuber • Ed Hulme • Matthew

Hymel • David Hunn •

R I S I N G T O T H E

Recovery Assistance Center (ROC)The ROC served two purposes. County staff operating the PublicInformation Hotline answered questions and referred callers to avail-able resources. ROC staff also prepared damage estimates necessary tosecure a federal declaration of emergency which would make federalfunds available for recovery efforts.

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By Colleen Weems—HR

In the dark early morning hours ofDecember 31, several motorists foundthemselves in fast moving water, causing their cars to float at PlatformBridge along the Petaluma Pt. ReyesRoad. One woman was trapped.

David Anderson (DPW), a quick-thinking Senior Roads MaintenanceWorker who was in the area in his loader, calling on his years ofexperience and knowledge of thearea, navigated the loader to thewoman’s vehicle and pulled her fromher car to safety in his vehicle. ■

Fire Captain Randy Engler (Fire), a member of a water rescue team

working in SanAnselmo, wasinvolved in more than 10 rescues thatincluded helping awoman stranded inher vehicle with waterchest-high, and res-cuing a person fromthe top of a news-paper stand. He alsoled the rescue of a man stuck on theroof of his truck surrounded by fast-moving water, then helped evacuate anelderly couple, and a family with youngchildren from their homes. ■ DavidAnderson and Randy Engler earnedrarely awarded Medals of Valor forsaving lives. In addition, Ed Mestre(Fire), and Farhad Mansourian (DPW)were awarded for their outstandingefforts by the Board of Supervisors on

March 14. Ed was the Fire IncidentCommander and Urban Search andRescue (USAR) task force leader man-aging 18 water rescue operations withcalmness and utmost professionalism.Farhad was recognized for excellentstrategic advance planning and com-mand in his role as Commander, USARRegional Task Force, having two teamsin place at 4 a.m. when Corte MaderaCreek flooded. ■

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L to R: Randy Engler (Fire) and David Anderson (DPW) with theirMedals of Valor; Ed Mestre (Fire) and Farhad Mansourian (DPW)with their special award for their USAR leadership

Dan Hunter • Linda Jamieson •Jon Janzen • Aaron Jarvis • BillJohnson • Rebecca Johnson •Scott Joubert • Larry Kay • JudyKendall • Adam Kerch • DonKeylon • Karen Killan • JosephKing • Doug Kirchgessner •Robert Klein • Ernest Klock • ChrisKnight • Barbara Kob • AlanKristal • Jim Krogman • KallieKull • Larry Laino • James Lane •Connie Lazzaretto • Rich Leahy •Rebecca Leonard • Bryan Lewis •Larry Lewis • Liz Lewis • DennisLinney • Rich Lopez • Jim Lynch •John Machado • Paul Machado •Richard Mache • Pete Maendle •Paul Makinson • FarhadMansourian • Daniel Maples •Mike Maraccini • Jim Marino •Roy Martin • Chris Martinelli •Ken Massucco • JohnMcConneloug • Robert McDaniel •Kevin McGowan • JoanneMerjano • Larry Mersereau • EdMestre • Susy Miller • Greg Miller• Ryan Miner • Ron Miska • SteveMitchell • Mike Moline • KellieMoore • Courtney Morehen •Leslie Moss • Margaret Moster •Gerson Navarrete • GabeNgarangad • Dave Nicholson •Mike Norton • Scott Nygard •Brendan O’Hagan • LeonardPage • Keith Parker • DalePatterson • Florence Pattison •Susan Paul • John Payne • RyanPetersen • George Petracopoulos• Augustine Pham • Tom Phillips •Steve Pollock • Irina Popova •Mikhail Posylkin • Dan Powers •Todd Pressley • Cherie Raffaini •Ron Ravani • Michelle Reed •Greg Reza • Katie Rice • LeslieRichardson • Mike Ridgway • KenRobbins • Jon Roberts • JoshRoenfeld • Kurtis Romley • JakeRosebrock • Ian Roth • EdmundRudolph • Dustin Ruiz • RobertRuiz • Brian Sanford • Dan Sauter• Bruce Schomaker • Eric Scovel •Mike Seybold • Sandy Shartzer •Ira Shaw • Sharon Silver • JanetSinnicks • Chris Skye • JamesSlack • David Smail • Philip Smith• Jon Snyder • Steve Soldavini •Bruce Stahley • Carol Starr • EricSteger • David Steinke • MattSwalberg • Jason Swift • CarlSzawarzenski • Craig Tackabery• Alysanne Taylor • Jeffrey Taylor• Patty Taylor • Robert Taylor •Joshua Thaller • Roxann JoThelin • Phoenicia Thomas •Elizabeth Thompson • JohnThompson • Michael Thompson •Pat Thompson • HarryThorgerson • Kevin Tinsley • KenTisdale • Julia Tomlinson • RobertTurner • Bridget Ujeh • Bill Vieira• Fred Vogler • Adam Vollmer •Keith Wallace • Rich Wallace •Tim Walsh • Laurie Weiland •Marissa Wertheimer • Matt White• Sue Wilson • Len Woolard •John Wooley • Jon Wright •Domenick Yazzolino • GaryZappa • Ken Zepponi

