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Living our core competencies can be observed in everyday interactions of staff in the office and working in the community. 

See how the updated Core Competencies will be used for employee reviews.  You can download the Core Competencies to keep at your desk.

Focus on People

• A Police Officer stops to talk with citizens while in between calls
• A Refuse Truck Driver circles back to help a customer who put their garbage can out late.
• Our Firefighters, Inspectors or field staff encounter young people within their daily jobs, and take the time to stop and say hello, give them a high five or a sticker to remind them we are here to serve and protect.
• The City Manager’s office connects members of the community with the right people to answer their questions, register their complaint or suggestion, or meet with the appropriate staff or councilmember, treating them with dignity and respect.
• Our Economic Development team recognizes that every interaction with our community members is both an opportunity and reflection on the City and utilizes these occasions to listen, educate and connect resources within our ever growing community.

Collaborate Inclusively

• When illegal dumping becomes an issue, a Public Works employee takes the time to discuss the issue with local businesses, residents, and Environmental Utilities staff to address the problem in that area.
• Utility Billing Staff listen to customers’ needs and take the extra steps to contact local area non-profits to obtain support for individuals in need who cannot pay their utility bills.
• Recreation and Library staff recognize that a segment of the community needs programs for children with sensory sensitivity and create specific story times and swim lessons to ensure those community members have access to important life skills.
• IT works with multiple departments focusing on services such as GIS to provide data to help make more strategic business decisions that meet internal and external customer needs.

Communicate Effectively

• Adventure Club staff communicates with parents and children to ensure they provide a safe place for kids free of specific allergens.
• Community Service Officers at collision incidents communicate with their Dispatcher, emergency services on scene, the public, the involved parties, and motorists to direct traffic safely around the accident.
• Staff across the organization share appropriate information to educate stakeholders and facilitate collaborations that promote the City mission.
• Development Services staff communicates early and often with applicants regarding permit processing requirements and schedule, along with promptly contacting the customer if there is any potential for delay.
• Communications staff across the City are proactive about using the website and social media as a tool to provide timely, consistent, and accurate information to our residents and customers alike.

Ensure Accountability

• The Records Supervisor ensures accountability to various auditing agencies including the Department of Justice and FBI, by managing the flow of information to the District Attorney’s Office for court appearances and prosecution, and ensuring adequate training of staff to enable proper handling of physical evidence requests and processing.
• City Clerk staff produce accurate and thoroughly vetted agenda packets for City Council, board, commission, and committee meetings throughout the month to ensure access to information for participation in the public process.
• Development Services staff ensure accountability to each other and the development community by meeting policy timelines for plan review, regardless of staffing levels.
• City Attorney staff ensures accountability through timely responses to legal services requests, and by demonstrating solution oriented problem solving.

Build Trust

• Every day, staff across the organization implement policies that promote safety, environmental health compliance, water conservation, efficient use of tax dollars, quality of life programming, and more to “Build Trust” in public service.
• Public Affairs and Communications staff conduct research, attend meetings, and actively listen in person and online to gather community input about concerns and priorities.
• The Electric Utilities Department staff continues to manage and maintain an electric system that keeps the lights on and provides customers the lowest rates in the region, which in turn builds trust.
• Animal Control address public nuisances like roadkill and rabid skunks in backyards, mediate both sides of neighbor issues for barking dog complaints, and respond to calls of animals running in traffic requiring them to quickly gain the dogs’ trust for obedience that promotes safety for all.

Make Quality Decisions

• The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) team outlined several options with pros and cons at major decisions points in this important project in the Electric Utility.
• Police Officers respond to calls, quickly assess the situation and decide a course of action with every encounter.
• Employees respond appropriately to customer inquiries, process timely applications for service, decide what solutions to implement to attempt to resolve issues, and when to raise issues with supervisors.
• Human resources staff review applications and determine qualified applicants to be moved forward in the selection process.

Be Adaptable/Agile

• Parks staff prep sports fields for weekend tournaments while also balancing daily maintenance tasks.
• Field staff across the organization adapt to shifting weather conditions as ball field work must continue in an attempt to meet community needs.
• Finance staff implements new account coding in the new ERP financial system that will produce better accounting results.As a matter of fact, staff across the organization are adapting to new technologies and systems to promote more efficient and effective processes.
• IT staff demonstrate adaptability in situations where technology systems are impacted or offline and work to bring them back up as quickly as possible. A direct example would be when the fiber supporting our network is inadvertently cut or disrupted.