Employee Voice Survey Accomplishments

• Continued to enhance our communication efforts through the following initiatives:
  • Sharing staffing changes and announcements via email.
  • Enhancing and expanding our BTS Employee SharePoint site.
  • Holding weekly Project Pipeline Meetings where teams can view the projects being vetted, arranged, and scheduled.
  • Implementing Resource Management plans via ServiceNow. These plans provide managers with a clearer understanding of the allocated time for various tasks, enabling more efficient assignment of work. Additionally, employees can now better account for and track their efforts, ensuring a more organized and transparent workflow.
• Implemented a career path program. This program offers eligible employees the opportunity to progress through their class specification with pay increases. Information about this program is available on our BTS Employee SharePoint site.

Court Assistance Department

• Successful implementation of the electronic Complaint Arrest Affidavit process, which eliminates the need for team members to walk to the jail every morning to retrieve this paperwork.
• Creation of Small Claims work from home opportunity, to provide more flexible work options to our team members.
• Established Subject Matter Expert (SME) committees to review and update the procedure manual for each court type.
• Updated training checklists for each court type.
• Requested and received approval to award administrative leave to trainers.
• Recruited additional team members to serve on the department’s Event Committee.
• Requested updates be made to Courtrooms 14 and 23 to accommodate felony and juvenile court clerks during first appearance hearings.

Civil Court Records Department

• Conducted regular staff meetings to improve communication throughout the department and sent an overview of the meeting via email with an open-door invitation for follow-up questions.
• Implemented employee suggestions regarding office improvements.
• Analyzed and standardized performance and accountability measurements to improve department performance.
• Supervisors have attended supervisor Boot Camp: Leadership Essentials to help in developing their leadership skills.

Criminal Court Records Department

• Increased cross-training efforts, not only in sections, but throughout the department. For example, team members in the Criminal Intake, Appeals, and Certification sections were trained to assist with Document Processing queues. Team members in Court Information, State Reporting, Appeals, and Juvenile were trained to assist with civil traffic citations. A team member in Certification was cross-trained in the mailroom.
• Monthly cross-department meetings are in place to increase communication, to discuss concerns, and to ask questions.
• To eliminate complaints from team members who said they could not reach a supervisor or a manager when they were unable to work or were running late, business-formatted cards with the office numbers for our lead workers and above were created and distributed to the team. 
• Teams chat groups were created for Criminal Court Records supervisors, sections, and all team members. These groups have enhanced communication among department members.
• To improve morale, participation in the quarterly birthday celebrations is encouraged. (Management provides the cake and other special treats.) Managerial support is given to sections that enjoy special holidays or service anniversary celebrations. 
• The department team participates in domestic violence fundraising efforts throughout the year.
• The department has frequent or weekly meetings with all supervisors, as well as meetings with section supervisors and lead workers to discuss concerns, changes, and to share ideas. 
• Three supervisors and our management team attended the Boot Camp: Leadership Essentials classes.  
• Appropriate corrective measures (performance improvement plans, disciplinary actions) have been taken when warranted, including with leadership team members.

Criminal Customer Service Department

• We continue to receive a high percentage of positive comment cards for our work. We have made team members more aware of these positive cards by sharing all comment cards with them at the end of each month.
• Since 2023, we have instituted several departmental changes that have made leadership more aware of low-performing employees. From instituting a new check-in system for team members to clearly identify team members who are not arriving to work on time to creating a notification tree so management is aware of errors employees are making, we have set new standards and have been holding employees accountable. We have moved forward when discipline was appropriate and coached and counseled when needed.
• We have made it a priority for our team members to know what is expected of them at work. We have set expectations with clearly defined and measurable methods. We have explained our phone system, Openscape, so that team members understand how it tracks calls. We have worked with leadership to also understand how tools within the program can help us become better aware of the work our team is doing.
• Since the 2023 Employee Voice Survey, we have offered several flexible scheduling options. We have done 4 – 10 hour days and work from home. While some of these methods were successful for a time, they were not self-sustaining. We have transitioned into a flexibility within the confines of our required availability during our open hours. Our office is open to customers from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We offer limited flexible options to team members: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., or 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This allows for some variation due to the employee’s personal needs, but allows for full coverage during our normal hours.
• We have closely reviewed the work being done in the different sections of the department and redistributed work between sections when needed. We have transferred team members to areas where the workload is higher in an effort to balance the workload.
• To communicate information in a timely manner, we regularly use Microsoft Teams to distribute information quickly. We can share messages with the group to communicate changes, updates, and information instantly. We have created several different groups that target the audience needing specific information.

