August 10, 2021 Update

Today's day is loaded again with meetings - there is never any shortage of those.  One of the highlights is a meeting with Paul Victor, who is the BYU student body president.  I wrote about Paul early last month, and today he will be meeting with the Mayor and me to talk about ways to better serve and engage with students.  We are also meeting today with a local developer who is working on some private development along the Center Street corridor from 500 West to I-15.  This area has been identified by the Municipal Council as a high priority for quality redevelopment as one of the City's gateways, so this discussion is one that has a lot of promise for our community.

Today is also primary election day where the field for mayor and two open city council seats will be narrowed down to two candidates each for the November 2 general election.  Information about voting on election day and bringing ballots to official drop boxes can be found here.  And if you want to watch the election results this evening and as results roll out over the next two weeks, you can follow the process here.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

The Diaries of Adam and Eve I July 29 - August 21

Cool Science: Ice Cream Demonstration I August 10 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Learn It: Canning 101 I August 10 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Crochet Club: Crochet Basics I August 12 6:30 - 7:00 pm

Crochet Club: Bags I August 12 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Tween Academy: Jade Mountain Academy I August 21 11:00 - 1:00 pm

Provo City Library Writing Group I August 21 1:00 - 2:00 pm

Rock The Canyon I August 28 4:00 pm - 8:00pm
Blue Skies Concert Series I Wednesdays through September 22

YOUR VOICE

Today we want to know what you like to do! Tell us about a recent vacation, your favorite after-work hobby, etc. And please share a few pictures with us!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Researchers say the Gulf Stream, which plays a big role in the ebb and flow of the Northern Hemisphere's climate, might be on the way toward a rapid collapse. It can exist in two states: a stronger, faster state and one that is much slower and weaker. Right now, it is in the stronger and faster state, but might be trending toward the slower and weaker state, which would have devastating consequences for global weather systems.
• Airbnb has rounded up 16 unique roadside stays in the United States — and a cave (yes, you read that right) in Utah made the cut.
• Scientists studying squirrels have been testing their parkour-like stunts to get peanuts. The best park? They have videos! They plan to use this study to design the world's first robot with squirrel-like movement capabilities.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

TUESDAY TIP

Have a presentation coming up or just want to improve your public speaking skills? Here are a couple of great articles on storytelling and on how to improve your "call-to-action" when you give your next presentation.

• How to Improve Your Call to Action in a Presentation
• Storytelling--A Powerful Way to Lead and Communicate

FUN STUFF

It has been a while since we did a little Bruno Mars - and also since we did a little BTS.  So, here we go with a mashup of Dynamite and Uptown Funk.  Who knew that those two pieces would fit so well together?

Hope the rest of your day is great.  Thanks for all you do to make Provo great and a great place for us to work.

Wayne

Monday August 9, 2021

It has been a busy Monday - lots of meetings and projects underway.  Add to that the recent surge in Covid cases across the state (and all that brings), it has been pretty hectic today.  I also had a two hour meeting with the Mayor and officials from across the state on funding strategies to more comprehensively address the impacts of homelessness on our cities.  Now that I write all that, I am even more exhausted than I was when I started.  😃 

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Cool Science: Ice Cream Demonstration I August 10 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Learn It: Canning 101 I August 10 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Crochet Club: Crochet Basics I August 12 6:30 - 7:00 pm

Crochet Club: Bags I August 12 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Rock The Canyon I August 28 4:00 pm - 8:00pm
Blue Skies Concert Series I Wednesdays through September 22

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Here is the final medal count for the Olympics: US: 113, China: 88, ROC: 71, Great Britain: 65, Japan: 58.
• University of Utah has announced that Taylor Randall will be its new president.
• Utah had the worst air in the world on Friday, all due to wildfires in other states. Officials are urging Utahns to follow guidelines to stay safe.
• Mattel has introduced six new Barbie dolls based on real-life individuals and has announced that they will donate $5 for each Barbie doctor, nurse, or paramedic doll sold.
• Utah County officials have stated they will not be implementing a mask mandate for schools this year.