Local Assistance Center (LAC)The LAC served as a one-stop-shop for flood victims. It was staffedby San Anselmo, Fairfax, Ross, and the county, and had resourcesavailable through building, planning, and public works departments,the county Health Department, Assessor’s Office, Health & HumanServices, the Red Cross, SBA, and FEMA.

Jan. 6–9 Board of Supervisors, in a special session, ratifies Emergency Proclamation. Marin OES, state OES, and FEMA representatives tour significant damage sites, using information compiled and prepared by county staff.

Jan. 13 ROC de-activated. Hotline calls transferred to OES.

Feb. 3 Received federal declaration of a major disaster area, allowing significant assistance from FEMA and SBA.

Feb. 9–12 Local Assistance Center (LAC) activated in San Anselmo. 345 clients served.

Feb. 13–Apr. 4 LAC transitioned to Disaster Recovery Center (DRC)in San Anselmo.

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The Local Assistance Center in San Anselmo

Recovery Success—The county’s receipt of a federal declaration was the result of an immense amount of training,coordination of efforts, and communication and collabora-tion among county departments and local agencies. Theprofessionalism and gallant efforts of the hundreds of countyemployees and municipal staff in Marin raised the bar withregard to state expectations of what we are capable. Weshould be very proud of our endeavors, and build upon thisunparalleled foundation. Job well done! ■

In the dark early morning hours of December 31, several

motorists found themselves in fast moving water…

By Ian Roth—CDA

Rising to the Challenge…

C H A L L E N G E

During that one week of sunshine inthe middle of the rains this past winter,spring truly was in the air. On February24, over an intimate dinner in LagunaBeach’s Studio at Montage Resort, IngeLundegaard (CDA) received a ring anda proposal of marriage from RohanAdarius. They will walk down the aisleAugust 12 in Golden Gate Park. ■

Whitney Cameron andEduardo Silva took awalk down the path ofmatrimony on February18 at her family’s home in Novato. Proud motherChris Cameron (IST) wasteary-eyed with joy to seeher daughter marriedafter a four-yearcourtship. ■

Diane Sauer (BOS) danced down thispath on the beaches of Hawaii withScott Patterson. On their vacation, atsunset, at a lounge right on the beachof Waikiki, the proposal on bendedknee was accepted instantly. They weremarried on the Island of Hawaii, atAnaehoomalo Bay, on October 6. ■

Further down the path of marriage, formany, is kids. Such is the joyful fate forShanea Thompson (IST), dad Michael,and big brother Nik (2). Hailey MarieThompson was born January 9, andmade grandpa Paul Makinson (DPW)very happy. ■

And for those who have turned the pathinto an extended hike…Gary Tindel(Coroner) and his wife, Irene, becamegrandparents for the first time. Zacharywas born to Gary’s daughter Michelleand her husband, Jason Tallon, onNovember 19. A little further down thetrail, Joyce Evans (CDA) became agrandmother for the third time with the birth of Maya Cara Evans, bornFebruary 23. Maya’s mother, Pnina,couldn’t be happier. This bundle ofjoy’s middle name is after Scott’s (dad)blind tandem cycling partner whopassed away two years ago. ■

What’s fair is Fair; the Marin CountyFair celebrated its 60th anniversary bywinning 31 awards at the Annual

Western Fairs Association (representing150 fairs), for the second year in a row,including 16 First Place awards. Theexecutive director of the associationproclaimed that, “The Marin CountyFair raises the bar on innovation in thefair industry year after year.” Greatwork, team! ■

Also doing a repeat for incredible per-formances is the county’s Child SupportServices Department (DCSS), rankingamong the top ten counties statewidein overall performance for the secondyear in a row. Keith Pepper (DCSS)stated that, “Thanks to the dedicationand hard work of our exceptional staff,I am very proud of our ability to obtainfinancial support for the children weserve.” ■

H&HS honored Marin’s Public Healthheroes in a celebration on April 4. SueSeverin, a retired county employee,and volunteer Car Seat Technician forH&HS, earned the Volunteer of the Yearaward. Six local organizations werealso honored for their innovative programs. ■

