F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N GA N E W S L E T T E R F O R A N D B Y M A R I N C O U N T Y E M P L O Y E E S

F I R S T Q U A R T E R 2 0 0 9V O L U M E 1 4 • N U M B E R 1

In the midst of last fall’s historic presi-dential election, it might have beeneasy to overlook Measure B, a localballot measure about the creation of anappointed Director of Finance positionfor the County of Marin. Approval ofthis measure by voters, however, wasan important step in improving thecounty’s operations and modernizinghow we manage our finances to meetcurrent and future needs. ■ TheBoard of Supervisors (BOS) placedMeasure B on the ballot to ask voters to create a new Director of Financeposition appointed by the Board, andover time to consolidate the Auditor-Controller’s and Treasurer-TaxCollector’s departments into a singleDepartment of Finance. Placing thismeasure on the November ballot wasimportant, given the recent retirement of Auditor-Controller Richard Arrow.

The new structure is designed to modernize and integrate the county’sfinancial management, and reflectsrecent steps to improve our financialsystems. This management structure is used by a number of counties andnearly every city in California. ■

County Administrator Matthew Hymelrecommended the consolidation of thetwo financial offices to the BOS and met

Laughter YogaBy Kathleen Roach—H&HS

Laughter Yoga. Just saying these words makes folks smile. In an effort to bring some fun to the Marin CountyFair this year, Theresa Elaine (H&HS)and Kathleen Roach (H&HS) introducedLaughter Yoga, headed by SparkieLovejoy, at the Prevention Pavilion. Weinvited people to take a one-minutelaughter challenge and offered aLaughter Yoga training session. Mostpeople who participated successfullycompleted the laughter challenge. ■

Laughter Yoga is a combination of tension-releasing laughter exercisescombined with yoga breathing. Dr.Madan Kataria, a physician from India,did research on the therapeutic effects

The full consolidation

of both departments

will occur at the

expiration of Michael

Smith’s term as

the Treasurer-Tax

Collector in

January 2011.

with impacted staff to discuss the consolidation. “Although I recognize the diligent efforts of both the Auditor-Controller’s and the Treasurer-TaxCollector’s staff in recent years, thisstructure will benefit the county organi-zation over the long run. Over the nextfew years, I look forward to creating asingle financial management team that

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of laughter and started the first LaughterClub. Dr. Kataria’s wife, a yoga teacher,helped him design a sequence of simplelaughter exercises with gentle yogabreathing for maximum benefits.Laughter helps you to breathe deep into the abdomen, reducing stress andaiding relaxation. ■ As our lives fillwith more and more challenges, it is vital to develop a variety of stress-reduc-ing methods. Laughter puts us intenselyinto the moment. Laughter Yoga aims todevelop joyfulness, which is the uncondi-tional commitment to having fun despiteall the problems we face. ■ If you areinterested in experiencing a laughterclub, visit www.laughteryoga.com to find a club close to you. However youcan manage to do it—find joy in yourlife every day. ■

Teri Vyenielo-Rockas, Project Coordinatorfor Play Fair Marin, and Sparkie Lovejoy,Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, take theone-minute laughter challenge.

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L to R: Karen Shaw (Treas/Tax), Danny Briones (Aud-Cont), Roy Given (Treas/Tax), ByronKarow (Aud-Cont), Hans-Christian Metz (IST), Maxx Gold (IST), Terry Corde (IST), and VladimirMatyurin (Aud-Cont) collaborate on financial matters.

The Future of Managing Our FinancesBy Matt Bronson—CAO

Continued on page 11

Try it!

…sit or stand

…laugh

…keep on laughing

for one minute.

F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N G

Editorial BoardJoan Brown, Editor-in-Chief, Human Resources,

Civic Center Volunteers, 499-7167Heather Burton, IST, 499-6169Jack Govi, County Counsel’s Office, 499-6117Cio Hernandez, H&HS, 507-2848Larry Kay, Public Works, Nicasio Corp.Yard, 446-4421Kelley Litz, H&HS Admin., 20 N. San Pedro Road,

San Rafael, 499-6924Joe Spaeth, Public Defender, 499-6321Anne Starr, Human Resources, Civic Center

Volunteers, 499-6028John Vogee, Administrative support, Human

Resources, Civic Center Volunteers, 499-7407

Design: Rob Roehrick, Roehrick Design Copy Editor: Bill Pryor, Civic Center

Volunteers Photographer: Janice Hughes, D.A.’s OfficeProofreaders: Leslie Miller and Christina

Walcoff, Civic Center VolunteersPrinting: Marin County Printing Services

Frankly Speaking is a quarterly publication for and by Marin County employees. It is accessible with paychecks, on the MINE hompage, and at www.co.marin.ca.us—enter Frankly Speaking in the searchbox. E-mail articles, cartoons, photos, poems, etc., tojbrown@co.marin.ca.us. For articles please identifysubject, your name, and phone number. For photos,include all names and the photographer’s name. Digitalphotos must be shot at the highest quality setting.

Reporter of the Quarter: Lauren Houde

ScheduleArticles Due Publication DateFriday, Mar. 6 Friday, May 8Friday, May 29 Friday, Aug. 14Friday, Sept. 4 Friday, Nov. 6Tuesday, Nov. 24 Friday, Jan. 29, 2010

F R A N K L Y S P E A K I N G Purpose and Priorities

The Marin County newsletter is intended for internal communication. Thenewsletter will not include partisan or non-partisan political activity, or issuesrelated to labor disputes and grievances.

C O M M U N I C A T I O N •D I V E R S I T Y •R E C O G N I T I O N •E D U C A T I O N •N E W S •F U N •I N T E R A C T I O N

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Dear Fellow Employees,

It is my 27th year sitting on the Board of

Supervisors. I am as pleased to be here now

as I was 27 years ago, and extremely grateful

to have known and worked with so many of

you over the years.

2009 will be a year of many challenges and

opportunities. The current economic downturn

has many local governments in tough financial

straits. However, the County of Marin remains

fiscally sound. I believe that navigating the rough financial waters

ahead will be our biggest challenge this year. It is a challenge I know

we can meet—and without compromising the services and programs

we are by mandate or policy bound to provide the residents of Marin.

