NEWS & NOTES. Random thoughts from a random thinker. Believe you can and you re halfway there. Theodore Roosevelt. Friday

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1 Believe you can and you re halfway there. Theodore Roosevelt Random thoughts from a random thinker Pizza and Perspective. The first of our Pizza with the City Manager events last month was a smashing success, with nearly 50 of our employees joining me at Petrillo s for some mighty fine pizza and a good dose of conversation, too. Thanks to all of you who took time out of your day for food, fun, and conversation. And if you have any ideas about future topics for our salon series, or for Pizza with the City Manager events, let me know at spreston@sgch.org. Holiday Party Kudos. This is our first News and Notes since the holidays, so let s also give a shout out to our planning committee for the annual holiday party at Cleaver Hall (Church of Our Saviour). Clara Bow in Wings (1927), March 20 at the Playhouse Welcome, Chief. With this issue of News and Notes, we welcome new Fire Chief Mario D. Rueda to San Gabriel. Chief Rueda will be leading our new three-city command, overseeing fire department operations in San Gabriel, San Marino and South Pasadena. We enjoyed a delightful welcome reception for the Chief in January at the Mission Playhouse. Huzzah for Silent Sundays. Speaking of the Mission Playhouse, I do hope that you all have taken the opportunity to enjoy the Playhouse s Silent Sundays film series, part of the Playhouse s Engage! program. The second in a series of four films, The General with Buster Keaton, played two weeks ago to more than 600 film fans while Mark Herman plied the Mighty Wurlitzer in spirited accompaniment. The next film will be Wings (1927) on March 20 at 2:30 p.m. Hope you can join us! Farewell, Mark. Last Friday night, more than 100 people gathered at Almansor Court in Alhambra to give longtime Planning Manager Mark Gallatin a rousing sendoff. There was laughter, singing, and a baseball-themed menu that reflected Mark s love for America s favorite pastime. We will miss Mark, but not for too long: He will be rejoining us on a limited term agreement to help staff the department until his successor is selected. So for Mark, it s not just farewell but welcome back? Steven A. Preston, City Manager

2 Employee Spotlight: Frank Cardenas Congratulations to Frank Cardenas on his recent promotion to Public Works Inspector! Frank started with the City of San Gabriel 16 years ago as a parttime Maintenance Worker I. In 2000 he was promoted to a full-time Maintenance Worker position and by 2002 he earned another promotion to Maintenance Leadperson. He has helped to lead the Field Operations Division for the last thirteen years. Frank absolutely loves his job, and he has enjoyed the many years he has dedicated to repairing and maintaining San Gabriel s streets, sewers, and sidewalks. Although he admits that it will take some time getting used to not being out in the field so much, he is very happy to be tackling a new and exciting opportunity. As the City s first Public Works Inspector, Frank will be working with contractors to ensure that there is proper traffic control, signage, and that safe construction practices are being implemented at development sites. He looks forward to doing a good job, and finding more opportunities to grow in his role as Public Works Inspector. When Frank is not on the job, he enjoys camping and spending time outdoors with his family. He tries to take at least two camping trips out to Mammoth every year. And no matter what the weather is like, Frank will always make time to go fishing! He especially likes fishing in streams for trout, and has even been teaching his grandchildren how to fish. Congratulations again to Frank on his promotion. We wish him all the best, and good luck as the new Public Works Inspector! Human Resources Update -Marcella Marlowe, Ph.D., Assistant City Manager Citywide Employee Intranet The Citywide Employee Intranet provides you with convenient access to a variety of documents and forms such as benefit information, City policies, the Citywide and Phone List, and much more! To log onto the Intranet, please visit Please make sure to click on the Employee Intranet link located on the menu. From there, you will be directed to the appropriate webpage where you can enter your Intranet username and password. 2

