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Home My WebLink About04.d. Receive recap of the 2024 Citizens' Academy, Central San AcademyPage 1 of 17 Item 4.d. F__1_448�411C_S0 October 1, 2024 TO: ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE FROM: CHRISTINA GEE, MANAGEMENT ANALYST REVIEWED BY: EMILYBARNETT, COMMUNICATION AND GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS MANAGER ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER SUBJECT: RECEIVE RECAP OF THE 2024 CITIZENS' ACADEMY, CENTRAL SAN ACADEMY Please see the attached memo for a recap of this year's Central San Academy. Strategic Plan Tie -In GOAL ONE: Customer and Community Strategy 1— Deliver high -quality customer service, Strategy 2 - Promote initiatives to advance affordable and equitable access to services, Strategy 3 - Build neighborhood and industry relations GOAL TWO: Environmental Stewardship Strategy 2 - Educate on pollution prevention and environmental protection GOAL THREE: Workforce Diversity and Development Strategy 1 - Recruit from a diverse pool of qualified applicants GOAL FOUR: Governance and Fiscal Responsibility Strategy 2 - Encourage and facilitate public participation ATTACHMENTS: 1. Memo 2. Presentation October 1, 2024 Regular ADM IN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 160 of 182 Page 2 of 17 AML ATTACHMENT 1 CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT October 1, 2024 TO: ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE VIA: EMILY BARNETT, COMMUNICATION AND GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS MANAGER ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER FROM: CHRISTINA GEE, MANAGEMENT ANALYST SUBJECT: RECAP OF CENTRAL SAN ACADEMY 2024 SESSION Central San recently hosted members of the public for the seventh session of its citizens' academy, Central San Academy. Central San hosts this program to expand its participants' knowledge, increase awareness of and appreciation for what Central San does to serve the community, gain feedback on how Central San might improve its services, and create a networking space for customers to share ideas with each other and Central San's leaders. With a full transition to by -Division elections, and with the Division 5 seat up for election this year, Central San Academy was additionally used to generate interest for the Board seat and educate potential candidates. Due to unique circumstances this year (considerations included the timing of the candidate nomination period and Dublin San Ramon Services District's Citizens Water Academy), changes were made to the typical format of Central San Academy. Classes were held in the summer — on four Tuesday nights from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. between June 25 and July 16, at the Roundhouse Conference Center in San Ramon. To supplement the classroom learning, a full daytime facilities tour, two afternoon plant tours, and a bike tour were offered. The following is an analysis of this year's program. Applicants Over the years, Central San has amassed a "waiting list" of 140 people who have applied for past academies but have been unable to attend or who joined the mailing list after the 2023 program had begun. Following the announcement of the 2024 session in May, 68 people signed up for the 2024 session, and 43 people attended the Academy. Overall, interest and participation in the Academy has increased and rebounded back to pre - pandemic figures, as shown on the next page: October 1, 2024 Regular ADM IN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 161 of 182 Page 3 of 17 Central San Recap of Central San Academy 2024 Session Page 2 of 9 Figure 1 — Trending Interest in the Academy 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2015 N/A - 2020 session was canceled 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Applicants Participants Advertising the Academy To help spread the word about the Academy this year, staff advertised at the Permit Counter, Headquarters Office Building Lobby, Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility (HHWCF) and Recycled Water Fill Station, and Central San's social media. Emails were sent to the Academy alumni, Academy mailing list, Central San employees, and cities and towns that Central San serves. Figure 2 below shows the 2024 participants' sources of referral, showing that the Pipeline newsletter continues to be the Academy's most effective marketing tool. Figure 2 — Source of Referral Source of Referral Postcard Mailer � 1 Mailing List Email � 1 City or Town E-newsletter � 1 City Councilmember � 1 Central San Board Member 2 Central San Website 2 Social Media Brochure or Flyer Word of Mouth Pipeline Community Newsletter 0 2 4 rd 7 8 16 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 # of participants referred October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 162 of 182 Page 4 of 17 Central