Transportation has been transported.On March 13, with space a scarcity in the Civic Center, the TransportationDivision of DPW, along with TransitDistrict employees, and the TransportationAuthority of Marin (TAM), relocated to70 San Pablo Avenue, across the streetfrom the Civic Center. So, the next timeyou’re getting a sandwich from theSanta Venetia Market, stop in for a tourand say “hi” to DPW staff: Art Brook,Tho Do, Amy Van Doren, LaurenBernheim, Carey Lando, NannetteBrown, Bill Whitney, and DianneSteinhauser (TAM). ■

We have a jewel of a story that endedwith lots of love. On Valentine’s Day,Meloni Page (HR) lost her diamond andgold bracelet at work. She and stafflooked high and low for it, but with noluck. Meloni had written it off, but herco-worker didn’t. Someone from theLibrary found it by the elevator, took it home, and put an ad in the MarinIndependent Journal’s lost and foundcolumn. Carole Turner (HR) who worksside by side with Meloni, spotted the

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For the next issue, please e-mail information on the people in your dept.to Odds & Ends columnist Ian Roth,iroth@co. marin.ca.us.

ad. The person who found thebracelet, and went above and beyondthe call of duty by advertising in theIJ, was none other than Jocelyn Moss(Library), who works in the CaliforniaRoom. What an incredible exampleof honesty at work! ■

Team County Counsel (above) was ona roll as they participated in Bowl forKids Sake on March 20, benefiting BigBrothers/Big Sisters. ■

Crisis does tend to bring peopletogether. Carey (DPW) and ToddLando (Fire) moved to a San Anselmoneighborhood just before the NewYear’s Eve flood. Unfortunately, theyand 30 of their closest neighbors hada taste of Mother Nature’s wrath.However, there is a silver lining. Careyand Todd are thrilled to now be partof an extremely friendly, cohesiveneighborhood, that all pulled togetherto survive the 4- and 5-foot waterlevels rushing through their homes and streets. ■

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Carole Turner (HR), Meloni Page (HR), andJocelyn Moss (Library)

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L to R: Jessica Mills, Brooke Brewer, JenniferVuillermet, Jack Govi, Jeanine Michaels,Renee Brewer, Bennett Brewer

Chris Cameron and her daughterWhitney

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Grandmas GabBy Sue Kettmann—H&HS

In line with the multitude ofbirths announced in Odds &Ends in each Frankly Speakingissue, it stands to reason thatthe ranks of county grand-mothers is growing, too. AGrandmas Lunch Bunch metfor the first time in February tocelebrate their grandkids andcarry out excessive bragging over lunch at the Health andHuman Services administration site at 20 N. San Pedro Road.The Lunch Bunch decided to dine out together quarterly to celebrate just how special their grandkids are. ■

Front: Dori McGee-LundyMiddle L to R: Denise Martinez,Roberta Boyer Top L to R: SueKettmann, Lynn Victorino

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Wright On!Expect changes at the Civic Centercampus over the next four years. TheMarin Center Renaissance Partnershipis leading the planning for facilityupgrades outlined in a new MarinCenter Master Plan. Another initiative is the feasibility study underway for a much-needed, state-of-the-artEmergency Operation Center/PublicSafety Building. With these two bigstrategic efforts, it is essential to havean integrated approach when consider-ing how these facilities’ designs willintegrate with our world-renownedCivic Center building. ■ The entireCivic Center site was originally master-planned by the distinguished architectFrank Lloyd Wright who, at the age of90, received the commission from theMarin County Board of Supervisors in1957. The Civic Center building wasWright’s last major work and is hislargest constructed project. In 1991the historic 81-acre site, including thebuilding and the post office area, wasgranted status as a National HistoricLandmark. ■ In August 2004 theCounty of Marin retained the services of Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey,landscape architects and environmentalplanners from Mill Valley, to lead theprocess of creating master designguidelines. Lisa DeCarlo (CAO) led theeffort on this project. She coordinatedthe public meeting and comments,organized the county staff needed towork with the consultants, and formed

a technical advisory committee. Thatcommittee, which provided valuableexpertise and guidance to the consul-tants’ work, consisted of Bob Beaumont(DPW), Jim Farley (CS), DennisFinnegan (Sheriff), Tom Lai (CDA), and Steve Petterle (P&OS). In addition,Tim Haddad (CDA) provided guidanceon environmental law compliance. ■

Last December 20 the Board ofSupervisors adopted master designguidelines for the entire 160-acre CivicCenter campus. This occurred aftermany months of planning and work,including review by the Frank LloydWright Civic Center Conservancy. Theguidelines ensure that future projectswill meet the Secretary of the Interiorstandards for the treatment of historicproperties and follow the design princi-ples set out by Frank Lloyd Wright. ■

The guidelines apply to all projects,ranging from small maintenance andrepair to construction of new buildings.For example, one guideline directs

