City Manager's Messages

Nov. 2, 2016 - It is hard to believe it’s November already and that the holiday season is right around the corner. Each year at this time, we announce the results of the biennial citizen satisfaction survey and the resulting time off bonus for the holidays. We will brief the public next Wednesday about the full results of the survey, but I wanted to go ahead and let you know the results that drive the bonus time off so you can make final plans for the holidays, I am very pleased to announce that we have continued the excellent customer service for which we are known. 

• An overwhelming 93.6% report being satisfied with the courtesy of City employees.
• It is impressive that 92.3% are satisfied with the overall work performance of City employees.

These results are even better than the survey completed two years ago. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Newport News City Manager highlighted their survey results. He indicated that generally cities look for their satisfaction ratings to be above 80%. Every survey and every city is different, so it’s impossible to compare apples to apples, but I would note that he announced Newport News residents' 89.6% satisfaction rate with their interactions with their city employees. I am very proud that we will be able to announce even better ratings from our citizens, and that is all attributed to all of you!

Based on the time off bonus program, employees have earned the day off on the Friday after Thanksgiving and a half day off on Christmas Eve. However, I have asked - and Council has agreed - for the ability to provide the full day off on Christmas Eve because of the improved ratings. This year, both Christmas Eve and Christmas fall on a weekend. New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday as well. Thus, the official time off for city employees will be as follows:

• Thursday, November 24th, Thanksgiving Holiday
  
• Friday, November 25th, Bonus Administrative Day
  
• Friday, December 23rd, Bonus Administrative Day
  
• Monday, December 26th, Christmas Holiday
  
• Monday, January 2nd, New Year’s Day Holiday 

Also, you may recall that I included a citizen satisfaction achievement award in the FY 2017 budget. Council approved this in May of this year. Accordingly, I am also pleased to announce that this bonus will be paid to employees in a special pay on December 9th. The base amount of the achievement award is $250 for full-time employees and $125 for part-time/WAE employees who work an average of at least 8 hours per week. The parameters of this award require that employees must have been employed on or before June 30, 2016 and in a pay status on December 2, 2016 to be eligible. Since the citizen satisfaction survey results showed that 92.3% of residents were satisfied or more than satisfied with the overall work performance of city employees (the question used for this bonus), we will apply this percentage to the base amount. Thus, the actual awards will be $230.75 for full time employees ($250*0.923=$230.75) and $115.38 ($125*0.923=$115.38) for eligible part-time/WAE employees. Council has generously agreed to gross up the amount so that eligible employees will receive the full achievement award after subtracting required taxes. 
 
I want to again thank you for your hard work, dedication and excellent customer service. These traits continue to impress our community, and have earned you this achievement award. I know we have been through many tough times together. This achievement award is one of the many ways your Council and City leadership team is thanking you for your commitment to our great City during those tough times. Please enjoy this extra money and your holiday season!
 
With much appreciation,
 
Mary