Jury Services Department

• Implemented a new Jury Management System. The new system has created efficiencies in the department by allowing jury team members to perform previous functions that were manual but are now electronic, such as:
  • We can now send email and text messages for jury service reminders.
  • We can now send email and text messages to jurors who request to be deferred, excused, or disqualified (prior, we were mailing postcards). We now send fewer postcards, which creates efficiencies and reduces our monthly postage spending.
  • By utilizing electronic notifications, we are improving our effort to become more paperless and reducing the storage of paper at our warehouse.
  • We now have the capability to generate reports that were not previously available to us in our old jury system. This is a benefit to our citizens, stakeholders, and internal team members.
• We have installed kiosks at all three judicial buildings. 
  • This allows jurors the opportunity to “self-check in” or complete their online questionnaire. 
  • This has also eliminated the need to use paper questionnaires.
• We have streamlined the check-in process by cross-training other teammates to assist with the jury check-in process and by using more electronic means instead of pen and paper.
• We continue to work with our judicial stakeholders to streamline the juror process. By keeping the lines of communication open with all stakeholders, we are able to provide better service to the citizens of Pinellas County and our own jury team members.
• We continue to expand professional knowledge for our employees.
• We have revised the summonses to make them clearer for our prospective jurors, reducing the number of questions that our jury team members receive from the public.

North County Customer Information and Service Center Department

• We successfully moved our department to a new location on McMullen Booth at the Fessler Center. This was because the building on U.S. 19 will be demolished, and a new center will be built. Our communication about when we would move to the new location, the plans for the move, and the new build timeline was constant and ongoing. We learned that we needed to improve communication as a whole, and it was better to over-communicate than under-communicate.
• Worked closely with the Clerk’s Training Department to streamline our training on core skills for new hires and refresher training for more experienced team members.

Printing and Mail Services Department

• Where possible, we offered our printing team members flexible work schedules of 10-hour days/4 days per week and 9-hour days with one 4-hour day per week. For our mail team, we also implemented flexible work hours of 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• We consistently support and encourage our team members to take advantage of classes, on-the-job learning, and training opportunities.
• We cross-train team members to enhance their job knowledge and abilities. This also allows us to be more flexible with requests for time off.
• We added an electronic package tracking system that eliminated paper logs and provided a more efficient way for the mail couriers and clerks to provide information to our customers.
• We share positive comments from our customers with our team.

Probate Court Records Department

• We’ve improved training; the work for this is involved and ongoing.
• All supervisors have participated in the supervisory Boot Camp: Leadership Essentials training to enhance their supervisor skill sets.
• We have increased communication, verbal and written, regarding daily expectations and performance. 
• We have continued with employee development through participation in special projects. 

Recording Services Department

• To increase morale, we organize and participate in interdepartmental quarterly events. The events create a heightened realization of community among the Clerk departments. In addition, we have had after-work events to help promote interaction and build trust and communication.
• During Employee Appreciation Week, we make significant efforts to ensure that the staff feel recognized and valued for their work.
• We have routine departmental and section meetings to increase effective communication and information sharing. These meetings also allow for department alignment and clarification of the staff and leadership team’s expectations.

Records Management Department

• Developed a Process Improvement Committee; a volunteer-based group was formed to review, identify, and write suggestions for updating departmental procedures.
• Implemented employee suggestions: Several employees’ proposed improvements were adopted to enhance the organization of the Record Center. This encouraged a sense of ownership, which can directly impact team morale and working relationships.
• Secured new projects: We’ve continued to bring in new revenue-generating projects that also introduce fresh challenges. This not only supports employee engagement but also helps address concerns around staff morale and motivation across the department.

