May/June 2014

GOING APE – Brandon Haught’s new book chronicles Florida’s 90-year struggle with the teaching of evolution.

By day, Brandon Haught works with the news media that cover stories involving the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Off the clock, he pursues his other passion – science education. The mild-mannered assistant public information officer is a founding board member and volunteer communications director for Florida Citizens for Science, a group of parents, educators, employers and others who defend and promote good science, especially in public schools. He also has a bach-elor’s degree in science education and is certified in Florida to teach biology to students in grades six through 12. As he got involved in a headline-grabbing clash between evolutionists and creationists over Florida’s science standards in 2008, he thought to himself, “I could write a book about this.” And he did. The University Press of Florida recently pub-lished “Going Ape: Florida’s Battles over Evolution in the Classroom.” The 288-page book provides a blow-by-blow account of Florida’s 90-year struggle with the teaching of evolution. Despite his firm stance in support of evolution education, Haught said he was very careful to tell the story from a neutral standpoint. “I have a strong personal opinion on this subject,” he noted. “Evolution must be taught to students in the appropriate sci-ence courses, thoroughly and unapologetically. However, I took great pains to write the historical account from a neutral point of view because I want this engrossing story to appeal to everyone regardless of personal opinion.” “Going Ape” can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other book stores. According to Amazon’s website: “Haught is uniquely poised to present this dramatic conflict from an insider’s

PIO chronicles Florida’s battles over evolution

(See GOING APE page 4)

Manager’s columnPage 2

Commuter challenge Page 3

Kat Northey wins songwriting contestPage 5

Sheriff’s Office Page 7

Movers and shakers Page 8

Wellness challenge Page 4

In my nearly 40 years of public administration, I have become famil-iar with several public employee healthcare plans. Hands down, our plan is one of the better I have seen. Our coverages and our freedom of choice for services are excellent. While county employees share in the cost of funding our health insurance, there is a large county contribution as well. As I have stated, our benefits are vital to a quality workforce. In case you don’t know, the county self insures for health claims. In other words, we set aside money each year to pay claims, rather than buy a general commercial group health policy. However, we do buy what’s called “excess” commer-cial policies to cover extraordinary costs. The cost of healthcare is a matter of great debate across America. You all know healthcare costs are increasing dra-matically. While county employees have done a good job in leading healthy lifestyles as a way to hold down claims, annually the county’s health insurance costs have increased rather substantially. The aging of our workforce also is a fac-tor. Obviously, as people age they tend to have more health problems. In addition, increasingly costly pharmaceuticals are commonplace in medical treatment these days. Rather than reduce coverages, which the county council doesn’t support, we have been forced to raise your bi-weekly contribution and to increase co-pays for services effective July 1. I would note there has not been an employee premi-um increase since 2007 or a co-pay increase since 2008. While I regret we have to make these adjustments, these increases will help us to maintain the excellent coverages we can offer. If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact Personnel Services. — Jim Dinneen, County Manager

COUNTY COUNCIL

The County Line, published by Volusia County Government, an EEO/AA employer, is ded-icated to county employees and things that affect county employees. News items or cor-respondence should be addressed to: The County Line, Community Information, Volusia County Government, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, FL 32720-4612. Printed on recycled paper

Jason P. Davis — County ChairPat Patterson — Vice Chair, District 1

Joyce M. Cusack — At-largeJoshua J. Wagner — District 2Deborah Denys — District 3

Doug Daniels — District 4Pat Northey — District 5

James T. Dinneen, County ManagerDavid F. Byron, EditorPat Kuehn, Co-editor

Paul Radetsky, Graphic De sign erJeff M. Crumbley, Photographer

Straight talkHealth insurance increase a wayto keep coverages intact

Jim Dinneen

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By now most of you probably have learned there will be some minor cost adjustments to our health insurance pro-gram effective July 1. Obviously any action that affects your family is a matter of concern for everyone. I want you to know that I, as manager, and our senior leadership team carefully considered all options before implementing these increase costs, which overall are rela-tively modest. It might help if I provide some rationale and background for why these health insurance adjustments are being made. If you have been a county employee for any length of time, you know that county government’s workforce is very tenured. There are a great number of employees who have been employed with the county for a good many years. For example, at this year’s employee recognition event we rec-ognized 330 employees with 10 to 40 years of service for a combined total of more than 5,300 years of employment. I think this leads to the conclusion the county is a good place to work, and, of course we’re all getting older. There’s no doubt our benefit package – namely insurance and retirement – is a significant factor in why people choose to work for the county. The value of our benefits is part of our total compensation. The county’s health insurance coverage is a significant compensation factor, especially for employees with dependents.

