For Employees by Employees November 2011

ManateE-zine United Way Walk-A-Thon: Have You Signed Up Yet?Manatee County’s first ever Walk-A-Thon – a three-mile fundraiser walk through Robinson Preserve to benefit the United Way of Manatee County on Saturday, Nov. 5 – is right around the corner.

Registration for the non-competitive walk is $20 and regis-tration forms can be found at www.uwmc.net/events

The walk will begin at 9 a.m. Those registering the day of the Walk-A-Thon should arrive by 8:30 a.m. to register.

Event sponsors will also be handing out free food and drinks. Participants will automatically have a chance to win a kayak tour for two, gift certificates to On a Shoestring, a 30-minute massage and more.

“Manatee County Government and the United Way are working to raise money that will be used in our community making a measureable difference and a better quality of life for all of us,” said Tina Neri, a Utilities employee who’s co-coordinating the event. “What better way to do that than to join us for a stroll through beautiful Robinson Preserve.”

Participants are encouraged to collect donations in support of their walking efforts. Participants may enter individually or as a team of five or 10. First, second and third place awards will be presented based on total monetary amounts collected by individuals or teams.

For more information, call Tina Neri at ext. 5075 or Diana Wilkerson at ext. 5403.

United Way of Manatee County

Imagine a place where there are 2,000 children who don’t have a safe place to sleep, where 46,000 people may not have food on their table, where 1 in 6 wom-en have experienced an attempted or completed rape, where 3,800 children were abused and where 3,500 children live with a disability. Hard as it may seem to believe, you’re living in the community where these numbers are the reality. It’s shocking, horrifying and it takes your breath away. But before you lose hope, know that there is an organization in Manatee County that is dedicated to improving those statistics and making OUR community a better place to live.

United Way of Manatee County has the knowledge, the expertise, and the passion to make a measurable

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For more informa-tion on Manatee

County’s libraries visit them on the

web or “like” them on facebook!

Employee of the Month - Nov. 2011Tina Fletcher, Utilities

1. What does your job entail? Why is it important? I assist the Department Sec-tions with their budget development and control. Meeting with the superintendants and managers is important for reviewing the budget, the trends, looking at future funding requirements and unforeseen expenses. I also manage the warehouse which is important for maintaining critical repair parts used throughout the Utilities Department.

2. What is the most interesting part of your job? I enjoy the diversity of working with each of the 32 sections within the Depart-ment. Each one is very unique in what they do, it is interesting to see how they are tied together in order for the system to work, not to mention the teamwork and support from each one.

3. What is the strangest thing that has happened on the job? Being nominated for Employee of the Month.

4. Where are you from? St. Paul, Indiana -- a very small town with a popula-tion of about 400.

5. What are your hobbies? Photography, scrapping and traveling.

6. If you were stranded on an island and could have 3 items, what would they be and why? Depends on

difference in our community. They do it every year, but they can’t do it without our help.

Did You Know That United Way of Manatee County

• Financially supports 70 programs within 43 agencies;

• Enlists more than 40 volunteers each year to select what programs to fund and how to make the most significant impact with the least amount of money;

• Has had 18 years of clean financial au-dits;

• Only pays 1 percent of monies raised to United Way World Wide and one-fifth of 1 percent to United Way of Florida;

• Keeps their administrative costs under 16 percent, even though the State of Florida allows up to 25 percent;

• Is a complete open book and allows access to all financial records including all staff salaries;

• Keeps all monies raised here in Manatee County;

• Has the ability to assess the needs in our community, and to fill in the gaps;

If you’d like to learn more, please watch a short Q&A video. Still want to know more? Stop by United Way of Manatee County at 1701 Tamiami Trail anytime. There’s always someone who can answer your questions. Or if you prefer, you can email UnitedWay@mymanatee.org.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. ~Winston Churchill

For more informa-tion on how your

United Way dona-tion helps local

agencies view the mini-series here: Your United Way

Dollars at Work

Did you know, more than 1,700

pounds of food were collected in

the recent Food Drive for the

Food Bank of Manatee. Read

the thank you letter from Ellen

Campbell, Execu-tive Director of

Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee

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The Library NookDivali

By Zenobia Giles, Neighborhood ServicesDivali or Deepavali is one of the most popular Hindu festivals which is celebrated during the period of mid-October to Mid November.