“existing sidewalks should be made asconsistent as possible in terms of design,material, color, and finish” and goes onto recommend appropriate colors andfinish. Another guideline specifies that“new buildings should be integrated withthe campus site by working with thetopography to create an environmentthat allows the campus to be seen as acomposite whole.” ■ The guidelinesare intended to provide a standard forfuture development and the criterianecessary to protect the architecturalcharacter of the site, preserve historicstructures, and reduce adverse visualeffects. These guidelines also suggestthat all future development be designedin accordance with green building prac-tices. ■ The final report and guidelinescan be viewed on the county’s website atwww.co.marin.ca.us/depts/AD/Main/MasterPG.cfm, or search the MINE using“master design guidelines.” For addi-tional information, telephone DavidSpeer (CAO) at 499-6016. ■

M A S T E R D E S I G N G U I D E L I N E S

By David Speer—County Administrator’s Office

M A R I N C O U N T Y C I V I C C E N T E R

Last December 20

the Board of

Supervisors adopted

master design

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campus.

Shining Stars By Racy Ming—H&HS

Two EmploymentDevelopment Counselors,Lea Del Pomo and AnitaHorton (H&HS), were honored by Marin Servicesfor Women (MSW) onDecember 13, 2005, attheir annual Shining StarAwards Presentation. ■ Lea works with the Marin EmploymentConnection and has become a huge voice for MSW clientsreceiving services from her agency. Anita has enormous energyand a ferocious determination to provide quality services towomen in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. ■

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Dr. Larry Meredith (center) congrat-ulates Lea Del Pomo (left) and AnitaHorton (right) on their awards.

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Team of theQuarterBy Jennifer Walter—Treas/Tax

The outstanding Team of the Quarteris the Marin Employment Connection(MEC) Team. This remarkable teamincludes Les Aaronson, Eric Petersen,Teresa Taylor-King, Racy Ming,Annabelle Travis, Gill Smith, MarianEsver, Lea Del Pomo, Tim McClain,Janis Reynolds, Cynthia Gunselman,and Deborah Deibel. ■ The MEC is apublic and private partnership of non-profit and governmental agencies oper-ated by the Marin County Departmentof Health & Human Services. Its focusis to provide employment and trainingservices to both job seekers andemployers through workshops, such asresume writing, interviewing, and labormarket research, as well as one-on-onecounseling sessions. The MEC’s youthprogram helps those between the agesof 14 and 21 become work-ready

L to R: Eric Petersen, Racy Ming, Deborah Deibel, Marian Esver, Gill Smith, Cynthia Gunselman, LesAaronson, Teresa Taylor-King, Tim McClain, Lea Del Pomo, Annabelle Travis, Janis Reynolds

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through mentoring, leadershipdevelopment, internships, and otheropportunities. Through state and federalgrants, MEC also provides services forpeople with disabilities and providesoccupational training in health care. ■

The team was nominated both for theextensive services it provides and itsdedication to serving the public. SaysProgram Manager Racy Ming, “The

team embodies the spirit of the county’s mission to support healthy, safe, andsustainable communities.” In addition,she is very proud of the way the teamworks together and supports eachother. “All bases are covered and noone falls through the cracks. Everyonechips in when needed, which is whatyou have to do when you have a smallteam like ours.” ■

By Shirley Trimble—HR, Civic Center Volunteer

This year’s outstanding examples of the impact of volunteerparticipation on county business are a vivacious bilingual

licensed mental health practitioner and a seasoned and dedicated attorney. On April 18,the Board of Supervisors honored Cio Hernandez(H&HS) as Outstanding Supervisor of Volunteersfor 2005–2006, and Stephen Arian (PD) as theOutstanding Volunteer of the Year. ■ Notedfor her seemingly limitless energy and warmth,Cio Hernandez, MFT, for eight years has been a youth champion and guide for teens at theHealth and Human Services’ Teen Clinic atMontecito. ■ Jan Johanson, SupervisingNurse Practitioner at Women’s Health Services,calls Cio an “innovative thinker who taps into

the strengths of her volunteers. She teaches them life skills ofconfidence, presentation skills, planning and organizationalskills in a unique way—through volunteer experience on com-munity projects.” ■ The members of “Cio’s Angels,” a teenleadership group, do volunteer health education work amongtheir peers in high schools and at major community healthevents throughout the year, such as the Prevention Pavilion atthe Marin County Fair, and the recent successful CanalFest.“Teens are wonderful. I learn so much from them every day,”says Cio. ■ “She is affecting how agencies, police, clinics,parents, and educators relate to each other and to youth,”

said Sparkie Spaeth,Community Health andPrevention Service Managerfor H&HS. ■ Since June2003, Stephen Arian hasvolunteered about 1,000hours annually as an attorney for the Public Defender’s Office, and has coveredhundreds of cases on the department’s misdemeanor team.■ “It’s hard to think of Steve as a volunteer because hedevotes an enormous amount of time to our department,” saysJose Varela, Assistant Public Defender. “His efforts allow us to cover a burgeoning misdemeanor caseload and his help isextremely appreciated. He is well-liked by all who know him,in large part because of his patient and easygoing personalitywhich fits in beautifully with our often hectic schedule.” ■

