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

T H I R D Q U A R T E R 2 0 0 9V O L U M E 1 4 • N U M B E R 3

Team JusticeBy Norma Johnson—Courts

Forget about Team USA, the DreamTeam, or your hometown team; MarinCounty has a Family Violence Court(FVC) Team that troubled individuals can count on. This squad—a judicialofficer, a deputy probation officer, adeputy district attorney, a deputy publicdefender, and sometimes treatmentproviders—goes into action for quali-fied defendants in domestic violence,elder abuse, and child abuse cases. ■

When the court orders probation andassessment for the FVC, the probationofficer determines whether the defendantwould benefit from the team program.“Participants in the FVC receive thehighest level of probation supervision,”says Melissa Davis (Probation). “As a result of their close and continuousrelationship with the court, defendantsincrease the likelihood that they address

A Whole Lotto LuckBy Danny Maples—Sheriff’s Department

What does the number combination 9, 16, 24, 40, 43, and35 mean? To pretty much everybody reading this article itmeans absolutely nothing, but to Deputy Brian Cabaud(Sheriff) and his girlfriend Deputy Anneliese “Liese” Hansen(Sheriff) it means a measly $75 million before taxes on theirwinnings. That’s right! On May 1, they beat the odds of onein 176 million and struck it rich in the California Lottery’sMega Millions, splitting a $225-million jackpot with two otherwinning ticket holders. Brian purchased their winning ticketat the Strawberry Chevron station and jokingly told his carpartner, Deputy Erik Rohrs (Sheriff), not to bother buying a ticket because Brian knew his was the winner. AgainstBrian’s advice, Erik bought his ticket anyway, albeit just twopicks too late. The day after the drawing, Bill Hernandez(Sheriff) received a call from the Chevron station owner whotold him one of our deputies held the winning ticket, but ithad yet to be claimed. Erik checked his ticket, but much to hisdismay he matched only two numbers. Brian arrived shortly

their issues and make positive changes.”Once accepted into the program, par-ticipants are required to attend courtsessions weekly for the first month. ■

The team meets before each court session to discuss each participant’sprogress. “The collaboration of theseagencies means resources are morereadily available for these defendantsand sanctions for noncompliance areimmediate,” Melissa says. The partici-pants are required to complete a

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thereafter and Erik read him the winning numbers with Briananswering, “Yeah,” after each of the six numbers. Brianstood silent for a moment, then burst with excitement and ranout the door to his truck, screaming. Erik persuaded Brian tolet him drive so he wouldn’t get into an accident from all ofthe excitement. While they drove to the Chevron station,

Brian and Liese hold a facsimile of the winning check.

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L to R: Deputy District Attorney Charles Cacciatore, Deputy Probation Officer Melissa Davis,Judge Verna Adams, and Deputy Public Defender George Shea

Continued on page 11

“I have been

impressed by the

ability to replace

the traditional

adversarial court

model for a team

approach that brings

all components of the

criminal courts

together in a very

constructive way.”

Brian jokingly told

his car partner,

Deputy Erik Rohrs,

not to bother buying

a ticket because

he knew his was

the winner.

batterer’s program or child abuse counseling, perform community servicework, and submit to chemical testing.After the first month, they might berequired to return to court less fre-quently. The minimum period of parti-cipation is 12 months. ■ The teamwants participants to succeed. JudgeVerna Adams (Courts) offers words ofencouragement. “I missed you lastweek,” she says to one. “You’re going

Continued on page 11

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, 499-6028Diana Kelly, Administrative support, Human

Resources, Civic Center Volunteers, 499-7407

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

Volunteers Photographer: Janice Hughes, DA’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 homepage, 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: Danny Maples

ScheduleArticles Due Publication DateFriday, Sept. 4 Friday, Nov. 6Tuesday, Nov. 24 Friday, Jan. 29, 2010Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 Friday, May 7, 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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Vacation Photos Wanted!Only three weeks left to submit your photos for

the 14th Annual Vacation Photo Contest. The deadline is September 4. Employees can either take or be in the picture. Photos taken any time since fall of 2008 qualify.Previous participants are welcome. Photos can be printedor digital (high-resolution) and should be submitted toJanice Hughes, c/o DA’s Office, Room 130, orjhughes@co.marin.ca.us. Winning images will be pub-lished in the fourth-quarter Frankly Speaking, displayedin the Civic Center Cafeteria, and awarded prizes byMarin Film Works.

HoardingBy Carol Lucchese—H&HS

The Hoarding Alliance of Marin is adiverse group of professionals and com-munity members working to help solveproblems that result from the practice ofhoarding. The alliance includes publichealth nurses, social workers, publicsafety/peace officers, housing inspec-tors, environmental health and humanesociety personnel, mental health practi-tioners, landlords, professional organiz-ers, housing authority employees, codeenforcers and—probably most essentialto the alliance—“consumers” (peoplewho hoard). The diversity of member-ship is essential to the success of thedeveloping protocol to address issueshoarders confront. ■ Hoarding cancause people to feel isolated andashamed. It can impede the develop-ment of relationships, create majorsafety and health problems, and lead to eviction. Further, hoarders can incursubstantial costs rentingstorage space andcounty agencies canincur substantial costscleaning homes ofhoarders so they canremain in their homes.■ One accepted definition of hoardingis “the acquisition ofand failure to discardpossessions that appearto be useless or of limited value, accompanied by livingspaces sufficiently cluttered so as to preclude activities for which thosespaces were designed, and significantdistress or impairment in functioningcaused by the hoarding.” ■ Thealliance was created in 2007 to

understand the complexities of compul-sive hoarding and cluttering, provideresources for hoarders, and developprotocol to manage this growing prob-lem. Gail Mosconi, Director of ShelterPlus Care, and staff members were confronting problems with clients whocould not pass housing inspections.Clients were at risk of being evictedbecause of fire code violations, presence of pests, or because of otherhealth and safety concerns, and as aresult were reluctant to let people intotheir homes. (Shelter Plus, part of theMarin Housing Authority, providesrental assistance and support servicesto homeless individuals and familieswhere the head of household has aserious mental illness.) Most important,the Hoarding Alliance was created toimprove the quality of life for peoplewith hoarding behaviors, to collaboratewith other community groups, and toaddress the increasing caseload ofhoarders. ■ The alliance meets

monthly and coordi-nates informationamong agencies thatintervene in individualcases. ■ Meanwhile, consumers themselveshave formed a monthlysupport group. Manyfeel they are the onlyones with hoardingproblems, but whenthey attend the supportgroup run by other

hoarders, they find comfort knowingothers have similar issues. ■ Alliancemembers work together to decrease thepain and isolation consumers feel andto increase the community’s under-standing of a social problem for whichthere are few definitive solutions. ■

