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Employee Engagement Newsletter June 2023 | Issue 10
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In this issue:
 Flag Day is June 14
On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag.
In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14, and Americans have commemorated the adoption of the Stars and Stripes in many ways – displaying the flag in the front of their homes, parades, and other patriotic observances.
Congressional legislation designating that date as the national Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949.
 The BIG RED BUS will be at the Government Services Complex on these dates:
- July 7 at the EOC*
- August 16 at the GSB
- September 11 at the GSB
- November 15 at the GSB
*Mark your calendar, and watch for details in the upcoming issue.
 Worried about bored kids this summer?
Have them take part in the Library's summer reading program called "All Together Now" for children through 12 years old.
Pick up a reading log each week and mark each day where at least 20 minutes of reading occurs. Logs are to be returned to the Children's Department and they will be entered in a raffle for gift baskets. Participants will receive brag tags.
The program runs June 3 through August 5 when a grand prize will be drawn at the end of the business day.
Rest assured, there is also a summer reading program for teens. Find out more details at the Library.
Need more info? Call Youth Services at 386-446-6763, ext. 3714.
Ever get questions about what we do and are unsure how to answer? This may help:
The Flagler County administrative departments are operated under the purview of the County Administrator Heidi Petito and include: the Flagler Executive Airport, Building, Health and Human Services, Economic Development, Emergency Manage-ment, Engineering, Financial Services, Fire Rescue, General Services, Growth Management, Human Resources, Innovative Technology, Land Management, Library, Parks and Recreation, Planning, Public Works, Social Services, Tourism, Transportation, and Veterans Services.
More than two dozen unique services, i.e. not provided by its five cities, support its residents, visitors, and businesses.
The list includes: 911 Dispatch; Community Paramedicine; County-wide Ambulance Service; FireFlight Helicopter for wildfire suppression and Emergency Services support; Senior Center and Congregate Dining; Meals on Wheels; Adult Day Care; Indigent Health Care and Burial; Public Transportation; Library; Agricultural Extension Service; Housing Assistance Programs; Veterans Services; Airport; Tourism; Economic Development; Emergency Management; and 800 Megahertz Radio System for Emergency Services Communications.
Funding includes: Justice Center; Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller; County Jail; Tax Collector; Property Appraiser; Sheriff’s Office; and Supervisor of Elections.
Pictures from the Hang 8 Dog Surfing event.
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 June 1 is 'Flip a Coin Day'
Flip a coin to decide whether to hike the Lehigh Trail or to head out of Princess Place Preserve (or another favorite trail) to celebrate National Trails Day on Saturday, June 3. Note that June 3 is also World Bike Day for those who would rather pedal the trail than hoof it.
Or...
Flip a coin to choose whether to take a photograph of some Flagler County's natural splendor for National Nature Photography Day on June 15 or whether to capture a moment in time for National Selfie Day on June 21. Share them with the Communications Team and we will post them on social media or in a future employee newsletter (or both).
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Congratulations!
John Sierra was promoted from a Driver to the Transportation Coordinator. Way to go!
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Kudos to you!
Bryan Miller was promoted from a Maintenance Technician to an Equipment Operator II. Whoo hoo!
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Happy Anniversary! Michael Orlando spearheaded a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grant when he came to Flagler County in 2018.
The total grant is for $336,656 with the local match portion of $97,630 (the bulk is federal funding through FEMA) was just awarded in May. The project calls for hazardous fuel removal of standing dead trees and vegetation that could pose a fire hazard in the area of surrounding the Hammock Community Center, and at the northeastern section of the MalaCompra Greenway Trail.
Thank you for five years of hard work!
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Miranda McQueen, Procurement Analyst, comes to Flagler County from the private sector – most recently from a Palm Coast closing and title services company.
She has a bachelor's in Business Administration from Wichita State University, and looks forward to the opportunity to grow professionally in her new position.
Thank you for sharing your energy and enthusiasm as an employee of Flagler County!
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Peter Celestino, On-Call Airport Attendant, isn't exactly a new hire but rejoining the Flagler County family after a short-lived retirement. Welcome back.
For those who don't know him well, Pete spent a dozen years as a professional baseball umpire on field in the Minor Leagues here in the United States. Three of those 12 years were spent as an on-field umpire and instructor for Taiwan Major League Baseball.
We missed you and are happy you returned!
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John Capo, 19 Hour Transportation Driver, relocated to Florida in 2022 from Pennsylvania and has chosen to make Flagler County his home.
In addition to working as a professional driver, he has worked in the real estate industry and owned and managed a camp-ground.
Welcome aboard! You are a valued addition to the team.
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Lauren Carlisle, Library Assistant I, recently moved from Missouri where she worked for the Jefferson County Library for seven years.
Her experience and enthusiasm for learning about all of the positions and responsibilities at the Library make her a welcome team member.
We are glad you are here! Thanks for choosing Flagler County.
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Ryan Powell, Tradesworker III Construction, is local! He graduated from Flagler-Palm Coast High School, attended Daytona State College, worked at Sunshine State Heating and Cooling in Bunnell, and Sea Ray Boats before that.
That's a lot of experience to bring to the table and we value your skills.
Thanks for building your future with Flagler County!
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Dillon Cleveland, Firefighter EMT, has been taking steps to achieve his goals which include starting a career in something he is passionate about doing.
Flagler County is pleased that Fire Rescue has a place for you to pursue your dream.
Welcome to the team!