Steve’s first assignment after graduating from Hastings LawSchool in 1966 was with the San Francisco NeighborhoodLegal Assistance Foundation, where he provided assistance tothose who couldn’t afford it. Throughout his long and variedcareer in civil and criminal law and business, he carried thesame sensibilities and dedication to his clients. “I enjoy thework at the PD which has put me in a position to help people.You do the best you can for the client and the system works.The staff at the PD office is extraordinary and very supportive,”he says. ■

Cio Hernandez

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Teens’ Angel and Mr. Demeanor

Stephen Arian

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Pat Cunningham’s got gusto, somethingthat always comes in handy in his workas a senior member of the county’sBuilding Maintenance staff. Pat has primary responsibility for the plumbingsystem at the Civic Center, which quiteliterally includes several miles of pipe.His 11 years’ experience in maintainingand improving the system has beenenhanced by his infectious enthusiasmand sense of humor. In appreciation ofhis positive approach to work and hisnatural motivational style, some of hisco-workers have commented that “TomSawyer could take a few lessons fromthis guy in making work fun!” ■ Patnever fails to produce outstanding qual-ity work, usually under a tight deadline,usually in a tight space, and alwaysconsidering the safety and needs ofothers. He is a natural leader with aneternally positive attitude. ■ Whennot at work, Pat can be found tearingup the golf links as a valuable memberof Public Works’ golf team. ■

By Bob Beaumont—DPW

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E M P L O Y E E S O F T H E M O N T HE M P L O Y E E S O F T H E M O N T H

Chris Perine is a person of largestature, soft voice, and an immenseheart. He has been with the ProbationDepartment for 15 years. Starting asa group counselor at Juvenile Hall in1991, he has been in the adult divisionsince 2000, and currently is assignedto the county parole program. ■

Chris is a caring, supportive co-workerwho influences others in positive ways.He has a ready smile, sheer good will,and a great sense of humor, qualitiesthat make him a joy to work with.Chris is consistently calm and even-handed in his approach to his clients.He brings to his job both compassionand a clear understanding of his roleas a probation officer. Despite thedifficult challenges in this work, hisprofessionalism, fairness, and kindnessalways prevail. ■ To have Chrisaround is a blessing not only to hisco-workers and clients, but also toanyone who crosses his path. ■

By Ivonne van Buuren & Melissa Davis—Probation

Steve Marthinsen works at theInformation Services Helpdesk as aSystem Support Analyst where he hasbeen the embodiment of ultimate cus-tomer service. Steve enables countyemployees to use their computing hard-ware and software to the maximumbenefit. He restores these tools whenthey go down. By doing so, Steve helpskeep the county running efficiently.Steve’s customer service and technicalexpertise are surpassed only by hisstrong work ethic. He often is seensweeping through county departmentsin the Civic Center and at other sites,cheerfully supporting county staff.■ Steve is a stellar member of theHelpdesk team and has become anambassador of IST. His even tempera-ment makes everyone who works withhim feel at ease using computers andhelps to calm stress that occurs whencomputers malfunction. Steve hasbecome an “honorary member” ofmany of the departments he serves. ■

By Alan Kristal (IST) & Jose Varela—PD

Dedicated Service2,690 years of dedicated service to the County of Marin were celebrated at the Employee Length of Service ceremony onFebruary 28. More than 80 of the 109 employees celebrating20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service were individually honored at the ceremony. Pictured here are the 30-, 35-, and 40-year honorees in attendance.

L to R: Ken Froberg (Sheriff, 40 years), Elaine Weston (H&HS, 30), TimothyUnderwood (DPW, 35), Roxann Jo Thelin (Sheriff, 30), David Carr (Fire, 30),Cleveland Cutler (Probation, 40), Dorothy Jones (Co. Counsel, 30), FrimaStewart (H&HS, 30), Lydia Tuveson (H&HS, 30), Pamela Kroner (Library, 30),Ken Holmes (Coroner, 30), Terry Bastida (Sheriff, 30), Elizabeth MacQuarrie(H&HS, 30), Skip Richardson (Sheriff, 30), Edie Lawrence (Sheriff, 30), Timothy Swan (P&OS, 35), Sandra Lamke (H&HS, 30), Ron Paolini (P&OS,35), Adrian Fried (H&HS, 30)

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Charlie Barboni(CS): “I would haveto say the Statue ofLiberty. I like herbest for everythingshe stands for.”

Martha Grigsby(Probation): “I likeDiego Rivera, allof his work, Icouldn’t pick justone. The color isso vibrant anddefined. It’s always about the workingclass. I like that.”