Hoarding Alliance of Marin team members L to R: Libby Pope, Marin County public healthnurse; Sue Zee Poinsett, professional organizer; Shelter Plus Care Coordinator Gail Mosconi;Charles E. Smith, landlord; Joanne Merjano, Marin County public health nurse; CarolLuccchese, Marin County social worker; Cindy Machado, Marin Humane Society Director ofAnimal Services; San Rafael Police Officer Tom Sabido; and Catherine Kritzer

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A Change in LeadershipBy Deborah Skaar—Farm Advisor’s Office

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By Steve Petterle—P&OS

On my way to lunch, I walk exactly

149 steps from my office to the cafe-

teria. Once inside the cafeteria, I

walk another 47 steps reviewing my

options and making payment. A

round trip requires 345 steps, which

at my stride of 41 steps per 100 feet,

translates to a total distance of 841

feet. ■ My walking pace is one

mile in 24 minutes. At that rate,

based on my height, weight, and

ZIP code, I will burn 14.34 calories

commuting the 841 feet to the cafe-

teria and back for lunch. If I choose

to be calorie-neutral today, I can eat

no more than the calories that I

burn. This translates to either 3/4 of

a cup of celery or 46.98 grams of

okra for lunch. Like everyone else,

I choose the 46.98 grams of okra,

because it sounds like more than

3/4 cup of celery. To my dismay,

however, I learn that this option is

not available to me in the cafeteria.

■ So, I go downstairs to the vend-

ing machine on the first floor. This

adds another 14.63 feet, or 6 paces,

and 26 stairs to my trip, burning an

additional 0.99 calories. My total

calorie expenditure is now 15.33.

There’s no okra in the vending

machine, so I buy a package of

Fritos and walk back upstairs. One

package of Fritos contains 320 calo-

ries. Since I’ve elected to be calorie-

neutral today, I must now walk back

and forth from my office to the cafe-

teria 22 times. ■ Eating healthy

really takes a lot of effort. ■

PERSPECTIVE

P E T T E R L E’S

Illustr

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by Ph

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For the first time in two decades,the University of CaliforniaCooperative Extension Officewill have a change in leader-ship. Longtime Farm Advisorand Director Ellie Rilla is leavingto pursue new opportunities. Thetransition will be smooth though,as the new director, DavidLewis, has worked on projectsout of the Marin Farm Advisor’sOffice since 1999. ■ Duringher 21 years as Farm Advisorand Director, Ellie has overseen thedevelopment and expansion of theMaster Gardener program, providedresearch-based assessments on anumber of land issues, and assistedmany community groups. She playeda major role in thehard-won suc-cesses of Marin’sfarm and ranchfamilies in theareas of diversification, marketing,promotion, and resource conservation.Marin is now a model for sustaining astrong, vibrant agricultural community.Ellie plans to continue her research onstrategies for family farm success, andwill publish the second edition of theCalifornia Agritourism Handbook for

Farmers and Ranchers. ■ David, who has lived in Novato since 1996, is enjoying a homecoming of sorts. Asa Farm Advisor in Marin, Mendocino,and Sonoma counties, he partneredwith federal, state, and county partici-

pants to improveagricultural waterresource manage-ment and aid therecovery of the

Coho salmon. He views his new role as an opportunity to strengthen oldpartnerships and build new ones. As heexplains, “The Marin community is aleader for how Californians value andmanage their resources. To contributeto that tradition of innovation and prob-lem solving is an exciting privilege.” ■

“The Marin community is a leader for how Californians value and manage

their resources.”

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Ellie Rilla and David Lewis

Special Tribute to JPCC Spanish-Speaking Associates

Heather Ravani, Director of Social Services and member of theJeannette Prandi Children's Center Steering Committee, honorsemployees Rose Hernandez, Laura Estrada-Shepherd, andJuan Funes (not present) for their expertise in conductingforensic interviews with Spanish-speaking children. DistrictAttorney Ed Berberian (far right), also presented an award to Anna Macias. Anna Macias

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A DOC for the FluBy Miles Julihn—H&HS

With acronyms flying left and right, theDepartment of Health and Human Services(H&HS) activated a Department OperationsCenter (DOC) for the first time ever on April 27in response to H1N1, a new strain of influenzavirus first reported in Mexico. Since mid-April,Public Health Officer Fred Schwartz, MD, (H&HS) and Deputy Public Health Officer Anju Goel, MD, (H&HS) had beentracking the alarming death rate among the “swine flu” casesin Mexico, as well as the six cases confirmed in the UnitedStates. Because seasonal influenza kills more than 35,000annually in the U.S., public health officials always are on thealert when new strains emerge. ■ Two suspect cases werereported in Marin on April 25, and county leadership quicklydecided to activate a DOC, a sort of emergency operationscenter, to monitor the spread of the virus and to provide accu-rate and timely information to the public, local health careproviders, county employees, and community partners. MilesJulihn (H&HS) was assigned as Director, Troy Peterson (H&HS)as Planning Chief, Andrew Horvath (H&HS) as OperationsChief, and Randy Saxe (H&HS) as Logistics Chief. ■ Mediainterest was high and a public information team, headed bySergeant Debra Barry (Sheriff) and Matt Bronson (CAO),facilitated two press conferences and issued eleven pressreleases to notify all concerned of any potential cases. A fluhotline, coordinated by Alison Clayton (H&HS) and staffedwith nurses and trained individuals, answered 463 callsduring the incident. In addition, over 13,000 unique visits tothe influenza website (www.marinflu.org) were recorded; itwas updated daily with the assistance of Loretta Rogers

My family and

friends were sur-

rounding my bed

when I came to.