I look forward to working with you to find ways to make county

government leaner and more efficient than ever, yet as accessible and

user-friendly as possible for the people who need and depend on our

services. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the people

and County of Marin. I have no doubt that 2009 will be a year we can

look back on with pride.

Hal BrownPresident, Board of Supervisors

Hal Brown

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Next time something happens in your division, grab acamera. The Frankly Speaking Editorial Board is alwayslooking for great shots of colleagues at work. Groupposes with faces clearly showing are fine; action shots areeven better. Use highest resolution and remember thebasics: look for balanced light, frame the shot before youclick, get close, and hold steady. One trick: brace elbowsagainst your body and hold your breath at the momentyou click. Take several frames to increase the chances ofa great picture. Send photos to jbrown@co.marin.ca.us.

Marin County Fair Goes Cyber By Steve Petterle—P&OS

On September 24, the 2008 Marin County Fair re-created its magic once again.With help from the International Association of Fairs & Expositions, Fair ManagerJim Farley led a group of 150 viewers (representing 73 fairs throughout the UnitedStates and Canada) on a cyber adventure entitled A Visit to the Greenest CountyFair on Earth—an interactive presentation of the 2008 Marin County Fair.Participants were treated to a visual tour of this year’s fair over the Internet, whilesimultaneously plugged in to a conference call for interactive participation. It wasalmost as fun as being there in person, except they weren’t. ■ Representativesfrom the West Virginia State Fair lauded the webinar, stating, “It was the bestcyber seminar to date.” Representatives from the South Florida Fair said they“stole/borrowed some ideas” for their fair. Other comments included “incredible,”“awesome,” and “neat”—clearly the cyber event was a success. ■

Record Win for FairCheers to Cultural Services staff members celebrating their best-ever showing at the Western FairsAssociation’s annual achievement awards program held in January in Reno. The 2008 MarinCounty Fair earned 46 awards, eclipsing its previous amazing record of 31 wins in 2007. Amongthe 46 are 28 first place honors for categories such as New Non-Competitive Exhibit (The GreenLife) and Innovative Use of Technology (Waterless Urinals). The Fair also won nine seconds, sixthirds, and three honorable mentions. Exhibits Supervisor Charlie Barboni (CS) organizedMarin’s entries to the fair industry contest. Director Jim Farley (CS) says 2008’s “Greenest Fairon Earth” modeled conservation practices now being picked up by other fairs nationwide. What’snext? “Cool Green Fun” is the 2009 theme. The focus will be on “eco entertainment.”

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By Steve Petterle—P&OS

I can bend time. It’s not somethingthat I brag about, but it’s a talentthat I employ occasionally. If thedays are passing slowly and I canbarely wait for week’s end, I just doa little time bending and the min-utes, the hours, the days fly by in aflash. ■ Fortunately, it’s a skill thatcan be learned. For me, the first stepwas to challenge my belief abouttime. Most people view time as anabsolute—one minute always repre-sents one minute. But I came tounderstand that time was only anabsolute if it were viewedabsolutely. This signified a changein perspective and opened the doorfor new ideas. ■ With this newmindset, I was able to move forwardwith the actions that I perceivedwere necessary to transform time. Ipracticed first on short periods, thirtyminutes or an hour, and built up todays and weeks. It worked! Andwith some effort, I was able to refinethe process considerably. ■

Simply put, it is possible to bendtime by scheduling major dentalwork, minor surgery, or some otherdreaded task for the near future.This action causes time to acceler-ate. For example, when I start to feelas though I’d like my work week topass more quickly, I immediatelymake an appointment to have a rootcanal on Saturday morning. Timebends as my anxiety about theweekend builds and the weekdayssuddenly become a blur. Of course,the root canal occurs on the oppo-site end of the time bend and resultsin a recompression, which has theeffect of making the two-hourprocess feel as though it takes aweek. Also, it kind of messes up mySaturday and I end up spending agood part of the day just trying notto drool. ■ Still, it’s good to haveoptions. ■

PERSPECTIVE

P E T T E R L E’S

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By Sarah Grossi—H&HS

A portion of the 54-ton ‘Names Project’AIDS Memorial Quilt was on display atthe Health and Wellness CampusConnection Center December 1 and 2as part of the international commemo-ration of World AIDS Day in MarinCounty. The quilt, about the size of 275basketball courts, has about 83,440names and is made up of some 46,000

panels measuringthree by six feet.Started in SanFrancisco 19 yearsago, the quilt wassewn by friends,lovers, and familymembers to com-memorate the livesof people who diedof AIDS. The annualdisplay is coordi-nated by the MarinAIDS Project (MAP),a community-basedorganization thatpartners with thecounty for a varietyof projects, includ-ing observance ofWorld AIDS Day.According to the

MAP, the Memorial Quilt has evolvedas a potent tool in the effort to educateagainst the lethal threat of AIDS. Byrevealing the humanity behind the statistics, the AIDS Memorial Quilthelps teach compassion, triumphs over taboo, stigma, and phobia, andinspires individuals to take directresponsibility for their own well-beingand that of their family, friends, andcommunity. ■

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HIV/AIDS Services staff in front of the AIDS Memorial Quilt displayL to R: Gloria Randriakoto, Sarah Grossi, Dr. Craig Lindquist,Jonathan Botson, Dr. Ellen Rosenthal, and Dr. Mary Ellen Guroy

AIDS Memorial Quilt

MCERA Has MovedBy Charnel Benner—Retirement Administrator

Bursting at the seams, in need of additionalstaffing, and finding nospace available at theCivic Center, the MarinCounty Employees’Retirement Association(MCERA) began search-ing for rental space inFebruary 2006. It wasapparent that it was farmore costly to rent and renovate than to purchase an investment-quality office building for the pension plan. After seven months of searching and seven months of construction, MCERA opened the doors to its new offices at One McInnis Parkwayon November 17, 2008. This is at the intersection of Civic Center Drive and McInnisParkway, convenient to the Civic Center. Green building methods and materialswere used wherever possible, saving on energy use as well as disposal costs. ■

