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Hello, everyone. My first two months as DMV Commissioner have been very busy, but very productive. It has been a pleasure meeting so many people here. In my short time here I’ve already seen the team here at DMV come together to overcome an adverse situation. As you likely know by now, our Wethersfield headquarters underwent some power outages in late February due to a water main break in the area. This has had an impact on our operations, but everyone here has pulled together and we will get past this hurdle – because that’s our reputation – to overcome

things, improve and work as a team. I would especially

Connecticut Department of Motor VehiclesIssue 1 Vol. 12 February 2015

dmv.newsletter@ct.gov

Inside

Strong Teamwork Matters at DMV

Commissioner’s Column

Member of CVSD Promoted to SergeantPage 2

Modernizing DMVPage 3

In Pursuit of QualityPage 4

What Others are Saying About UsPage 6

Tales of Customer ServicePage 6

Continued on page 3

Celebrating Diversity

Why it’s Important to Observe Black History

Commissioner Andres Ayala, Jr. greets Estella Garcia of Dealers and Repairers during a welcoming reception for Commissioner Ayala in Wethersfield.

It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the loss of Sonya Atkins, a member of our DMV family, who died tragically in an automobile crash on the evening of Feb. 27. Sonya was a part of our agency for nearly 30 years and worked in

Remembering Sonya Atkins

Continued on page 2

Sonya Atkins of Dealer Online

Due to last week’s power out-age in Wethersfield, the Febru-ary edition of DMV Today was delayed. We are distributing it now to ensure that this edition, which includes coverage of Black History Month, is sent to employ-ees close to our original February distribution date. We appreciate your understanding.

Editor’s Note: February is Black History Month, and DMV is celebrating and recognizing the importance of this topic. The following is a blog written by Regina Edmondson, who works at the Community College of Aurora in Colorado, on why it’s important to observe Black History Month. It can be found online at www.ccaurora.edu/blogs/faculty-staff/history/

In the United States, the month of February is observed as Black History Month or National African American History Month, and we use the month to remember the important contributions and achieve-ments of African Americans throughout our nation’s his-tory. The celebration can be felt nationally and worldwide

As DMV reaches into the variety and diverse households throughout the state, the agency has strived over the years to have employees represent that diversity found in the population it serves.

Each day brings togeth-er a mix of public service, people and perceptions into DMV offices and to the phone center. DMV employees work hard to connect with customers and bring whatever spe-

DMV Reflects on Black History Month

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To Our Readers:

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Andres Ayala, Jr.Commissioner

Bill SeymourDirector of Communications

Ernie BertothyEditor

ContributorsMary Graziosa-Norton

Mary LynchFranny Oviedo

DMV Todaya publication of

The Department of Motor Vehicles60 State Street

Wethersfield, CT 06161

Douglas Pratt of CVSD Promoted to Sergeant

Douglas Pratt of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Division, was recently promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Commissioner Andres Ayala, Jr. led the swearing-in ceremony on January 23 in Wethersfield. Pictured(left to right) are Lieutenants Garfield Green and Christopher Smith both of CVSD, Sergeant Pratt, Commissioner Ayala and Lieutenant Donald Bridge of CVSD.

DMV Reflects on Black History MonthContinued from page 1

Dealer Online. The loss of Sonya touches many of us, especially those who have known her over the years. Sonya’s spirit will live in everyone who knew her and the legacy she leaves will be many friendships in our agency. Her friends and others called her the bright light that lit a room full of people. Her bubbly personality sparked laughs and gave warmth to those around her. Compassion and kindness go hand-in-hand to describe what drew people to her. A deep love and commitment to her family, especially her grandchildren, was so very clear. Her daughter brought her so much pride and she loved to talk about them all. DMV in so many ways was lucky to have her. She cared about our employees, our work environment and our agency. We extend our sympathy to all employees who knew Sonya. She was a valued member of the Dealer Online team and our department.

Sonya AtkinsContinued from page 1

cial understandings they have through their skills and training as well as from their own backgrounds, beliefs and experiences.

February celebrates Black History Month to mark a collective pause to understand the contributions to society from African American resi-dents and citizens in the United States since its founding. It also gives a chance to look at diversity and multicultural understandings around society.

In the spirit of understanding how Black History Month at DMV can bring more understanding about diversity and multiculturalism, DMV Today decided to survey employees about the following question: How does the importance of Black History Month, and all that it captures in the historic struggle of African Americans, help to shape an approach at DMV toward diversity and multiculturalism?

Anonymous answers were allowed so that respondents could feel free to be candid. However, only 18 responses were logged in among a potential for hundreds when considering the number of DMV em-ployees. Nonetheless, these represent voices expressing their percep-tions of their experiences within the agency. Even this small sample of opinion reflects on change, our continuous efforts and the work that is ahead.

Here is a link to the survey results so you may read them as written.