3 We are always looking for ways to improve how we provide information to employees. If you have any suggestions or comments regarding the Citywide Employee Intranet, or need assistance logging on, please contact Krystle Murillo at ext if you are in City Hall, (626) if you are outside of City Hall, or via at Open Recruitments Updates Below is the latest update on recruitments happening in the Human Resources Department: o Police Officer (Entry Level Recruit) Testing Scheduled for February 20 Watch for bulletins in the Human Resources Department, and on our website at Remember that new job flyers come out at different times, and may not match the publication schedule of News and Notes, so check with Human Resources for specific information about recruitments you might be interested in. Training, Education, and Development: New Events All the Time! Note These Dates! Training Opportunities The following Liebert Cassidy Whitmore training will take place at Rosemead City Hall. If you would like to attend, please notify your Supervisor or Director to be placed on the schedule: o Supervisory Skills for the First Line Supervisor/Manager, March 24, 9:00am to 4:00pm Congratulations & Well-Wishes A warm welcome to Fire Chief Mario D. Rueda! Chief Rueda started with us on January 11, and will be heading the Fire Departments in the Cities of San Gabriel, San Marino, and South Pasadena. With more than 35 years of experience, Chief Rueda brings to the three Cities tremendous knowledge and expertise on all fire matters. The next time you see Chief Rueda, please make sure to say hello! 3

4 We would also like to give a warm welcome to Building Official Joe Chen. We are very happy that Joe has joined the San Gabriel team. Feel free to stop by the Community Development Department and introduce yourself! Another round of congratulations to Frank Cardenas on his promotion to Public Works Inspector. Great job! The Job Well Done Department We don t always get to hear about the great things our staff members do, so we would like to share some of the recent kudos that San Gabriel City staff members have received. Congratulations to Executive Assistant Jackie Wong for her completion of a certificate program administered by the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) in partnership with California Academy for Economic Development, and California State University Fresno. While in the program, Jackie learned about emerging economic development concepts, while developing a network of connections and resources throughout California. Excellent work! If you have recently received a customer salute or know of a colleague s professional accomplishment, drop us a line in Human Resources. We love to publish this stuff! Upcoming Events Lunar New Year Festival at the Mission District, February 6 Valentine s Day, February 14 Presidents Day, February 15 City Hall Closed Mission Playhouse Silent Sundays Series Presents: Wings, March 20 In the Kitchen Chicken Curry in a Hurry Here s a quick recipe that you can easily whip up for your next meal! Ingredients: 1 cup white rice 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced 4

5 2 teaspoons of curry powder ½ cup plain of yogurt ¾ cup of heavy cream ½ teaspoon of kosher salt ¼ teaspoon of black pepper oz. can of diced tomatoes (optional) Meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, sliced or shredded ¼ cup of fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped Directions: 1. Cook the rice according to packaging directions. 2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes. 3. Sprinkle with curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 4. Add the yogurt and cream and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and tomatoes (if desired). Remove from heat. 5. Divide the rice and chicken among bowls, spoon the sauce over the top, and sprinkle with cilantro. Makes 6 servings. Read More: The door is always open! Vintage sodas of the week in the City Manager s office include IBC Root Beer and Martinelli s Sparkling Apple Juice. Stop by to visit, and enjoy a soda. Open City Manager Office Hours daily, 3:00pm to 5:00pm. You re all invited to drop by, share a soft drink, and let Steve know what is on your mind. 5

6 Let s Hear from You! What do you think about News and Notes? Are you getting the information you need? What features would you like to see? Let us know what you think by contacting Krystle Murillo at ext if you are in City Hall, (626) if you are outside of City Hall, or via at kmurillo@sgch.org. Contact Us! As always, we re here for YOU! If you need information or assistance, please reach out to us. For workers compensation and risk management, contact Rayna Ospina at ext if you are in City Hall, ext. 611 if you are outside of City Hall, or via at rospina@sgch.org. For general HR information, including recruitments, benefits, training & development, Employee Awards, and volunteer program information, contact Krystle Murillo at ext if you are in City Hall, (626) if you are outside of City Hall, or via at kmurillo@sgch.org. For employment verifications and personnel records, contact Melanie Benson at ext if you are in City Hall, ext. 602 if you are outside of City Hall, or via at mbenson@sgch.org. For employee concerns or supervisory support, contact Marcella Marlowe at ext if you are in City Hall, ext. 603 if you are outside of City Hall, via at mmarlowe@sgch.org or just stop by! 6

7 2016 News & Notes Editions February 5, 2016 April 1, 2016 June 3, 2016 August 5, 2016 October 7, 2016 December 2, 2016 Mission Statement Through uncommon commitment, collaboration, and optimism that inspire community pride, we: Promote economic vitality Provide exceptional services and experiences Implement innovative, sustainable solutions Celebrate our rich history and promising future San Gabriel s Vision San Gabriel will be a premier city in the region. Building on its rich history, San Gabriel will stand out as a vibrant, inclusive, and inviting place to live, work, shop, and play. San Gabriel will set the standard for excellence and innovation. 7