San Recap of Central San Academy 2024 Session Page 3of9 Participants Coming from a variety of backgrounds, the class of 2024 were very engaged and inquisitive. They were excited to learn about Central San and passionate about the environment. The participants included the following: • A Director of the Contra Costa Water District • A Director of the East Bay Municipal Utility District • A Director of the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District • San Ramon Planning Commission member • 3 high school students (1 visiting from overseas) • 5 college students • Several scientists and professionals of the biotech industry • Communications & Policy Associate for the East Bay Leadership Council • Employees of a construction management firm that works on public works projects • Employee of an engineering consulting company that has done work for Central San • Employee of the City of Walnut Creek • Public high school teacher • Tap water industry professional As is typical, there were more working professionals than retirees and more people with a private sector background than a public sector background. There were more students this year than in the past, including high school students for the first time. Below is a chart showing the participants' professional backgrounds: Figure 3 — Professional Status -V• 10, 23% 26, 61 % ■ Retired ■ Working Professional Student ■ Unknown Figure 4 — Private vs. Public Sector 6, 14% 14, 33% 23, 53% ■ Public Sector Private Sector Unknown October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 163 of 182 Page 5 of 17 Central San Recap of Central San Academy 2024 Session Page 4 of 9 The majority of the 2024 participants, at 81 %, or 35 participants, live in Central San's service area. The rest, 19%, or 8 participants, came from as far as San Leandro, Hayward, and Milpitas, as shown in Figure 3 below. Historically, Walnut Creek has tended to yield the most participants, but this year, by holding the Academy in San Ramon, the Academy attracted more people from the southern portion of Central San's service area, with 18 attendees (42%) from San Ramon. Figure 3 — City of Residence 20 18 2 16 m 14 •0- 12 V 10 CU 8 a 6 3 3 It 4 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 j, a� c Quo �a 18 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 c�°� � a�a � a pJ�o, c`°" imago a �G in service area out of service area 10 (81 %) (19%) City of Residence Below is a chart showing how many participants came from within and outside the service area in previous sessions versus past years: Session % of Participants In Service Area Out of Service Area 2018 72% 28% 2019 88% 12% 2023 90% 10% 2024 81 % 19% Feedback from the Participants The following is a sampling of the participants' comments from their weekly surveys. The common theme was appreciation: for staff's hospitality and the food provided; the amount of information they learned; and the presenters' receptivity to questions, pride in what we do, and Central San's general impressiveness as an agency. On Central San Academy: • Excellent location! Great topics and speakers! October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 164 of 182 Page 6 of 17 Central San Recap of Central San Academy 2024 Session Page 5 of 9 • Everything was great and well produced. • Very interesting presentations. Please continue to do so. Thanks for doing it. • Excellent presenters, great sense of humor, knowledgeable, informative sessions. Thank you very much! • Thank you for the opportunity to advocate for [Central San] with [the] Regional Board. • Very informative!! Thank you for offering this information and detail to the public! • It's a wonderful experience. I'm sad the last class is already almost here! • Keep doing these kinds of projects where the community is part of [it]. • Well paced and interesting. Please continue to offer this program to our residents. • The presentations and explanations have been so thorough that it's hard to suggest how Central San could do its work better. • You guys are awesome! Thank you for the food, the fun, and the education! I'm going to miss the class! Thank you!! • Learned a lot. Central San are providing excellent services. [The class is] well designed and well programmed, great leadership, great speakers. Remember the 3 Fs! • Love in -person academy. Don't go Zoom. • Really enjoyed the trivia — opportunities to talk with others are always beneficial. • 1 had lots of fun!!! • 1 enjoyed all the subjects covered, just the perfect amount of detail. • All speakers and presentations are excellent and professional. Thank you very much for a very excellent and exceptional Academy program! Great leadership and great team! On Central San: • Seems like you guys have some very high standards you expect yourselves to live up to and it seems you're all doing a great job at it! Keep up the good work! • You are proactive. Good