The 2010 Budget Process

As the fiscal year 2010 budget process continues, citizens had a chance to respond to the County Manager’s recommended budget at two public hearings on Monday, June 1, 2009. The hearings gave residents the opportunity to voice their opinions directly to the Board of Commissioners.

Similarly, the County continues to seek insight from its employees on cost-saving strategies. Employees are encouraged to attend the remaining Employee Forum on June 19, or take the Employee Survey to submit ideas.    

The Board of Commissioners will hold a work session on the budget at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 8, 2009. The budget adoption is scheduled to take place on Monday, June 15, 2009, at the regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting. 

Anyone can view BOC meetings and the complete  recommended budget book on the Wake County Web site.

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Volunteers Needed to Conduct Door-to-Door Surveys for Community Assessment

Wake County is seeking volunteers to help the County collect information for the upcoming Community Assessment. The assessment, conducted every four years, aims to identify health factors affecting the County, determine resources needed to address the factors and develop a plan of action to meet community needs.
Each Saturday from June 20 through August 15, 2009 (excluding July 4), volunteers will be out in the community, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., conducting randomly-selected, door-to-door surveys to get citizen input on the most pressing needs in the community. To be a volunteer you must:

• Be at least 17 years old
• Have a valid driver's license
• Own transportation (with proof of insurance)
• Have basic computer skills
• Be able to work outdoors for eight hours and walk up to two miles
• Attend a two-hour training session (Wednesday afternoons or Friday evenings)

Training sessions will be held at the Millbrook Human Services Center, 2809 E. Millbrook Road, Raleigh.
If you would like to serve as a volunteer for the Community Assessment, e-mail Denise Kissel at Denise.Kissel@wakegov.com.

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Wake Employees and Pedestrian Safety

With the increased use of the new Wake County parking deck, employees are taking a new route to travel between their vehicle and office.

The following pedestrian safety tips can help keep employees safe in their walking commute:

1. Use heightened awareness near the Public Safety Center
   Wake emergency vehicles regularly enter and exit the Public Safety Center onto Davie Street. When walking along Davie, especially on the side of the Public Safety Center, be aware of all service and emergency vehicles entering and exiting the Center.
2. Use sidewalks
   Sidewalks provide a safe place for pedestrians to walk to and from the parking deck to the Wake County Office Building
3. Use crosswalks
   Crosswalks are designated areas for pedestrians to cross a street and are provided at all intersection corners of the parking deck. If a crosswalk is signaled in accordance with the traffic light, wait for a walk signal. If a crosswalk is not signaled, look in all directions for traffic before crossing the street.

For more information on pedestrian safety, visit the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center.

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Wake Foster Care Hosts Eighth Annual Evening of Elegance

Wake County’s foster parents were honored at the eighth annual Evening of Elegance, held at the Raleigh Convention Center on Sunday, May 17, 2009. 

Evening of Elegance is held each year during National Foster Care Month as a way for the community to express their appreciation and support for the work of foster parents. Over 300 people were in attendance, including members of the Board of Commissioners and Wake County Manager, David Cooke. Throughout the evening, parents and community partners were awarded for their dedication. 

The event began with a reception and jazz ensemble made up of high school volunteers. There were opportunities to enter a raffle and win prizes from local restaurants, spas and hotel chains. 

The foster parent program originated though a partnership with over 60 local churches, and the Health and Human Services Department, to support and recruit foster and child welfare families. The County still works with numerous community partners to help place children in caring, nurturing homes.

For more information on the foster parent program, contact Vanessa Clifton at 212-7474 or vcliftonhickmon@wakegov.com.

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Wellness Emphasized at National Employee Health and Fitness Day

WakeWise Wellness and Human Services Staff Wellness celebrated National Employee Health and Fitness Day on May 19, 2009, at Wake County Commons. The goal of this event was to encourage employees to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as incorporating physical activity into their home life, and adding team-building activities and movement breaks into their work life.  

Employees participated in blood pressure screenings, team-building and fitness activities, and received information about relaxation techniques. They also learned about opportunities to stay healthy through Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space.

Participants also had the chance to enter a drawing for a health kit, which included men's and women's athletic socks, sun screen, energy bars, anti-bacterial gel, a gift certificate for a local food store and an office exercise kit. Winners were Sandy Vasquez, Karee Redman, Drew Cade, Lashonda Lanier and Consuelo Gardner. 

Anyone who was not able to attend, but would like information on team-building, may call Elizabeth Spender-Smith at 250-3990 for a copy of the Team Building Resource Guide.

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Summer Health and Safety Series: Water & Pool Safety

One of the best ways to cool down in the summertime is to go swimming. Whether at a pool or the beach, it is important to keep water safety in mind, especially for children. The following tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can help to ensure positive water activity:

Fence it off. Install a four–sided isolation fence, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around backyard swimming pools. This can help keep children away from the area when a parent cannot supervise them. Pool fences should completely separate the house and play area from the pool.

Make life jackets a "must." Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, such as lakes or the ocean, even if they know how to swim.

Learn CPR. Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and get re-certified every two years. Immediate CPR can help a child stay alive and reduce the chance of brain damage.

Be on the look-out. Supervise young children at all times around bathtubs, swimming pools, ponds, lakes and other bodies of water. Adults watching kids near water should avoid distracting activities like playing cards, reading books or talking on the phone.

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WakeWise Points to Wellness Winners

WakeWise Wellness “Points to Wellness” offers participants helpful information related to nutrition, hydration, physical activity, food portion control and wellness. 

Employees are invited to participate in the Points to Wellness program, earning daily points for practicing and tracking healthy lifestyle behaviors, and participating in on-site events or health-related offerings for two 30-day cycles. Employees who participate can win prizes for earning top points in a particular division.

Congratulations to the following employees who won, and all the nearly 50 participants who finished both 30-day cycles.

Marcia Knight
Kathleen Pierce
Valerie Bonner
Nancy Walsh
Sandra Mitchell

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HR Policy: Sexual Harassment

Wake County is committed to maintaining a respectful and dignified workplace for all employees.  Sexual harassment interferes with, and needlessly undermines, a positive work environment. 

Each of us is responsible for respecting the rights of our co-workers, and for creating an atmosphere free of discrimination and harassment. Therefore, Wake County policy expressly prohibits sexual harassment in any form. Retaliation of any kind against an employee for filing a complaint under this policy, or for assisting in an investigation, is prohibited, and is grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Human Resources will be responsible for conducting investigations of sexual harassment complaints.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Human Resources at 856-6090. 

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