Financial Stewardship and Sustainability

• Achieved unmodified (“clean”) audit opinions for Pinellas County Government’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s financial statements, and the Pinellas County Community Reinvestment Agency’s financial statements.
• Earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the forty-third consecutive year and the award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting for the seventeenth year.
• Used analytics and risk-based audits to ensure compliance with financial regulations and produced essential reports, including monthly Florida Department of Revenue Sales Tax Certificates, Monthly Tourist Development Tax Filings, Quarterly Donation Reports to the Board, Quarterly Building and Development Review Services Filings, and Quarterly Fuel Tax Reimbursement Filings.
• Maintained and promoted transparency through the Clerk’s Spending in the Sunshine website; presented at national GFOA conference.
• Managed over $2.4 billion in cash and investments, gaining over $104 million in interest earnings to support County operations while ensuring safety, liquidity, and legal compliance.
• Partnered with the County to manage economic downturns  associated with hurricanes and other emergencies, and helped design and plan for staffing and procedures related to recovery funding.
• Adopted new policies to establish proper controls over encumbrances in the procure-to-pay process, increasing budget visibility and financial accountability.
• Adopted new policies to reduce invoice processing times and improve accuracy through automation and electronic workflows. A new invoice return policy to support this initiative is anticipated to be operational by September 2025.
• Enhanced internal controls and cost-saving measures by preventing vendor bank fraud through multi-step authentication and secure systems. The initiative is expected to be operational by August 2025.
• Led efforts to transition to a cloud-based ERP system to integrate financial, human resource, procurement, and budgetary operations. Vendor selection is anticipated this summer.
• Enhanced relationships with strategic partners in the County and presented new policies and compliance matters to County Administrators and Directors. Additional webinars to train vendors have been developed and are planned for late July/early August.
• Consistently audited timecards and processed bi-weekly payroll with accuracy and timeliness, managing W-2s, tax filings, and retirement contributions despite challenges posed by an outdated ERP system.
• Demonstrated resilience and commitment to supporting employees through periods of disruption.
• Upgraded the Clerk’s Case Management System through the implementation of the Navigator platform, replacing a system that had been in place for over a decade.
• Upgraded the Jury Management System to a newer Tyler solution, which included an off-the-shelf cash payment functionality to improve efficiency and user experience.
• Transitioned the Clerk’s Child Support System to a web-based platform, successfully eliminating the last DOS-based system in the office.
• Streamlined change order processes by partnering with Wells Fargo, eliminating the need for staff to visit bank branches in person.
• Upgraded the Munis system and TCM (Tyler Content Manager) viewer, enhancing system performance and document accessibility.

Employee Focus

• Organized and facilitated a comprehensive bootcamp attended by numerous employees, providing training in fund accounting principles, budgetary control practices, and financial reporting.
• Promoted 9 dedicated team members within the Division over the past 22 months.
• Awarded 91 Burke’s Bucks to employees demonstrating exemplary commitment to the Clerk’s Great Eight values.
• Recognized 4 Employees of the Month across 4 departments within the Division in 2024 and 2025.
• Developed and published over 20 policies, procedures, and training videos using the Clerk’s training systems.
• Refreshed the Finance Office environment to foster a more welcoming, efficient, and inspiring space.
• Supported initiatives through the participation of 11 Finance Division employees on key planning committees.
• Sustained flexible hybrid remote and alternative work schedules to promote employee retention, satisfaction, and a healthy work-life balance.
• Ensured clear, consistent communication through regularly scheduled meetings at all levels.
• Updated and deployed the series to the MyLearning platform.

Clerk to the Board

• Managed 2,450 petitions, resulting in 1,090 hearings.
• Developed an online filing system; created policies, procedures, contracts, and forms; recruited and trained special magistrates; and scheduled and clerked appeal hearings for homeowners dealing with substantial damage regulations.
• Provided services to over 20 boards, including two new Boards, the Social Action Funding Advisory Board and the Substance Abuse Advisory Board. High-profile boards include the Board of County Commissioners, Tourist Development Board, Value Adjustment Board, and the Unified Personnel Board.
• Improved dock permitting services through Water and Navigation realignment and training.
• Implemented EMV readers, new recording devices, and researched new VAB and transcription software.
• Improved alignment of work effort within the workforce.

• Recognized team members, including promotions based on career series, verbal and written praise, quarterly award for outstanding service, and annual award for greatest impact.
• Participated in building career ladder criteria in coordination with the Clerk’s Office Career Development Committee to provide more concrete requirements for career advancement.
• Celebrated employee milestones and successes such as birthdays, work anniversaries, certification attainment, employee appreciation, and promotions.
• Celebrated Division milestones and successes (such as recognizing the Division’s 40th anniversary, earning the Knighton Award, and attaining CFA Excelsior Status) with luncheon events.
• All team members attended the Human Resources sponsored Myers-Briggs Type Indicator class.
• Management attended the Human Resources sponsored Team Building, What Is It training.
• Expanded the Division telecommute option to 2 days per week which is in addition to existing work schedule flexibility options of work hours and start/end times.
• Shared the Florida Association of Inspectors General compensation survey results with all team members to demonstrate competitiveness with colleague agencies.
• Discussed Human Resources benefits with all team members including reviewing how to access their Total Compensation Statement in EBS (OPUS).
• Management periodically conducted one-on-one meetings with each team member.
• Established S.M.A.R.T. performance goals for all team members and initiated monthly check-ins to monitor progress in conjunction with the Clerk’s Office Strategic Planning initiative.
• Revamped the exempt employee performance evaluation process.
• Conducted weekly team meetings.
• Discussed with team members management accessibility options — Division open door policy, management contact information including personal cell phone numbers, weekly team meetings, periodic one-on-one meetings, staff meetings are held every 6 weeks, and management walks around the office periodically to check in with team members.
• Management attended Human Resources sponsored Performance Management training.
• Management attended Human Resources sponsored Managing an Underperformer training.
• Discussed the Employee Suggestion Program with all team members.
• Encouraged more participation in the Clerk’s office-wide and Division Strategic Plan initiatives.
• Provided training and networking opportunities for non-management team members, including national conferences.