This year it is celebrated on October 26th 2011. Divali is referred to as the festival of lights. This is because thousands of deyas or small clay lamps are lit on this night. This festival commemorates the triumph of good over evil, light over dark-ness.

On this night thousands of years ago, Lord Rama and his wife Sita returned to the Kingdom of Ayoudhya after being banished for many years. Their subjects were so elated at their return to claim their rightful place that these deyas were lit to welcome them back.

On this auspicious night The Goddess Mother Lakshmi is said to visit a devout Hindu’s home bringing to them prosperity and wealth.

what type of island it is. My camera, an MP4 for music and a hammock would be great for an

island like Hawaii or Key West.

7. What did you want to be when you were a kid? Growing up on a farm, I al-

ways wanted to be a vet.

8. Do you have any pets? Two cats: Pooh, a 4-year-old tuxedo

and Mayhem, a 4-month-old gray & white.

9. What’s your favorite song at the moment? “Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars

Hindus generally fast prior to this event and also clean and decorate their homes. On this night pujas or prayers are said to Mother Lakshmi. Friends and rela-tives also visit a Hindu home and share Indian delicacies like barfi and ladoo and many other dishes. There might also be the exchange of gifts. In towns and villages there are exploding fire-crackers to mark this event. This festival is one of the biggest in India and is also celebrated wherever the Indian diaspora is to be found.

Here at the Manatee Public library, and more specifically the South Manatee Branch Library, we have had storytimes with a focus on Divali and other festivals to educate our children to the different cul-tures that are out there in order to foster a sense of appreciation and tolerance of different peoples and their beliefs.

We have books in our children’s depart-ment of the Manatee County Library that focus on Divali such as “Lights for Gita” by Rachna Gilmore. In this book, Gita who has just immigrated from India is eager to celebrate Divali but things are different and she wonders if she will be able to adapt. Another book enitled “My Divali” by Monica Hughes has beautiful illustrations and text describing how a family celebrates Divali.

We also have a wonderful book in the nonfiction section titled, “Seasons of Splendour; tales and myths & legends of India by Madur Jaffrey. This is a collection of tales about gods and heroes in Hindu mythology and gives some idea of the religious festivals celebrated my Hindus. This and many more books on other multi-cultural events from around the world are available for you to peruse and enjoy.

We look forward to seeing you!

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Employee Health BenefitsNatalie Johnson Nominated for Health Care Hero Award!

Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2011 Health Care Heroes Awards recognizes individuals and/or organizations that are having a significant impact on the quality of health care in their community.

Please take a moment to con-gratulate Natalie Johnson, YourChoice Health & Lifestyle Manager. She was nominated for one of Tampa Bay’s Health Care Heroes and was honored Oct. 13th along with other highly reputable healthcare providers.

Natalie was in the Health Educator category along with

physicians, nurses and other respected professionals in the field. Her dedication to our members and our programs validates her being nominated as a Healthcare Hero. Congratulations Natalie, we are proud of the work you do!

Open Enrollment October 26th – November 9th Choose your benefits for 2012 and decide what to do with your Health Bucks

All employees must complete the online Open Enroll-ment process in order to be eligible for Benefits from the YourChoice Health Plan in 2012.

All instructions* are available on the website at www.ManateeYourChoice.com > Login Instructions in the Benefit Login Box.

YWeight! Over 1,700 Members Enrolled so far!

Yweight is a new incentive program en-couraging members to engage in long term healthy behaviors that reduce risk factors related to excess weight. All adult Health Plan members are eligible to participate, even if they don’t need to lose weight. Participants will get paid in health bucks to lose weight or to maintain an already healthy weight. So far more than 1,700 mem-bers have enrolled in the program. They are mak-ing healthy lifestyle changes and are really excited about the pro-gram! Stay tuned for updates throughout the year, final weigh-ins will be in July.