stewards. • Glad to see you are building a pipeline of talents into your fun organization! • 1 think Central San is doing an extraordinary job as evidenced by lack of negative incidents and the dedication of employees. • Love staff's passion for the work! • Given the decades of awards and dedication of employees I think Central San is on the right track and fosters innovation. • You are doing a great job. I'm just learning. The work you do is impressive. • Glad you go into schools! • Great place to work. I hope to bring this culture into my work. • A very complex system being managed by a group of professionals with strong passion and energy! Way to go! • Keep being an example of [a] great workplace! • Everything was great and keep including the community. • Not only am I impressed with the work you do, but I'm very impressed with the way you all work together, hear each other with respect, and value the input from everyone. Seems like a great place to work. The employees are proud of their jobs. October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 165 of 182 Page 7 of 17 Central San Recap of Central San Academy 2024 Session Page 6 of 9 • Loved that everyone from Central San seems to love their job! So customer focused. When asked, "How will you use the information you learned?": • 1 will be more aware of what can be disposed in the wastewater. • 1 will use it both to inform my work and how I manage my household. • Be nice and kind to our fragile environment, reduce consumption, conserve and conserve. • Appreciate the maintenance gone into piping. Some of the infrastructure has withstood time. Understand the expenses in the near future. Also good to understand waste disposal at home. • 1 will teach my family and friends about the wastewater treatment and our responsibility. • 1 will apply it in my future environmental research. • 1 definitely have to be more careful of what goes down the drain. • Make sure my wastewater doesn't have grease in it. Find a way to use recycled water. Areas of Success As in years past, staff and the Board were welcoming to the participants, which no doubt correlated with how engaged they were, and the participants expressed gratitude for the meals provided at every class. Presenters gave informative talks and thoughtfully fielded the multitude of questions from the participants. According to the surveys, the most lauded parts of the Academy curriculum were the presentations on recycled water, nutrients, optimizations, capital projects, the mechanical shop, and pollution prevention. The curriculum highlighted our core services, recent accomplishments, and salient issues facing our agency — all within a manageable time commitment. Additionally, the venue was clean, pleasant, and professional, and many participants commented on how nice the facilities were. It was also helpful and streamlined from an administrative perspective to have the rental facility's support. The lecture hall style classroom exuded the feel of a learning environment while still allowing attendees to network. As previously mentioned, hosting the Academy in this new venue also promoted attendance from customers in the southern area of Central San's service area who in the past may have been dissuaded from attending by the commute to the Academy's past locations of Martinez and Walnut Creek. Impact of the Academy Though difficult to quantify, Central San Academy has a radiating effect on the community. Many of the participants perform volunteer work, are active with community groups, are involved with local government agencies, or work in a business that is related to Central San's operations. Central San now has 201 Academy alumni who can serve external ambassadors, ad hoc focus groups, or participants at future events. The alumni association email network and October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 166 of 182 Page 8 of 17 Central San Recap of Central San Academy 2024 Session Page 7of9 Facebook group allows Central San to stay connected with the alumni, share ideas, and keep them apprised of Central San events. Additionally, the Pipeline community newsletter is mailed to all Central San Academy alumni to keep them apprised of Central San events and news. Central San Academy helps execute Goal One (Customer Satisfaction and Stakeholder Engagement) of the Strategic Plan. Being one of the few if not the first of its kind in this area, the award -winning Academy helps Central San build relationships in the neighborhood and industry. Central San also provides exceptional and unique customer service by soliciting feedback from the Academy's participants. Their contributions help Central San better understand and meet the needs of its customers. This year, the program had an additional goal of supporting interest in the Division 5 seat. In advance of the November election, Central San Academy generated interest in