YOUR MONTHLY NEWS & UPDATES | |
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Two longtime City leaders announce their retirements.
Meet the City's new Homelessness Coordinator.
Check out your coworkers' "mug" shots.
AND MUCH MORE!
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Deputy City Manager to retire | |
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After working for the City of Gastonia for more than 38 years, Deputy City Manager Todd Carpenter will retire on Jan. 1, 2023.
Carpenter began working for the City in 1984 as a software developer. He held various positions in Technology Services including serving for more than 15 years as the Public Safety Systems Administrator. In that role, he was responsible for the countywide technology systems used by police, municipal and volunteer fire departments, emergency communications, emergency medical services and the Sheriff’s office.
He was named the City’s Chief Information Officer in 2013. In 2016, he was promoted to Assistant City Manager. Carpenter became Deputy City Manager in 2017, overseeing the City’s Fire, Police, Information Technology and Human Resources departments.
A native of Shelby, Carpenter hopes to spend more time during retirement with his family, including three grandchildren.
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GPD Chief Brittain to retire
Police Chief Travis Brittain also will retire on Jan. 1. The Gastonia native has worked for GPD for 28 years, starting in 1994 when he was hired as a full-time police officer. Before that, he joined the Police Department’s Explorer Program when he was 15 years old.
During his career with GPD, Brittain was promoted to sergeant in 2004, captain in 2012 and assistant chief in 2014. He was chosen to lead the department in August 2020, when Chief Robert Helton retired.
Brittain says he plans to stay in Gastonia and hopes to spend more time with his family and taking fishing trips in retirement.
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Employees got a warm thank you, in part because of Mother Nature's heat wave, during the City's Employee Appreciation Event at CaroMont Health Park on Sept. 21.
Employees got free tickets to the Honey Hunters’ final home game of the year, along with vouchers for concession stand food or team merchandise.
Deputy City Manager Todd Carpenter threw out the first pitch. Check out the video of the event!
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'One person, one family at a time' | |
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Gastonia’s Homelessness Coordinator has decades of both personal and professional experience that she taps into every day on the job.
Gayle Mahl was hired in June as a civilian employee in the Police Department, working directly with people experiencing homelessness, police officers and many others to address the multifaceted causes and effects of homelessness.
The City created the position of Homelessness Coordinator this year, and Mahl quickly put her experience into action.
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Employees to get YMCA discount | |
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A new partnership between the City and the Gaston County Family YMCA will give City employees and retirees a 75% discount on YMCA memberships starting today.
The City Council approved the new benefit last month as part of the City’s ongoing Wellness Program. The discount applies to all membership categories including adults, seniors and students.
With the discount, membership costs will drop:
- From $55 per month to $13.75 for an individual.
- From $85 per month to $21.25 for two adults and dependents.
See discounts for other membership categories
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Included:
- Access to all YMCAs nationwide, but must use Gaston County YMCAs 51% of the time
- Unlimited group exercise and water fitness
- Gym, sauna and steam
- Outdoor track, field and trails
- Virtual exercise
- Lake for paddle boards, kayaks and fishing
- Reduced rates for youth and adult sports, lessons, programs and camps
- Reduced rates on a personal trainer
The $50 joining fee will be waived for employees who sign up by Oct. 30, 2022. The joining fee will be $25 beginning Oct. 31, 2022.
Each employee is responsible for paying their YMCA membership using a bank draft, or by paying for six or 12 months in advance.
YMCA representatives will be at the City Employee Health Fair on Oct. 20 to answer questions and assist with membership applications.
More information:
Wanda Flowers, Wellness Coordinator
704-616-2044
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Public Service Loan Forgiveness | |
As a City of Gastonia employee, you may be eligible for forgiveness of your federal student loans. And the City is holding information sessions to help you with the paperwork. | |
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The City is a qualified employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. PSLF rewards government and nonprofit employees with forgiveness of federal student loans after 10 years of work and qualifying loan payments.
Temporary changes to the program make it easier to qualify by counting loan types and payments that don’t normally count for PSLF. This means employees who previously had applied for PSLF and been rejected might qualify now.
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Even if you don’t have 10 full years of service, you can get closer to loan forgiveness.
What you need to do:
- Confirm whether you must consolidate your loans. Log into studentaid.gov to confirm your loan types.