Vicki Nightingale(H&HS): “I like themovie The Wizardof Oz. I like theplot, the use ofimagination. It’sdifferent than any-thing we do today.”

Marina Stanford(CDA): “If it doesn’thave to be madeby man—abouttwo years ago, I saw a meteorshower. It’snature’s fireworks and it was incredible!”

Roving ReporterBy Connie Siebler—Assessor’s Office

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What is your favorite work of art?

official web site that provides a list ofphysical activities as well as links togeneral information. ■ In March,Marin on the Move and H&HS kickedoff a program to generate employee-initiated ideas for ways to increasephysical activity at work and to findways to blend work and physicalactivity. The only guidelines were thatthe programs had to involve physicalactivity at or near an H&HS worksiteand serve a minimum of 10 people.■ To gauge interest in on-site classesprior to the official kick-offs, a Tai Chipilot program was started at 120North Redwood by Janis Reynolds, a Youth Employment DevelopmentCounselor in the Employment andTraining Branch. Interest was immedi-ate and strong! Thirty participantsenrolled in the on-site, one-hour,twice-a-week class that ran for 10weeks. With a waiting list alreadyforming for more Tai Chi classes, thisturned out to be an idea that will bearound for some time to come. ■

Let’s hope that in the future it will bepossible to replicate successful ideas at various Marin County worksites. ■

Keep On Movin’!By Judith Jaslow—H&HS

No time to exercise? Too tired to workout at the end of the day? Do it atwork! ■ In keeping with its mission to promote health and well-being, theDepartment of Health and HumanServices formed a community partner-ship of organizations and individuals,called Marin on the Move. Its mission isto promote physical activity and healthynutritional choices for all in Marin andto make it easy for people to be physi-cally active. Marinonthemove.org is the

HaikuBy Bob Beaumont—DPW

It’s vacation time!Kids and cars and trips and thenBack to work for rest.

Tai Chi Class at 120 Redwood L to R: Annabelle Travis, John Oakes,Teresa Taylor-King, Janis Reynolds, Susan Verhalen

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msEtiquette.comBy Jennifer Walter—Treas/Tax

May 21–27 is Etiquette Week and, forsome, polishing up table mannerswould be a good celebration. However,there are other kinds of etiquette, andone that seems to need some attentionthese days has to do with e-mail mes-sages. E-mail has become an importantpart of our daily lives, both at work andat home. While personal e-mail canbe less formal, there are a few rules ofetiquette that should be followed forbusiness e-mail messages.

1. Don’t put anything in an e-mail that you don’twant made public.

2. Keep messages concise and to the point.

3. Use the Reply to All button with care. It cancreate a lot of unnecessary e-mails. If your replyis something only the sender needs to know, youdon’t have to send it to everyone else.

4. The use of upper case is the equivalent of shout-ing and should be used only to make a point.

5. Be careful with abbreviations and acronyms.Standard abbreviations such as FYI or ASAP may

be acceptable, but avoid those that may be con-fusing or not easily understood by the reader.

6. Make good use of the subject line. It shouldcontain a succinct summary of what’s in themessage to help people assess the priority ofyour message. A blank subject line, or one thatmerely says “Hi”, is of little help to personswho have 50 e-mails in their Inboxes.

7. IST reminds us that every Inbox has a size limi-tation. You can “clean house” and keep fromexceeding this quota by deleting unneededitems from different Outlook folders. First, lookat the Deleted Items folder. You can easilyempty this folder by selecting tools ➔ Empty“Deleted Items” folder. The second place tolook is the Sent Items folder. If you don’t wantto delete everything in this folder, look for anddelete those e-mails that have files attached tothem, as these take up more file space.

The Personal Folders are the perfectlocation for e-mail messages youwould like to save, as items storedhere do not add to your quota limita-tions. Simply drag and drop e-mails

from the Inbox, Sent Items, and otherfolders to Personal Folders. ■

Remember, while e-mails are a conve-nient and expedient way to communi-cate with people, they are no substitutefor live interaction; e-mails don’tconvey tones or body language. ■

easily shifted to their backup generators.The generator at the system’s mostinaccessible site, however, at the summitof Big Rock Mountain in northern Marin,refused to function. Greg Miller andJerry Glenn headed up the mountain’sdirt road loaded with equipment, aportable generator, and fuel. Theyfought high winds and horizontal rain,and had to remove a fallen tree from theroad before finally reaching the summit.Once there, they were able to splice inthe portable generator. They spent thenight and a better part of the next daybaby-sitting and fueling the generatorto ensure that the site stayed on the air.

