Happy Monday, all! It has been a busy weekend for the Parkers. Lots of efforts in the yard and garden and work around the house.
I did talk with our coast guard son over the weekend. While he can't always tell us what he is doing, especially in his current assignment in the Middle East, he did share a
news story about one of their recent adventures. His crew seized $17 million in illegal drugs from a "fishing vessel" in the Gulf of Oman. The shipment was likely headed toward destinations in the Mediterranean Sea. Anyway, our "adrenalin junkie" son loved every minute of that one.
On a somewhat related note, we kick off Utah Law Enforcement Week and National Public Works Week today. We had a very solemn flag ceremony this morning honoring our Provo police officers who have died in the line of duty, which was a fitting start to that week. Our heartfelt appreciation go out to our police and public works employees for doing all they do to make life better in Provo and to keeping our community safe and sound.
You will also notice that we added a new section to the Daily Update on changes in some of our operations that are connected to the move to the new city hall and public safety facility. Watch this "New Changes Coming" section for the latest on all of these changes.
UPCOMING CITY EVENTS
NEW CHANGES COMING
Change Overview
Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they’re meant to be. – B.K.S. Ivengar
Over the next few weeks and months, Provo City will undergo a significant set of changes for how we do business. We have a new city hall, a new airport, upgraded phone system, updated security systems with badge access, a moved data center, enhanced printing capabilities, modern conference rooms, and many other great things coming our way. We recognize the disruptions and challenges this mountain climb brings, and we know it will not be perfect on day one. Thankfully, we have the best team on the planet to tackle these challenges and deliver the benefits.
In subsequent issues of this blog, I will drill down into a few of these areas. I also intend to directly address the challenges where I can. I encourage each of you to reach out if a subject piques your interest or if you feel a specific subject would benefit our workforce. With the tools of courage and tenacity we will arrive at the better place located the other side of this mountain. I also know we will all come together and help each other, and that you will join me in providing support to those leading our change expedition.
YOUR VOICE
Have any exciting news? Birthdays, babies, weddings, fur-babies, graduations? Share about it in the section on the right --> and upload pics below!
UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!
NEWS YOU CAN USE
- Today is 311's Birthday! Be sure to wish them happy birthday if you get the chance!
- Lawmakers in both Finland and Sweden affirmed efforts to apply for membership to NATO, the Western-backed alliance originally established as a bulwark against the Soviet Union. Officials say the move, which would end decades of a stringent neutrality policy for both countries, was prompted by Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
- At least 10 people were killed and three others wounded Saturday after a shooter opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. It marks the worst mass shooting in the city's history, and the deadliest in the US in the past year.
- New analysis suggests a weather phenomenon known as an anticyclone helped produce the deadly Pacific Northwest heat wave last year that left hundreds dead in the US and Canada
PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA
HOT-BUTTON ITEMS IN PROVO
Tomorrow afternoon we will be discussing a new initiative with the Municipal Council. For the last several months, city staff from Orem and Provo have been exploring the feasibility of consolidating our emergency dispatch centers into a single unit. The concept of consolidation has been discussed on and off for at least five years, but a number of factors have combined to make a deeper dive a bit more timely. As the city administrations, police, fire, legal, human resources and finance staffs have done preliminary exploration, it looks like there are enough positive factors to warrant a second phase analysis.
Key reasons that make now a good time to talk about it more publicly include:
- Improve service levels and response time
- Cost savings and efficiencies for both cities
- Encouragement by Utah state officials and agencies
- Provo's new dispatch center has space available
- Attracting and retaining employees
- History of working together and high trust levels
- Create more opportunities for collaboration
The fundamental approach includes having Orem contract with Provo for dispatch services in the short term while working together to create an interlocal agreement and structure for the long term. Provo would welcome Orem's dispatch employees into Provo employment and Orem would pay a portion of the combined operating and capital budgets based on a formula taking into account calls for service and population served.
There is still a lot of work to be done, but I am convinced that the effort is worth it and that there are way more positives than negatives for both cities. Our target is to complete our second phase of review, and to make a decision this fall as to whether or not consolidation is a win-win. If so, we would enter into a contract for services late fall with consolidation to happen in January 2023.
Stay tuned for more information on this process. If you want to dive into the details, you can check out
the staff report and a white paper that we developed to talk about the process thus far and the next steps.
FUN STUFF
Kind of a "welcome" to the new work week. Sliding out of the beautiful weekend and into Monday like...
Here's hoping you slide into the new week a bit better than that. Stay well and safe!
Wayne
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