There has been a lot happening here over the past few days!
Vickie and I are in charge of the Marana table at the League of Cities and Towns showcase of Towns convention. Each participating jurisdiction has a booth where they present all thats awesome about their city/town. Vickie and I have been working diligently on ours. We have a theme, and have talked with some of the other departments about how to implement that design with actual materials and devices the Town uses. I think that the more authentic the booth, the more attractive and interesting it will be. I really want it to be the most popular at the convention! I think we are on our way to having a successful event.
I have also been working on getting through all of the wastewater files and documents. I was lucky enough to have two staff members help me drag and drop. Thank goodness for them! They are saving me so much time and are allowing me to focus on the other documents that do NOT even have names or assignments yet. We should have a big document party once they are all renamed and assigned to the proper folder! I know it sounds totally boring, but for a giant nerd like me...its the best thing ever!
The commissions project has been coming along nicely and I have a meeting with the Town Manager at the end of the week to go over what has been done so far. I hope that he likes it and can give us some great feedback before we take the idea to the department heads. Another thing I am nervous about!
The survey I have been creating with HR seems to be working out great. We sent it out to a test group and got some great feedback. I have been reorganizing questions and types of responses to make it that much better. I think that by the end of the summer, the survey will be implemented.
I am so excited that some of things I have been working on are coming to fruition! I have been working hard and am glad to see that my work is paying off. I don't think that would have been the case this quickly if I had worked for a large municipality. I am glad to be here, and working on these projects just reinforces that notion each day!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
QT and Trico Adventures
Today was busy! I started the morning at the Grand Opening of the new Quick Trip gas station that opened on the east side of I-10 at Cortaro. There is a few QTs by my house and they are awesome, so I was really looking forward to this event. It started right at 8am and the Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon cutting ceremony just like with the Legacy Apartments. It was really neat to see all the people who had worked on the project there to see the final result. The planning department, the Town Manager and Deputy Town Manager as well as many of the council members were there to help congratulate the people at QT for a job well done. It will be a terrific sales tax and HURF revenue generator for the Town and the State, which is great with the current economic climate. I was really impressed with how many people were there, not just for the ribbon cutting but were already there buying gas and other gas station goodies. It looks like they are going to do really well.
The other event we had this morning was the dedication of the new Trico Electric Co-Op's solar field. It is right next to the Trico building on Tangerine. This is an amazing new feature for Trico members.
NERD ALERT!
This new solar field allows members to purchase a portion of a solar panel and use the energy it generates for as a credit on their electric bill. They can buy a quarter or up to the entire panel! It allows the members to reduce reliance on "non-green" methods of energy in a cost effective manner. Here are some FAQs if you are a Trico member and want to learn more about the program. Sadly, I am not a Trico member...
The rest of the day was taken up with meetings, finishing up projects and learning about new projects. My Manrana Legends list is almost complete, I am tracking down a few more phone numbers and addresses for the lady writing a book on local legends including Marana, Oro Valley and Catalina. Should be fascinating with all the history in the area. I also met with some of the staff to begin work on finding a way to work with the United Way. It had tried to be done in the past and had some challenges, but now we are hoping to get the program reinstated and starting giving back to the community in other ways.
As the summer has gone along I have really been given the opportunity to be involved with many facets of the town. I have been able to work with HR, Strategic Initiatives, the Manager's Office, and Utilities and many other areas. It just reinforces one of the major pluses about working in a municipality like Marana; each department works directly with others on a pretty daily basis. I enjoy learning about the interconnected manner of the different agencies and be able to use other people's and department's talents toward a project. This does not seem like the norm, just another way that Marana is innovative and ahead of the game!
The other event we had this morning was the dedication of the new Trico Electric Co-Op's solar field. It is right next to the Trico building on Tangerine. This is an amazing new feature for Trico members.
NERD ALERT!
This new solar field allows members to purchase a portion of a solar panel and use the energy it generates for as a credit on their electric bill. They can buy a quarter or up to the entire panel! It allows the members to reduce reliance on "non-green" methods of energy in a cost effective manner. Here are some FAQs if you are a Trico member and want to learn more about the program. Sadly, I am not a Trico member...
