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City Limits - Oct 2020_FINALOctober 2020 Virtual Employee Forum: Thursday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. Topics will include: • A City budget and operations update; • HR updates, including information about open enrollment; and • A Department Spotlight: Parks and Recreation and the BEES Division Submit your questions in advance by clicking here! CLICK HERE to join the meeting! City Snaps! Since we haven’t see each other in so long, let’s have some fall fun and do a City Snaps reboot! Please share photos of your “Halloween at Home” costumes/décor/festivities! Meet the New Economic Development Employees Meet Kay Brown-Patrick, The City’s New Business Development Administrator Kay Brown-Patrick joined the Economic Development Department as the new Business Development Administrator on Sept. 14. Kay is no stranger to the City of Denton, having called Denton home for many years, and earning her undergraduate and Master’s degree from the University of North Texas. Kay brings years of experience in local government and Economic Development to her new role with the City. Q&A with Kay 1. What about the City of Denton attracted your attention? I am a PROUD graduate of The University of North Texas (GO MEAN GREEN!) so I did not need to be sold on how great the City of Denton is. Having received both my undergraduate and graduate degree from UNT, I’ve spent many years in the City and am familiar with all it has to offer. My family has a long history in Denton and many still reside here. With the exception of the last few years, we’ve held Thanksgiving on the Denton Fairgrounds for more than 20 years. 2. What type of impact do you hope to make? My goal is that our plan for business development will be a model plan for other cities in Denton County. I want to establish a strong cohort with our community partners to provide a cohesive approach to ensuring that businesses, big or small, have what they need to succeed. I want the relationship between the City and our business community to be solid so that businesses stay, grow, and become more committed to the community long term. 3. When you are not working, what do you like to do? When I am not working I am home with a very active 1-year-old. Needless to say that’s all I have time to do right now 😊😊 4. What drew you to the Business Dev Administrator role? The fact that the City of Denton was being intentional in its approach to Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) was rare. You rarely see cities with dedicated staff to focus on BRE efforts, as they are typically more focused on recruitment. During the interview process I learned I will be responsible for creating a formal BRE plan and I was sold! I knew immediately that I’d be an asset to the team with my experience in doing just that. I thrive in developing, implementing, and maintaining new or revised programing so that, coupled with the fact that we have a new strategic plan in the pipeline, has me excited about my role and the task ahead. Meet Dan Rosenfield, The City’s New Economic Development Analyst Dan Rosenfield joined the Economic Development Department as the new Economic Development Analyst on Aug. 31. Dan brings his experience in policy and program development, public affairs, and community relations, among other things, to his new role with the City. We caught up with Dan and he shared more about himself, his new role, and some of his diverse (and interesting) entertainment hobbies! Q&A with Dan 1. What about the City of Denton attracted your attention? Within the organization, the City of Denton attracts a high breed of talent. During my job search, I learned Denton is known for its creative, passionate, and energetic team. I also wanted to be part of a fast-growing city open to diverse perspectives. Denton-ites enjoy thinking differently, bringing their varied backgrounds to the table. 2. What is one interesting thing that most people don’t know about your role as economic development analyst? As Denton (and the economic development team) expands, it’s crucial we explore new initiatives, programs, and resources to support our city’s businesses. In my role, I’ll collaborate with our team to identify new ideas to address economic development challenges in the community. Just like our city, this role is dynamic! 3. What type of impact do you hope to make? I’m big on process improvement for the sake of better customer service. If I can help our residents and businesses have a more seamless experience, our stakeholders will feel more connected! I want to empower Denton residents to THINK BIG! We have the talent. We have the resources. We have the ideas. Let’s get to work! 4. When you are not working, what do you like to do? I have the entertainment bug. Whether that’s improv, stand-up comedy, hosting trivia, or wedding DJ-ing (one day), I enjoy making people relax and having a good time! I also enjoy taking different classes offered in the community – I’ve learned to dragon boat, stage-manage, and Zumba! Take Charge of Your Enrollment Open Enrollment is from October 12 - October 30 The City of Denton is pleased to provide employees and their dependents with a comprehensive benefits package designed to safeguard your financial and health care needs. Who is eligible? You are eligible to enroll in the City of Denton benefits plan if you are a regular employee and meet the benefits program eligibility requirements. All changes, adds, or drops made during open enrollment will be effective January 1, 2021. When are Benefits Meetings being held? We’ve gone virtual! All benefit meetings are virtual this year! Learn about your benefits from anywhere and spouses are welcome. No need to sign up for a meeting, simply click on the Zoom link below when the meeting starts to join. Virtual Open Enrollment meetings will be on: • Wednesday, October 7 - 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. o Zoom link to join: https://zoom.us/j/96089704556 • Wednesday, October 14 - 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. o Zoom link to join: https://zoom.us/j/91215729055 • Wednesday, October 21 - 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. o Zoom link to join: https://zoom.us/j/92901821165 *If you cannot attend a meeting, the first meeting will be recorded and made available on the Open Enrollment page on the HUB. What if I have questions or need more help? Your Benefits Team is here for YOU! We will be holding virtual online one-on-one assistance sessions. Appointments are required. Virtual online assistance appointments will be available on the following dates: • Tuesday, October 13 - 8:00 a.m. to Noon • Thursday, October 15 - 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. • Tuesday, October 20 - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. • Thursday, October 22 - 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. • Wednesday, October 28 - Noon to 4:00 p.m. View the appointment scheduler and make your appointment here (if viewing outside of the City of Denton network you will be asked to sign in using your network password). Click here to see a flyer with more information or visit the Open Enrollment page on SharePoint at https://codenton.sharepoint.com/sites/HumanResources/SitePages/Open-Enrollment-2021.aspx If you need help, the Benefits Team is here for you! Reach out at benefits@cityofdenton.com. Merit Increases, Longevity, and Health Benefits Details for FY 20/21 The City Council adopted a budget on September 22, 2020, that includes funding for a one-time, lump-sum merit-based payment. Department Directors will work within the 3% approved personnel budget to allocate the recommended percentage for each employee. The merit payment cannot go over 3% for the respective department's personnel budget. The details of the compensation plan and benefits for FY 20/21 are available here. If you have any questions about the compensation increases for FY 20/21 that your supervisor is unable to answer, please call Rachel Staton at ext. 7754, Carri Byrd at ext. 8349, or send an email to Compensation@cityofdenton.com. Questions about employee benefits should be discussed with Linda Kile at ext. 8388, Deby Skawinski at ext. 7810, or can be emailed to Benefits@cityofdenton.com. Employee Updates Click here to see organizational promotions, transfers, and departures from 8/16 through 9/15.