- Submit the PSLF form using the PSLF Help Tool. You will need the City’s Employer Identification Number, which is 56-6000227. When you are ready for your employer to sign the form, submit it to Malik Zeigler in Human Resources either via email or in person.
- Attend one of the hour-long Employee Information Sessions, ask questions and get assistance signing up for PSLF.
Info sessions for City employees:
- Friday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m., Zoom
- Friday, Oct. 21, 3 p.m., Spindle Conference Room at City Hall
Who is eligible? How does the program work? Check out the PSLF flyer.
More information:
Malik Zeigler, Human Resources
704-869-1012
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Sign up for the Municipal Citizens Academy | |
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Of course, you work for the City of Gastonia. But do you know what each City department does? Or how the City’s budget is created and the tax rate is set?
Learn more by taking part in the next Municipal Government Citizens Academy. Sessions are twice a month on Monday nights from January to June.
Human Resources Coordinator Dana Williams says she got “in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience” when she participated in the Citizens Academy.
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Williams is pictured on the left. | |
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Williams says she came away with a deeper understanding of each City department and a greater respect for the role each City employee plays in serving our customers.
Municipal Government Citizens Academy application form
The sign-up deadline is Nov. 11.
More information:
Tyler Davis, Housing and Community Engagement
704-866-6907
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How do I install software on my City-owned computer?
All COG (City of Gastonia) computers have access to the Windows Software Center. The City’s Technology Services Department has populated the Software Center with published, approved software.
City employees can easily download any software that’s in the Software Center without needing extra rights.
How-To guide for the Software Center
Employees can also request that software be added to the City’s Software Center. Technology Services prefers to add software that will be used by at least five employees. Make a software request by contacting the Help Desk:
More information:
Helen Alexander, Technology Services
704-854-6661
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Employee Health Fair
- Thursday, Oct. 20
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – drop in
- Phillips Recreation Center
- 2031 Echo Lane
- Mabry’s Que House food truck – cash and cards accepted.
- Menu includes smoked BBQ, smoked chicken, baked potatoes, and all the fixings.
- Free flu shots available – no appointment needed.
- Vote for your favorite decorated pumpkin.
- Some vendors include BCBS, Gastonia Spine & Sport, FitView Wellness, Atrium, CaroMont, Organic Market, Groves Counseling, Mark III, About Face Bootcamp, Carolina Thread Trail, Southeast Chiropractic, PPCN Diabetes and more.
- Raffle prizes and free gifts!
Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Contest
- Put your creative juices to work!
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Register your pumpkin by Oct. 18.
- Pumpkins can be carved or decorated.
- Your entry must have a title and the main part of your entry must be a pumpkin.
- You can use battery-operated lights but no plug-in electric devices.
- Drop off your pumpkin on Oct. 19 and pick up when the Health Fair concludes.
- Employees will vote on their favorite at the Health Fair. Winner gets a $75 gift card!
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Blood Drive at the Health Fair
- The City is partnering with the Blood Connection.
- 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 21.
- Walk-ins are welcome but appointments will be honored first.
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Schedule an appointment
- Each donor received a $10 e-gift card and a tree will be planted in their honor.
- Each blood donation saves up to three lives!
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More information:
Wanda Flowers, Wellness Coordinator
704-616-2044
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Mental Illness Awareness Week is Oct. 2-8. And World Mental Health Day is Oct. 10.
- 21% of U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. That is 47 million Americans.
- 10% of Americans have some form of depression.
- 18% of American adults have anxiety disorder.
- One in six U.S. kids ages 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year.
- Suicide is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 10-34.
- North Carolina ranks 44th out of 50 states for accessibility to mental health care.
- From February 2020 to February 2022, Google searches for mental health care and workplace mental health in the U.S. increased by 1300%.
Sources:
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Mental Health America
Semrush
HR Dive
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EAP provides free, confidential assistance | |
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A reminder that all City employees and their household members have free access to the Employee Assistance Program.
EAP offers short-term counseling and is always confidential. This free, company-sponsored benefit provides support and resources to address concerns related to your work or personal life. Topics can include family conflicts, grief, stress, depression, alcohol or drug use, job-related issues, and legal or financial problems.
An independent company, McLaughlin Young, provides EAP services at no cost to City employees.
Call McLaughlin Young 24/7 at 704-529-1428 or 800-633-3353.