One McInnis Parkway

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Green GoldBy JeriLynne Stewart—DPW

It soothes, relaxes, andhelps alleviate depres-sion and anxiety.Worldwide, it is usedto represent safety. It is the color green—and it is the basis forMarinGreenGuide.org,a new web portal forthe community thatlinks visitors to greenresource websites.From alternative modes

of transportation to water resources togreen building information, it’s a one-stop site where visitors can research

green information. The concept grewout of the Department of Public Works’(DPW) desire to illustrate how countydepartments are embracing the greenmovement. ■ Eric Lueder, RealProperty Agent for DPW’s Real EstateDivision and Interim Program Managerfor DPW’s Waste ManagementDivision, said that DPW staff recentlywas asked two questions: 1) How dowe get the word out about the greatgreen things we’re doing in the community, and 2) What is the mostconvenient method for the community to access this information? ■ Answersto both these questions included use ofthe Internet. A recent study revealedthat most teenagers spend an averageof five hours per day in front of a

computer monitor. Outreach to the new generation must be done in theirmedium. DPW’s efforts target the 50-year-old and younger audience, and a blog for green-conscious youth isbeing considered. ■ A Googlesearch for solar energy, for example,will offer MarinGreenGuide.orgamong the available options. The sitefeatures green forums, groups, associ-ations, and organizations in Marin.■ Kemplen Robbins, EngineeringTechnician for DPW’s WasteManagement Division, said, “You can offer us information about greenevents, and within a few hours theinformation, if appropriate, willappear on the website. Keeping itsimple is good for everybody.” ■

Michael* stood tentatively on the smallstage and gazed at the audience.Music floated out over the crowd, andMichael began to sing. His voice wasresonant and full of feeling, and thelonger he sang, the straighter hestood. It was his graduation day. ■

When he first met his social worker, at the behest of his school counselor,he was so uncomfortable that he couldbarely speak. Haltingly, he describeda home life full of acrimony andneglect, and a mother who was alco-holic, overwhelmed, and depressed.Now, he was barely recognizable asthe boy hunched over in his seat in hiscounselor’s office. As the song ended,Michael smiled and the audience burst

into applause. ■ Many social workers were involved in this family’stransformation. An intake workerreceived a referral from a concernedneighbor, alleging that Michael wasoften unsupervised and that he wouldcome to her asking for food. An emergency response worker wasassigned to investigate the allegationsand interviewed Michael and hismother about the difficulties the familywas experiencing. Michael’s motheragreed to work voluntarily with Healthand Human Services, and consentedto him being placed in a foster homewhile she received necessary sub-stance-abuse treatment. An ongoingsocial worker was assigned to work

L to R: Carmen Tristan, Julie Lenhardt, Jill Maier, Karen Hebert, Kim Contreras, and Luisa Ward

Kemplen Robbins viewing a green website

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on a longer term basis with the family.She helped Michael’s mother enter residential treatment and begin counsel-ing. She also monitored the mother’sprogress on her treatment goals, whileoffering support as she was goingthrough this difficult transformation. She found Michael a therapist andreferred him to be assessed for learningdisabilities through his school. A refer-ral also was made to the adoption unit,so a worker could be assigned to helpfind Michael a permanent home if hewere unable to return safely to the careof his mother. Luckily, Michael’s motherwas able to complete treatment success-fully and obtain employment and stablehousing. Although Michael was able toreunify with his mother, this was not theend of the story. The family continued towork with Children and Family Servicesand receive therapy, parenting classes,and other support until they were readyto move forward on their own. ■

While this type of work can be gruelingand emotionally overwhelming, socialworkers feel privileged to assist familieslike Michael’s who are engaged in the difficult work of change. ■

*The story of Michael is a composite; inorder to protect the confidentiality of clients,names and other identifying details werechanged.

The Difficult Work of ChangeBy Bree Marchman and Jolie Clark—H&HS

Editor’s Note:

April is National

Social Workers’

Month

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Yes, indeed! At the new Marin Healthand Wellness Campus there are actually ten outstanding public healthphysicians performing a variety of services, among them administeringprograms, seeing patients, deliveringbabies, and operating on low-incomewomen in our county. These dedicatedH&HS doctors include: Mark Jacobs,OB-GYN, Perinatalogy; Karen Bayle,Internal Medicine; Craig Lindquist,Internal Medicine; Robert Gelber,Infectious Diseases; Charles Bookoff,OB-GYN; Lynette McLamb, InternalMedicine; Catherine Mallouh,Psychiatry; Mary Ellen Guroy,Infectious Diseases; and Malini Nijigal,OB-GYN. Marty Schwartz, a volunteerOB-GYN physician, has helped trainmany UCSF medical students throughthe years and Fred Schwartz, the

county’s Public Health Officer, super-vises programs and staff at the newcampus. ■ For Mark, being a publichealth doctor means that, “When you see a woman with a particularproblem, you know there will be manymore women with that same problem.How is this woman like a thousandothers? If I can solve this problem, perhaps I can create a systems changethat will benefit the greater good.”Lynette declares, “I’ve always been inpublic health, serving those in needand the most vulnerable.” Charles sees himself serving the immigrant and underserved, and Fred summa-rizes by adding, “Our work connectsus with our communities. We try tobalance services focused on individu-als, such as clinical care (screeningand treatment), with efforts to identify

and address ‘upstream’ (fundamentaland societal) factors, which affect thehealth of the community.” ■ Givenall that medical doctors do for us,have you ever heard of Doctor’s Day?It’s not quite as popular as Mother’sDay. The first Doctor’s Day wasobserved in 1933, but not made offi-cial by a U.S. House of Representativesresolution until March 30, 1958. Wehonor physicians’ work and celebrateour doctors all year long. ■