YOUR VOICE

One of the ideas that came through the earlier survey was the desire to make the update more interactive.  So, today we are asking you to check out this section (on the right -->) where we will include polls and questions for you, as well as a form where you can highlight a coworker or tell us about what you do for the city! This can range from new babies or weddings to just wanting to give a shout-out to a fellow employee. Fill out the questions on the left, then upload pictures for us to share using the link below!  We will post your responses in upcoming editions of the update.  

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

HOT-BUTTON ITEMS IN PROVO

Let's talk the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in Utah.  Here are a few updated stats from the State Health Department related to "breakthrough cases" - people who become seriously ill (requiring hospitalization) with Covid-19 after they were fully vaccinated.

• There have been approximately 5,841 breakthrough cases in Utah and 21 deaths from those cases.
• For every 100,000 Utahns fully vaccinated, 397 have been victims of breakthrough cases, 24 have been hospitalized and 1.4 have died.
• The seven day rolling average of cases is at 183 for all Utahns, 286 for unvaccinated people, and 61 for vaccinated people.

We have seen an uptick in city employees who have tested positive for Covd-19 in the last 6 weeks or so (coinciding with the prevalence of the Delta variant), and we are monitoring the situation carefully.  Should any changes be required in city policies or practices, we will keep you informed.  

I wanted to reiterate two things we have encouraged with city employees.  If you are still undecided about getting a vaccine, we encourage you to think seriously about it.  If you had Covid-19 and haven't been vaccinated, you might want to check out the advantages to being immunized.  

Finally, let me remind everyone that if you have underlying medical conditions or other concerns, please reach out to your department director or human resources.  We can work with you where possible to allow alternative work arrangements. 

On a related note, you will be seeing an email from the Fire Department soon about some changes to the protocol for Covid-19 testing at the downtown fire station.  Just a reminder that if you need a test, it is easy, convenient and free through Provo Fire. 

FUN STUFF

Just in case you were missing the Olympics after yesterday's closing ceremonies, here is a classic Studio C sketch about a diving competition that is worth watching!

Sorry today's update is later than usual.  Looking forward to another busy day tomorrow!

Wayne

Thursday August 5, 2021 Update

Thanks for reading this week.  We are still trying to experiment with some different features for the daily update.  We hope you take the opportunity to weigh in with your ideas, your employee=related posts and more.

This morning we took our monthly walk through the new city hall and public safety building project.  Lots has changed - there is a lot more sheet rock up and the offices, conference rooms and public areas are beginning to take shape.  If you haven't had a opportunity to do a walk-through, reach out to Dick Blackham who can help set things up for a department or division "inspection" of the new digs.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

The Diaries of Adam and Eve I July 29 - August 21

Cool Science: Ice Cream Demonstration I August 10 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Learn It: Canning 101 I August 10 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Crochet Club: Crochet Basics I August 12 6:30 - 7:00 pm

Crochet Club: Bags I August 12 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Tween Academy: Jade Mountain Academy I August 21 11:00 - 1:00 pm

Provo City Library Writing Group I August 21 1:00 - 2:00 pm

Rock The Canyon I August 28 4:00 pm - 8:00pm
Blue Skies Concert Series I Wednesdays through September 22

YOUR VOICE

One more reminder if you haven't, to check out this section (on the right -->) where we will include polls and questions for you, as well as a form where you can highlight a coworker or tell us about what you do for the city! This can range from new babies or weddings to just wanting to give a shout-out to a fellow employee. Fill out the questions on the right, then upload pictures for us to share using the link below!  We will post your responses in upcoming editions of the update.