There is nothing like

a coronary to get a

reunion going!

Linda Ferguson briefs staff in the DOC.

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A Close CallBy Delfin Medina—H&HS

I ride my bike to work every day. In May, while waiting at the intersection to cross over to 20 North San Pedro Road, I felt a sharp stabbing pain in the left side of my back. It wasso painful I actually thought someone had stabbed me andlooked behind me. Not seeing anyone, I realized it was theonset of a heart attack. I felt I could make it to work, so Islowly rode the rest of the way to my office at 20 North SanPedro Road. I knew that my friend Alan Kristal (H&HS) wouldbe there. By the time I rode the elevator up to my office andwalked through the door, the pain had spread to both shoul-der blades and my chest. Alan was there and I told him whatwas going on. I collapsed at my desk and Alan called 911.The pain was so intense that I was blacking out. Alan hadanother friend, Richard Jang (H&HS), keep an eye on mewhile he waited downstairs for the paramedics. ■ Off in thedistance I could hear the sirens. Help was coming. I just hadto hang on. ■ In less than five minutes, emergency person-nel from the Civic Center Fire Station rushed me off to the

Marin General HospitalEmergency Unit. ■ Myfamily and friends weresurrounding my bed when I came to. There is nothinglike a coronary to get areunion going! My wifesaid the doctor told her that I had a 100% rightcoronary occlusion. The x-rays confirmed this. Afteran angioplasty, a stent,and four days, I’m out ofthe hospital. In another week I’m back to work. The week after that I’m riding my bike to work again. Medical sciencehas definitely come a long way. ■ “Mahalo Nui Loa!”(Hawaiian for many, many, many thanks) to the paramedics,Marin General Emergency Unit, Dr. Raghupathy, and, ofcourse, Alan and Richard for being there for me. ■ So hereI am after that wake-up call. I’m on a heart-healthy diet, someblood thinners, and still riding that funny-looking bike. ■

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Del and his semi-recumbent bike

Prevent the spread ofinfluenza by thesesimple measures:

Get an annual flu shot

Wash your hands frequently

Cover your mouth tocough or sneeze,

preferably with yourarm or elbow

Stay home if feeling ill

Publi

c Dom

ain Ph

oto

Hand washing is a first step in preventingdisease.

(H&HS). ■ Two public schools were closed during the outbreak due to a probable or confirmed case of H1N1 in astudent. ■ Throughout the two weeks from April 24 to May8, Lynn Murrin (H&HS), Director of the Public Health Lab,reported 334 specimens tested, 95% of which were negativefor Influenza A. Guided by Linda Ferguson (H&HS), a team ofpublic health investigators carried out 32 case interviews andfollowed up with 62 contacts, eventually confirming six casesin Marin. Over those 11 days, 57 employees from H&HS, theSheriff’s Department, Office of Emergency Services, the FireDepartment, Public Works, County Administrator’s Office,and the Community Development Agency logged more than2,000 hours and participated in over 100 conference calls.H&HS’s planning for a public health emergency resulted in awell-coordinated effort among community and health carepartners. ■ On May 8, the DOC was deactivated and a transition team was established to continue surveillance andtesting. As of May 22, 13 cases of H1N1 had been confirmedin Marin County. ■ Many wonder if the nationwideresponse to H1N1 was overblown. On June 12, however, theWorld Health Organization officially declared H1N1 a world-wide pandemic. Influenza is a serious and sometimes deadlydisease. Public health officials will remain vigilant for a re-emergence of the H1N1 influenza next fall/winter. ■

5

Only in SantaBarbara?By Tim Walsh—Fire

On May 5, a fire began in theCathedral Peak area above SantaBarbara. The fire burned 8,733 acres,destroying 80 homes, 79 outbuildings,and 1 commercial building, and dam-aging 15 homes and 2 outbuildings.Some 30,000 people were evacuatedand 29 firefighters were injured. Whatcould have happened if this fire hadoccurred in dry September? ■ Onlyin Santa Barbara? Let’s compare SantaBarbara to Marin:

■ Steep rugged terrain■ Abundant vegetation ■ Tight narrow roads■ High value homes located within

the aforementioned.

Several Marin County Fire Departmentfirefighters were part of a CAL FIREIncident Command Team deployed tothe Santa Barbara fire. Deputy ChiefRich Lopez served as Operations Chief,

Engineer Breanna Buchanan filled the Logistics Chief-Trainee position,Paramedic Engineer Eric Scovel pro-vided intelligence as a Field Observer,and Paramedic Engineer TonyGiacomini filled one of the ResourceUnit positions. ■ Marin County hasseveral days each summer and fallwhen weather is conducive to large firegrowth. Although the Vision Fire of1995 is becoming a faded memory,during its peak it consumed 3,500 acresin one hour. The fire burned over12,000 acres and stopped only when it ran into the Pacific Ocean. ■

When we celebrate Fire PreventionWeek, October 4 through 10, we needto remind ourselves what the MarinCounty Fire Department is doing to prevent a similar tragedy. Firefightersfrom our six fire stations inspect homesto make sure they comply with defensi-ble space regulations. Get Ready Marinclasses are taught at the fire stationsand schools to help residents preparefor a disaster. Finally, the Department’sTamalpais Fire Crew works diligently toclear brush above the communities

along the fire roads, creating compartmentsto slow a fast-movingfire. ■ The TamalpaisFire Crew is a 13-personhand crew that spendsevery day creating fuelbreaks or responding tofires both in and out ofMarin. The crew cutsfuel breaks along fireroads, removing the understory brushand numerous trees killed by suddenoak death syndrome. They pile thematerial and burn it after sufficientrain falls in the winter. They have builtfuel breaks and fuel reduction zonesabove Mill Valley, Kent Woodlands,Sleepy Hollow, and Novato, to namea few. They removed dead pine treesaround the West Point Inn in anattempt to protect it from a potentialfire. They cleared escape paths inSouthern Marin and cleared aroundthe communications towers on Mt.Tamalpais. The goal is to create areaswhere firefighters can safely fight fires,resulting in safer communities. ■