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L to R: Drs. Charles Bookoff, Malini Nijigal, and Mark Jacobs

studied music. These days Larry balances his left and right brain with his analytical work as a BuildingInspection Services Supervisor duringthe week and his creative endeavors as a photographer on the weekends.Larry is a resident artist at the RiverfrontArt Gallery in Petaluma. Lately he hasincorporated music into his art bytaking the forms and structure of music,such as fugues and voice leading, andexpressing them visually. ■

LGraceStudio.com

Vivian Lo-Lew became inspired tomake jewelry when she was on vaca-tion in China, perusing a large marketthat offered beads. Her friend bought abeautiful pearl and asked her to use itto create a unique piece of jewelry. Herfavorite piece is a necklace she madefor her mother, using a piece of brownjade, taking into account her mother’sstyle, dress, and skin tone. Vivian relieson her eye for design in her profes-sional life in architecture, graphicdesign, and in her current work as aPlanning Aide, reviewing designs andplans. ■

www.jewelry-by-vlo-design.com

Off the ClockBy Lauren Houde—CDA

Several of the staff at the CommunityDevelopment Agency are talented artistswhose creative inclinations enhancetheir work at the county, as well as provide work/life balance. For furtherinformation, visit the websites of theseartists, listed below. ■ Sharon Silver’slove of the feel of paper brought her tothe county, coordinating records as aSenior Clerk Typist, and led her to theartist’s easel, creating in watercolors,graphite, colored pencils, and metallicgel pens. Sharon finds a similar medita-tive zen-like process in drawing and inpreparing files for imaging. She often is

tapped by staff to makeour departmental signsand folders look alivewith light and color. ■

www.sakuraofamerica.com/?q=node/140

Planner Reid Thaler’slove of photography (hewon an award in thelast Frankly Speaking)

has introduced him to a variety ofpeople. He taught photography at theSan Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind.While traditional photography is chal-lenging for the sight-impaired, Reid wasinspired by the participants’ fascinationwith photography and the notion ofexperiencing life in two dimensions,regardless of the ability to see. Hehelped the participants make pinholecameras and enjoyed experiencingphotography through a different lens.Reid has photographed nature andlandscapes, but his latest subjects arehis children. ■

www.lumiograph.com

Before Larry Grace began his career in Building Safety and Inspection, he

Is There a Doctor in the House?By Jody Timms—H&HS

Community Development Artists, L to R: Sharon Silver, Larry Grace,Vivian Lo-Lew, and Reid Thaler

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Veterans’ Service Officer Mort Tallen(H&HS) really does make a differencein the lives of our veterans. Last fall,Mort was honorably recognized forhis service when he received the prestigious Jefferson Award from theAmerican Institute for Public Service. A salute is due. ■

Last Labor Day weekend, Niska theAfghan hound competed in three grueling days of racing and lurecoursing (chasing a mechanical objecton a course). Niska thrilled herentourage and fans by winning theIron Hound 2008 and (no surprise)Best in Show awards. A Niska fanclub is in the works. Her agent isKatrina Raleigh (Library). ■

Lucy Burlingham (Library)gives her time by nursinginjured and helpless squirrels,at home, through WildCare.When healthy, the little chompers are released intosafe and food-plentiful loca-tions. The problem, however, isthat good release locations arebecoming harder to find. If youknow of any, please send Lucyan e-mail with information. ■

On vacation in Japan, Roy Bateman(CDA) got up close and personal withthe culture. No pretentious five-starhotels or tourist traps for him. Roymixed, laughed, and hung out usingminimal financial resources. He isplanning to offer a seminar on the joysof staying in cheap hotels and how heexperienced Japan on a rewardinglysimple budget. Stay tuned. ■

Outrageously loud and brightly colored spandex uniforms rightly complemented Marta Osterloh’s (PD)exhilaration and joy last October atBoston’s Charles River Regatta. Theregatta, in its 44th year, is world-famous and attracts entries from over20 countries. Marta is a member of the Marin Rowing Women’s GrandMaster 8+ team (as in eight rowersover 60 years old). Marta and hercrew took first place and returnedhome with gold medals in tow. Bigcongratulations! ■

Monica Rudden (PD) was in the fifthrow of David Letterman’s Late Showwhen John McCain showed up to kiss Letterman’s ring for snubbingLetterman three weeks earlier. ■

Last fall, Curtis Havel (CDA) andMelissa Berry elevated Donner Lake’scharm and beauty with matrimonialfervor. ■

Kristina Tierney (CDA) and hubby Jaywelcomed a giggling Alyssa on Nov2. Stacey Laumann (CDA) and hus-band Steve Moran-Cassesse arethrilled with baby Max, born on July1.Victoria Cascio (Assessor) and RossCascio (DPW) went to China lastsummer to adopt sweet Jasmine. ■

O D D S & E N D S B y T o m V a s g i r d

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Last November a scoundrel, on trial forreceiving stolen property, left a familyof Yorkies in his hot stolen car. Thesmallest canines managed to crawl freethrough a window crack and werefound whimpering by Tracie Hollandand Cathy Killinger (DPW). They imme-diately provided care, notified theSheriff, and went into action to save theothers. All were rescued. The accusedwas found guilty and faces additionalfelony charges. Tracie and Cathy savedthe day for the pups! ■

There was no dithering from JeriStewart (DPW) when John Sutherlandpopped the question. But it wasn’t untilhe followed up with a suggestion thather old pots and pans be tossed thatshe realized the true meaning of herlife-altering decision. ■

Supervising Detention Nurse Karl Finley(H&HS) is a winner at work and on thefootball field, no mater what the score.A long-time Marin coach, Karl recentlytook over the program at WashingtonHigh, a public school in San Francisco’sRichmond District. The Marin IJ recentlynoted his reputation for building play-ers’ confidence by providing effectivestructure and modeling grace underpressure. ■

Superlative Quiz

Matthew Hymel’s (CAO) middle initialis H. What’s up with that? (answer below)

Please e-mail the information fromyour department to the Odds &Ends columnist, Tom Vasgird, attvasgird@co.marin.ca.us.