Calendar of EventsNovember 2011

To view the events happening in your preserves, click here.

To view Parks & Recreation programs and activities. click here.

*See your Insur-ance Coordinator

at your worksite for help.

*Help sessions will also be available,

see schedule on website.

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HR CornerWhat People Want From Work: MotivationMotivation Is Different For Each of Your Employees

By Susan M. Heathfield, About.com GuideEvery person has different motivations for working. The reasons for working are as individual as the person. But, we all work because we obtain something that we need from work. The something we obtain from work impacts our morale and motivation and the quality of our lives. Here is the most recent thinking about motivation and what people want from work.

Work IS About the Money

Some people work for love; others work for personal fulfillment. Others like to accomplish goals and feel as if they are contributing to something larger than them-selves, something important. Some people have personal mis-sions they accomplish through meaningful work. Others truly love what they do or the clients they serve. Some like the camara-derie and interaction with cus-tomers and coworkers. Other people like to fill their time with

activity. Some workers like change, chal-lenge, and diverse problems to solve. Moti-vation is individual and diverse.

Whatever your personal reasons for work-ing, the bottom line is that almost everyone works for money. Whatever you call it: compensation, salary, bonuses, benefits or remuneration, money pays the bills. Money provides housing, gives children clothing and food, sends teens to college, allows leisure activities, and eventually, retire-ment. It would be a mistake to underplay the importance of money and benefits as a significant motivator.

Fair benefits and pay are the cornerstone of a successful com-pany that recruits and retains committed work-ers. If you pro-vide a living wage

for your employees, you can work on addi-tional motivation issues. Without the fair, living wage, you risk losing your best people to a better-paying employer.

In fact, recent research from Watson Wyatt Worldwide in The Human Capital Edge: 21 People Management Practices Your Com-pany Must Implement (or Avoid) to Maxi-mize Shareholder Value, recommends, that to attract the best employees, you need to pay more than your average-paying coun-terparts in the marketplace. Money pro-vides basic motivation.

Got Money? What’s Next for Motivation?

I’ve read the surveys and studies dating back to the early 1980s that demonstrate people want more from work than money. An early study of thousands of workers and managers by the American Psychological Association clearly demonstrated this.

While managers predicted the most important motivational aspect of work for people would be money, personal time and attention from the supervi-sor was cited by workers as most reward-ing and motiva-tional for them at work.

In a recent Workforce article, “The Ten Ironies of Motivation,” reward and recogni-tion guru, Bob Nelson says, “More than anything else, employees want to be valued for a job well done by those they hold in high esteem.” He adds that people want to be treated as if they are adult human beings.

While what people want from work is situational, depending on the person, his needs and the rewards that are meaningful to him, giving people what they want from work is really quite straight forward.

Control of their work inspires motivation: including such components as the ability to impact decisions; setting clear and measur-able goals; clear responsibility for a com-

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Additionally, the authors found that a disconnect con-tinues to exist between what employers think people want at work and what people say they want for motiva-tion. “Employers far underrate the impor-tance to employees of such things as flex-ible work schedules or opportunities for advancement in their decision to join or leave a company.

“That means that many companies are working very hard (and using scarce re-sources) on the wrong tools,” say Pfau and Kay. People want employers to pay them above market rates. They seek flexible work schedules. They want stock options, a chance to learn, and the increased sharing of rationale behind management decisions and direction.

What You Can Do for Motivation and Positive Morale

You have much information about what people want from work. Key to creating a work environment that fosters motivation are the wants and needs of the individual. I

recommend that you ask your employees what they want from work and whether they are getting it. With this information in hand, I predict you’ll be surprised at how many simple and inexpensive opportunities you have to create a motivation-al, desirable work environment. Pay attention to what is impor-tant to the people you employ for high motivation and positive morale. You’ll achieve awesome business success.

plete, or at least defined, task; job enrich-ment; tasks performed in the work itself; and recognition for achievement.