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Continued from page 1

What You Do Matters to DMV and the Public

like to thank Deputy Commissioner Mike Bzdyra, Jim Petit of Facilities, our entire maintenance crew, our fiscal office, and everyone else here that has made adjustments to the loss of electricity. Since this is my first newsletter column, I also want to thank you for your warm welcome and for making my transition to DMV as smooth as possible. I look forward to visiting all the areas of the agency and meeting as many employees as possible. Always remember that what you do matters. A lot of good work is performed here. You help a lot of people. You make a difference in many lives. And I

want to be proactive and spread the positive news about what DMV does. You’ll notice some new features to this newsletter in the coming months that shows what we do and the positive results of our customer service. We have a lot of challenges on the horizon – most notably our CIVLS modernization project. We have started the detailed training in our branch offices for the next phase of this project. This is an exciting time here at DMV. I look forward to working with you to continue the efforts to make DMV a better place for customers and employees. Thank you for your time and what you do.

CIVLS is on track for launch during the spring and the system’s performance testing through March will help determine an exact date. Meanwhile, DMV offices around the state are closing two-by-two so employees can also receive training on the new system. “I am very pleased to see the training happening close to schedule and giving employees an opportunity to learn about the system and how it operates,” said DMV Commissioner Andres Ayala, Jr. “Our only setback was the Wethersfield office closing from the power outage, which meant we kept the Enfield and New Britain offices open for customer service.” New dates for training in Enfield and New Britain have been set for March 30 through April 2. The Commissioner pointed out that once the system performance testing is completed in mid-March, a “go-live” date will be firmly decided and that will kick-in a number of steps leading to launching the changes to the registration system. By that date, the training will also be nearly completed, too. “As everyone in DMV knows, this is an important change in technology and I want to emphasize that everyone should train, train, train to know this system as best they can on opening day,” Commissioner Ayala said.

Preparing for CIVLS: Training is Underway Modernizing DMV

CIVLS training continues across the state. In Willimantic, Judy Scammer, Deb Pepin and Rhonda Exum (left to right) learn about the new computer system.

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DMV Puts Fingerprints on Better Fingerprinting By Ernie Bertothy

Joseph Servidone of IST Logs Off to Retire Congratulations to Joseph Servidone of IST who is retiring in March. Joseph was also a member of the DMV Diversity Management Council. Joseph m e t w i t h C o m m i s s i o n e r Andres Ayala, Jr. and Deputy Commissioner Michael Bzdyra and received a framed retirement certificate.Pictured above, from left to right, are Paul Skwiot, Bill Ferris and Naveen Prathikantam all of IST, Joseph Servidone, Commissioner Ayala, Richard Poirier and Leon Zager both of IST and Deputy Commissioner Bzdyra.

In Pursuit of Quality

Safety, security and service. DMV provides all three in different ways. Keeping taxi, limo, school bus and motor coach passengers safe is one example. Anyone who wants to drive one of these vehicles with passengers must pass the proper testing requirements performed at DMV and background checks. It can be a time-consuming process, but a necessary one to ensure safety for the public. The process takes so long that applicants will call DMV, stop by branch offices, or write emails to the agency asking about their application. Ironically, the longest part of the process isn’t done at DMV. It’s the fingerprint check requirement done by the State Police, who do their best to keep up with demand. DMV recently met with state police and judicial system staff to help come up with ways that could speed up the process and make it more efficient. State police is part of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, which has taken the lead on this project also known as a kaizen event. This project ties to an overall movement to make state government more efficient, or lean. DMV’s Johnnine Dominique, Joanie Vicinus, and Cindy Zuerblis – all of the Public Endorsement Review Unit – met with other government partners during the last week of January.

The event centered on eliminating the current paper processes with an electronic one. Going step-by-step through the State Police’s process, the goal was to help reduce the application backlog and prepare for a more modern system that will replace the current one developed 30 years ago. So, what came of the meeting? “It really opened our eyes up to what the state police faces to keep up with demand,” Cindy said. “We learned a lot about the process.” Going through the process also allowed DMV staff to determine ways to assist. Joanie and Johnnine said there are little steps DMV can take to help the state police process the fingerprints, such as minor clerical work that will make hand-written applications easier to read and process once they are sent to the state police headquarters in Middletown. In addition, the process allowed the lines of communication to open up between agencies. That will be beneficial going forward as the process continues to modernize. “We now better understand what state police has to do, and they have a better understanding of what we do, and that helps everyone come up with ways to make the fingerprint check process better,” said Johnnine.

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as many organizations, cities, states and countries host events that educate on the rich culture, and memorable figures of African American history. As a new month of remembrance begins, let’s con-sider the important reasons why Black History Month is observed each year.

Celebrate with Knowledge

Carter G. Woodson was the sole individual responsible for creating Negro History Week in Washington, D.C., in February 1926. To Wood-son, the black experience was too important simply to be left to a small group of academics, and believed that his role was to use black his-tory and culture as a weapon in the struggle for racial uplift. His goal was to ensure that school children be exposed to black history. Wood-son chose the second week of February in order to celebrate the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass

The development of Black History Week to a full month was proposed by the leaders of the Black United Students at Kent State University in February 1969, and they held their inaugural celebration one year later, in February 1970. Quickly following that event, schools followed suit, creating clubs, playing host to lec-tures and more, all of which is still seen today.