Communication Enhancements

• The Infrastructure and Operational Services Department introduced a new communication method for sharing technology news, tips, and updates. Staff now receive email notifications linking to News & Updates on the Clerk Technology Division’s SharePoint site. 
• Infrastructure and Operational Services team launched biweekly half-day technical training sessions for new hires. This initiative was in partnership with Clerk leadership and the Clerk Training Department to improve the onboarding experience for new team members.
• Department managers conduct daily and biweekly meetings with team members to discuss goals, prioritize tasks, monitor project status, assess progress, and address any challenges/concerns.

Team Engagement and Workplace Morale

• Continue to provide flexible work options for team members to support work-life balance.
• Held ongoing discussions to address team member concerns and identify strategies to improve workplace relationships.
• Encourage team camaraderie by hosting team luncheons and breakfasts.

Talent Development and Growth

• Implemented online learning platform to support team members with enhancing current skills and acquiring new skills to prepare for advancement opportunities. Team members are encouraged to identify 2 specific career and personal goals to focus their training on. These goals are included in the team members annual evaluation.
• We encourage team members to learn other job functions and cross-train for continuous growth. This also ensures foundational knowledge transfer to eliminate any gaps in support coverage for all business units.
• Currently rewriting career ladders for all division positions using the Clerk’s office-wide template to foster growth and development.

Leadership and Strategic Collaboration

• Conduct regular business relationship meetings with the Clerk, Division directors, and managers to strengthen communication, collaboration, and alignment across the organization.
• Expanded outreach efforts to build stronger relationships with Clerk leadership and staff, providing proactive support for new initiatives and strategic projects.
• Collaborated with BTS and key Clerk stakeholders to implement and promote a modern SharePoint experience, enhancing employee collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Continue to collaborate with HR to explore and address compensation disparities within the Division.

• Management in Administrative Services has made a concerted effort to communicate with staff about everything, consistently scheduling many more staff meetings and providing opportunities for staff to participate in decision making processes. 

• In an effort to ensure good communication among staff at all levels, divisions within the Airport have regularly scheduled staff meetings (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) to exchange information, provide updates, and strategize. 
• Separate staff meetings with the exempt staff occur bi-weekly. Division managers are encouraged to exchange information discussed during the exempt staff meeting with their employees.

• We expanded our career path program giving our employees additional professional development and salary increase options.

• Distributed 126 hours of Employee Recognition Hours using “PCED’s Outstanding Work,” also known as POW certificates.
• Six employees completed career paths, and 9 employees are currently progressing in their career path.
• Hosted 2 appreciation lunches, monthly birthday celebrations, and seasonal potluck lunches.
• Verbal recognition of staff in monthly meetings.
• Completion of a department-wide survey to query staff on their preferred methods of employee recognition.
• Completed Strategic Plan with staff input to welcome and encourage ownership and participation in decision making for the department’s work.
• 100% participation from division directors in supervisory training.
• Division presentations annually to entire department to present annual work plans and to promote a climate of mutual understanding of our roles.
• Continued to implement telework days to eligible staff.
• Continued budgeting for individual professional development for each staff member. Business Development is proud to have successfully facilitated 135 hours of professional development for team members, encompassing continuing education for certification renewals, industry conferences and targeted training.
• Hosted trainings for staff on emotional intelligence and AI in the workplace.
• Nominated staff and peers for recognition and service awards to encourage camaraderie, pride and employee recognition. Successful winners of the following awards:
  • 2024 Florida SBDC Network State Region of the Year Award
  • 2024 Florida SBDC Network Florida Star of the Year – Yolanda Goodloe
  • 2024 Florida SBDC Network Service Year Awards – Debra Schweikowsky
  • 2024 Florida SBDC Network Team Spirit Award – Jenee Skipper
  • 2024 NAPEX People’s Choice Award- Economic Impact – Yolanda Goodloe
  • 2024 IEDC Excellence in Economic Development – Gold Award for the Employment Sites Program
  • 2025 Florida SBDC at USF Annual Business Awards – Rising Star Award – Debra Schweikowsky

• Continued to do regular employee recognition on a quarterly and annual basis.
• Provide career path and ladder opportunities for personnel.
• Provide training opportunities and opportunities to cross train, and get exposure to other areas within planning, training, and exercises for a more holistic view of partner operations to enhance coordination and networks.
• Offer opportunities for people to deploy to other areas for disaster response as able.
• Encourage personnel to implement innovative programs. This can be seen in the work in the following areas:
  • Coordination with hazardous material responders and companies, training of facility personnel, and implementing notification processes
  • Expansion of programs and coordination with deaf and hard of hearing communities, mobile home parks, faith-based providers, and innovative programs like our boater preparedness
• Hiring at competitive rates to attract experienced and well-trained personnel; this helps with retention.  
• Remain flexible in working with personnel for remote time and flex time.
• We continue to revise our workplans and meet with employees to discuss workload.
• Created an internal employee guide and implemented internal processes to monitor and manage workloads.
• Made adjustments within our employee responsibilities to better align areas as staff changes occur and new areas are needed.

