Thursday, January 13, 2022

January 13 2022 Update

I just wanted to take a minute today and highlight one of our amazing, long-term employees who is retiring after today.  We had a party planned for this event, but unfortunately had to make a modification to the plan because of the recent surge in Covid-19 cases.  Renee Bair has been with the city for 36 years and has been our payroll manager I think since before I arrived on the scene.  Her works has touched the careers and lives of every single employee during her time here.  She was absolutely integral in the recent Workday software implementation, and to have no significant glitches in payroll during that time was pretty remarkable for a project of this size and complexity.

I hope you have a moment to either stop by her office today or drop her an email to express your gratitude for her service! 

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Teen Writer's Group I January 13 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
Provo City Library Writing Group I January 15 1:00 pm
COPA AF MDT Concert I January 18 - January 20
Learn It: Macrame for Beginners I January 18 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I January 20 6:30 pm
Library Ballroom Book Sale | January 22 10:00 am
Family Movie Night - Kung Fu Panda | January 24 at 7:00 p.m.
No-Pressure Book Club I January 25 7:00 pm
Guys Read Book Club: Icefall I January 27 7:00 pm
Teen Book Club: No Shakespeare I January 27 7:00 pm
Vision Boards I January 29 2:00 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 
Paint Night I February 1 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I February 3 6:30 pm

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • Between the pandemic, budget cuts that cut the work force by 25%, the closure of processing centers, and an increase in workload, the IRS says to expect a delay in your refund this year. The IRS usually has a backlog of roughly 1 million returns, but as of Dec. 23, 2021, it still had 6 million unprocessed individual returns. Filing online is your best chance of receiving a refund within three weeks. 
  • Monthly child tax credit payments have officially stopped. Experts believe the future of the expanded child tax credit is hard to predict.
  • The record-breaking COVID numbers are also causing record-breaking testing in the state. Utahns are waiting sometimes 3 hours in line to get tested.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

YOUR VOICE

Anyone started working on any of their resolutions this year? Share a pic! Send out cards this season? Share with us a pic of your family during the holidays! And as always, share your good news with us! We love to hear it!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

MAYOR'S WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

 This week Mayor's highlight was getting to attend a ribbon cutting for another great Provo business! Check out the Tom Knox Suit Shop on University Avenue downtown if you get a chance!

FUN STUFF

The best memes of the week.












I hope you have a great weekend.  We will back on Tuesday after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday.  Take care and stay safe!

Wayne

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Wednesday, January 12, 2022

January 12 2022 Update

The week continues today with another day working from home.  There are moments when it is kind of nice to have some quiet, relatively uninterrupted time for project work in between meetings, but it is a little isolating to not have much human interaction.  Today, my meetings include discussions on property issues, a meeting with Google Fiber, discussions on our agreements with the Provo River Delta Restoration Project, a meeting with our master developer on the redevelopment of the current City Center block, and a legislative update.  So - maybe I have enough virtual meetings that I shouldn't feel quite as isolated. 😏

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Artistic Dance Winter Concert I January 11 7:00 pm
Art by Conchis I January - March 2
Conversaciones I January 11 7:00 pm
Teen Writer's Group I January 13 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
Provo City Library Writing Group I January 15 1:00 pm
COPA AF MDT Concert I January 18 - January 20
Learn It: Macrame for Beginners I January 18 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I January 20 6:30 pm
Library Ballroom Book Sale | January 22 10:00 am
Family Movie Night - Kung Fu Panda | January 24 at 7:00 p.m.
No-Pressure Book Club I January 25 7:00 pm
Guys Read Book Club: Icefall I January 27 7:00 pm
Teen Book Club: No Shakespeare I January 27 7:00 pm
Vision Boards I January 29 2:00 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 
Paint Night I February 1 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I February 3 6:30 pm

NEWS YOU CAN USE

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

YOUR VOICE

What are your New Year's Resolution?

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

FUN STUFF

So my oldest grandson is a serious chess player.  We were chatting over the weekend about an upcoming chess match between his and another high school in his district in suburban Chicago.  I had seen this Studio C sketch about making chess more exciting, but I didn't dare share it with him until after this weekend's match.  For those who know anything about chess, I suspect you might enjoy some of these ideas for making it more of a spectator sport.



I hope the rest of your day goes well.  Thanks for all you do!

Wayne

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Tuesday, January 11, 2022

January 11 2022 Update

Today's monologue won't be so much about Covid as it was yesterday.  Our testing numbers at Fire Station 1 and in some of our departments are proving that Provo City employees and families have about the same positivity rate as the rest of Utah.  So let's be careful, get tested if you need, and take precautions.  If you have questions about the city policy that was sent out yesterday, feel free to reach out to your director or to Human Resources.