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friend

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Katrina Raleigh and Niska

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Marta Osterloh and her gold medal

Lucy Burlingham

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Answer:Matthew’s dad was so impressed with“Hud,” the Paul Newman character from themovie of the same name, that he gave Mathewthe middle name of Hudson.

Jeri and John

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Curtis and Melissa walking down the aisle

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Employees’ Haiku

In jury dutyWaiting around all day longCould be at Nordstroms.

–Shelley Friedman (Courts)

Files, piling up fast,No end in sight for me.Need a vacation.

–Jason Baker (Courts)

Here is the haiku about my niece. I wrote it for her birthday. She was born on the Winter Solstice.

Born on Solstice NightHeralding Long Days to ComeSweet Princess of Light.

–Susan L. Adams (BOS)

What’s before your eyes,The mirror will not disguiseLove the skin you’re in.

–Andrea Bizzell (H&HS)

Daughter calls to meDrop what I’m doing againWants my company.

–Michael Infante (Assessor’s Office)

Love is all detailMovements, likes, dislikes, habitsNo details, no love.

–Luis Luciano (H&HS)

Wide cold deep watersLittle tiny circling fishFeisty frolicking.

–Nayeem Lokhandwala (H&HS)

Dark watered storm wavesCrash into rocky shorelinesSpray lifts my spirits.

–Scott Callow (CDA)

A gray morning sky,The raindrops softly falling Birds still sing of sun.

–Patricia (Patty) Gurin (DA)

Rolled leaves on bushesHidden life safe, tucked withinBespeckled with frass.

–Marge Gibbs (DA)

Five levels of “fun”Four floors up and one floor downBut where is C-10?

–Kit Tiura, CLS (IST/Courts)

Here’s my contribution—it’s in honor ofLew Welch, author of the 1969 poem, TheSong Mt. Tamalpais Sings.

Tamalpais sighsThe candle sunrise makingSleeping Lady glow.

–Howard McFarland (H&HS)

On the dotted LineCredit of InequityLayoff, where’s the payoff?

–Brian Crosby (Assessor’s Office)

How leaves have fallenYet grace adorns our tableSweet sights come and go.

–Iris Mutio (H&HS)

Oh, budget, budgetReconcile. We wish you peaceWe need our paychecks.

–Carrie Ann Colton (HR)

A tap on my cheek;Awake, I lift the coversThe cat settles in.

–Marna Kramer (H&HS)

Swallowing Boat and SailA Huge Monster Roams the SeaThis Monster—A Whale.

–Victoria Pollick (H&HS)

Stinging cold wind gustsAutumn leaves tumble swirlingBrilliant orange and red.

–Fred Crowder (Ag/Wts.&Meas.)

Making Membrillo (quince paste)

Fresh quince from DoriLots of sugar and stirringHow delectable.

–Sharon Michelson (H&HS)

This happened one evening recently in theexpanse behind my house at Hamilton.

When the coyotesfinish their yipping, moonlightstill fills the meadow.

–Don Allee (CDA)

Frolicking in the sunOrchids vanish foreverIcebergs go drip, drip.

–Kimberly Contreras (H&HS)

Moonlight and insightDrift through our winter’s solstice Observatory.

–Tom McCallister (DA)

Flashlight pierces nightPuddle gleams; tiny frog sits On mirrored reflection.

–Anne Starr (HR)

Series between Susan Adams (BOS) andBob Beaumont (DPW):

Haiku magiciansUse a few poetic wordsTo create feelings.

–Susan Adams

Some few words now takeIn the caldron boil and bakeHaiku bubbling time.

–Bob Beaumont

Great Haiku MasterI am but a grasshopperLearning from the best!

–Susan Adams

No, no, grasshopperTallest buildings doest thou leapIn a single bound.

–Bob Beaumont

…that’s it for me now…signing off in Haiku land……’til Frankly Speaking!

–Susan Adams

To mark National Haiku Poetry Day on Dec. 21, the Frankly Speaking staffinvited county employees to wax poetic. So many of the three-line, 17-syllableverses were submitted that the Editorial Board had to limit publication to thebest from each poet—with one exception. Bob Beaumont (DPW), who writesthe regular haiku feature for this publication, and Susan Adams (BOS) held ahaiku rally via e-mail. It’s featured in the box below.

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transition from the county’s old account-ing and payroll systems to SAP has notbeen without challenge. Workingclosely with the system over the last twoyears, the team learned the intricaciesof SAP’s payroll module. Throughoutthis transition, the team met all pay-check deadlines and provided all of the mandatory reports to the various

The Auditor-Controller’s Payroll Teambrings a wealth of knowledge and skills to the daunting task of producingpaychecks every two weeks for eachand every county employee and once a month for retirees. That amounts toalmost 8,500 checks a month. The teamtreats employees’ and retirees’ interestsas if they were their own. ■ The

Team of the QuarterBy Cathy Selmi—IST

government taxing authorities on atimely basis. With their usual determi-nation and resourcefulness, team members met the deadline for issuingaccurate 2007 year-end W-2s and1099Rs to employees and retirees. ■

The members of this team bring morethan 100 years of experience workingfor the county to their endeavors. Theyare Danny Briones (began in 1989),Marilyn Cannon (1984), Sandy Barrett(1994), Tom Hubert (1998), Ching Shen (2001), Jerry Baniqued (1994),Victor Sumagaysay (1985), VladimirMatyurin (2007), and Tom Barker, a consultant brought in during the transition from FAS to SAP. ■ Theybring their skills and experience towork with the varied aspects of ourpayroll system including retirement benefits, leave accruals, remunerationstatements, and the ongoing processingof thousands of hours worked day and night by employees of the countyand special districts. ■ AssistantAuditor-Controller Bryon Karow says,“Congratulations on a spectacular job,never dropping the ball, and makingpossible the impossible.” ■

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L to R: Victor Sumagaysay, Vladimir Matyurin, Marilyn Cannon, Tom Hubert, Ching Shen, Danny Briones,Sandy Barrett, Tom Barker, and Jerry Baniqued

The county’s Emergency OperationsCenter (EOC) staff normally reports forduty at the Civic Center’s Room 266in the event of a disaster or majoremergency. But what happens whenthe primary EOC itself is damagedbeyond immediate use? This scenariowas tested on October 23 in an exercise called Silver Sentinel 2008, in which the EOC was damaged by asimulated earthquake on the HaywardFault. In this exercise, staff made itsway to an alternate location capableof hosting the 50-plus member team—the county jail administrative andtraining area. ■ Bijan Karimi, Officeof Emergency Services AssistantManager, said, “This exercise gave us the opportunity to test the alternateEOC and validate that it could supporta county-wide disaster response and

recovery effort. We are now one ofthe few counties in the state with a fullyfunctioning alternate location.” EOCDirector Clarissa Daniel (CAO) saidthe alternate EOC, although cramped,worked well enough to get the jobdone. ■ County employees are des-

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Staff trains in jail-alternate EOC during earthquake exercise.