• The department held a staff retreat at the Collaborative Labs to define the department’s mission, vision, and values specific to the work we do and to clarify how each employee fits into the vision.
• The department has held department-wide meetings to keep each other apprised of important County news and our various projects and efforts. Liaisons from other departments (such as Communications and OMB) were also invited and attended.
• Our 2 divisions (Planning and Community Development) have been working more closely. As opportunities arise, we have had employees “cross over” from one division to the other to help out on projects and tasks. This was most notable during the post-hurricane period.
• The department maintains an open-door policy and seeks out/welcomes ideas and feedback for individual and division/section concerns.
• Sections regularly hold weekly staff meetings and managers meet bi-weekly.
• Performance reviews have continued, including established defined performance goals/metrics, with periodic individual check-ins.
• For projects, we define alignment with broader County-level plans such as the Comprehensive Plan, Resiliency Action Plan, and Housing Action Plan. That way, staff can see how their work ties in with broader County goals.

Enhancing Communication/Workload Distribution and Role Clarity

• Leadership team met extensively to create a document that outlines roles and responsibilities for programs/services.
  • Roles were clearly defined for the ELT Champion, Program Lead, contracts/grants manager, and support. 
  • We enacted a process where routine meetings were required to be held to increase communication and transparency around timelines and workload associated with the work. 
• Created Quarterly Service Level Meetings
  • Staff associated with large services such as Behavioral Health/Health Care and Homeless Services are routinely invited to meetings to discuss high level updates on all programs, lessons learned from any conference or webinar attendance, or systems level updates. 

Enhancing the Learning Environment

• Human Services has continued to prioritize an environment that allows for increased learning, career path development, as well as internal growth. 
• We have prioritized internal promotions and recently promoted over 5 staff into higher compensated positions. 
• We continue to prioritize enhanced learning, allowing for staff to attend national conferences (often paid by grant dollars) for justice, opioids, mental health/well-being, consumer protection/fraud and national veterans conferences. Upon return, staff bring back information and share during lunch and learns with those interested to hear about what was learned and what new programs/initiatives exist.

Performance

• With the assistance of Workforce Relations and our newly assigned HR Business Partner, we have increased our knowledge about the disciplinary process and have created several Performance Improvement Plans, written counseling, as well as pre-disciplinary hearings to address performance related concerns. 
• We have completed the performance evaluation trainings and are working towards 100% compliance with timely performance evaluations. 
• We continue to hold employee recognition events bi-annually to recognize staff, as well as provide opportunities for team building events. 

• To address communication issues, we have reorganized our staff into functional groups focused on specific areas of service delivery to connect teams doing similar work and provide clarity of roles and responsibilities.
• We established new vision and values statements to assist team members in connecting to their work, while also providing context to the good work done across the department for greater community engagement.
• We have drafted a career and professional development guide to become the foundation for Parks & Conservation Resources’ training and development. The guide defines essential skills for department employees and provides insight on how to recruit for them, evaluate them, and develop them. The draft will be finalized within the next 3 months and become the basis for which we update career paths and improve our recruitment and evaluation processes.
• Parks & Conservation Resources has also established an Incident Command System approach to emergency response, which has provided clarity for all employees on their responsibilities and the County’s expectation of the department during an event.

Capital Improvements and Survey & Mapping

• Established an annual Chili Cook Off event and a joint employee recognition event outside the office to help build and improve relationships between the different work units within the 2 divisions. Held quarterly all-staff meetings for recognition and to provide updates and maintained an open-door communication policy within the division.
• Ensure consistency in addressing low performance by coordinating with the department leadership and HR Business Partner.
• Established and completed a full round of the Engineer in Training Program to support staff training and professional development.
• Exercise cross training among staff within the division.
• Involve division staff in decision making. Examples: Working groups for process development and improvements and staff participation in interviews for key personnel.

CATS

• All CATS sections: Monthly team meetings with communication from division director.
• Contracts: Implemented weekly “priority projects” meetings. Public Works Contracts staff meet for a half hour each Tuesday to share with each other our most pressing issues.
• Contracts: Implemented meetings of varying frequency with the other divisions in Public Works and Utilities (where applicable) as a project update/work status review. Occasionally we will schedule a larger scale division meeting (which includes all project managers) with the others as needed.