In 1976, the bicentennial of the United States, President Gerald R. Ford expanded African American week into a full month. He said the country needed to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of African Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

This holds true today when all too often only the most negative aspects of African American com-munities get highlighted. We are

Black History Month is Celebrated with KnowledgeContinued from page 1

overwhelmed with images of rowdy athletes and reality “stars” as exam-ples of the success of black people. And we are subjected daily to unfair stereotypes and assumptions from a culture that is still learning to accept us.

Black History Month is an integral part of our nation’s tradition in which we continue to promote positive examples of poignant historical events, exemplary leaders and steps towards societal change. This remembrance is not only deeply meaningful for the African American community, but imperative for the greater understanding of national and world history.

Engage the Community

By reliving and remembering history, we create awareness of the struggles and challenges that African Americans overcame in this country. This proven persever-ance will serve as inspiration for the diverse community of Aurora, CCA and the rest of America. February has become a time designated for reflection, open dialogue, interdis-ciplinary education, and shared advocacy initiatives. Every race is connected to the rich history of this nation, and by celebrating Black History Month everyone can be

included in a tradition of acknowl-edgement, inclusion and community engagement.

Inform the Youth and Reflect on the Past

Although we have an African American president, many young people are not aware of the sacri-fices and struggles that those before them have made to be where we are today. We can’t take this accomplish-ment as an end point, however. We should use this opportunity to reach even greater heights. It’s easy to take the rights we have for granted if we don’t remember the determination that earlier generations showed, all of us have the potential to forget them. As the world continues to diversify with groups of many different origins, cultures and creeds, it is as important as ever to celebrate the histories that make up the collective account of our nation. It is important that we reflect and celebrate the monumental con-tributions and use them as a platform for future growth.

Here are a few of the many impor-tant historical events related to Black History Month (courtesy of Diversityinc.com)

• 1831 – Nat Turner leads the larg-est slave rebellion prior to the Civil War.

• 1859 – John Brown leads raid of U.S. Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry, W. Va.

• 1870 – Hiram Revels becomes the first African-American member of Congress.

• 1947 – Jackie Robinson becomes first African-American to play Major League Baseball

• 1955 –Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus to a white man in Montgomery, Ala., leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

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Up-coming ERC Events for Winter and Spring By Mary Graziosa-Norton

DMV employees come into contact with thousands of customers each day – and many of these customer ser-vice interactions are positive. While there are many great service examples that go unreported, the day-in-day-out service is noticed by the customers who we serve. This column is a reminder that good service is recognized, appreciated, and on occasion, reported by customers to DMV. This column will highlight a few examples each month that are reported of quality customer service: • A customer in Norwich had his car impounded and needed to resolve a registration issue. Greg, who works Norwich office, promptly assisted the customer with his paperwork to allow him to get his car back by the end of the day. Said the customer, “If Greg did not do that, I most likely would have run out of time and would have to take” additional time off from work. • A customer in Danbury gave major kudos to the Danbury Branch office after an ID-related visit.

Tales of Customer Service

Customer Gets His Wheels Back in Nick of Time

The customer said, “I feel that you’re the best DMV in the state of Connecticut. I was very impressed with the courtesy of your staff and the speedy service.” • In Bridgeport, a customer was very happy with the treatment that she received. Said the customer, “Robert G. was so kind, helpful and personable. He and everyone else I met made my DMV experience so pleasant! Such positive and caring attitudes.” • One customer in Waterbury was happy with the service that she received, and said, “out of all my experiences at DMV, Catherine R. has made my visit the absolute most pleasant of all visits!” • A Norwalk office customer with a stolen plate issue summed up his experience by saying, “Staff was courteous, professional and respectful. Staff even helped complete forms via their information so that I was able to fill out the correct forms correctly.”

What Others are Saying About Us

Jim Cameron is the founder of the Commuter Action Group and has a column called “Talking Trans-portation” that appears in newspapers around the state. His recent column focused on a trip to DMV’s Norwalk Office to renew his driver’s license. He reported that he was in and out of the office about 30 minutes quicker than the online wait time system reported his trip would take. He praised examiners for their speedy service and “even had a nice little coffee and snackstand in the waiting area.”

Speedy Service with a Cup of Coffee

DMV Staff Receives Rave Reviews to Highlight Positive Experiences

Here’s a look at some of the up-coming events sponsored by the DMV’s Employee Recognition Committee: • Feb/March – Game day snacks fundraiser • March – St. Patrick Day Corn beef Sandwiches • April – Dutch Mill Bulbs sale • April – Cupcake truck • May – Mother’s day plant sale Please keep watch for the flyers and brochures. As always, the ERC thanks you for your support!