“Preparedness

prevents peril.”

– Chinese proverb

EOC Goes to JailBy Bruce Stahley—Sheriff’s Office

ignated as emergency service workersin the event of a disaster. Personsinterested in training in their emer-gency services roles may contact theSheriff’s Office of Emergency Servicesat 499-6584 for information aboutopportunities and requirements. ■

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Dawn Weisz, Principal Planner with theCommunity Development Agency, hasspent the last several years working onthe analysis of Marin Clean Energy(MCE). This project, also known asCommunity Choice Aggregation, mayallow Marin to achieve a reduction of300,000 pounds of greenhouse gasesannually by drastically increasing ouruse of energy. She has spent countlesshours coordinating experts, educatingthe public, and analyzing complexdata. Dawn has always shown graceand professionalism, no matter what the venue, how late at night, or howcomplicated the questions from her various audiences. Dawn is a leader, a mentor, and a supremely smart andtalented member of the county team. In addition to the enormous job thatMCE has become, Dawn continues tomanage CDA’s Sustainability Team,including programs such as ClimateProtection, Energy Efficiency,Renewables, Green Building, andGreen Business. Dawn is, as formerCDA Director Alex Hinds once said, theSiren of Sustainability.

By Dana Armanino—CDA

Dung “Denny” Phan is the pride ofthe Health and Human Services DentalClinic. Denny was hired by the countyas a Registered Dental Assistant. With continued education, Dennyearned the advanced certification ofRegistered Dental Assistant—ExtendedFunctions. ■ Denny organizesmobile treatment sites, orients newstaff, provides direct patient care,oversees the inventory of dental sup-plies and equipment, and coordinateswith vendors and laboratories used for patients’ crowns and dentures. Heexcels in gaining patients’ trust andcalming nervous parents and children.He also anticipates the needs of newdentists and helps them gain confi-dence in the busy clinic. ■ Denny’sexperience, organizational skills, and ability to multi-task play a majorrole in the clinic’s ability to serve somany so well. His efforts have helpedthe clinic increase its daily treatment of patients nearly four-fold.Congratulations, Denny, for the well-deserved honor of being selected asEmployee of the Month. ■

By Israel Gonzalez—H&HS

2008 Employee of the YearVanard Goodman’s extraordinary contributions as Senior Equipment Services Worker in DPW have earned himthe distinction of Marin County’s Employee of the Year for 2008. Vanard is responsible for repairs and maintenanceof 500+ vehicles for various county departments. He is dedicated and always goes the “extra mile,” servicing thefleet and lending a helping hand. His can-do attitude and positive influence on his co-workers are most appreciated.The honor brings Vanard a $1,200 award, an engraved clock, flowers, balloons, an invitation to join the employeerecognition committee, and recognition by the Board of Supervisors. Previous winners include Bie Dellosa (IST),Pat Cunningham (DPW), Mischon Martin (P&OS), Catherine Condon (H&HS), Ron Johnny (H&HS), Liz Lewis(DPW), Phoenicia Thomas (Fire), Claudia Asprer (H&HS), and Marilyn Cannon (Auditor/Controller’s Office).

Vanard Goodman

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Bill Price has been the face ofRichardson’s Bay Regional Agency(RBRA) for 13 years. RBRA is a jointpowers authority formed by the countyand some cities to maintain the water-ways of Richardson’s Bay. His responsi-bilities include nautical safety, maritimepatrol, environmental protection, vesselmanagement, water testing, shoreclean-ups, derelict vessels, grants,public hearings, and committee service.Bill responds to on-water emergencies,even outside normal working hours. Hehas close working relationships withhomeowners, RBRA jurisdictional repre-sentatives, the Bay Conservation andDevelopment Commission, state agen-cies, and the Coast Guard. Bill recentlyimplemented an innovative approachfor intercepting drifting vessels, and acost-saving agreement with SausalitoPolice. He is working on mooring-related work, and a state water qualityplan. ■ In this critical time of theRBRA’s mission and growth, we are wellserved by Bill’s conscientious steward-ship, and fortunate to have him servingthe agency and the County of Marin. ■

By Ben Berto—CDA

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Les Aaronson(H&HS):“Recognizewho you are andhonor that. Supportyour talents andabilities. Don’t conform; be true to who you are.”

Vilma Orellana(Courts): “To bethe best you canbe, strive to do thebest you can inwhatever you do.”

Florence Shimano(Assessor-Recorder): “Great-ness does not meanattaining fame orfortune. Achievingpersonal greatnessmay be as simple as trying to makea positive impact on the peoplewhose lives we touch every day.”

Allie Zaragosa(PD): “Be kind toothers. It will helpyou career-wiseand socially. Themore eager youare to get to knowsomeone, the better it will be.”

Norman Zhou(Courts): “Workharder! The moreyou practice, theharder you work,the better resultsyou get.”

Roving ReporterBy Connie Siebler—Assessor-Recorder

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February is ‘Plant the Seeds ofGreatness Month.’ What advicewould you give someone to help

them achieve greatness?

HaikuBy Bob Beaumont—DPW

On to the new year Balancing the stuff of dreamsMaking a new day.