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of terrain difficulty vary, as do thesneaky ways people hide their caches.Most of these containers are clearlymarked on one side or inside as“Official Geocaches.” If you stumbleupon one, PLEASE put it back exactly theway you found it. ■ Caches placed onprivate property without permission area no-no. It was challenging to find aspot at the Civic Center to place a cachethat would pass with Administration, but a site was approved and acache was placed there. Athree-part virtual puzzle cacheleads you around the CivicCenter to find notable land-marks. ■ Interested in findingout about caching or cachesstashed nearby? Check out thewebsite www.geocaching.com.There you will find acceptablecache postings (there are rulesfor placing caches), a listing of a cache’s type, hints on how to findit, and other pertinent information. ■

When you go, always remember“cache in, trash out!” ■

GeocachingBy Kit Tiura—Courts

About ten years ago, satellites aroundthe world linked up and made the sport of geocaching an internationalphenomenon. The Official WorldwideGeocaching website explains it simplyas “a high-tech treasure hunting gameplayed throughout the world by adven-ture seekers equipped with GPS devices.The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors,and then share your experiencesonline.” ■ This excellent outdoor activity is fun and feasible for all ages, educational levels, shapes, sizes, andtemperaments. It has caught the imagi-nation and attention of Civic Centerstaff. Current and former employeeswho enjoy geocaching include JodyTimms (H&HS), who caches with herson, Kit Tiura (Courts), who hikesaround with her husband Kai Tiura,John Cunningham (IST), and DeanPowell (former DPW). ■ You can’t

geocache without a GPS and there aremodels specifically designed for thissport. You also need your brain—to beable to notice things out of the ordinaryor ordinary things “out of place”—tofind physical geocaches. The search forthese treasures will annoy, gnaw at,excite, dismay, and thrill you. Thecaches may contain nothing more thana “travel bug” (a coded identifier of thecache), a log sheet to sign, or interest-ing swag items—traceable coins, dogtags, and other thingamajigs. The levels

Kit and Kai Tiura holding a travel bug

The 2008 Tamalpais Fire Crew at theCaribou Fire in the Trinity Wilderness

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Geocache site cleverly con-cealed in a fencepost

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Michael Smith(Treas/Tax) enjoyedan extreme adventurethat included awe-some Grand Canyonrapids, death-defyingrope climbs up water-falls, and rocky steep

trails with their share of rattlesnakes,scorpions, and Gila monsters. All that,just for bragging rights around thecampfire at day’s end. ■

On May 9, Johanna Good (Ag./Wts.and Meas.) started the first day of therest of her life by marrying boyfriendCal in her Novato backyard. The moodand setting included festive bluegrassmusic, a wine barrel bar, hay bales for seating, and the best friends in theworld. After, they honeyed under themoon in Kauai. ■

Those who gojust to see thesights miss all the fun. KallieKull (DPW) andher 6-year-olddaughter, Maya,visited the color-ful Far East andgot bitten by a

monkey, licked by a water buffalo, heldhands with a baby orangutan, fell offthe top bunk in a Vietnamese train, sawa puppet show, met lots of new friends,and ate great food. Oh, and the buf-falo’s tongue was purple. ■

Oh, the irony. Deputy Danny Maples(Sheriff) is still scratching his head andwondering how the Deputy DAs turnedout to be better drug chefs than theDeputy Sheriffs during a recent “smackdown” cookout. At a hands-onnarcotics training seminar, intended tosharpen their drug-detection skills, theattendees “prepared” hard drugs. The Deputy DAs trounced the DeputySheriffs. Who woulda thought? ■

Neal Conatser (DPW) may be on hisway to becoming an aficionado ofSwedish culture. He recently made atrip to Europe for a wedding and madesome stops at coffee bars in Stockholm.When you see Neil ask him about

“Fika,” the Swedish way of appreciatingcoffee and pastries. He may want togive you a demonstration. Hej! ■

The Finnish North American LiteratureAssociation published Anita Erola’s(HR) memoir, Finnish Blueberries, in theJuly issue of its newly launched journalKippis! (Cheers!). The association isaffiliated with Finland University, a pri-vate university in upper Michigan. ■

Proud Mom! Mari-Ann Rivers (Co.Counsel) recently attended her daugh-ter’s graduation from the Carver Schoolof Medicine at the University of Iowa.Her daughter Aimée graduated withGold Humanitarian Honors and aService Distinction. She will begin herfour-year residency in obstetrics andgynecology at Beth Israel Hospital inManhattan this summer. Aimée also is a retired professional ballerina whotrained with the Marin Ballet anddanced in the Nutcracker performancesat the Marin Center for many years. ■

Sarah Colton(H&HS) knowswhat it’s like tobe a doublefirst. She is thefirst winner ofthe firstTransportationGame on theMINE. LastApril she beatout 65 others

who also had their eyes on the prize.Bottom line, Sarah is a huge proponentof the Green Commute Program.Congratulations. ■

You don’t have to be an active partici-pant in the art scene to appreciate andadmire Ursula Floden’s (Library)accomplishments at the recent FalkirkCultural Center’s Annual Juried BayArea Exhibition in San Rafael. The exhibition included painting, drawing,printmaking, sculpture, and mixedmedia. Ursula was one of 70 artistsaccepted from a pool of over 300. Herwork is 2-D, using images from maga-zines and books to create imaginativeand sometimes surreal compositions. ■

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

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We need more role models likeVeronica Corella-Pearson (CDA). She is a leading member of the LUNAChix Bay Area Trail Running Team forwomen. The team is involved in coach-ing and promoting all aspects of run-ning, including nutrition and lifestyle.They sponsor and raise money for theBreast Cancer Fund. Their goal is to getout, have fun, and play. Check out:teamlunachix.com/bay area_run. ■