Last evening I got to enjoy a classic college national championship football game.  It was kind of a fun story.  The Alabama quarterback was highly recruited out of high school, and won this year's Heisman Trophy.  The Georgia quarterback was not the elite high school player but dreamed his whole life of playing for Georgia.  After a year of playing junior college ball, he transferred to Georgia.  He started the season as the third string quarterback, and finally found himself as Georgia's starting QB.   The game was really close until the waning minutes of the game.  Only one point separated the two teams.  Georgia was beginning a drive when the quarterback under intense pressure fumbled the football setting up an easy Alabama touchdown drive.  Georgia came back and  scored a touchdown to retake the lead, and scored an additional touchdown on a "pick six" interception. 

As soon as it was clear the Alabama had no chance to win, the Georgia quarterback broke down in tears and was congratulated by his coaches and teammates. His long held dream of playing QB at Georgia was capped off by winning the national championship - Georgia's first since 1980.  

I am a sucker for these kinds of underdog stories, and it is a good lesson for all of us.  It doesn't matter as much where we come from or how we got where we are; what matters is the effort we put in and how we handle the challenge before us.  



UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Artistic Dance Winter Concert I January 11 7:00 pm
Art by Conchis I January - March 2
Conversaciones I January 11 7:00 pm
Teen Writer's Group I January 13 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
COPA AF MDT Concert I January 18 - January 20
Learn It: Macrame for Beginners I January 18 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I January 20 6:30 pm
Library Ballroom Book Sale | January 22 10:00 am
Family Movie Night - Kung Fu Panda | January 24 at 7:00 p.m.
No-Pressure Book Club I January 25 7:00 pm
Guys Read Book Club: Icefall I January 27 7:00 pm
Teen Book Club: No Shakespeare I January 27 7:00 pm
Vision Boards I January 29 2:00 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 
Paint Night I February 1 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I February 3 6:30 pm

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Human trafficking is a surprisingly prevalent thing, even here in every state in the U.S. The National Human Trafficking Hotline has tips on recognizing the signs of trafficking.
  • A recent study in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that homicide is the leading cause of death among pregnant women and women who are six weeks postpartum. Indeed, homicide exceeds other leading causes of maternal mortality by more than twofold.
  • The Entrata founder who sent an antisemitic email will be forced to divest his holdings in company.
  • Salt Lake County's indoor mask mandate has an important distinction from it's previous mandate: It requires people to wear respirators — high-quality masks such as N95, KN95 or KF94. The county is offering free respirator masks as this new mandate takes effect.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA


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!


TUESDAY TIP

Weak links still have wisdom to share 

Team members who contribute unusual insights and perspectives can raise the team's performance under the right conditions, even if they are often incorrect, according to a study. "Indeed, over multiple decision-making rounds, these people tended to shed their worst intuitions and played a crucial role in helping the team to spot the best-performing options," writes Adi Gaskell, citing the study.


FUN STUFF

We haven't done Tonight Show hashtags in a while.  Given the New Year, Jimmy Fallon asked viewers to post comments with the hashtag #MyResolutionInSixWords.  Here were some of his favorites.









  

My resolutions took more than 6 words, but I'm not sure I will achieve as many as these folks are planning on!  Hope you have a great day.

Wayne

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Monday, January 10, 2022

January 10 2022 Update

I hope everyone is doing well.  As we mentioned last week, Covid cases are on a dramatic rise in Utah.  We are now averaging in excess of 7,000 cases per day, with more than 24,000 since Friday and positivity rates of more than 30%.  Long lines at testing locations are proof of the demand.  I hope you are taking precautions and being safe, and that you are helping keep others around you safe.

I'm sure you saw the Mayor's email this morning with some general direction for what we should do if we are exposed or test positive for the virus.  At the risk of being a little too transparent, I thought I might share my personal approach to the Covid-19 pandemic.  My wife and I both have what might be seen as underlying conditions, and in addition we both find ourselves caring for aging parents for whom Covid might be fatal.  So we have been very careful, and have both been vaccinated and boosted.  Last week, I was exposed to Covid-19 by being in close proximity to people who subsequently tested positive for the virus.  So, since Thursday when I became aware of the exposure, I have been living in our home's basement in an effort to make sure my wife is not exposed.  While I have gratefully not been symptomatic, I am still getting a Covid test tomorrow.  If  I test negative, I will follow the guidelines and return to work (and to the main level of our home) with some extra precautions.  Between now and then, I am working from home.  If I test positive, I will stay home and work from home where possible until I get a subsequent negative test.