Making a resolution is easy; keeping itusually isn’t. Do you want to improveyour health, trim expenses, use timewisely, or have more fun in the NewYear? One of these tips may help youput a good intention into action.

Keep your promise to exercise more,even when the weather is damp. Parkat the east end of Sycamore Avenue inMill Valley, and hit the paved multi-usepathway that hugs Richardson Bay andcuts through Bothin Marsh. “It’s one ofthe best places to see birds,” says KirkSchroeder (P&OS). “It is an official IBA –Important Bird Area. Winter visitorsfind an array of beauty to appreciate inour parks—and without crowds.” ■

Take a few minutes to be safe: “Don’tjust have an evacuation plan, practiceit—if only once—with everyone wholives in your home. Also, make sureyour smoke alarm works,” says DennisLinney (Fire). ■

Have fun and get in free: Volunteer fora four-hour shift at the Marin CountyFair and receive two adult admissiontickets valued at more than $25. Toreserve your spot on the 2009 countyfair team, call Charlie Barboni (CS) at499-7048 by Monday, March 2. ■

Know who you should call. Beenripped off? Got a consumer problem or question? The Marin County DistrictAttorney’s Office Consumer ProtectionUnit can answer your consumer ques-tion or help you resolve your consumercomplaint through mediation at no costto you. The unit can look into unethicalor unfair business practices. “Call us at499-6495,” says David Ball (DA). ■

Spend less time working in thegarden. “Put a comfortable chair orbench in a favorite garden spot andspend more garden time sitting quietly,doing nothing,” says Fred Crowder(Ag/Wts.&Meas.). ■

Save money by drinking coffee or teawith a reusable mug. “Be proud andguilt-free, knowing that your reusablemug or cup helps the environment byreducing solid waste, conserving nat-ural resources, saving energy, and

Top Tips for the New YearBy Anne Starr—HR reducing greenhouse gas emissions,”

says Jamie Tuckey (CDA). ■

Plan an open space hike, look up afriend’s home parcel, find every farm-ers’ market in Marin, and more withinteractive maps from the GeographicInformation Systems team. You’ll findmore Marin detail here than on anycommercial map site. Check www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/is/main/gis/(public site) or http://mine/mine/IS/main/gis/GISApplications.cfm (theMINE). “Temporarily disable your pop-up suppressor, and have fun explor-ing,” says Fred Vogler (CDA). ■

Avoid parking fines in the county lotthis year. “If you carpool, use a carpoolspace and be sure to display your carpool sign in the parked car. Solodrivers, arrive five or ten minutes earlyto scout for an all-day space in the pitor the parking lot across Civic CenterDrive,” says Edie Lawrence (Sheriff),a.k.a. the Parking Princess. ■

Be prepared for spring. “Before storingsmall equipment (lawnmowers, etc.) forthe rainy season, put in fresh oil, addstabilizer to the gasoline, fill the gastank, run equipment briefly to circulatethe stabilizer, store items, and thenrelax. When spring arrives, you’ll beready to go when others are visiting theshop,” says John Ferrari (P&OS). ■

Need an official record as you getorganized this year? Save time by visit-ing the Recorder’s or County Clerk’soffices early on a Monday or Tuesday,when it’s less busy. Marriage, birth, ordeath records are at the Recorder’sOffice, Room 232 at the Civic Center.“If you’re planning to marry—congrat-ulations—pick up forms early and bringthem back completed for faster serviceat the County Clerk’s counter,” saysEstrella Wilson (Co. Clerk). ■

Get moving! Adults who participate inany amount of physical activity gainsome health benefits. “For substantialhealth benefits, adults should do at leasttwo-and-a-half hours a week of moder-ately intense activity, or one hour andfifteen minutes of vigorous aerobicphysical activity,” says Ellen Szakal(H&HS). ■

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The county is

always looking for

better and more

efficient ways to

provide services.

can help guide the county through thesignificant fiscal challenges we face,”said Matthew. ■ Below are some ofthe benefits of this new structure:

Greater public accountability and oversight of county financesUnder the new structure, an appointedDirector of Finance position willincrease day-to-day accountability andoversight of county finances. Like otherappointed county department heads,the appointed Director of Finance willbe accountable for effective and effi-cient operations and subject to regularperformance reviews. At the same time,to ensure independence, the Director ofFinance can be removed only by apublic hearing and 4/5 vote of the BOS.A Financial Audit Advisory Committeewill be established and will includerepresentatives of schools, cities, andspecial districts. ■

Opportunity for broader recruitmentfor specialized positionLike other public agencies, the county isexperiencing a workforce shortage forkey positions, including public sectoraccountants and financial professionals.Creating an appointed Director ofFinance position helps address thesetrends by allowing the county to cast awide net in recruiting the highest qualityprofessionals for this key financial position, rather than limiting it to MarinCounty residents willing to run forelected office. The county also is able to set a higher bar of professional qual-ifications for this position. In addition,the consolidated Department of Financewill provide staff with opportunities forcross-training and experience in a vari-ety of essential financial functions. ■

Cost savings through restructuringGiven the county’s budget challenges,we need to explore every opportunity toreduce our costs while maintaining thequality of our services. Through thisconsolidation of two department headpositions, the county will save at least$100,000 annually without eliminatingpositions with existing employees. Overthe coming years, the county will needto consider additional opportunities toadapt our structure and services toimprove operations and be responsiveto changing conditions. ■ As a nextstep, the BOS will create an appointedDirector of Finance position that will initially oversee the functions of theAuditor-Controller’s Office, given theretirement of the Auditor-Controller.