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Shelbi Clark, Firefighter EMT, worked as a Firefighter Intern with the City of Palm Coast for more than a year before joining Flagler County Fire Rescue.
Thank you for bringing your skills and experience here to Flagler County.
We are glad you chose to join us!
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Domonique Bennett, Firefighter EMT, is local! He attended Flagler-Palm Coast High School and Flagler Technical Institute. He is also a member of the Army National Guard.
We love it when locals choose Flagler County for their careers. Welcome to the Fire Rescue family!
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Welcome to Flagler County!
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 Road and Bridge has a new baby girl in the family! We are excited to announce Ms. Haven Grace Prevatt came into the world on May 24 healthy and strong. Road and Bridge Manager Ryan Prevatt and his wife Holly are happy and well. We wish them all the best!
Friday, June 23 – The Employee Engagement Committee wants staff to take a break and celebrate National Food Truck Day. It has made arrangements for The Wandering Hoagie to be at the Government Services Building from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Grab lunch, or maybe get some carryout to bring home for the family dinner. The menu looks great and includes hot dogs and chicken tenders for those looking for something different.
Did You Know? – Arguably the very first food truck that we would recognize as such was the Wienermobile, created in 1936. Made to advertise – what else – Oscar Meyer wieners, the Wienermobile toured the United States selling hot dogs. It rocked up at schools, orphanages, parades, and hospitals.
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The Human Resources team cooked up bacon and pancakes and served juice, coffee, and espresso in mid-May to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month.
"Adults and children experience mental health conditions – depression, anxiety, PTSD, to name just a few – and this may include our coworkers," said Human Resources Director Pam Wu. "It can affect how we feel, think, work, and act, so breaking the stigma is important. We want to have an understanding and compassionate work place. Our coworkers are our family, too."
The breakfast followed the Board of County Commissioners meeting in which commissioners unanimously approved a Mental Health Awareness Month proclamation.
Some thoughts shared on the Inspiration Wall:
- Don't worry, about a thing ... 'Cause every little thing, gonna be all right ... – Bob Marley
- Remember, hate is always foolish and love is always wise. Always try to be nice and never fail to be kind. – Doctor Who
- Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground. – Theodore Roosevelt
- So far, you have survived 100% of your bad days. – Anonymous
- Be the change you wish to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi
- The best way out is through. – Robert Frost
- Don't worry be happy! – Bobby McFerrin
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Collin Dills passed his state certification examination as “Pump Operator” from the State Fire Marshal’s Bureau of Fire Standards and Training.
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Jaevon Jones, an FPC Fire Academy graduate, passed his National Registry certification exam and is now a certified paramedic.
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Jerry Smith passed two state certification examinations as “Safety Officer” and “Fire Officer 2” from the State Fire Marshal’s Bureau of Fire Standards and Training.
There are days when Forestry Supervisor Ralph Risch may appear to be out standing in a field at Princess Place Preserve – or some other property managed by the Land Management Division – but make no mistake about it, he has accomplished quite a bit since coming to work for Flagler County in September 2022.
Ralph has identified, and vouchered, 20 plants in the county that were never officially recorded and catalogued as existing here. He also vouchered the Striped Newt (Notophthalmus Perstriatus), which is listed on the State of Florida threatened species list, and the Florida Snapping Turtle – also never before recorded in Flagler County. Ralph and teammate Rauney Mitchell identified the first known breeding pond in the county for the Gopher Frog at Princess Place. They also identified breeding ponds for the Striped Newt at both Princess Place and the Pellicer Creek Conservation Area owned by St. Johns River Water Management District.
"Publish or perish," as they say in academia, is of no concern for Ralph. He published an article about the discovery of the Striped Newt here in Flagler County in the Herpetological Review 54(1), 2023.
Emergency Management Manager Ryan Simpson and Chief Information Officer and IT Director Matthew Rivera (back row, first and second from the left, respectively) recently graduated from the Flagler County Local Government Leadership Academy, sponsored by Tax Collector Suzanne Johnston.
In this four-month executive education program which meets weekly for two-hour classes at the Tax Collector’s Office, the graduates studied important topics like leadership, human resources, budgeting, risk management, customer service, program evaluation, teamwork, and organizational culture. Students read two highly regarded books on leadership and completed a series of real-world assignments. They enhanced their knowledge of successful leadership and strengthened valuable skills like research, writing, presenting, analysis, decision-making, teamwork, project management, communication, problem-solving, and planning. They learned best practices and utilized data-driven decision-making to select policies and programs with proven performance.
Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord asks staff to take some time now to be prepared for the upcoming Hurricane Season, which begins June 1.
Now is the time to:
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Build a Disaster Kit: Take advantage of the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, and save on your supplies. For the latest information on effective dates and which items are included, please look for FlaglerEOC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Make a Plan: Be sure to know if you live in an area that may be evacuated because of a hurricane. We have updated our evacuation zones, check it out on the EM Website by selecting Evacuation Zones.
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Be Informed: Sign up for ALERTFlagler to get emergency alert for your home and work locations, registration can found on the EM Website
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Get Involved: Take our free community disaster preparedness classes, which can be found under Volunteering and Training on the EM Website
 Andy Dance D-1 | Greg Hansen D-2 | Dave Sullivan D-3 | Leann Pennington D-4 | Donald O'Brien D-5
As a reminder, this newsletter is now monthly. Share items of interest with Julie Murphy, jmurphy@flaglercounty.gov. Work on the next issue begins in about a week. Thank you!
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