So - that's a long way of saying that I hope you will use your best judgment and do what you need to do to stay safe and healthy.  That is the most important thing you can do right now.  I know not everyone can work from home, and some who test positive won't be well enough to work from home even if their jobs allow it.  But if we work together, follow competent medical advice and take precautions, we will weather the storm.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
Animal Symbolism | January 7 
COPA Pop Concert I January 10 7:30 pm
Artistic Dance Winter Concert I January 11 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
Library Book Sale | January 21
Family Movie Night - Kung Fu Panda | January 24 at 7:00 p.m.
Cahill Smith and Quartet Excellence Concert | January 31
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

YOUR VOICE

New year, new fun! Post your content on the right and upload photos below!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • Today is National Clean of Your Desk Day. Sounds like a perfect way to start the new year off right (and get ready for our "Declutter 2022" on the 20th). Let's do this!
  • We had a few celebrity deaths over the weekend. Sidney Poitier passed away on Friday at age 94 and "Full House" legend Bob Saget died unexpectedly on Sunday at age 65. Poitier was a groundbreaking actor who became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best lead performance. Bob Saget played the beloved single dad on "Full House" and hosted "America's Funniest Home Videos." He was on a stand-up comedy tour when he passed away. Detectives found “no signs of foul play or drug use in this case.”
  • Here are the grocery items in short supply during the COVID-19 surge, according to Utahns. It looks like milk, bagged salads, ramen noodles, cold medicine and cat litter are among the items shoppers can’t get.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

HOT-BUTTON ITEMS IN PROVO


I don't think we have talked much about the future of Utah Lake in the daily update, but as you may have read there are some widely differing views of what needs to happen with Utah Lake.  I'd like to highlight just a few items that are in the mix currently.

First, one of the key challenges in Utah Lake is the amount of nutrients, including phosphorus which is in the lake.  Some of these nutrients are naturally occurring and some are deposited there from agricultural production and from wastewater effluent.  The City has begun an ambitious project to modernize our 60 year old wastewater treatment plant and process to remove more phosphorus and nutrients from our effluent before it ends up in the lake, and we are seeing other cities begin to take our lead.  These efforts will have a significant impact on the quality of the water in the lake.

For about 15 years now, the City has been a member of the Utah Lake Commission, which was formed to bring stakeholders to the table to take a strategic approach to addressing many of the Lake's issues.  The Commission has done some remarkable work including harvesting non-native carp from the Lake, removing invasive plants in the Lake, and in general working to enhance the Lake's ecosystem.  There are now legislative efforts to create a new Utah Lake Authority, which would be a governmental entity charged with doing many of these same things, but with the availability of additional funding sources.  Isaac Paxman, Dave Decker and others in the city team have been working with multiple entities to try make sure that a future Utah Lake Authority will work well for the residents of Provo and Utah County.

Our Mayor and City Council recently approved a resolution establishing some guiding principles for the future of the Lake, including the use of scientifically supported ideas to preserve and enhance the Lake.  This was done in response to various proposals over the years to develop the Lake area in some fashion.  Ideas have surfaced about building one or more roads or causeways across the Lake and, more recently, to dredge the Lake and use the soil taken from the bottom to create islands in the Lake to allow development of the islands.  One of the key objectives of the elected officials' effort has been to encourage the use of competent and respected science in making decisions about the future of the Lake.

There is clearly a lot that should happen to enhance Utah Lake for our community, and those efforts need to have a lot of scrutiny and be based on established science and protection of the Lake's ecosystem.

FUN STUFF

From time to time, I have posted music videos from some of my favorite artists and groups. I like country music just fine - just not as much as two of my sons - and I like some artists more than others.  One of my favorite country groups is Rascal Flatts.  And I also really like the One Voice Children's Choir, so when I heard this cover by the choir of  the Rascal Flatts' hit My Wish, I was just kind of blown away.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.



Take care, stay safe and watch out for one another.  It is the Provo Way.

Wayne

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Thursday, January 6, 2022

January 6, 2022 Update

The last few days have been a bit sobering as we have seen the reach and breadth of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.  Our testing resources are being stretched very thin, and we are seeing many more of our co-workers and friends being impacted.  One thing we do know is that by and large, those who have been vaccinated and boosted have a much milder case and a much higher rate of recovery, even in they experience a "break-through" case of the virus.  So, the facts argue for taking some extra care and caution over the next few weeks as we try to respond to the growing number of cases. 

You should see later today an email with more information about how we should respond if we become exposed to Covid-19 or test positive, and based on vaccination status.  So keep watching your inbox.