More about EAP
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Congratulations to:
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Sarah Best, Public Works/Fleet, who was awarded a scholarship through the American Public Works Association – North Carolina Chapter. Best, a Fleet Services Purchasing Assistant, works full time while she’s a full-time student at Western Carolina University. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management. Her goal is to move into a management role in the Fleet Services Division. The APWA scholarship is awarded to an employee attending a school of higher learning to advance his or her career in public works. Best will receive the $2,500 scholarship later this week at a state conference in Asheville.
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- The Gastonia Honey Hunters, who went from worst to first in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball’s South Division. Although they were upset by High Point in the championship round last week, the Honey Hunters finished this season with 88 wins and 44 losses. In their first year, 2021, the team’s record was 54 and 66.
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Employee Focus is a great place to share City employees’ personal and professional accomplishments. Please send the info to:
Sharon Foote
Employee Focus editor
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National Coffee Day was last Thursday. For many of us, every day is coffee day – especially when using our favorite coffee mug.
We asked City employees to share photos of their favorite coffee cups.
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Oct. 2-8 is Public Power Week.
Gastonia’s Electric Division serves approximately 29,934 meters (residential and commercial) with 509 miles of primary distribution lines. The City’s electric utility began in 1900.
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Here's a Public Power Week video thanking the employees of our Electric Division! | |
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Gastonia’s first commissioned art piece, Ghillie Dhu’s Enchantment, was moved to a new location this year. And now the landmark sculpture has been officially dedicated to Pat Johnson. She led Keep Gastonia Beautiful for three decades, including the effort to create Ghillie Dhu.
The 20-foot-tall abstract tree crafted out of brushed aluminum is on East Garrison Boulevard across from Lineberger Park. The dedication plaque is at the base of the sculpture.
Johnson, who retired in 2019, spoke at the ceremony, along with Mayor Walker Reid and members of the City Council.
In the photo, Keep Gastonia Beautiful Administrator Juliann Lehman presents Johnson with a bouquet of flowers.
The plaque reads:
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Dedicated to Patricia T. Johnson
Providing over 30 years of leadership to Keep Gastonia Beautiful
“Only through the vision of staff and commitment of the volunteer Board of Directors did this tree sculpture come to fruition. Keep Gastonia Beautiful’s first commissioned art piece,
GHILLIE DHU
Has inspired us to pursue additional outdoor art and boundless artistic opportunities for the citizens of Gastonia.”
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“¡Espectacular!” Numerous social media comments describe the Police Department’s 2nd annual Latin American Festival as “spectacular.”
The weather was nearly perfect for the event on Sept. 24. A large crowd enjoyed live music, dancing, food, vendor booths and the daylong celebration of Hispanic heritage and culture.
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The festival, held at the Wow Supermarket on West Franklin Boulevard, also gave Gastonia Police officers an opportunity to meet and mingle with residents. | |
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Wine and Beer Tasting
- The Schiele Museum fundraiser.
- 1500 E. Garrison Blvd.
- Tuesday, Oct. 4
- 6 to 8 p.m.
- Beer, wine, charcuterie box, live music.
- $50 per person.
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Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness info sessions
- Friday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m., Zoom
- Friday, Oct. 21, 3 p.m. City Hall
- Federal PSLF program provides qualifying government employees with federal student loan forgiveness after 10 years of work and qualifying loan payments.
- Info sessions hosted by Human Resources.
- See the article above for more information.
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Black Gold sales
- Ground compost made from leaves collected at Gastonia residences and City properties.
- Fridays, Oct. 7 and 14, 1 to 5 p.m.
- Saturdays, Oct. 8 and 15, 8 a.m. to noon
- 3176 Duke St.
- $15 per scoop.
- Proceeds benefit Keep Gastonia Beautiful.
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Rex's Pumpkin Patch
- Schiele Museum
- Daily through Sunday, Oct. 30
- Indoor pumpkin display under the T. rex in the museum lobby.
- Each pumpkin purchased for $5 or more includes admission to The Farm.
- While pumpkin supplies last.
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The Farm
- Schiele Museum featured exhibit.
- Discover the natural science, history and culture of local agriculture.
- Walk through gardens, explore heritage buildings and meet live barnyard animals.
- $3 per person.
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Block Party 2.0
- Schiele Museum featured exhibit.
- Continues through Oct. 30.
- Young architects can enjoy more than 1,000 soft and safe building blocks and connectors.
- This hands-on STEAM exhibit is designed to inspire creativity and encourage children to bring their imaginations to life.