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Emergency changes have been made to Utah's fishing regulations as the drought continues.
• The Utah delegation introduced legislation to rename Provo's Vet Center after the “Candy Bomber” Gail Halvorsen.
•  Check out this interesting article on why people say "no" and 4 ways to encourage people to do what needs to be done.
• The golden Eagle populations are struggling in Utah, but teams of biologists are helping when and where they can, sometimes going to great lengths to study and help them!
• If you haven't heard, the new child tax credits are having impacts in Utah County.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

MAYOR'S WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

It is city council week, so she attended city council work meeting, council meeting and council leadership meeting.  She spoke several times with county health department director Eric Edwards, attended two meetings with Utah county mayors, met and had lunch with Congressman John Curtis, and met with representatives of Allegiant Airlines.

FUN STUFF

This week's favorite internet memes.

The last one may not be too familiar to some of our younger employees!  I hope you have a great weekend!

Wayne

Wednesday August 4, 2021 Update

I hope you are having a great day.  We had an opportunity to meet with BYU leaders during our monthly meeting today.  We had a good discussion ranging from new developments near campus to new banner designs for placement on some city streets to plans for handling back to school issues.  I am always impressed at how hard the BYU team works to make the campus and its surrounding areas work for the university and the community.

As you have probably read, Utah is experiencing a spike in Covid-19 cases again.  But I saw some interesting stats today from the state health department.

• 95.8% of new Covid cases are in persons who have not been vaccinated
• 0.13% of vaccinated people in Utah have been infected with "breakthrough" Covid
• For those over 65 years of age, the "breakthrough rate" is just under 10%

So, if you haven't yet been vaccinated, please carefully study the facts and make a decision about it.  You can learn more objective facts about the vaccine options at the CDC website and find a vaccine site at the state health department website.  

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

The Diaries of Adam and Eve I July 29 - August 21
Recipe Swap: Breakfast I August 4 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Intro to Studio Production I August 4 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Cool Science: Ice Cream Demonstration I August 10 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Learn It: Canning 101 I August 10 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Crochet Club: Crochet Basics I August 12 6:30 - 7:00 pm

Crochet Club: Bags I August 12 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Tween Academy: Jade Mountain Academy I August 21 11:00 - 1:00 pm

Provo City Library Writing Group I August 21 1:00 - 2:00 pm

Rock The Canyon I August 28 4:00 pm - 8:00pm
Blue Skies Concert Series I Wednesdays through September 22

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Raising Cane's grand opening was yesterday in Provo, and if you haven't given them a try, you should! The long lines are worth the wait for their delicious sauces!
• A Guiness World Record was set by Utah's own Dallas Anderson and Jon Paleka. It was a bit of an unorthodox record involving marshmallows. 
• Do you know an outstanding volunteer? Nominate them for recognition at this year's Utah Philanthropy Day celebration. Nominations open through Aug 13. 
• Provo's own first medical school is providing a unique approach to education, and it's making a difference.

YOUR VOICE

Remember to check out this section (on the right -->) where we will include polls and questions for you, as well as a form where you can highlight a coworker or tell us about what you do for the city! This can range from new babies or weddings to just wanting to give a shout-out to a fellow employee. Fill out the questions on the right, then upload pictures for us to share using the link below!  We will post your responses in upcoming editions of the update.

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT

Speaking of the library, let's highlight Provo's library today!  Here are some quick stats:

Current annual budget:  $4.75 million

Major revenue source is property tax:  $4.26 million

Employees:  58.7 full time equivalents; 22 full-time and 72 part-time employees 

Materials circulated in 2020: 1.42 million (down from 1.6 million pre-pandemic)

E-books checked out in 2020: 444,000 (up from 391,000 pre-pandemic)

Program attendees in 2020: 33,700 in 2020 (down from 87,000 pre-pandemic)

The library operates one of the largest single-library systems in the United States in terms of visitors, library cards and circulation.  

Little known fact:  The library has a creative lab in the building where residents can produce and edit videos.  They offer classes in video production and editing, and residents can check out video equipment and use the green screen and editing software in the lab.  