To belong to the in-crowd creates motiva-tion: including items such as receiving timely information and commu-nication; understanding management’s formulas for decision making; team and meeting par-ticipation opportunities; and visual documention and posting of work progress and accomplish-ments.

The opportunity for growth and develop-ment is motivational: and includes educa-tion and training; career paths; team participation; succession planning; cross-training; and field trips to successful workplaces.

Leadership is key in motivation. People want clear expectations that provide a picture of the outcomes desired with goal setting and feedback and an appropriate structure or framework.

Recognition for Performance Creates Motivation

In The Human Capital Edge, authors Bruce Pfau and Ira Kay say people want recog-nition for their indi-vidual per-formance with pay tied to their perfor-mance. Employees want people who don’t perform fired; in fact, failure to discipline and fire non-performers is one of the most demoti-vating actions an organization can take - or fail to take. It ranks on the top of the list next to paying poor performers the same wage as non-performers in deflating moti-vation.

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Power Speakers of MCGTactical PowerPoint: When to use PowerPoint and when not to.

By Christopher Witt You might think that with a book titled Real Leaders Don’t Do PowerPoint, I would be opposed to using it in each and every presen-tation. But I’m not. At least half of my clients use – and need to use – PowerPoint or a similar type of software. And I happily help them do it, because I believe it can be a useful tool when used for the right reason and when used properly.

Please notice my two caveats: when used for the right reason and when used properly. They’re major caveats.

When Used for the Right Reason

Toastmasters Events

All events and meetings are on

Fridays from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

November 4Place: 4th floor

Osprey Room

November 18Place: Public Works

Learn about Toastmasters by

visiting us on the i-Net!

Florida Women in Government The common assumption these days, espe-cially in the corporate environment, is that presenters should use PowerPoint. It’s a bad assumption.

PowerPoint is a useful way – not the only way, sometimes not the best way, but one way – of visually displaying information. With relative ease, it lets you project charts, graphs, photo-graphs, illustrations, videos and computer-generated animations for audiences to see. So if your primary goal is to communicate infor-mation – if you are conducting a training session, giving a project update or a report, or making a proposal or a sale pitch – feel free to use PowerPoint.

But not all presentations, even at work, are about communicating information.

The higher you rise in an organization, the less frequently you’ll be concerned about communicating profuse amounts of facts and figures. Instead, you’ll increasingly find yourself speaking to motivate people to take

action, or to inspire them to achieve a goal or to better their lot in life. Perhaps you’ll want them to change the way they think about an issue.

In such cases, PowerPoint can be more a hindrance than a tool. Don’t use it just because it’s available. In most cases, it’s better to take center stage and demand your

audience’s attention, earning their trust as you speak. Remember, you have fantastic tools to accomplish this: Tell stories. Use the evocative power of the spoken word and the beauty of well-crafted sentences. Rouse people’s emo-tions and plant pictures in their imagination. Don’t use PowerPoint because people expect

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persuasive way of organizing your material so that it accomplishes your goal?

2. Use as few slides as possible. Traditionally, most people will advise you to use no more than one slide every minute or two of your presentation. I suggest using only as many slides as necessary, and not a single slide more. Skip the cover slide, the one with your company name and logo and the title of your talk. Remove the “Agenda” slide. (The agenda should be short enough – maybe three items – that you can simply tell people what you’re going to talk about.) Also, be sure to delete any slide that has more than 15 words on it. (If you want people to read something, send them an e-mail beforehand or give them a handout.) When you’re done talking about what’s on the slide, black out the screen (by pressing the “b” key on the laptop) and do what presenters have been doing for centuries: talk to people face-to-face.

PowerPoint presentations don’t have to kill an audience’s attention, interest and goodwill. They can, when used for the right reasons and in the right way, be exactly the right tool to help you achieve your goals.

You can learn more tips like these, by joining the Power Speakers of MCG.

you to. Don’t even use it because everyone else is. Use it, instead, when – and only when – your objective is to present information. Use it well, but use it as the result of an informed choice.