The rest of the day was taken up with meetings, finishing up projects and learning about new projects. My Manrana Legends list is almost complete, I am tracking down a few more phone numbers and addresses for the lady writing a book on local legends including Marana, Oro Valley and Catalina. Should be fascinating with all the history in the area. I also met with some of the staff to begin work on finding a way to work with the United Way. It had tried to be done in the past and had some challenges, but now we are hoping to get the program reinstated and starting giving back to the community in other ways.
As the summer has gone along I have really been given the opportunity to be involved with many facets of the town. I have been able to work with HR, Strategic Initiatives, the Manager's Office, and Utilities and many other areas. It just reinforces one of the major pluses about working in a municipality like Marana; each department works directly with others on a pretty daily basis. I enjoy learning about the interconnected manner of the different agencies and be able to use other people's and department's talents toward a project. This does not seem like the norm, just another way that Marana is innovative and ahead of the game!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Busy Little Bee
I have been having such a great time during my internship!
In the past week or so I have given 2 newspaper interviews, along with Vickie. These were new experiences for me and I was glad that I had the opportunity. One was published in the Northwest Section of the Arizona Daily Star, and the other has yet to be published, but will be in the Marana Explorer. It was a great way to talk about our projects and time with the Town, while also learning how to interact with the media. I was nervous, but glad that I was able to do it also.
I have been dilligently working away trying to get the wastewater documentation under control. There are documents that go back to the IGA from 1979! Each of these needs to be identified and then filed in the appropriate area. I have created all the folders and now its just organizing. I am obsessed with getting through all the files and make sure they are right and orderly and uniform. It is almost a compulsion. I should really seek some type of help....
I also have been working on an internal HR survey for employee's skills. Researching online survey tools as well as how they work has been challenging. I was used to one system, but it might not be the best at exporting the data we are looking for. I am using one program and Vickie is using another for her emergency preparedness survey. Once the survey melee has come to a close, we will make a final decision on which system to use. I'm nervous about the survey, I programmed some logic and branching so I hope that programming works.
My other projects include a new system for Boards and Commissions, a project with United Way, a Marana "All-Stars" reserach project for a local legends book, and Vickie and I are in charge of the Marana booth for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Conference at the end of August. There is so much going on! I am really excited about all of these projects. It makes my days really full and fun.
I have been working on trying not to get overwhelmed with one project and being able to participate in many different things has been awesome. The best part is that everyone is so supportive of you and your ideas. I had a meeting a few weeks ago with the Deputy Town Manager, the Town Attorney and other higher-ups within the Town. I was really nervous since I was presenting them with my ideas and my projects and they were amazing! Really understood where I was going and gave great feedback for how they believe the system will work. That has been one of the most rewarding parts of the past few weeks. Knowing that everyone here is rooting for you to do well (and the home team).
In the past week or so I have given 2 newspaper interviews, along with Vickie. These were new experiences for me and I was glad that I had the opportunity. One was published in the Northwest Section of the Arizona Daily Star, and the other has yet to be published, but will be in the Marana Explorer. It was a great way to talk about our projects and time with the Town, while also learning how to interact with the media. I was nervous, but glad that I was able to do it also.
I have been dilligently working away trying to get the wastewater documentation under control. There are documents that go back to the IGA from 1979! Each of these needs to be identified and then filed in the appropriate area. I have created all the folders and now its just organizing. I am obsessed with getting through all the files and make sure they are right and orderly and uniform. It is almost a compulsion. I should really seek some type of help....
I also have been working on an internal HR survey for employee's skills. Researching online survey tools as well as how they work has been challenging. I was used to one system, but it might not be the best at exporting the data we are looking for. I am using one program and Vickie is using another for her emergency preparedness survey. Once the survey melee has come to a close, we will make a final decision on which system to use. I'm nervous about the survey, I programmed some logic and branching so I hope that programming works.
My other projects include a new system for Boards and Commissions, a project with United Way, a Marana "All-Stars" reserach project for a local legends book, and Vickie and I are in charge of the Marana booth for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Conference at the end of August. There is so much going on! I am really excited about all of these projects. It makes my days really full and fun.