the Board and educated potential candidates. Two of this year's graduates have gone on to seek election for the District 5 Board seat. Looking Forward Based on the feedback received, the Academy should find more ways to showcase staff's talent and offer opportunities for learning and engagement in smaller groups. The curriculum can be revisited next year to streamline presentations by removing any that are redundant, less impactful, or no longer pertinent. This will allow time for more targeted content and audience questions. Measures may also be taken to institute slide deck limits based on time allotted per speaker. It is also clear that the four -day format for the classes was highly successful and should be continued. This session saw a higher retention of people attending from the first to last session, as well as a number of supportive comments about the time commitment. With six classes, the Academy would typically lose about 40 percent of its participants by the last class, versus losing less than 7 percent of the attendees this year. Needless to say, the four - day format appears to be a sweet spot for content delivery and audience engagement. In accordance with a consensus of the Board on August 3, 2017, staff is providing this annual update to the Administration Committee, followed by review by the full Board, and will continue the Academy until further notice. Staff will assess the best time and location for the next session in 2025, which will build upon the foundation created during the first seven Academies, replicating the successes and continuing to improve the participant experience. Thank You Thank you to all the presenters at this year's Academy and tours: Roger S. Bailey, General Manager October 1, 2024 Regular ADM IN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 167 of 182 Page 9 of 17 Central San Recap of Central San Academy 2024 Session Page 8of9 Katie Young, Secretary of the District Edgar Lopez, Capital Projects Division Manager Craig Mizutani, Senior Engineer, Capital Projects Ben Lavender, Community Affairs Representative Dave Wyatt, Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program Administrator Winston Ingram, Senior HHW Technician Blake Brown, Laboratory Program Administrator Brent Harvey, Chemist II Mike Allen, Plant Operations Superintendent Jason Crowe, Lead Maintenance Crew Member Randy Petitt, Lead Maintenance Crew Member Marcus Dahlund, Lead Maintenance Crew Member Leang Pen, Maintenance Crew Member II Alan Weer, Plant Operations Division Manager Melody LaBella, Resource Recovery Program Manager Jason DeGroot, Senior Engineer, Collection System Operations Nitin Goel, Operations Optimization Manager Brian Walters, Lead Maintenance Technician, Mechanical Shop Shaun Mockel, Lead Maintenance Technician, Mechanical Shop Emily Barnett, Communication and Governmental Relations Manager Colleen Henry, Environmental Compliance Program Administrator Velisa Parks, Administrative Services Supervisor Thank you to the Executive Team for their support and attendance: • Roger S. Bailey, General Manager • Phil Leiber, Deputy General Manager — Administration • Greg Norby, Deputy General Manager — Engineering and Operations Thank you to the Communications Team for their support: • Emily Barnett, Communication and Governmental Relations Manager • Velisa Parks, Administrative Services Supervisor • Joe Zumbo, Digital Media Content Specialist • Kelsey Lansang, Graphics Specialist • Nasser Albaqqal, Communications Intern • Stephanie Badua-Smail, Communications Intern • Aiden Dhaliwal, Communications Intern October 1, 2024 Regular ADM IN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 168 of 182 Page 10 of 17 October 1, 2024 Recap of 2024 Central San_ Academy Central San Academy Session..e Sxe��Mnwg [emuunay Administration Committee Meeting Christina Gee Management Analyst Central San Academy Program Coordinator 1 Central San Academy First held in 2016 Seventh session held in 2024 Objectives Expand participants' knowledge Increase awareness of and appreciation for what Central San does Gain feedback Create a networking space For 2024 Generate interest in Division 5 Board seat Educate potential candidates 2 4L Attachment 2 .tom si� ,+rya' i October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 169 of 182 Page 11 of 17 Curriculum 4 evening classes and tour options Central San 101 (6/25) Treatment, Recycled Water, and Nutrients (7/2) Collection System, Optimizations, and Maintenance (7/9) Pollution Prevention (7/16) Tours 6/27 facilities tour 7/10 or 7/17 plant tour 7/13 bike tour in San Ramon 3 t Participants 1 140 people on the "waiting list" • Those who applied for past academies but have been unable to attend • Those who joined the mailing list after the 2023 session 8 people applied for the 2023 session F-- 43 participants attended 4 October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 