When Used Properly Much of PowerPoint’s bad press is richly deserved. When was the last time you walked

into a meeting and said, “Oh joy, anoth-er Power Point presentation”? There’s a reason the phrase “Death by PowerPoint” has gained currency. And the deficiencies of far too many PowerPoint presen-tations – too many slides, incom pre-hensible charts and graphs, unreadable

text, annoying animations, a lack of any coherent message – are too well known to require explanation.

To be fair, most of the problems associated with PowerPoint stem from its misuse by presenters. There’s nothing in the program that forces you to create more slides than you can explain in the allotted time. You’re not required to copy graphics from other pro-grams that look small or blurred in your slides. Nowhere does it say you must choose font styles, sizes or colors that render all text illegible.

Search for “PowerPoint mistakes” on Google, and you’ll find more than a million Web pages suggesting how to avoid the most common misuses. The Toastmaster magazine regularly offers valuable tips that can help you avoid a slideshow disaster.

I offer two suggestions to help you use Power-Point appropriately:

1. Begin by creating your strategy and your message. Don’t even turn on your computer without first determining what you want to accomplish. What do you want your audience to do as a result of listening to you? Why would they want to do it? How will your presentation help them solve a problem or achieve a goal that’s important to them? What do they need to know in order to accomplish that task? What is the clearest and most

Death by Powerpoint

Celebrate Agriculture during Farm City Week, Nov. 14 - 19

by Marina D’Abreau, UF IFAS Manatee County Extension ServiceIn Manatee County, agriculture is big… really big. It’s so big that there’s an entire week dedicated to celebrating and raising public awareness of the importance of agriculture to this community.

Annual agricultural production is estimated at over $500 million and is second only to tourism in its economic impact to Manatee County. This ranks Manatee County in the top 10 Florida counties for agricultural sales.

Some of the main agricultural industries in the county are vegetable production (including tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage and strawber-ries), citrus, livestock and forage production, ornamental horticulture, commercial fishing, and forest products.

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The Manatee County Farm City Week program began in 1967 to promote a clear understanding of the economic importance of agriculture in Manatee County and the effect of urbanization on agricultural lands. During this year’s Farm Week festivities, folks can participate in a number of ways, including taking a guided bus tour of select agricultural operations, the Cortez Village Folk Art Fishing Festival, the Faye Blackstone Memorial Junior Ranch Rodeo, and much more!

Throughout the week we’ll be honoring individuals who have made a significant impact to agriculture and the agricultural community. Two honorees -- the Outstanding Agriculturalist of the Year and the Manatee County Agriculture Hall of Fame -- will be recognized during the Kiwanis Club of Bradenton Farm City Week Luncheon on Nov. 15 and at the Palmetto Histori-cal Luncheon on Nov. 17, respectively.

This year’s Farm City Week runs from Nov. 14 - 19 and is filled with a diversity of events that will truly open your eyes to the past, present and future of agriculture in Manatee County. The theme for 2011 is Rodeo: A Rancher’s Way of Life. A summary of the week’s events are listed below. For more information, call the number listed for a specific event or visit http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu.

Date Event Contacts14 Agricultural Farm Tour - Open to the public; pre-

registration required. Cost: $40 – includes lunch & refreshments. Stops include the Manatee Co Fairgrounds, Jones Potato Farm, SMR Farms (cattle, citrus & sod), and C&D Fruit and Vegetable Company.

Manatee Co Soil & Water Conservation District Speech Contest

University of Florida IFAS Manatee County Extension (941) 722-4524

Gail Somodi - (941) 907-0011

15 Kiwanis Luncheon/Agriculturalist of the Year By invitation only

16 Leadership Manatee (LM) Tour Open only to LM program participants.

17 Hall of Fame Luncheon - Open to the public. Tickets are $12. Please call in advance to purchase tickets.

Ann Marshall - (941) 722-8940Sharon McClellan - (941) 722-4524

18 Ag Venture - Hands-on workshops and agricultural experiences such as planting vegetables, squeezing citrus, dairy, and other topics. Open to select Manatee County 3rd graders.