Communications

• Created quick reference guide for Public Works staff to share with public.
• Expanded on cross-divisional team coordination and collaboration on public outreach materials, messaging and signage.
• Collaboration and creation with division teams on leave-behinds/doorhangers for messaging to public on projects/jobs.
• Inner Workings newsletter to all staff every quarter.
• Monthly Public Works staff meeting summary to all staff.

Environmental

• Formed a staff-led group to gather additional information and feedback from staff. The management team reviewed results and recommendations and held several sessions to implement those recommendations.
• A Morale Team was formed to spread some cheer for various holidays and organize group events throughout the year.
• Supervisors increased the frequency of one-on-one meetings with direct reports to monthly. More seasoned employees (>5 years) have the option to go to quarterly meetings. A monthly summary form was provided for staff and supervisors to guide the discussion on expectations, goals and focus, as well as professional development. The form includes a few questions targeted toward providing feedback to their supervisors.
• Managers had their employees fill out recognition preference forms.
• A yearly Public Works Admin Policy Attestation (schedules, leave and County vehicles) was implemented, along with an annual renewal of all alternate work schedule forms to ensure all are on the same page on policies and schedules.
• Division all staff meetings are scheduled in person twice a year to allow for some team building exercises.

Mosquito Control

Improve Communication

• In addition to daily crew meetings with operations supervisors and bi-weekly section all staff meetings, Mosquito Control and Vegetation Management operations managers were tasked with conducting regularly scheduled meetings moving forward with their working group crews to go over group specific information and provide a dedicated time for field staff to express concerns and give feedback.

Build Effective Working Relationships

• During May-October, which is the busy operational season for both mosquito and vegetation crews, weekly (mosquito) and bi-weekly (vegetation) operations planning meetings were started with operations supervisors, operations managers and the section manager to improve staff and resource coordination and communication across the full working group.
• In times of high-volume service requests and/or significant arbovirus caseloads, mosquito control North and South crews are now scheduled to assist each other to work as a full County team instead of dividing work strictly based on larviciding section/North-South County. This was suggested by field staff.
• Section staff that are working on obtaining a spray license can coordinate with their supervisor to shadow a tech whose main focus is the subject of the license (mosquito tech – Public Health license, veg tech – Aquatics license).

Encourage Innovation and Engagement

• Input is solicited from field staff on equipment purchase specs (such as mosquito control Kubota replacement, vegetation management jon boat replacement).
• Employee ideas to improve efficiency or safety are piloted if reasonable and fully implemented if they prove beneficial (implemented ideas include belt fans, battery operated sprayers instead of pump, shade umbrellas on Aquatics trucks, mosquito North/South County crew teams for high volume SRs).
• End of Year Spending Planning meetings enacted in July that solicit staff for needs and ideas that could be met in the current year or saved for the next budget cycle.

SWOps

• Gather input from staff to develop specs for vehicle and equipment replacement each year (Vactor, Gradall, Sweepers, attachments, etc.).
• Discuss new ideas with crews about equipment and tools that will improve safety or efficiency. Follow through with purchases or rentals from staff suggestions (pole cameras, powered dumping wheelbarrows, remote mower, gas monitor response system, etc.).
• Conduct quarterly training events on small and heavy equipment.
• Allow ride alongs for staff interested in other positions.
• Host appreciation events for staff.
• Conducted an in-house equipment rodeo. The top 5 operators were allowed to compete in the local APWA Rodeo in Pinellas Park. Three operators took first place in 4 different events.
• Allow staff time in every staff meeting to discuss concerns, ask questions, or provide recognition for others.

Transportation

• Monthly Transportation newsletter highlighting completed and special projects the division is responsible for.
• Monthly coordination meetings with Transportation Operations & Maintenance staff.
• Monthly coordination meetings with all Transportation Operations managers.
• Debrief meetings with field staff directly after the Public Works staff meetings.

Urban Forestry and Landscape Services

• Increased the frequency of staff meetings to enhance communication and encourage employee involvement, utilizing a structured agenda with supporting links, slides, and post-meeting summaries distributed to all participants for greater transparency and alignment on decision-making.
• Organized staff appreciation events to improve overall morale and acknowledge employee contributions in a meaningful way.
• Expanded cross-training programs with targeted half-day sessions on equipment operation and related skills, designed to build team versatility and facilitate career progression while addressing concerns around low performers.
• Introduced regular supervisor-led check-ins to discuss performance expectations, provide constructive feedback, and connect individual roles to department/division/section objectives, emphasizing consistent handling of performance issues.

Watershed

• Dealing with low performers: Met with the team and set team goals. Once our team goals were set, we set goals for each team member to meet so we all are contributors to the goals and expectations.
• Leadership listening to employee opinions: We have bi-weekly team meetings to go over section issues and collectively implement solutions.
• Knowing what is expected at work: Manager provides team expectations as well as “team kudos” each month. 