170 of 182 Page 12 of 17 Trending Interest in the Academy 5 5 Advertising Postcard Mailer = 1 Mailing List Email = 1 City or Town E-newsletter = 1 City Councilmember = 1 Central San Board Member � 2 Central San Website � 2 Social Media � 4 Brochure or Flyer 1 7 Word of Mouth 18 Pipeline Community Newsletter 16 0 5 10 15 20 # of participants referred I October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 171 of 182 Page 13 of 17 Participants' Professional Background 4, 9% 3, 7% 10, 23% 26, 61% Retired Working Professional Student Unknown VA 6, 14% 14, 33% 23, 53% 11' ■ Public Sector ■ Private Sector Unknown Participants' City of Residence 20 18 18 14 16 m 14 .a 12 r 10 FL 0 6 Q 3 3 2 3 3 # 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 p �a�o •k�\� 4�S c°\`� 0 4, in service area out of service area (81%) (19%) City of Residence L r October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 172 of 182 Page 14 of 17 0 1 Areas of Greatest Success Hospitality Staff representation from the highest levels Welcoming venue Curriculum highlights Service area boundaries Capital projects Recycled water Nutrients issue Optimizations Plant maintenance Pollution prevention Tour Presenters Prepared and knowledgeable From all walks of life Exuded dedication, teamwork, and pride 201 Total Alumni Spreading awareness of services Helping to support Central San's practices Volunteers for events and programs Ad hoc focus group 20R6�[ 20% 20h October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 173 of 182 Page 15 of 17 Impact of the Academy Continued transparency r� a00 Delivering high -quality customer service and building relationships (Strategic Plan Goal 1) Direct dialogue with customer base Better ability to meet needs = A taza - Trendsetting in the industry n"' �— Inspiring behavioral change ` Increased care of what goes down the drain • �r A 4 Awareness of "flushable" products Now know who to call when they see an overflow .I� 11 Notes From .theParticipants tea7M- sessW5 You guys are awesome! Thank you for Excellent presenters, g inthe food, the fun, and the education! I'm humor, knowledgeable, going to miss the class! Thank youllThank you Vev / weLLpaced awd %wteresti wg. please eowti,wue to offer th�s progrnm to our res[dewts. 12 Learned a lot. Central San are providing excellent services. The class is] well designed and well programmed, great leadership, great speakers. Remember the 3 Vs! Not ovi.l� aN,t, f �v"ressed WCth the wore you do, but i'w verb L�pressed WCth the wad dou all work together, hear each other WCth respect avLd value the tt4put fro" ever,�ovue. seevus Lt�e a greatplace to woriz. T-he e-plo�ees are proud o f their jobs. All speakers and presentations are excellent and professional. Thank YOU very much for a ver and exceptional Acaexcellent demy y program! Great leadership and great team! October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 174 of 182 Page 16 of 17 Looking Forward Next session in 2025 Continue the highly successful four - day format Streamline presentations More showcasing of employee talent More opportunities for learning and engagement in smaller groups Goals Replicate successes Continue to improve participant experience 13 Thank You to the Presenters Roger S. Bailey, General Manager Katie Young, Secretary of the District Edgar Lopez, Capital Projects Division Manager Craig Mizutani, Senior Engineer, Capital Projects Ben Lavender, Community Affairs Representative Dave Wyatt, HHW Program Administrator Winston Ingram, Senior HHW Technician Blake Brown, Laboratory Program Administrator Brent Harvey, Chemist II Mike Allen, Plant Operations Superintendent Jason Crowe, Lead Maintenance Crew Member Randy Petitt, Lead Maintenance Crew Member Marcus Dahlund, Lead Maintenance Crew Member Leang Pen, Maintenance Crew Member II 14 �Qq� A Alan Weer, Plant Operations Division Manager Melody LaBella, Resource Recovery Program Manager Jason DeGroot, Senior Engineer, Collection System Operations Nitin Goel, Operations Optimization Manager Brian Walters, Lead Maintenance Technician, Mechanical Shop Shaun Mockel, Lead Maintenance Technician, Mechanical Shop Emily Barnett, Communication and Governmental Relations Manager Colleen Henry, Environmental Compliance Program Administrator Velisa Parks, Adm in istrative Services Supervisor October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 175 of 182 Page 17 of 17 Thank You The Board of Directors The Executive Team The Communications Team Emily Barnett, Communication and Governmental Relations Manager Velisa Parks, Administrative Services Supervisor Joe Zumbo, Digital Media Content Specialist Kelsey Lansang, Graphics Specialist NasserAlbaggal, Communications Intern Stephanie Badua-Smail, Communications Intern Aiden Dhaliwal, Communications Intern 15 1V October 1, 2024 Regular ADMIN Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 176 of 182