I have been working on trying not to get overwhelmed with one project and being able to participate in many different things has been awesome. The best part is that everyone is so supportive of you and your ideas. I had a meeting a few weeks ago with the Deputy Town Manager, the Town Attorney and other higher-ups within the Town. I was really nervous since I was presenting them with my ideas and my projects and they were amazing! Really understood where I was going and gave great feedback for how they believe the system will work. That has been one of the most rewarding parts of the past few weeks. Knowing that everyone here is rooting for you to do well (and the home team).
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Vote for the Community Food Bank
The Community Food Bank in Marana is up to win some fruit trees from Dreyer's! Please cast your vote for the Food Bank and help them gain some valuable resources for our community. It just takes a second to register and then you can vote one time per day. We are in the top 5 right now, and voting ends today! Only those within the top 5 receive trees! Follow the link below.
Marana Community Food Bank
Marana Community Food Bank
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
And the Beat Goes On
I have been working hard the past few days! This document management project has really grown into something much bigger than I had anticipated. I have had to get access to several programs and systems that have made it so much easier however, thanks to the Technical Services team.
I am learning how to use SharePoint and its a really amazing system. Really dynamic and powerful for working on projects. I have finished the documents I currently had access to, and will start the files from the utilities department on Thursday. That's the day of my big meeting! I have asked to have a brain storming-esque meeting to talk to the folks that are going to be using this program much more often to get their input in how they currently use it, and what changes they would like to see. I am a bit nervous since its some heavy hitters within the Town, but everyone is so nice that it will be great. I have been working trying to get through the files so I have a better understanding of what is currently there and how it is setup so I can change it to fit the new system.
I was able to go to the Open House for the Legacy Apartments today to see their ribbon cutting ceremony. It was really exciting for the developer, the development services department and the Town. Two council members, the town manager, the deputy town manager, the mayor, the Director of development services, and the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce were all there. It was really great to see the civic support for local businesses, just reinforcing the focus on being business friendly.
Tomorrow I have my last rotation, HR. I'm looking forward to it. Our HR course in school was not the best, so I am excited to get more hands on experiences. I think I am going to put together a skills survey, which will be really cool. I have done this before so I am excited to get to put some more of my skills to use here!
I am learning how to use SharePoint and its a really amazing system. Really dynamic and powerful for working on projects. I have finished the documents I currently had access to, and will start the files from the utilities department on Thursday. That's the day of my big meeting! I have asked to have a brain storming-esque meeting to talk to the folks that are going to be using this program much more often to get their input in how they currently use it, and what changes they would like to see. I am a bit nervous since its some heavy hitters within the Town, but everyone is so nice that it will be great. I have been working trying to get through the files so I have a better understanding of what is currently there and how it is setup so I can change it to fit the new system.
I was able to go to the Open House for the Legacy Apartments today to see their ribbon cutting ceremony. It was really exciting for the developer, the development services department and the Town. Two council members, the town manager, the deputy town manager, the mayor, the Director of development services, and the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce were all there. It was really great to see the civic support for local businesses, just reinforcing the focus on being business friendly.
Tomorrow I have my last rotation, HR. I'm looking forward to it. Our HR course in school was not the best, so I am excited to get more hands on experiences. I think I am going to put together a skills survey, which will be really cool. I have done this before so I am excited to get to put some more of my skills to use here!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Documents have become my life!
So, this project could not be more perfect for me and my hyper attention to detail. Now you might be thinking to youself "self, why would a young girl be so interested in document management?"
Well, I'll tell you....
This has turned into something much more than just filing documents. I am, essentially, reorganizing the entire storage system the Town has for the wastewater fight. There are legal briefs, memos from PAG/CAAG meetings, emails between contractors and Town employees, everything the Town needs to keep up the battle with Pima County. Preserving these documents is important not only for the retention requirements of the state, but when the dust finally settles, there will be a place to find all the materials needed to begin the process of managing the Town's wastewater system.