Diana Smith (941) 722-4524

19 Farm City Week Beef Workshop & Prospect ShowOpen to Manatee County 4-H and FFA members. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $15 per head of beef shown; no cost for showmanship.

Cortez Fishing Village Folk Art Festival - 9:30 AM – 4 PM.

Pongo’s Birthday Party in the Park - 10:30 AM – 12:30 AM at the Palmetto Historical Park.

ART Meets Agriculture Opening Reception - 6 PM – 9 PM at the Palmetto Art Center.

Faye Blackstone Junior Ranch Rodeo - 7 PM at the Manatee Co. Fairgrounds. $5 per person (under 12 free). Gates open at 5 PM

Christa Kirby orJennifer Glassburn(941) 722-4524

Ted Adams (941) 708-6120

Diane Ingram (941) 721-2034

Gretchen Leclezio (941) 518-2109

Jason McKendree(877) 708-3322

Farm City Week is a collaborative effort among several key stakeholders, including the Manatee County Agricultural Museum, Kiwanis Club of Bradenton, Manatee Chapter of the Florida Farm Bureau, City of Palmetto, Manasota National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Florida A&M University, University of Florida IFAS Manatee County Extension, Florida West-coast RC&D, Florida Cattlemen and Cattle Women and Manatee County agricultural produc-ers.

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Kudos CornerTo view the kudos information, click on the link which will take you to the PDF file on the iNet.

November 2011Building & Development ServicesLisa Barrett, Planning ManagerJon Betcher, Construction Review Inspections ManagerJim Labarr, Sr. Construction Inspections OfficerDanny Bryant, Sr. Construction Inspections Officer

Financial Management Chris Daley, Sr. Buyer

Parks & RecreationBridget Frattallone, Marketing Specialist

Property ManagementBruce Wickens, Building SupervisorMindy Orrill, Custodian Tom Yarger, Construction Services Project ManagerDarin Cushing, Project ManagerPaula Pesmark, Building Supervisor

Public SafetyTim Raines, Charge Paramedic Marlin Yoder, EMTKris Weiskopf, Animal Services ChiefKathy Kerekanich, Animal Care Specialist EMT Boys

Public WorksTom Gerstenberger, Stormwater Engineering Division ManagerGlenn Sloan, Maintenance SupervisorTerry Douthett, Maintenance Tech Trainee Bo Gillis, Maintenance Tech III Stuart Lioce, Maintenance Tech II Lucky Rollins, Maintenance Tech Trainee Mike Strickland, Maintenance Tech Trainee

UtilitiesMark Coarsey, Maintenance Tech Jerry Brower, Maintenance TechJason Rinehart, Maintenance Tech

The Final Word“Why We Work in County Government”In last month’s Final Word column, the County Administrator asked readers why we work in County Government. County employees responded with a variety of reasons for working here, but most of you said you wrote that you simply enjoy devoting your career to public service or the community you live in. Here are your responses.

“In 1990, I was selected for a position as an animal officer for Manatee County, Animal Control at the time. I found that helping people in need, along with the desire to help animals, gives me a feeling that I cannot explain. Working for Manatee County government is interesting and a very rewarding experience, where inclu-siveness and diversity are valued. I thank Manatee County for the opportunity to serve the community where I have lived since 1971.” -- Kristopher (Kris) Weiskopf, Chief of Animal Services Public Safety

“Henry David Thoreau once said, ‘One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something.’ After spending 20-plus years in the United States military, I decided I wanted to continue to “do something” and that is what led me to Manatee County Government. I know that each day I contribute to the well being of our employees and the citizens of Manatee County. It is very rewarding and I appreci-ate the opportunity to work here since it is not a right but a privilege to work for the government.” -- Charlie Bishop, Director Property Management

“I did not exactly choose a career in gov-ernment, I like to think it chose me! My plan was to be an Interior Designer! It just happened that the year I graduated from college, no one was buying furniture. The U.S. was in a recession and I worked on a commission.

