City Talk Employee E-Newsletter is Back!

You asked and we listened! Back by popular demand is our monthly City Talk e-newsletter.

Please help us generate content that your colleagues would like to read. Personal news (like weddings, babies, vacations, and promotions) is strongly encouraged!

Send news items and photos to Community Relations Manager Jennifer Ortega. Happy reading, Team Concord!

Employees Honored at Annual Luncheon

On March 9, we celebrated our great team of City staff at the annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon. Nearly 200 hundred employees gathered at Centre Concord to enjoy a delicious lunch, fun music, a photo booth, raffle prizes, and an opportunity to connect with coworkers. Getting into the spirit of our throwback '80s theme, attendees rocked bright patterns and colors, leg warmers, and fanny packs!

The event also was an opportunity to collect food for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, and those who contributed nonperishable food items received an extra raffle ticket for a chance to win awesome gift baskets.

Concord's Just 4 You Crew was honored to lead this year’s employee excellence awards, receiving all of the nominations and putting forth its recommendations, which went to the Executive Team for approval. Thank you to everyone who took time to nominate a colleague and tell us their story.

The 2022 (for service performed last year) Exceptional Employee Awards were given to employees recognized for their exemplary service. CONGRATULATIONS to:

Officer Vanessa Gatlin, Innovation
Recreation Services Program Manager Kathryn Monroy, Leadership;
Public Works crew member Robert Clevidence, Above and Beyond; and
Planning Technician Ben Ulrey, Customer Service.

Thank you to all City employees for your hard work and dedication to Concord!

Community Academy to Relaunch in April

Are you new to the City of Concord? Interested in getting an inside look at how City decisions are made, funds are allocated and local government operates?

Join us for the Spring 2023 session of the Concord Community Academy! This program is FREE and open to individuals age 18 years and older who live, work or own a business in Concord, and we are reserving two spots for City employees!

Through the six-week program, you will meet and talk with City elected officials and staff, participate in lively discussions and interactive exercises, connect with fellow residents, expand your knowledge about City operations, and become more informed about projects that will shape Concord's future.

Participants must be able to attend all six sessions, which will be held:

Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Thursday, April 27, 6-9 p.m.
Thursday, May 4, 6-9 p.m.
Thursday, May 11, 6-9 p.m.
Thursday, May 18, 6-9 p.m.
Saturday, May 20, 8:30 a.m.-noon

City employees who participate agree to do so on their own time and understand they will not be compensated for this voluntary program.

Learn More and Apply Today!

City Tour Programs & Supervisor Training Return

On Feb. 23, the City reinstituted its new employee citywide tour since its temporary suspension during the pandemic. Approximately 35 employees, who were hired between March 2020 through December 2022, attended the tour. The tour included presentations from several departments and the attendees visited several City sites including the Police Department, Corp Yard, Senior Center, Community Pool, and the golf course. Moving forward, new employee tours will be held on a quarterly basis.

On March 3, the City also reinstituted its Leave Management, Disciplinary Process, and Managing Performance Evaluation training for supervisors. Approximately 35 supervisors attended the training. The four-hour training was one of the programs temporarily suspended during the pandemic but moving forward, will be held on a regular basis.

Employee Yoga Classes Offered for Free

Did you know that as a full-time employee you may be eligible for free employee yoga classes? All full-time benefited employees can sign up for the Employee Wellness Program's yoga classes.

These classes give you the opportunity to relax and improve your flexibility during the workday. No experience is necessary as all levels are welcome! The current schedule is:

Mondays from 12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Baldwin Dance Studio
Wednesdays from 12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Concord Library

Please bring your own yoga mat, blocks, straps, and any other props that may help you during class. To sign up and fill out the waiver, please contact Lori Myers or Sarah Brannick.

Concord's Got Talent

A funny, clever, and musical show to entertain people of all ages! Concord’s Got Talent provides the 50 & Better community and their families with the ideal opportunity to display their talents!

The show will be on Saturday, May 20 at 5 p.m. at the Concord Senior Center, 2727 Parkside Circle. Tickets go on sale April 5 and are only $5! All proceeds from the show will be allocated toward needed recreation scholarships for Concord senior citizens.

All musicians, singers, dancers, actors, comedians, and more are invited to audition for the first ever Concord’s Got Talent 50 & Better Show! Please call 925-671-3320 to reserve an audition time.

In order to participate as an act in the show…

At least one member of your group must be 50 years or older.
Acts cannot exceed 5 minutes.
Performers should plan to attend the final dress rehearsal on May 15 at 5:00 p.m.

Did you know that you can sponsor the event? For more information on how to become a sponsor, please call 925-671-3171.

Upcoming Shows at the Concord Pavilion

Live Nation has begun announcing shows for the upcoming 2023 concert season! Playing at the Concord Pavilion will be:

April 20: Mastodon and Gojira. The heavy metal bands will be coheadlining with opener Lorna Shore as part of their Mega-Monsters Tour.
May 21: Matchbox Twenty - Slow Dream Tour. Kicking off their first concert in six years and releasing their first album in 11 years, this pop rock band will be performing with Matt Nathanson.
May 28: Stone Soul Concert. This R&B concert includes performances by KEM, Fantasia, Robin Thicke, Joe, Vivian Green, Kurtis Blow & The World-Famous Show (Big Russ & CJ Flash).
June 6: Garbage & Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. The two rock bands will be teaming up to play the Pavilion stage with opener Metric.
July 9: TLC, Shaggy, En Vogue and Sean Kingston. Don't miss out on all the performances of the Hot Summer Nights tour!
August 2: Ghost and Amon Amarth. Ghost will be haunting the stage alongside Swedish heavy metal band Amon Amarth.
August 5: Beck and Phoenix. Pairing together their indie-rock and French pop genres for their Summer Odyssey Tour, the Grammy-winning musicians will be playing with openers Jenny Lewis and Sir Chloe.
August 19: Mudvayne: The Psychotherapy Sessions. This tour will be the progressive metal band's first headlining tour in over a decade, and they'll perform with Coal Chamber, GWAR and others.
August 26: Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa and more. As part of the H.S. Reunion Tour, this ensemble of rappers will be performing a memorable hip-hop show.
Sept. 14: Jelly Roll. The Backroad Baptism Tour will be stopping in Concord with country/rap guests like Three 6 Mafia and Struggle Jennings.
Sept. 22: Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper. This heavy metal duo will be headlining together with openers Ministry and Filter for the Freaks on Parade Tour.

Concord residents can purchase tickets at the box office (2000 Kirker Pass Rd) before sale to the general public at resident on-sale opportunities. Concord resident on-sale opportunities are announced on our social media pages so stay tuned for more announcements! You can purchase tickets online and find more information regarding the shows on the Live Nation website.

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Back issues can be found at cityofconcord.org/News.