No joke! Shirley Petersen’s (Courts)fifth grandchild, Brooklyn, was born on April 1. Son Jeremy and his wifeStephanie couldn’t be happier. Bigbrother Benjamin is sizing up the situation. Colleen Sonneborn (PD) gavebirth to son Elijah on April 29. Her husband Jonathan is all smiles and bigsister Isabel, age 3, is embracing hernew role with pride and joy. ■

Bene Da Silva (DPW) was thrilled tohave his house featured in the StormWater Pollution Prevention ProgramGarden Tour this spring. The tour illustrated how you can conserve water,plant native plants that are drought-resistant and beautiful, and use earth-friendly pest control. Bene proudly gaveout seeds for planting to his MarinGarden of Paradise visitors. ■

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Mike shooting the rapids

Sarah holding her prize,a green travel blanket

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Please e-mail adventures,events, anddepartmenthappenings toOdds & Endscolumnist, Tom Vasgird, tvasgird@co.marin.ca.us

L to R: Laurel Kato, Veronica Corella-Pearson, Ellie Wieser, and Traci Krall

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L to R: Grayson, Kallie, orangutan, Maya,Karuna, and Christopher

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Bene (right) and his wife, Lynn von derWerth

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Earth Day? More Like Month, or Year!By Alex Soulard—DPW

We have come a long way since thefirst Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Thecelebration was started in a time beforethe U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency, curbside recycling, or the catalytic converter. We are much moreaware of our impact on the world andhave made great strides in recycling,but our waste has become more volu-minous and more toxic than ever. ■

Working year-round, county agenciesplan events, provide public outreach,apply for grant funding, and track legislation in an effort to “reduce,reuse, recycle, and rot.” Inter-agencyefforts were undertaken to host threespecial events surrounding this year’sEarth Day festivities. ■ The first eventincluded outreach from Jeri Stewart(DPW) from the Green CommuteProgram, Kemplen Robbins and ArtBrook (both DPW), Shane Blair andSharon Blakley (both Assessor), JamieTuckey (CDA), Ann Hearty (DPW), andrepresentatives from 511.org and

Enterprise Rideshare. Green CommuteProgram staff led the festivities duringthe county’s Earth Day by offeringemployees and visitors eco-friendlyinformation to help them travel aboutMarin without contributing to conges-tion and greenhouse gas emissions.Visitors learned how the county cham-pions employees’ efforts to integratehealthy exercise and beneficial behav-iors into their daily commute, and participated in random grand prizedrawings for biodegradable gifts suchas lunch sacks and commuter mugs. ■

The second event was a CommunityTake Back Day on May 2 that involvedover 300 residents collecting over11,000 pounds of hazardous, harmful,and medical waste, and over one ton of shredded paper in the pouring rain.This was a cooperative effort of PublicWorks, the Community DevelopmentAgency, the Las Gallinas SanitaryDistrict, the Central Marin SanitationAgency, San Rafael Fire, and theBoard of Supervisors. The event wasstaffed by Robert Turner (CDA), AlexSoulard, Eric Lueder, KemplenRobbins, Christie Woolard, JuliaBarnes (all DPW), and employees fromother contributing agencies. ■ Lastbut not least, Public Works hosted a

two-week tire recycling event duringwhich Marin residents dropped offtires for free at Redwood Landfill andthe Marin Resource Recovery Center.This event, coordinated by Kemplen,was paid for by a grant from theCalifornia Integrated WasteManagement Board and facilitated the recycling of over 1,500 tires. ■

Public Works coordinates a communitycalendar of green events that includesactivities by community organizationsand local municipalities. Please visitwww.MarinGreenGuide.org for cur-rent events or to provide us with infor-mation on additional events. ■

L to R: Alex Soulard, Christie Woolard, Eric Lueder, Kemplen Robbins,and Julia Barnes recycling in the rain

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Critical Incident StressDebriefingBy Lynn Zimmerman—H&HS

Stress is present in all of our lives and this term is used withgreat frequency; but what is stress? Stress has come to refernot only to external pressures and immediate reactions tothem, but to a prolonged internal state that may have long-term negative effects on health and mental health. On theother hand, short-lived stress of everyday proportions, such as an argument, a work deadline, an unpredicted change inschedule or plans can result in a brief physiological responsethat can prod us to develop new strengths. ■ Short-livedstressors can result in long-term effects when they are of extra-ordinary proportions, such as; robberies, life-threateningexperiences, auto accidents, a sudden death of an employeeor client, natural disasters, and school-based incidents. ■

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) is an early interven-

tion method designed to mitigate acute emotional distress that can result from a life-threatening experience. It is not psy-chotherapy, but rather a method for alleviating common stressreactions triggered by critical incidents. This brief crisis inter-vention usually occurs within days of a traumatic event. Adebriefing session, usually with a group of individuals whohave shared the experience, is run by a trained facilitator. Itwas initially developed for firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and military personnel, but is now expanded to work-place and school settings. ■ In the past few months, MarinCounty Community Mental Health Youth and Family Servicesstaff, including Suzanne Alfandari, Judy Kendall, and AnaGuimoye, and Thomas Rath of Children and Family Services,have provided CISD for local school-based incidents and Marincounty employee incidents. By helping the trauma-exposedperson talk about his/her feelings and reactions to the criticalincident, and following the seven-phase model of CISD, we can understand the event, regain a sense of order and control,and bring closure to the incident. In some cases, a referral forfurther supportive services is then provided. ■

Please visitwww.MarinGreenGuide.org

to view a current list of all events or to provide us with information

on additional events.

CISD is an early

intervention method

designed to mitigate

acute emotional

distress that can

result from a

life-threatening

experience.