- For ages 3 to 10.
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Primitive Skills Workshop: Game Calls
- Schiele Museum special class for adults.
- Saturday, Oct. 15
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Ever wonder how our ancestors hunted for wild game? How to turn a turtle shell into a turkey call?
- Learn from experts about game calls used by indigenous cultures from around the world.
- $75 Members / $85 Non-members
- Register online or by calling 704-854-6676.
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Catawba Indian Village
- Schiele Museum public program.
- Saturday, Oct. 15
- Saturday, Nov. 5
- Saturday, Nov. 19
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Explore 400 years of Catawba history, culture and survival.
- Visit a prehistoric bark house, council house and historic cabins from the 1700s and 1800s.
- Included in admission to The Farm.
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Gemstone Mining
- Schiele Museum public program.
- Saturday, Oct. 15
- Saturday, Nov. 5
- Saturday, Nov. 19
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Search for and keep mineral treasures like garnets, topaz, rubies, emeralds and rose quartz.
- $4 per person.
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City Employee Fall Health Fair
- Thursday, Oct. 20
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Phillips Center, 2031 Echo Lane
- Pumpkin carving contest, flu shots, food truck, raffle prizes, blood drive and more.
- See the Wellness article above for more information.
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Fall Carnival
- Saturday, Oct. 22
- 4 to 8 p.m.
- CaroMont Health Park, 800 W. Franklin Blvd.
- Free face painting, balloon twisting, carnival games and prizes, and costume contest.
- Learn about autumn leaves from Schiele Museum employees.
- Concession stands will be open.
- No admission charge.
- Sponsored by the City of Gastonia and the City Parks and Recreation Department.
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Firewood Sale
- Saturday, Oct. 22
- Saturday, Nov. 5
- Saturday, Nov. 19
- 8 a.m. to noon
- Ferguson Park
- 1401 Golf Course Dr.
- $10 bundle / $60 truckload
- Proceeds benefit Keep Gastonia Beautiful.
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Early Explorers
- Schiele Museum classes for children.
- Tuesdays at 11 a.m.
- A new adventure each week through stories, songs and crafts.
- For children ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers.
- Advanced tickets strongly encouraged.
- $3 per person with purchase of a Museum admission.
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Schiele-O-Ween
- Schiele Museum public program.
- Saturday, Oct. 29
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Explore the museum exhibits and The Farm to learn the true nature of “haunting” creatures like wolves, bats, owls and spiders.
- Carve a pumpkin as you learn about the science of pumpkins and the tradition of jack o’lanterns.
- Costume contest for kids and autumn treats.
- Advanced tickets are encouraged as space is limited.
- $10 Museum members / $12 Non-members, includes admission to Museum exhibits and The Farm.
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Shred Day
- Saturday, Nov. 5
- 8 a.m. to noon
- Gastonia Farmers Market, 410 E. Long Ave.
- Free shredding of personal documents; limit of 3 banker boxes per car.
- Electronics recycling by Goodwill Industries.
- Sponsored by Keep Gastonia Beautiful.
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City Employee Golf Tournament
- Monday, Nov. 7
- Sign-in starts at 9 a.m., tee off at 10 a.m.
- Gaston Country Club, 3700 Country Club Drive
- One spot left for a team of 3 or 4 - submit your application today!
- Rain date is Nov. 14.
- Proceeds benefit Keep Gastonia Beautiful.
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One World One Sky
- Schiele Museum planetarium show.
- Through Nov. 30
- Saturdays at 11:30 a.m.
- Explore the night sky with Big Bird, Elmo and a friend from China named Hu Hu Zhu.
- Learn about the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Sun and the Moon.
- Recommended for ages 8 and under.
- $5 per person.
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Cats Untamed
- Schiele Museum featured exhibit.
- Silent. Stealthy. Independent. Adaptable.
- The 38 modern species of cats have evolved from an ancestry that dates back 30 million years.
- Learn about the natural science story of wild species of felines, the untamed cats of the world.
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Santa at the Lake
- Saturday, Dec. 3
- 10 a.m. to noon
- Rankin Lake Park pier
- 1790 Rankin Lake Rd.
- Take a free family photo with Santa. Bring your own camera.
- Sponsored by Parks and Recreation.
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Christmas in the City
- Sunday, Dec. 4
- 5 to 8 p.m.