I have also been thinking about the events that took the life of our police officer Joe Shinners three years ago yesterday.  I remember vividly the calls I was getting from Chief Miguel giving me status updates on Officer Shinners that evening at home, and the whirlwind of feelings and events that following.  The candlelight vigil and the funeral stand out as events I will never forget because of the outpouring of love and sympathy I felt for the department and the Shinners family.  I have had the opportunity many times over the last three years to visit with my colleagues in other cities who have experienced line of duty deaths of one of their police officers, and it brings back all those memories again.  I very much appreciate the risks our first responders take to keep our community safe, and I hope to never again lose one of our friends in the line of duty.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
Animal Symbolism | January 7 
COPA Pop Concert I January 10 7:30 pm
Artistic Dance Winter Concert I January 11 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
Library Book Sale | January 21
Family Movie Night - Kung Fu Panda | January 24 at 7:00 p.m.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

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!

MAYOR'S WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

 This week Mayor's highlight was participating in the inauguration program on Tuesday.  Just in case you weren't able to watch or participate, here is the video of the event. 



FUN STUFF

Here are my favorite Internet memes of the week for your pleasure.













Stay safe and take the time to make good decisions about your personal and family health.  I hope you have a good weekend.

Wayne

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Wednesday, January 5, 2022

January 5 2022 Update

Yesterday was a great day in Provo.  We had our first city council meetings of the new year with two new council members.  We held our inauguration program where Mayor Kaufusi and Councilors Handley, MacKay and Whipple were sworn in.  And, after I got home last evening, I knocked a plant off of a plant stand and spent the rest of the evening cleaning up and repotting a plant.  Well, that last part wasn't technically part of a great day!  

It was great at the inaugural ceremony to reconnect with former council members, our county commissioners, and other friends and colleagues from around the state.  And, [wait for it], I even got invited to be in a selfie with Vineyard Mayor Julie Fullmer - quite an honor.  :)

On a more serious note, you have certainly seen the Covid-19 case counts spiking again.  Today's report from the state was an all-time record of 7,247 positive cases in one day.  We are working on a response today for employees and department directors regarding the implementation of new CDC guidelines for isolation and quarantine, given the current Omicron variant contagion.  Keeping our workforce safe and healthy is our key priority and has been since the outbreak of the pandemic more than a year ago. Vaccines are certainly helping, and the evidence is pretty clear that fully vaccinated people are having a generally less impactful illness if they contract Covid-19.  So, watch your email for more information about how we are proposing to handle this current spike!  

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
COPA Pop Concert I January 10 7:30 pm
Artistic Dance Winter Concert I January 11 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

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!

EMPLOYEE / DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT

We had a badge pinning ceremony yesterday in the Fire Department.  Take a look at this Facebook post about the event.

FUN STUFF

Now for a little acapella music with Pentatonix, doing a mashup of Butter and Dynamite.  A great way to take a quick musical break at work!  



I hope you have a great rest of your day.  Stay safe and take precautions to keep others safe and healthy.  

Wayne

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Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Tuesday January 4 2022 Update

Welcome to a new year!  Today is a busy day with the first city council meetings of the year, along with the inauguration program for Mayor Kaufusi, Councilor George Handley and new Councilors Katrice MacKay and Rachel Whipple.  We are very excited to welcome our two new council members to city government.

We will be live streaming the inauguration program at 4:00 p.m. on the Provo City Government Facebook page for those who would like to watch the event.  

It has been a busy two weeks for the City with snow and ice control efforts, several weather-induced power outages, and lot of other events going on.  Thanks especially to all of our team who took time away from their families over the holidays to keep us safe.  

And, for football fans, it was a great week of bowl games.  Even the Rose Bowl, featuring the Utah Utes, was an amazing game despite the final outcome.  And former BYU QB Zach Wilson had a great game against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers this weekend, despite some terrible play calling that probably cost the Jets the win.  In any event, I hope you had a chance to watch at least a little football this weekend.  

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Alice, A Leader in Wonderland I January 4 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
COPA Pop Concert I January 10 7:30 pm
Artistic Dance Winter Concert I January 11 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • There were more than 14,000 new cases of Covid-19 in Utah over the New Years holiday weekend.  Wow!  
  • Sandy is swearing in the city's first female mayor after she won a close race in November.  
  • In case you are looking for shorter Covid-19 testing lines, here is some advice about how to shorten the wait.  

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

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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!

TUESDAY TIP

How to communicate better when people really need it

Discovering The Lost Art Of Communication.  Good communication is simple but difficult: Know what you're saying, how you'll say it and who your audience is, all while offering "the hero's journey" form of storytelling, writes Ignition Strategy Group CEO Matthew Moseley. "We cannot just tell them we care, but must show them that we care through our actions and our stories," he writes.

FUN STUFF

It has been an interesting two weeks with the loss of two very different but equally impactful icons of their era - former Nevada senator Harry Reid and the unforgettable Betty White.  I thought you might enjoy this classic sketch from the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson with Johnny and Betty White.  Timeless and smile inducing.  We will miss her impeccable sense of humor and timing! 



Hope you have a great day.  It is great to be back in the office after a long and needed break!  

Wayne

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