■ Then there was the occasion at oneof the remote sites when a local goatassaulted one of the technicians, forreasons known only to the goat. One ofthe goat’s horns got stuck in the techni-cian’s belt, resulting in an enchantingdance duet with the goat clearly takingthe lead. The technician remains the“butt” of jokes to this day. ■ Thesededicated people combine a gracefulblend of modern technological know-how with a rugged team spirit. They aresome of the less visible players who,through constant attention, help keep thepeople on the front lines safe, prepared,and plugged in. ■

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Mansourian. ■ After years of plan-ning and coordination with the myriadaffected agencies, a contract wasawarded in September 1998 to con-struct a computer-controlled digitalradio system. (Member agenciesinclude all fire districts, law enforcementagencies, and emergency medicalresponders in the county. Also includedare the public works departments forthe county and several cities, the countytransit district, Marin water districts,and a number of other entities.) TheMERA system replaces the numerousseparate and distinct systems main-tained by these agencies. It unifiespublic safety response, making it possi-ble for member agencies to communi-cate with each other more effectively.■ Because member agencies share a common infrastructure, the systemallows regional or wide area conversa-tions between dispatch operators andmobile units operating throughout the county. The shared infrastructurelets participating agencies retainautonomous radio operations, whilegiving them the flexibility to expandtheir radio communications to include

other agencies whenthe need occurs, asduring a natural disas-ter. The system has 14mountaintop transmit-ter/receiver facilities,eight separate dis-patch centers, andover 2,500 field radiounits—a maintenancetechnician’s dream.■ Fortunately, theradio shop has adream team consistingof 13 highly experi-enced and dedicated

individuals. Shelly Grant is theCommunications Services Manager.Senior Communications TechniciansTim Charlberg, Ralph Medsger, andGreg Miller keep this highly complexsystem online. They maintain andmonitor the mountaintop stations, whichare linked together using microwavetechnology to provide centralizedmanagement and control. ■ No lessvital are Communications TechniciansJerry Channel, Jerry Glenn, Dan Hess,and Phillip Thomas, who take care ofeverything from system preventativemaintenance to ensuring that all dis-patch centers and radio equipment areproperly managed, maintained, andworking at optimum performancelevels. ■ Junior CommunicationsTechnicians Tom Buell, Erik Oyen, andJimmie Hudson specialize in ensuringthat all vehicle radio units, along with amyriad of other bells and whistles, areproperly installed and fully functional—no small task in today’s electronicsmaze. ■ But it’s not all gadgets anddials. The mountaintop sites are vitalfacilities which require regular inspec-tion and maintenance, no matter what.In November 2002 a major stormresulted in loss of PG&E power to fourmountaintop sites. Three of the four

Team members at the daily “pass down of info. meeting” L to R: Erik Oyen, Arianna Carey, Dilbert, Ralph Medsger, JimmieHudson, Roger Strohmeyer, Tom Buell, Shelly Grant

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MERA-CALL cont’dFrom front cover

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Greg Miller trains fellow technicians at the MERA prime site onpreventative maintenance of the MERA backbone. L to R: JerryChannel, Greg Miller, Phillip Thomas

and never forgetting that love is what is needed more thananything else. Maria, not one to sugarcoat, added that fosterparents should also know how to handle a foster child’sanger, and to let the anger be expressed. ■ Maria appre-ciates how important her foster parents were in her life.

She says, “They are the reason I am what I am.” Her mes-sage to other foster kids is one of hope and encouragement,suggesting they find out what the world has to offer and gofor it. ■ Information about becoming a foster or foster-adopt parent is available from FamilyFinders at 499-5028 or507-4387, or on the web at: www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/HH/main/ss/children.cfm. ■

Fostering Success cont’dFrom front cover

Name Title & Department

Stephen Baker Asst. Engineer, DPWWanda Macicik Intermediate Clerk/Typist, ProbationLoretta Rogers Sr. Secretary, H&HSJuan Funes Child Welfare Wkr. I – Biling., H&HSAude Foisy Sr. Secretary, H&HSMark Wong Sr. Programmer Analyst, ISTAlexander Soulard Engineering Tech. I, DPWMargaret Nicholls Secretary, Aud-Cont.Carlos Cam Registered Dental Asst., H&HSCarrie Stockton ERP Sr. System Analyst, Aud-Cont.Curtis Wilridge Custodian, DPWStephen Evans Custodian, DPWChanning Wong Technology Support Analyst I, LibraryLaurie Jamieson-Collier Legal Process Asst.I, DALeanna Edwards Sheriff’s Svc. Asst., SheriffRachel Warner Planner, CDAMartin Aceves Child Welfare Wkr. II – Biling., H&HSGary Johnson Assessment/Recording Tech. I, AssessorKirk Mercereau Deputy Sheriff Trainee, SheriffMichael Ertz Mental Health Pract., ProbationStacey Laumann Asst. Planner, CDAShelagh Stewart-Chung Sr. Secretary, H&HSChris Gaffney Assessment/Recording Tech. I, AssessorBrian Cabaud Deputy Sheriff Trainee, SheriffSigmund Okuri-Bido Employment Devel. Counselor, H&HSLeslie Alden Board Aide, BOSRon Matteson Principal Systems Analyst, ISTRobert Pascaretta Engineering Tech. III, DPWEmily Moussamih Patient Accounts Clerk, H&HSVeronica Herrera Eligibility Asst. – Biling., H&HSSue Mittiga Secretary – Confidential, CAOSandy Shartzer Mediation Case Developer, ProbationMarianne Hinchee Legal Process Spec., SheriffArthur Honegger Crisis Spec., H&HSAmy Harris Licensed Crisis Spec., H&HS