- Downtown Gastonia and FUSE District
- Christmas Parade and Vendor Marketplace begin at 5 p.m.
- Keep Gastonia Tree Lighting at CaroMont Health Park after the parade.
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Reminder: Residents of the City of Gastonia get a $2 discount on admission to exhibits at The Schiele Museum. | |
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Don’t forget – National Boss’s Day is celebrated on Monday, Oct. 17. Here’s to all of the wonderful managers, supervisors, crew chiefs, mentors, leaders and bosses who work for the City of Gastonia!
(Now, who’s going to bring the doughnuts for your office?)
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Thanksgiving is next month. And it’s a perfect time to tell a colleague how much you appreciate them!
We’ll include a “Thank a Coworker” section in next month’s Employee Focus.
Please provide:
- The name of the coworker you’d like to thank.
- Why you appreciate them.
- Your name and department.
Send it by Oct. 20 to:
Sharon Foote
Communications and Marketing
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Candice Owenby, City Manager's Office, and Mary Elliott, Communications and Marketing, were seeing spots as they realized they had dressed alike. | |
Did T. rexes like pumpkin spice? The beloved dino in the Schiele Museum lobby is guarding a stash of pumpkins this month as part of Rex's Pumpkin Patch! | |
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When you are out and about in Gastonia, what do you see?
Take a photo and send it to:
Sharon Foote, Employee Focus editor
Communications and Marketing
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Jalen Nash, Planning Technician, Planning
Bobby Parks Jr., Systems Maintenance Technician, Public Utilities/Maintenance
Ricky Reynolds, Treatment Plant Operator III, Public Utilities/Wastewater
Kamal Sharpe, Recreation Center Leader, Parks and Recreation
Daniel Suddreth, Landscape Technician I, Parks and Recreation
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Robert Ledford, Facilities Plant Mechanic I, Public Utilities/Maintenance
Jason Pauling, Assistant Planning Director, Planning
Sara Slaughter, Property and Evidence Custodian, Police/Support Operations
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Joe Bieker, Construction Engineer and Right-of-Way Administrator, Development Services/Engineering
Huey McMillan, Traffic Operations Manager, Public Works
Alice Stewart, Computer Systems Administrator, Technology Services/Infrastructure
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To celebrate Reptile Awareness Day on Oct. 21, we’re featuring a couple of City “coworkers” who are Animal Ambassadors at The Schiele Museum. | |
Severus is a Black Rat Snake. He started his life in the wild. He was rescued from a barbed wire fence and was donated to the museum in 2019. He eats frozen, thawed mice and climbs on his tree for exercise. His favorite parts of his job are stretching out 5.5 feet to show kids how long he is, and showing off his iridescent black scales and white belly. Severus can open his mouth super wide to devour prey that is bigger than his head! | |  |
Cornelius is a Corn Snake. But don’t let his name fool you: He doesn’t eat corn. Like Severus, he eats mice. Cornelius has worked at The Schiele since at least 2014. He enjoys teaching kids the difference between venomous and nonvenomous snakes. He looks like his “cousin,” the venomous copperhead. Cornelius is a constrictor, so he squeezes his prey before devouring it. Don’t accept a hug from him! | | |
Thank you to this month's content contributors! | |
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Helen Alexander, Technology Services
Rusty Bost, Development Services
Laura Burton, Police
Dale Denton, Public Works
Lana DuPont, Housing and Community Engagement
Carrie Duran, Schiele Museum
Mary Elliott, Communications and Marketing
Wanda Flowers, Wellness
Cindy Forrester, Public Works/Fleet
Glenn Fried, Public Utilities/Electric
Rick Goodale, Communications and Marketing
Christine Ingle, Parks and Recreation
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Alvaro Jaimes, Police
Candice Jordan, Schiele Museum
Angie Ledford, Public Works
Juliann Lehman, Housing and Community Engagement
Tarek Navarro, Public Utilities/Electric
Emma Pasour, Schiele Museum
Lillie Reiter, Schiele Museum
Dustin Rudisill, Fire
Judy Smith, Human Resources
Tiffani Stewart, Schiele Museum
Dana Williams, Human Resources
Malik Zeigler, Human Resources
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We love your feedback!
Send story ideas to Sharon Foote in Communications and Marketing
at [email protected] by the 20th of each month.
Employee Focus is sent electronically during the first week of each month.
Previous editions of the newsletter are on CityNet.
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