8

and Susan McDonald; Treasurer-TaxCollector’s participants are Don Donlonand Chris Sciocchetti; and from theAuditor-Controller’s office are DavidKosmala, Mathilda Leow, WendyMullin, Dana Proctor, and Kathy Rael.■ The team worked to design the TaxAssessment Property InformationSystem, a highly integrated system providing property assessment, appor-tionment, and tax billing. IST recentlymodernized this 20-year-old system,learning new technology to support afaster, more cost-efficient operationwhile continuing to maintain the exist-ing mainframe application. ■ Roy

The Property Tax Team has beenselected as Team of the Quarter for thefourth quarter of 2009. For the past 20years this group has monitored eachcalendar year closely to make surethat property taxes, a major source ofrevenue to the county, are processedflawlessly. The team combines the talents, experience, and resources ofIST, the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s,Assessor-Recorder’s, and Auditor-Controller’s offices. IST personnelinclude Ron Matteson, Nancy Amen,Chris Cameron, Susan Harbour, JimHuang and Mark Wong; Assessor-Recorder’s staff are Nancy Carpenter

Team of the QuarterBy Cathy Selmi—IST

Given, Assistant Treasurer-TaxCollector, notes, “Their dedication,hard work, and sacrifices are reflectedin a system that will provide for over$750 million in property tax revenue for the county, schools, and special districts.” The team continues to createbridges across departments by workingclosely together to monitor and resolveissues in a timely fashion. They havelearned to work together even thoughtheir priorities and interests may notalways be in sync. Rwena Holaday,Systems & Programming Manager forIST, says, “Other counties view thisMarin achievement as a model of whatthey hope to attain. Our Californiapeers continue to contact the teamwanting to learn from their successfulexperience.” ■

Photo

by Ja

net L

irette

L to R, Front: David Kosmala, Dana Proctor, Chris Cameron, Mathilda Leow, Wendy Mullin, Nancy Amen, Nancy Carpenter, Jim Huang L to R, Back: Mark Wong, Chris Sciocchetti, Susan McDonald, Susan Harbour, Ron Matteson Not pictured: Don Donlon, Kathy Rael

At the sametime that con-gestion alongthe Highway101 corridorinto and out

of Marin is improving due to completionof the $200 million project gap closureproject, the County of Marin is beingrecognized as one of the nation’s BestWorkplaces for Commuters.SM ■ OnApril 2, the County of Marin was noti-fied that its Green Commute Programqualified the county as one of the “Best

Workplaces for Commuters.” BestWorkplaces for Commuters worksiteshave been designated in 46 states andthe District of Columbia. Employersthat meet the National Standard ofExcellence in commuter benefits—astandard created by the Center forUrban Transportation Research andthe U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency—can get on the list of BestWorkplaces for Commuters. TheCounty of Marin is proud to recognizethe value of providing a range of com-muter benefits to its employees. ■

National Commute AwardBy Jeri Stewart—DPW

Hal Brown, President of the MarinCounty Board of Supervisors, says, “It’sgreat to be recognized for our GreenCommute Program. Every person, every trip makes a difference.” Of thecounty’s 2,700 regular and extra-hireemployees, 820 are currently registeredto participate. ■ County employeeswho walk, bicycle, carpool, vanpool, or use public transit between home and work are eligible for a $4 GreenCommute stipend each work day (up to5 days a week). For details, check theMINE under Green Commute. ■

“Their dedication,

hard work, and

sacrifices are

reflected in a system

that will provide for

over $750 million in

property tax revenue

for the county,

schools, and special

districts.”

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K E N M E R C E R P A T T Y T A Y L O R G R E G M I L L E R

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E M P L O Y E E S O F T H E M O N T HE M P L O Y E E S O F T H E M O N T H

In the wide-ranging field of radio com-munications, Greg Miller consistentlyexcels in every challenge and task that comes his way. This is no smallaccomplishment when the technologyhas changed dramatically during the 20years Greg has been with the county. A Senior Communications Technician inPublic Works’ Communications Division(DPW), Greg is part of the team respon-sible for maintaining the complex andcrucial radio communications systemfor Marin County public safety agen-cies. Greg’s trademarks are attention to technical detail, care for the needs of his division’s clients, ease, and pro-fessionalism. Every call is handled withfinesse; every problem receives the necessary attention until there is resolu-tion. His dedication has gained him the respect of all who have had thegood fortune to work with him. Greg’s greatest asset is his genuine concern for others. Greg is a shining star in afield where getting it right is the onlyacceptable result. ■

By Bob Beaumont—DPW

Congratulations to Patty Taylor (Sheriff)for being selected as Employee of theMonth for May. Patty was hired as acommunications dispatcher with theSheriff’s Department in 1989 and subse-quently was promoted to DispatchSupervisor in 1994. During the course of her dispatching career, Patty hastrained, coached, and mentored numer-ous new dispatchers, many of whom arestill enjoying careers with the Sheriff’sDepartment. Patty’s devotion and dedi-cation to her career is obvious in thatshe voluntarily covers unfilled dispatchershifts when needed, even after havingworked an entire shift herself. Patty is avery competent supervisor and overseesthe duties of dispatchers who deal withemergency services, which can includelaw enforcement, fire, and medical dispatching. Her voice on the radio is a comfort for the emergency personnel in the county who have complete confidence that she has their utmostsafety, as well as the safety of the community, in mind. ■

By Dan Maples—Sheriff’s Department

Ken Mercer has been a TechnologySystems Specialist II in Health & Human Services’ (H&HS) InformationTechnologies department since Januaryof 2003. He was outstanding in hismanagement of all of the technical tasksand responsibilities for the computerand filing systems for the opening of thenew Health & Wellness ImmunizationClinic. His talents and professionalismhelped reduce frustration that aroseduring the transition of moving theclinic to the new H&HS WellnessCampus. He makes himself availablefor even the smallest of tasks with ahelpful answer and a ready smile. He is very well respected by his peers andhis good humor is always appreciated.He maintains a professional attitudeeven through the most challenging situ-ations, and has been the department’slifeline to sanity on many occasions. Heexhibits excellent project managementskills in overseeing the daunting task of upgrading to Centricity, the newElectronic Medical Records system. ■

By Jackie Jew and Linda Metz—H&HS

Bike to Work Month Kevin McGowan—DPW

This year it was fewer excuses and more action; employeeparticipation in this year’s Bike to Work Month was remark-able. The Bike to Work program is a coordinated competitionthroughout the Bay Area to encourage riding bicycles to workduring the month of May. Over 42 county employees signedup for the challenge. That’s a total of 9 teams and more than6,000 miles ridden! ■ Participants in this month-long eventranged from novice riders to experienced bicycle commuters.Working together to support each other, riders developed a

sense of camaraderie that carried on into the workplace. ■

May14 was “Bike to Work Day” and rest stops were set upthroughout the Bay Area including one in the south arch of theAdministration Building at the Civic Center. ■ Biking to workcan provide a healthy change in our lives. Riding is simple,provides large benefits to the rider and the environment, andgiven the number of county participants, also provides a positive social experience. For those who don’t live in Marin,consider driving part way and riding the last five miles or possibly riding to a transit stop. For next year, consider forming a team. Our next “Bike to Work Day” might find you joining the crowd at the Civic Center rest stop. ■

10

Pat Wall (H&HS):“My mother’s adviceas I got older was totake care of NumberOne, meaning me.She was a stay-at-home mom beforethe phrase was coined and we kidswere the center of her life. But shemust have known that if you didn’ttake care of yourself first, you wouldn’thave as much to give to others.”