We are exceptionally proud of our library staff and pleased that in citizen surveys they are often the city service most loved by our residents!

FUN STUFF

So, there has been a lot of social media chatter around former BYU and now NY Jets quarterback Zach Wilson and Tampa Bay legend quarterback Tom Brady sharing the same birthday.  Zach turned 22 the same day Tom turned 44.  A little eerie, huh?  Well, Zach decided to have a little fun with it with this tweet.  Incredible duo indeed, considering Zach has 0 Super Bowls and 0 NFL touchdowns.  Might be fun to watch what Brady and the Tampa Bay fans have to say about the post.  At least we know Zach still has a great sense of humor.

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday.  We will be back tomorrow with favorite memes of the week and more....

Wayne

August 3, 2021 Update

Welcome to Tuesday!  It is the first city council day in August, which means that it is also the day for our monthly directors' meeting.  Today we had a presentation from the Provo City School District CAPS program, a discussion about the upcoming United Way Day of Caring and the associated 20 year remembrance of September 11.  We also talked about more mundane issues like the city's liability insurance coverage, budget carryovers, and computer equipment replacement policies.  But it is always good to get the Mayor's Office staff and the directors together - it reminds me about how diverse our services are and how excellent our directors' group is at working with you to offer the highest quality services possible to our residents
.  

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

The Diaries of Adam and Eve I July 29 - August 21
Paint Night I August 3 7:00 pm
Recipe Swap: Breakfast I August 4 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Intro to Studio Production I August 4 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Cool Science: Ice Cream Demonstration I August 10 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Learn It: Canning 101 I August 10 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Crochet Club: Crochet Basics I August 12 6:30 - 7:00 pm

Crochet Club: Bags I August 12 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Tween Academy: Jade Mountain Academy I August 21 11:00 - 1:00 pm

Provo City Library Writing Group I August 21 1:00 - 2:00 pm

Rock The Canyon I August 28 4:00 pm - 8:00pm
Blue Skies Concert Series I Wednesdays through September 22

YOUR VOICE

Here's another little gentle reminder to fill out this section (on the right -->) where we will include polls and questions for you, as well as a form where you can highlight a coworker or tell us about what you do for the city! This can range from new babies or weddings to just wanting to give a shout-out to a fellow employee. Fill out the questions on the right, then upload pictures for us to share using the link below!  We will post your responses in upcoming editions of the update.  

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• UDOT has started a new campaign as a response to an uptick in road litter and debris.

• Utah's own 'singing police officer' is sharing his talents to raise awareness on the importance of making connections with youth.

• Wondering what colleges in Utah will look like this coming fall? Here's a look into what some of them are doing this year. BYU has its own policies as well, but hasn't announced them for the new year.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

TUESDAY TIP

Feeling sad, stressed or overwhelmed? Here are a couple ideas for a quick work pick-me-up:

• THE QUICK PATH FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE EMOTION FOR LEADERS AND TEAMS

FUN STUFF

Little known fact about me.  During my teenage years I was something of an amateur magician.  Card tricks and disappearing scarfs at birthday parties and neighborhood socials were somewhat common.  But I could never find a good magician's assistant.  My younger sisters sometimes tried, but they left a lot to be desired.  When I saw this Studio C sketch, it reminded me of why it is hard to find a good assistant, and why I didn't make stage magic my day job.  

Thanks again for all you do!  I hope you have a great day and another evening of watching Olympic events!

Wayne

Monday August 2, 2021 Update

Happy Monday!  It is August - how did July get away from me?  My grandkids are heading back to school in a couple of weeks, especially the ones in Illinois who start on August 15.  Watching the weather the last couple of days has given me some hope that autumn might be around the corner.

This morning on my early exercise walk, I captured this picture of Y Mountain with the clouds in the background.  We really do live in a wonderful spot!