Before I go further, let me say that I believe we are put in a place for a purpose and that all things work together for the accom-plishment of that purpose. I grew up as a 4-H club member and continued to volun-teer in the program as a young adult. It was through that volunteer effort that I learned of a part time, temporary position with Manatee County Extension Service as a nutrition educator. I was hired, loved working for the county and enjoyed teach-

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ing residents to read food labels and to extend their food dollars while making wise nutrition choices. Three months later, due to budget reductions I found

myself unemployed.

For two years, I was a substitute teacher, worked for the furniture store doing accounting, cleaning, and sales as opportunities presented themselves. I was called by a county employee and told that a position for Extension Agent was being advertised. I applied, the rest as they say is history! Twenty-nine years

later, I enjoy being a county employee and have never been more proud of the work we do.

Every day, I have opportunity to learn something new. I’ve always worked with incredible people, and I receive a great deal of personal satisfaction in knowing I am part of a team that helps improve the quality of life for residents of my hometown, Manatee County.” -- Brenda Rogers, Community Services Director

“After working in the medical field for 14 years as an insurance/billing clerk, I was ready for a change and my mother-in-law (Muriel Polanski), who had been working for the county for about 20 years, kept encouraging me to fill out a job application for the coun-ty. At first I was a little reluctant, but the more Muriel told me about the wonderful benefits and retirement, I started thinking about my future. I filled out job applica-tions in early Februarym 1999 and after many attempts, a door opened in August 1999 for an OPS position in Employee Health Benefits. Since I had a solid foundation with medical insurance knowledge, I knew that this was a great way for me to at least get my foot in the door with the county and then hope for a full time position in the meantime.

Here I am, 12 years later and I love the current job that I have with Natural Resources. As I look to the heavens, I say “thank you” to my mother-in-law for pushing me. Working for MCG is the best job/career ever and my many co-workers are my second family.” -- Kelli Polan-ski, Administrative Specialist Natural Resources

“I came to work for the County for the benefits and a shorter commute from my prior employment. But now after five years and working with a couple different departments, I have found it rewarding when suggestions to streamline procedures and cost saving ideas have been implemented. I feel a larger sense of pride within the organization. Also as a lifelong resident it helps me to feel happier that even my small contributions could

possibly make the quality of life in our county better for all citizens.” -- Randy Pier, Fiscal Specialist Neighborhood Services

“As someone with a multitude of interests who likes to work with people of all ages, I knew a career in public librarianship would be the perfect fit for me after my first library job as a shelver. Working for Manatee County as a librar-ian gives me the opportunity to share knowledge with residents and employees, and to inspire the love of reading and learning.” -- Ericka Dow, Librarian Neighborhood Services

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“I have worked for local government for more than 40 years in several differ-ent areas. At each stop along the way, I’ve been surrounded by a group of people who enjoy their jobs and who sincerely care about their communi-ties. A genuine kindness and compassion seems to pervade the workplace of a local government office. There is never a shortage of volunteers for special projects and after-hours events for a good cause.

I’ve also learned what truly interesting work a career in local government can present. It is truly impressive to take a step back from daily work to observe the great breadth of work a county government performs for its citizens. Each day our Emergency Medical Services responds to emergencies and saves lives. Our Utilities system delivers safe and reliable water to homes and businesses. Our Public Works crews ensure we have safe, drivable roads across all stretches of the County. Our transit systems deliver thousands of people to and from work every morning and afternoon. Local government maintains the parks and preserves where people go to exercise, to play and to relax.

Almost every work day we are presented with opportunities and challenges to design the community of tomorrow. Gov-ernment work presents a unique prospect to make positive and immediate impacts on the thousands of people who live, work and play in the community. Few things are more reward-ing and fulfilling than when those people who call your com-munity home recognize the value and benefit of the duties local government is performing on their behalf.”

-Ed Hunzeker, County Administrator