David Kosmala(Aud-Cont.): “Myparents were mar-ried 57 years. Iadmired their loveof family, fortitude,and sense of pur-pose. They gave me an appreciationfor the value of family, friends, humor,responsibility, education, and being agood citizen.”

Olga Lobato (Co.Clerk): “I appreciatethe hard work ethicmy parents demon-strated to me as wellas the good sense ofhumor they bothgave me.”

Carla Halyard (IST):“I come from afamily of nine kids.My parents instilledin all of us theimportance of agood education andcompleting any task we committed totaking on. Quitting was not an option.I attribute all my integrity, wisdom,and hard work ethic to my parents.”

Roving ReporterBy Helen Donahey—DA’s Office

Photo

s by J

anice

Hug

hes

What do you appreciate mostabout your parents or what they

gave to you?

HaikuBy Bob Beaumont—DPW

The full moon ripensDreamers, lovers, and vampiresAll smacking their lips.

It was 10:10 a.m. when the graduate at the Marin County Juvenile Hallmarched, to his fellow students’applause, to receive his high schooldiploma. It marked an extraordinarymoment for the staff and other studentsto be able to graduate the student.Yes, he made it. He recovered from a serious personal loss and recklessbehavior to finish his senior require-ments for graduation. ■ Althoughhis diploma was given behind closeddoors, it will open many doors later.This student will go on to college. Hehas the education to live a productivelife in the community. ■ His accom-plishment was recognized by the staffand held up to motivate others. Hisimage of success will be added to thewall of graduates, a reminder thatothers can achieve success if they

seize the opportunity. ■ Praising his accomplishment and honoring thegraduate were Congresswoman LynnWoolsey, Superintendent of MarinCounty Office of Education Mary JaneBurke, acting Chief Probation OfficerMichael Daly, and Juvenile HallSuperintendent Steven Blair. ■

Congresswoman Woolsey spoke to thestudents in Juvenile Hall directly abouther life experiences. She gave her support to the graduate and the otherstudents, encouraging them to build a better life by starting with a good education and attaining a high schooldiploma. ■ Superintendent Burkeawarded the diploma to the graduate.She joined with CongresswomanWoolsey in congratulating the gradu-ate and encouraging the other studentsto graduate from high school. ■

Photo

by pa

sserby

A Multimedia collage of students’ work was presented to Congresswoman Woolsey at JuvenileHall. She will display it in her office. L to R: Katya McCulloch, Marin Arts Council; Michael Daly,acting Chief Probation Officer; Bart Jones, teacher; Steven Blair, Superintendent of Juvenile Hall;Lisa Schwartz (partially hidden), Director of Alternative Education; Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey;and Mary Jane Burke, Superintendent of Marin County Office of Education

His image of success

will be added to the

wall of graduates, a

reminder that others

can achieve success

if they seize the

opportunity.

An Extraordinary MomentBy Bart Jones—County Office of Education and Steve Blair—Probation

Bike Through West Marin!By Kathleen Roach—H&HS

The annual Holstein 100 bike ride is coming up on Saturday, August 15. Thisis a fun, organized ride through the back roads of beautiful West Marin. Theride supports one of our wonderful community partners, West Marin SeniorServices. There are choices of distances so there is something available forevery bike rider: 15, 35, 67, and 100 miles. For further information, go towww.wmss.org/holstein/index.html. ■

11

through a bad patch, but we have a plan for you.” ■ Deputy PublicDefender George Shea accompanieseach participant in court. After oneperson was commended for reportinghis drug use, George said, “The reasonI’m involved is that I believe in every-body who is here…. If you’ve screwedup, give me a call, give Melissa a call,come to court.” When the defendantapologized for slipping, Judge Adamssaid, “The best thing you can do for meis to stay on the path.” ■ As partici-pants progress, they may enter into avoluntary phase of the program, wherea Health & Human Services representa-tive helps prepare a plan to restore thefamily, recommending services such asanger management classes, supervisedvisits, and group therapy. ■ “All ofour defendants were raised in homeswhere they were exposed to family violence. Children learn how to behaveby watching their parents and othercaregivers. Sadly, our defendantslearned family violence as a way of lifeand now they have to learn new ways

of coping with stress. Also, many of our defendants have issues with alcoholand/or illegal drugs,” says JudgeAdams. ■ “It is unusual for individualswho have been convicted of domesticviolence to successfully comply withterms of probation,” George says. “Not so with our participants. I doubtwhether any of us on the team expectedour probationers would do so well soquickly, and with so few deviations. The participants themselves are to becommended for the success of the FVC;that group dynamic encourages eachmember to succeed.” ■ The pilot program kicked off in February 2008and presently has 24 active participantsand three graduates. There is one possible failure to date, although thiscase remains unadjudicated. ■

Approximately 15 other counties inCalifornia offer this innovative program. The team is encouraged by its implementation thus far. “I have been impressed by the ability to replacethe traditional adversarial court modelwith a team approach that brings allcomponents of the criminal courtstogether in a very constructive way,”says Charles Cacciatore (DA). ■ For

Team Justice cont’dFrom front cover

Brian called Liese, who was on patrol,and told her they had won the jackpot.Liese thought he was joking, but methim anyway. Much like Brian, Liesealso burst with excitement when theticket was verified and the realizationof their good fortune set in. Brian andLiese immediately took some vacationtime to sort things out. They describedthe experience as being both surrealand overwhelming. Brian and Liesestill are employed as sheriff’s deputiesat the time of this writing, and theyhave not made any definite plans yet.They certainly, however, are setting off on a life journey the rest of us canonly dream of. Not a day goes by atwork now that a citizen doesn’t ask me if I was the lucky lottery winner.Apparently I must look like $75 millionworth of happy while I am at work! ■

Lotto cont’dFrom front cover

more information, please visit thecourt’s website, www.marincourt.org.Click on Services and Programs andselect Collaborative Justice Courts. ■

Cool Green Fun

Flying high at the Fair

Bird’s eye view of the FairThe solar-powered merry-go-round kept the green theme.