The full consolidation of both depart-ments will occur at the expiration ofMichael Smith’s term as the Treasurer-Tax Collector in January 2011. Duringthis time, the county also will explorerelated organizational changes neces-sary to place the Registrar of Voters,County Clerk, Public Administrator, and Central Collections functions, allcurrently part of the Treasurer-TaxCollector’s Office, into a structure wherethey fit best, or as required by statute.■ The county is always looking forbetter and more efficient ways to pro-vide services. Creating this new finan-cial management structure is one step tohelp us do this and address current andfuture challenges. If you have any feed-back on this new structure, please feelfree to contact Matt Bronson at 499-3084 or mbronson@co.marin.ca.us. ■

Finances cont’dFrom front cover

A Quilt AboveBy Bart Jones—Juvenile Hall

Marin County Juvenile Hall studentsmade a quilt for a young boy waitingfor a bone marrow transplant. Theproject, created and directed byVictoria Gonzalez, VolunteerCoordinator for the Marin CountyLibrary’s Beyond Walls Project, wascompleted by the students in conjunc-tion with a lesson on Civil War quilts.The “story board” quilt is a reproduc-tion based on a slave quilt located in

the Smithsonian Institute. ■ The pro-ject provided an opportunity for theparticipants to give back to someonein need. The hands in the photo are ofthe student artists. ■ The programreceived enormous local attention, afirst place cash award of $50 to sup-port the art program, and was fea-tured on the cover of Juvenile Councilof California Center for Families,Children and the Courts: Beyond theBench XVIII. ■ This was the first quiltof a series completed in an ongoingpartnership with Oakland Children’sHospital. ■

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First Prize quilt created by Juvenile Hall art students.

The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office addsextra help as local property owners arrive tomake payments in December.

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Marlene Cornejo (Treas.-Tax) assists taxpayer atan extra information counter in the hall set up tohandle the crowd.

Welcome to New Employees!

Listed in order of hire date from September 5 to November 26, 2008Karen Lewis Legal Asst., PDMary Parra Legal Process Asst. I, PDMario Kalson Environmental Health Spec. I, CDAElise Holland Planning & Resource Chief, P&OSGreg Pickrel Communications Dispatcher I, SheriffLinda Benson Accounting Asst., CSBonny White Librarian II, LibraryYuan-Ying Lin Sr. Nutritionist, H&HSNichole O'Brien Communications Dispatcher I, SheriffMona Miyasato Chief Asst. County Administrator, CAOKeely Martin Sr. Patient Account Clerk, H&HSAdrien Whitaker Communications Dispatcher II, SheriffSara Pearce Communications Dispatcher II, SheriffHayden Brown Deputy Public Defender II, P&OSDianah Webb Intermediate Clerk/Typist, P&OSLarry Daniel Principal Personnel Analyst, HRLuis Luciano Sr. Clerk/Typist, H&HSRachel Williams Intermediate Clerk/Typist, RetirementJean Iglesias Sr. Clerk/Typist, H&HSThomas Alipio Deputy Sheriff, SheriffEric Kress Building Maintenance Wkr. I, DPWLenard Bourcy Maintenance Electrician, DPWLatoya Brown Intermediate Clerk/Typist, Retirement

Farewell to Retirees!Patricia Harper Admin. Librarian, LibraryMark Brand Licensed Mental Health Pract., H&HSElizabeth Emerson Program Coordinator, H&HSAlex Hinds Director of Community Devel., CDASusan Altizio Library Branch Aide I, LibraryRoy Olson Inspector, DAFelicia Nealon Deputy Sheriff, SheriffPrudence Kerr Secretary, H&HSDavid Sexton Community Svcs. Center Manager, H&HSDebra Guidet Inspector, DALance Lowrie Technology Systems Coord., H&HSPatrick Higgins Deputy Sheriff, SheriffPriscilla McGee Legal Process Spec., ProbationJean Ricetti Legal Process Asst. II, PDJudith Naue Court Processing Spec., Courts

&WELCOMEFAREWELL !

Time & TreatmentTransformationBy Anne Starr—HR

The Marin County Fair is living up to its billing as the Greenest County Fair on Earth. More thanfour tons of food and paper garbage collected atthe 2008 fair were turned into compost over thecourse of five months and then applied to fair-grounds landscaping. Time and treatment trans-formed trash into rich, soil-boosting material. A fraction of the compost has been reserved forgreen displays at recycling stations at thissummer’s fair. ■ The transformation began when fair food vendors disposed of food scrapsand fair guests threw compostable cups, plates,and flatware into 36 collection stations set uparound the fairgrounds. The stations were staffedby North Bay Conservation Corps members. Pedro Alegria (CS) and his utility workers providedgreat support to the Conservation Corps crew. The Marin Sanitary Service was also a partner in the collaborative project. ■ The collectedbiodegradable waste was hauled to the San Rafaelrecycling center for treatment in a special indoormetal compost bin, where greenhouse gases wereremoved via filter. Three weeks later, the materialwas moved to an outside bin for curing. By mid-November it was ready to return in two big debrisboxes. Now the rich compost is perking up plantsaround the Marin Center and the Exhibit Hall. ■

The alchemy that turned garbage to garden goldwas itself green, thanks to labor from the NorthBay Conservation Corps crew. ■ “Recycling oldfood and compostable trash into compost was afirst for county fairs nationwide,” said Fair DirectorJim Farley (CS). “We diverted pre-consumer wastefrom food vendors and post-consumer compostablecollection from fairgoers. It’s cool to think of gar-bage coming back to us as a soil amendment.” ■

The alchemy that

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Conservation

Corps crew.

Pedro Alegria places fair compost into bag for Cultural Services Commissioner Helen Willms.

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Hail to Heritage HistoriansTwenty-six county employees know so much about North Americanfirst peoples that they answered every question perfectly on therecent American Indian Native Alaskan Heritage Month quiz. From the 26, seven names were drawn and presented with theseven theme-related prizes including books, Navajo pottery vases,CDs, and a signed Navajo sand painting. The lucky recipients: Fredi Bloom (Probation); Christine Cameron (IST); JaneCrownover (Registrar); Phyllis Gray (Assessor-Recorder); JohnKluge (H&HS); Mo O’Connell (CCS); and Pricilla VanLiew(CDA). The Human Resources Department provides information onthe MINE in an ongoing effort to foster understanding of andappreciation for cultural diversity. Next up: Carrie Ann Colton(HR) invites employees to enter the next Heritage Quiz. It’s on theMINE home page at the end of February. Learn more about BlackHistory and be a winner.