• At 9-1-1, we created a group of individuals to help craft the approach to workplace displays and celebrations.
• The employee recognitions/awards team is in its third year which was a result of the Employee Voice Survey. It has recognized dozens of employees with kudos, time off, and other department-based recognitions.
• The wellness group that sprang out of the survey has monthly information and programs in conjunction with, and addition to, the ones the HR Benefits & Wellness team provides.

• Career ladders have been improved. Specifically, shared positions have been consolidated, references to career paths have been removed to permit laddering without pathing where possible, and we created new ladders in work sections that did not have them.
• The department implemented a cross-training program.  
• While there are few instances, we continue to deal with poor performers in real-time. 

Compensation and Performance

• Created career paths and career ladders (where applicable) for all positions.
• Dealt with low-performing employees negatively impacting team morale.
• Developed performance metrics and goals in concert with employees. 
• Implemented mid-year and annual performance evaluations and monthly one-on-one meetings.
• Acknowledged employees’ strong performance during staff meetings.
• Conducted a market compensation study to benchmark Utilities positions against industry peers.
• Forecasted strategic pay adjustments to align critical roles with regional averages.
• Enhanced benefits education outreach to ensure understanding of total compensation.
• Implemented a performance-based merit increase program package.
• Enabled Utilities Operations Specialist 2 to promote into the Utilities Operations Specialist 3 position and have 9 months to obtain the required DEP license.
• Created a shift incentive for the Repair & Maintenance weekend position.

Staff Morale

• Periodic management-funded breakfast, ice cream social, and lunch events throughout the year.
• Organized quarterly staff appreciation events and team building activities.
• Expanded on-the-spot recognition program.
• Increased employee nominations for the Employee Recognition Program.
• Implemented ACES to recognize outstanding customer service.
• Increased professional development opportunities for Discover the Leader in Utilities graduates.
• Engaged in team building activities to enhance cohesiveness.
• Promptly filled vacancies to ensure minimal disruption to the team.
• Coordinated cross training of sections to enhance division-wide support.
• Guaranteed positions and adequate training for team members whose sections are dissolved.

Involvement in Decision Making

• Introduced cross-functional working groups (focus areas) to gather input on major projects, policies, and process improvements.
• Involved nearly half the Utilities team in the department strategic planning effort.
• Involved employees in the uniform selection.
• Included staff with supervisors in interviews and hiring panels.
• Empowered employees to shadow positions before deciding to apply for new positions.

Listening

• Offered listening sessions with County Benefits staff regarding Cigna insurance provider.
• Increased visibility of leadership through regular walk-throughs, informal meet-and-greets, and “Chatting with Leadership” sessions.
• Provided supervisor training on active listening and feedback techniques.
• Created employee feedback loops for projects and upcoming technology or regulation changes.
• Pulse feedback to track sentiment on key issues and respond more rapidly.
• Encourage chain-of-command to conduct meetings with those who report to direct reports.
• Retained consultant to address team’s concerns with staffing levels and workload.
• Implemented organizational changes at all levels in response to identified needs.
• Held monthly Supervisor Workforce Conversations with Workforce Relations and Human Resources.
• Held monthly Manager Confabs with Workforce Relations and Human Resources.
• Increased the size of the Safety team to address needs identified by Maintenance and Operations.

Communication

• Hosted different County departments and Utilities divisions at team meetings, to include Fleet, Safety and Risk, Workforce Relations, and Water Quality.
• Held monthly division meetings and team meetings.
• Conducted weekly team meetings to foster clear communication and enhance team knowledge.
• Created periodic In the Know leadership interview videos.
• Continued improvement and distribution of quarterly newsletter.
• Centralized all project and policy updates on SharePoint.
• Invited the Utilities Director and division managers to section meetings.
• Department-wide staff meetings held periodically for conversation with executive leadership. 

• We upgraded the disciplinary process to include automation and multiple review steps. This has enabled us to ensure that discipline is being done fairly and properly with open communication and consistency across all County Administrator departments.
• We have begun the process of creating a succession management program to help identify individuals with leadership characteristics. This program will outline training to enable interested employees to gain the skills they need to become leaders in our organization.
• We have continued to develop career paths and ladders and department recognition programs in order to give employees the opportunity to progress in their careers and to be recognized for the work that they do.  
• We continue to expand interactions and create collaborative relationships with the goal of breaking down silos and creating avenues of communication between our employees and executive groups.
• We have established and maintained a performance evaluation system, which has opened communication between supervisors and employees about expectations and has created an avenue for providing employees with feedback on their performance towards the completion of established goals and objectives.