Vignettes of the

Marin County Fair

Photo

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aites

This year’s Marin County Fair theme was Cool Green Fun. The weatherwas perfect and the green theme prevailed throughout the event.Going green can be cool and fun. Recycling stations were positioned at key locations on the grounds to snag recyclable material. Even theplastic-looking containers for micro brews could be recycled, since theywere made from vegetable products. Kids of all ages were entertainedby the solar-powered carousel, a first in North America. Once again,Jim Farley and the CS staff and volunteers have hit a home run forMarin County.

By Rick Fraites—BOS

Welcome to New Employees!

Listed in order of hire date from Feb. 19 through May 29, 2009Austin Sack Fire Fighter I, FireDebra Stratton Sr. Secretary, CDALisa Gelling Epidemiologist, H&HSKaitlin Walker Deputy Sheriff Trainee, SheriffSheila Ali Sr. Clerk Typist, SheriffJamie Tuckey Planning Aide, CDAChristine Alexander Park Ranger, P&OSDominique Jeff Comm. Dispatcher I, SheriffAnson Harumi Deputy Sheriff Trainee, Sheriff Heather Hutchinson Sheriff’s Svc. Asst., SheriffRosanne Storlie Comm. Dispatcher II, SheriffCrista Doty Legal Process Asst. I, DCSS

Farewell to Retirees!Kantilal Patel Building Inspector, CDAEdith Simonson Investment-Cash Management Officer, Treas/TaxBarbara Zett Hazardous Materials Spec. II, DPWJohn Sheveland Deputy Sheriff, SheriffRalph Medsger Sr. Comm. Tech., DPWFrima Stewart Asst. Dir. Health Services, H&HSMary Miles Deputy Probation Officer IV, ProbationJohn Paul Social Svc. Program Manager II, H&HSCharles O’Neill Deputy Sheriff, SheriffWilliam Burke Chief Probation Officer, ProbationMaryellen Taylor Lic. Mental Health Pract., H&HSBryan Lambert Probation Supervisor, ProbationCharles Corbin Road Maintenance Wkr. II, DPWPamela Bousquet Deputy District Attorney IV, DAMark Campbell Sheriff’s Lieutenant, SheriffAdrian Fried Eligibility Worker III, H&HSCheri De Semas Office Svcs. Supervisor, H&HSRuth Trout Sr. Clerk Typist, H&HSJames Andrews Deputy Sheriff, SheriffJames Maloney Crisis Spec. III, H&HSEdith Lawrence Parking Enforcement Officer II, SheriffPatricia Thompson Sr. Clerk Typist, H&HS

&WELCOMEFAREWELL !

Photo

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More than 250 county employees, friends, and family members gathered in board chambers at the Marin Civic Center to cheer workers marking majoranniversaries of their year-of-hire dates. The Board of Supervisors recognized 73 employees with 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service. Helen Steppler andDiane Ooms (both HR) coordinated the upbeat event, which was emceed by Joan Brown (HR). Board president Hal Brown, himself among the 20 employ-ees marking 25-year anniversaries, noted that honorees had collectively worked more than 2,000 years on community projects, programs, and services.

OLE for Cesar ChavezBy Jose Varela—Public Defender’s Office

On March 26, the Organization of Latino Employees (OLE)and the Board of Supervisors hosted the fifth annual CesarChavez Day festivities. This event featured presentations thatcelebrated the life of Cesar Chavez and Bay Area and MarinCounty programs that continue the Si Se Puede (Yes, WeCan) spirit of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers’(UFW) movement. ■ Virginia Rodriguez, sister of OLEmember Maria Rodriguez (H&HS), presented a first-personoral history of her life in the UFW and her friendship withnoted UFW environmental and labor leader Jessica GoveaThorbourne. David Escobar (BOS) highlighted his upcomingenvironmental project, Viviendo Verde (Living Green), gearedtoward educating the Latino community to issues of sustain-ability and global warming. His video featured SupervisorSteve Kinsey (BOS) and noted author Isabel Allende. ■

Local youth advocate Dr. Juan Carlos Arauz and his youthgroup discussed, through pictures and poetry, their inspiringtrip to Washington D.C., for President Obama’s inauguration.Los Cenzontles, a traditional Mexican music and art groupfrom San Pablo, screened their documentary that focused onusing art and music as a way of steering Latino youth awayfrom drugs and gangs. ■

This event

celebrated the life

of Cesar Chavez

and Bay Area and

Marin County

programs that

continue the

Si Se Puede (Yes,

We Can) spirit.

The county’s final budget was approved last month, with $8.5 millionin budget reductions including over 40 vacant positions. I want tothank our employees for their help this past year and doing what’sbest for the county and community. Although we face tougher budgetsahead, we’ll continue to keep the impact on our employees in mind. By pulling together, I know we can work through these difficult times.

Matthew Hymel, County Administrator

Milestone Anniversaries Celebrated

L to R: Dr. Fred Schwartz (H&HS, 30 years), Maryellen Taylor (H&HS, 35 years), Jim Maloney (H&HS, 40 years), Melanie Phelps (H&HS, 35 years), and Marilyn Wronsky (Library, 35 years). Top longevity employees not pictured: Michael Vargas (Probation, 35 years), F. PatrickThompson (H&HS, 30 years), and Stephanie Turner (H&HS, 30 years).