&WELCOMEFAREWELL !

Welcome to New Employees! Listed in order of hire date from December 2005 to February 2006

Speaking the Same LanguageBy Sue Kettmann—H&HS

As the local client base diver-sifies, bilingual skills becomemore critical for the provisionof effective services in thecommunity. In recognition of this growing need, the Cultural CompetenceCommittee in the Health andHuman Services Departmentheld bilingual staff apprecia-tion luncheons on January 18at the Marin Art and GardenCenter and on March 7 atWomen’s Health Services in

Montecito. Nearly 150 bilingual staff were invited to sharelunch, talk about their best practices, and celebrate thedifferences they make in the community through language-appropriate services. Each received a certificate of apprecia-tion from H&HS Director Dr. Larry Meredith, and had achance to share views about the services they provide. ■

Front desk and medical records staff at Women's HealthServices provide bilingual services to 50-100 patients daily.Front row L to R: Sonia Vera, Elizabeth Tellez, MonicaZavaleta, Laury Diaz Back row L to R: Roy Asprer, ChristinaHernandez, Carmen Vazquez-Lind, Anna Bittner

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Sarah Grossi Social Svc. Wkr. II, H&HSTerri Fashing Engineering Tech. III, DPWSarah Colton Child Welfare Wkr. II, H&HSSharon McNamee Dir. of Parks & Open Space, P&OSGregory Martin Deputy District Attorney I, DAAaron Jarvis Firefighter/Paramedic I, FireKen Mercer Systems Support Analyst II, H&HSPonta Ghofrani Child Welfare Wkr. II, H&HSDodie Goldberg Sr. Clerk/Typist, DPWOlga Frid Systems Support Analyst II, ISTRichard Bolmen Safety Officer, CAOMonica Rosenberg Support Svc. Wkr. I – Biling., H&HSBarbara Merino Library Branch Aide II, LibraryAnna Forsher Library Branch Aide I, LibraryCatharine Zane Licensed Mental Health Pract., H&HSRoy Asprer Sr. Clerk/Typist, H&HS

Farewell to Retirees!Janet Bosshard Supervising Park Ranger, P&OSMary Psiol Accounting Tech., Treas/TaxBeverly Lucchesi Courtroom Clerk, CourtsChristine Mehas Sr. Secretary, H&HSEvelyn Conroy Executive Secretary, CourtsRosemary Vindigni Court Reporter, CourtsVictoria Dubiel Court Reporter, CourtsPatricia McCormack Eligibility Supervisor, H&HSClaudia Celoni Custodian, DPWTim Underwood Supervising Hazardous Materials Spec., DPWEdmond Henry Asst. Chief Building Inspector, CDACynthia Roby Board Aide, BOSRoger Hollibaugh Fire Dispatcher, Fire John Maloney Supervising Comm. Tech., DPWAnne Wooliever Chief Deputy Probation Officer, ProbationFrank Neer Sr. Fire Captain, Fire

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reySAP SmartBy Elise Lenox—Project MERIT

A representative teamof county employees isconducting training forthe new financial andpurchasing system thatis being implementedat the County of Marin. The new system is called “SAP,”named for the German company that developed it. We havedubbed it “Systems, Applications and Products for DataProcessing.” Trainers include Cathy Boffi (IST), NoushinFarrokhnia (IST), Jules Fulgentes (IST), Margie Lazo (Aud-Cont.), Sandra Pelkey (DPW), Cathy Selmi (IST), BonitaShannon (H&HS), and Magen Yambao (Aud-Cont.). About600 county employees (1 in 4) are currently being trained on the new system. ■ The County of Marin will “go live”with the first release of SAP on July 3. It provides access tointegrated financial, human resources, and other operationalinformation to improve county business processes. For moreinformation on SAP, please call 499-7105. ■

L to R: Cathy Selmi, Noushin Farrokhnia,Jules Fulgentes, Bonita Shannon, CathyBoffi, Magen Yambao Sitting: MargieLazo and Sandra Pelkey