• Continue to offer flexibility, including hybrid work schedules, to promote employees’ work-life balance.
• Previously instituted initiatives to promote consistency in reviews, rewards, and discipline were continued.
• Employees continue to be afforded opportunities to obtain work-related skills to advance their careers.

• Created a career path for Principal Planners.
• Implemented a Certification Pay Policy.
• Increased manager communications with staff to clearly outline the necessary steps for advancement.
• Began Peer-to-Peer (P2P) mentoring sessions – an employee suggestion.
• Began the Pay It Forward trophy passing ceremony at each All Staff meeting to encourage peer recognitions.
• Upper management team more regularly communicating regarding staff to ensure consistency of discipline for underperforming employees, rewards for high performers, and pay equity.
• Participated in the last 2 Employee Appreciation Picnics at Sand Key Beach as a team.

• Continued to offer a flexible hybrid schedule to promote employee retention, satisfaction, and a healthy work-life balance.
• Implemented reporting out on the manager meeting takeaways during the All In meeting.
• Implemented career paths for classified roles.
• Ensured completion of annual reviews for each employee.
• Continued employee celebrations and activities to increase community.

• Compliance Manager conducted performance evaluations and self-assessments one-on-one then reviewed performance appraisals, support/needs, goals, and work duty overview/expectations.
• Held various events to encourage team building and professional development.
• In-Service Day: All staff volunteered at Hope Villages of America.
• Offered individual classes/webinars for staff focused on professional development. This included industry-specific and customer service trainings.
• Held monthly huddles which include ice breakers led by team members.

Staff Recognition and Camaraderie

• Continue to hold our annual Circle of Distinction Luncheon for 20+ year team members (2023 & 2024) to recognize longtime team members.
• Continue enhancements to Employee Appreciation Week.
• Continue to recognize the employee that best exemplifies enthusiasm, camaraderie, communication, compassion, humor, leadership, and drive that goes above and beyond through our annual Spirit of the PAO Award program.
• Monthly birthday celebration, staff recognition, and announcements.
• Continue to support the efforts of the PAO Social Committee.
• Circle of Heroes Veterans Memorial Dive Trip.
• Office Scalloping trip.
• Office picnic.
• Holiday party and office potlucks.
• Purchased additional PAO shirts for all employees and PAO hats for staff working in the field to aid in sun/heat protection and comfort.

Staff Growth and Development

• Continue to encourage professional development of staff via County and professional organization courses.
• Encourage team members to participate and present at professional conferences.
• Allow staff members to participate in professional organization committees.
• Have added 2 appraisal instructors (1 in residential and 1 in commercial) to our ranks by fostering their professional development and teaching skills.
• Hosted several on-site staff educational courses for professional development.
• Have made 38 internal promotions.
• Have made 22 new hires.

Customer Service and Efficiency

• Received over 500 customer comments, with over 98% indicating our service “exceeds expectations”.
• Implemented Q-Flow (a call/walk-in management system) to obtain better metrics and increase efficiency in customer service.
• Added enhanced software (Apex/iLookAbout) to help with sketching, field data collection, and desktop review for our appraisal staff.
• Addition of numerous PowerBI dashboards to improve analytics and reporting and improve workflow processes to gain efficiencies.
• Continued improvement on .gov website to provide enhanced tools/resources to both the public and our staff.
• Cross training of the Public Information team and the Exemptions team for more efficient application processing and customer service coverage.
• Continued process improvements to create efficiencies in various departments.
• New field tablets, laser measuring devices, and vehicles added.

Public Education and Outreach

• Enhanced Public Education Series, engaging various staff in presentation opportunities.
• Expanded public outreach via partnerships with the Office of Human Rights, Suncoast Tampa Realtors Association, and other real estate related professional organizations.
• Educated over 11,000 attendees at various public education and outreach events.
• Added social media presence for office (Facebook).
• Added more content to YouTube channel for educational and website help videos.
• Community involvement:
  • Non-profit fundraisers and donations
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters School to Work program
  • Silver Santas’ holiday charity for underprivileged seniors
  • Veterans Assistance fundraisers and donations

• Continue to offer a 4-day (10-hour) workweek when permitted by the election calendar.
• Continue to expand training, certification, and career advancement opportunities.
• Continue to develop structured cross-training programs.
• Continue to improve communication around organizational developments.
• Continue to actively involve employees in decisions, policy updates, and equipment acquisitions.
• Continue to recognize employee achievements.

Continued focus on benefits/positive financial offerings and impact

• Utilizing Personnel Rule 3, the Tax Collector has implemented multiple initiatives to help enhance employees’ compensation.

Continue improvements in maintaining a culture of honest feedback/understanding

• Enhanced the Tax Collector Code of Conduct
• Evaluated leave procedures

Using technology to improve processes

• Transitioned all desktops to laptops
• Optimization of Human Resources Management System
• Digitized reward and recognition system