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

The Diaries of Adam and Eve I July 29 - August 21
Paint Night I August 3 7:00 pm
Recipe Swap: Breakfast I August 4 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Intro to Studio Production I August 4 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Cool Science: Ice Cream Demonstration I August 10 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Learn It: Canning 101 I August 10 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Crochet Club: Crochet Basics I August 12 6:30 - 7:00 pm

Crochet Club: Bags I August 12 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Tween Academy: Jade Mountain Academy I August 21 11:00 - 1:00 pm

Provo City Library Writing Group I August 21 1:00 - 2:00 pm

Rock The Canyon I August 28 4:00 pm - 8:00pm
Blue Skies Concert Series I Wednesdays through September 22

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• The national debate around Big Tech, social media censorship, misinformation and political bias is coming to Utah. While the state legislature tried to address the issue unsuccessfully earlier this year, it is coming to them again in their next legislative session in January 2022.
• The summer cold is back, and doctors say it could be worse than what we remember as our immune systems "adjust to society again".
• Several companies are offering up incentives to stay competitive in Utah’s job market, taking their game up a notch as they work to fill their staff.
• Wanting to go stargazing? A new park in Eagle Mountain with have a solution with their new stargazing park!

YOUR VOICE

Here is your friendly reminder to fill out this section (on the right -->) where we will include polls and questions for you, as well as a form where you can highlight a coworker or tell us about what you do for the city! This can range from new babies or weddings to just wanting to give a shout-out to a fellow employee. Fill out the questions on the right, then upload pictures for us to share using the link below!  We will post your responses in upcoming editions of the update.  

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

I hope you will take a quick minute to share some thoughts with us about your experience as a city employee.  We will leave the poll open for this week and then share results next week.  

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

HOT-BUTTON ITEMS IN PROVO

Today's let's talk about the Provo River Delta Restoration project and mitigating its impact on the Provo Airport.

The Delta Restoration project has its roots nearly 20 years ago as federal agencies and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District were trying to find ways to protect the endangered June Sucker whose native waters are the Provo River and Utah Lake.  The listing of the June Sucker as an endangered species threatened to shut down multiple water development projects in Central Utah which would have had catastrophic impact on our quality of life and on growth in metropolitan Utah.  The idea of diverting the existing Provo River back into the delta which once existed here in early pioneer days was to create idea spawning conditions for the June Sucker fish species, thus protecting important water resources in the community.

One of the biggest challenges to this project was its proximity to the Provo Airport.  One of the potential consequences of rerouting the river channel into a delta was the unintentional creation of a refuge for large waterfowl that could wreak havoc on aircraft, especially jet engines, and compromise air safety.  This was an unacceptable outcome for Provo and for the airport, so the City started working on influencing the delta restoration project to mitigate serious risks and to make sure that the delta didn't create more bird strike risk than the airport currently experiences.

Accordingly, the City's public works and legal staffs have worked literally for more than a decade on this issue.  The stakeholders on the issue include the Utah Reclamation and Mitigation Commission, the US Department of the Interior, the US Bureau of Reclamation, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Central Utah Water, Utah County and Provo City.  The good news is that we are rapidly reaching the point where the governing documents and funding agreements are completed and ready for approval by all of the involved entities.  Work has begun on the delta project, the City will be constructing and managing a new trailhead park on the river near Lakeshore Drive, and the City and the Mitigation Commission will be jointly funding an airport wildlife biologist to monitor bird populations and habitat to ensure that the designs used with a goal of avoiding waterfowl habitat will be properly maintained over time.

Kudos go to Dave Decker, Brian Torgersen and Steve Gleason for working collaboratively to find solutions and to our partners for their hard work to find common ground and commit to sharing resources to make the project work!

FUN STUFF

During this Olympic season, it's important to watch for life lessons and see how we can apply those life lessons for us.  The University of Utah gymnast MyKayla Skinner is the comeback kid this year with what one journalist called the "most unlikely medal of the entire Olympics."  This story from Access Hollywood encapsulates her indominable spirit.

Wayne