I'm really excited to be working on something that has such long term connotations. As I have stated before, I am a huge government nerd and being able to see the files that provide the background for some of the things I have been reading/learning about for years is a really great treat for me, yeah, yeah...I know....I'm a dork....
As far as technical things, I have been working on searching on a new program that I have never used before, SharePoint, which has been an interesting experience. There is so much that I have only been able to go through and see what is duplicated and where things are located. My goal is that by the end of next week I can have the folders and hierarachy completed so we can start scanning and updating the database.
I am working on some standard operating procedures to make the transition from planning to implementation that much simpler. I hope its works out! I am nervous and excited at the same time!! Well maybe 60% nervous and 40% excited...or the other way around.
Well, I'll tell you....
This has turned into something much more than just filing documents. I am, essentially, reorganizing the entire storage system the Town has for the wastewater fight. There are legal briefs, memos from PAG/CAAG meetings, emails between contractors and Town employees, everything the Town needs to keep up the battle with Pima County. Preserving these documents is important not only for the retention requirements of the state, but when the dust finally settles, there will be a place to find all the materials needed to begin the process of managing the Town's wastewater system.
I'm really excited to be working on something that has such long term connotations. As I have stated before, I am a huge government nerd and being able to see the files that provide the background for some of the things I have been reading/learning about for years is a really great treat for me, yeah, yeah...I know....I'm a dork....
As far as technical things, I have been working on searching on a new program that I have never used before, SharePoint, which has been an interesting experience. There is so much that I have only been able to go through and see what is duplicated and where things are located. My goal is that by the end of next week I can have the folders and hierarachy completed so we can start scanning and updating the database.
I am working on some standard operating procedures to make the transition from planning to implementation that much simpler. I hope its works out! I am nervous and excited at the same time!! Well maybe 60% nervous and 40% excited...or the other way around.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Documents Everywhere I Look!
On Friday, I started work on my summer long project. I knew all along it was going to involve the waste water situation. I am now responsible for organizing the documents into our internal system. Keeping records is vital to the strenght of the Town and the waste water fight. Making sure that all messages, resolutions and legal correspondance is properly stored makes the future much more accessible. There are plans for how the Town will grow and what has been done in the past.
There is a great need for this update. The average most recent update was in 2009. Seeing as this issue has begun to come more and more to a head, the need for this record keeping is that much more important. I have been tasked with creating an updated system for storing and recording any documents that are relevant to the waste water issue. This can be legal correspondance between the Town Attorney and those that are representing the Town, frequently asked questions, press releases and news paper articles that have run regarding the issue. There was some work done on this in the past, and the intern before me created the whole system.
There are some changes that I think I am going to have to implement. Currently, there are not enough folders or details for my taste. It would seem like creating a more user friendly system will increase the ease of searching for a specific document. It is a little overwhelming since there is so much to deal with. There are two systems and I am going to pare down to just one system that has access to both. At least that is the plan. We all know what happens to the best laid plans....
So far I am just trying to get an understanding of what documents exist, what they are labeled and what has is still in hard copy format. I am a super organized person and this project is going to test my abilities greatly! There is so much that I am not sure where to start. I am just going to take it one day at a time and see where that leads me. Wish me luck!
There is a great need for this update. The average most recent update was in 2009. Seeing as this issue has begun to come more and more to a head, the need for this record keeping is that much more important. I have been tasked with creating an updated system for storing and recording any documents that are relevant to the waste water issue. This can be legal correspondance between the Town Attorney and those that are representing the Town, frequently asked questions, press releases and news paper articles that have run regarding the issue. There was some work done on this in the past, and the intern before me created the whole system.
There are some changes that I think I am going to have to implement. Currently, there are not enough folders or details for my taste. It would seem like creating a more user friendly system will increase the ease of searching for a specific document. It is a little overwhelming since there is so much to deal with. There are two systems and I am going to pare down to just one system that has access to both. At least that is the plan. We all know what happens to the best laid plans....
So far I am just trying to get an understanding of what documents exist, what they are labeled and what has is still in hard copy format. I am a super organized person and this project is going to test my abilities greatly! There is so much that I am not sure where to start. I am just going to take it one day at a time and see where that leads me. Wish me luck!
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