Employees were up for a challenge in February when they were asked to “reThink” their commutes. The friendly competition was organized by reThink, Florida Department of Transportation’s Regional Commuter Assistance Program, in partnership with Volusia County’s Green Volusia program. Employees walked, bicycled, carpooled and rode the bus to save gas, money and carbon dioxide. “How we get to work is a very important decision for many of us,” said Reginald Mells, outreach specialist for reThink. “How good it is to have options! ReThink can assist you with deciding what commute option works best for you.” Commuter Challenge winners were:• Judy Eisnor, who averted the most carbon dioxide through carpooling• Rebecca Donofrio, who made the best use of the transit system• Kimberly Saylor, top carpooler• Claudine Hutchinson, most creative commuter• Donald Schubert, winner of a random drawing A special thanks to everyone who took part in the challenge. Challenge participants eliminated 4,386 vehicle miles, saved 177 gallons of gasoline, averted 3,465 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, and saved $2,667! — Katrina Locke, Natural Resources Director

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For your benefit

Commuter Challenge saves gas, cash, CO2

RetireesFebruary

Camilla Grasso, County Manager’s Office – 26 yearsChris Mooney, Personnel – 15 years

Andrew Moriarty, Sheriff’s Office – 27 yearsColleen Moriarty, Corrections – 25 years

Jon Stauffer, Solid Waste – 30 yearsRichard Zachary, Court Services – 19 years

MarchCliff Williams, Sheriff’s Office – 24 years

AprilRobert Augustynowski, Beach Safety – 25 years

Carol Dill, County Attorney’s Office – 15 yearsStephen Farney, Coastal – 25 years

Bonnie Gallien, Corrections – 12 yearsSusan Linart, Central Services – 25 yearsMichael Mahone, Corrections – 26 years A.J. Pendegrass, Corrections – 17 yearsSharon Rovelto, Corrections – 27 years

Kathy Shulzinsky, Beach Safety – 34 years

MayJoe Carroll, Corrections – 25 years

Theta Fischer, Property Appraiser’s Office – 13 yearsHarwood “Ted” Fish, Sheriff’s Office – 27 years

Susan Gilbert, Sheriff’s Office – 15 yearsEvelyn Groden, Sheriff’s Office – 12 years

Karen Hiatt, Water Resources and Utilities – 35 yearsWalter Jubinsky, Library Services – 39 years

Pam Low, Road and Bridge – 35 yearsHon Lui, Central Services – 18 years

Fernando Alvarez Medina, Road and Bridge – 22 yearsDoris Miller, Sheriff’s Office – 10 yearsCarol Smith, Sheriff’s Office – 12 years

Margaret Socha, Sheriff’s Office – 16 yearsChristine Weller, Corrections – 16 years

Roseann Wyman, Corrections – 12 years

CO2 SLASHER – ReThink Outreach Coordinator Reginald Mells congratulates Judy Eisnor for averting the most carbon dioxide through carpooling. Eisnor is a library associate at the Deltona Regional Library.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!

For your benefit

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Congratulations to those employees who started the new year right by meeting the challenge to develop better fitness and nutrition habits! In recognition of Heart Health Month in February, Volusia County issued a fitness challenge to employees, encourag-ing them to take part in at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity at least five days a week for the month. Employees were asked to list their activities and the time spent each day and to submit their charts upon comple-tion. The challenge focused on healthier eating, asking employ-ees to eat at least two fruits and three vegetables per day in March. Those efforts also had to be charted and submitted to show completion. Fifty-six employees completed at least one of the challeng-es, and 25 completed both. More than half of the participants were from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, with the cross-ing guards making a very strong showing. Each participant received an award, but the best prize is a happier, healthier life. These folks are off to a good start, and it’s not too late for you to join them. Challenge yourself to reach the activity and nutrition goals noted, and you’ll soon have habits that can last a long, healthy lifetime. To find out how you can become healthier, contact Wellness Coordinator Celene Cone. Congratulations to the following employees, who completed at least one of the challenges:Accounting: Elaine Reed

Central Services: Susan Linart and Andrea WestmorelandElections: Kathleen McInnis and Ivenette NegronEngineering and Construction: Lisa Sessions Growth and Resource Management: Josie Gomez and Jeanette MunsonLibrary Services: Matthew Eggert, Nancy Ewanyk, Leanette Gore, Thomas Jonte, Cammie Newton, Anne Verdon, Jane Weimer and Jennifer YoungManagement and Budget: Dawn Beland, April Miller and Donna PetersonPersonnel: Barbara Bishop and Celene ConeRevenue: Linda JonesRoad and Bridge: Maria Henriques and Willie McGill Traffic Engineering: Michelle MacHardyUF/IFAS Extension: Patricia Caradonna, Linda Evans and Jill Taufer Volusia County Sheriff’s Office: Brian Bosco, John Braman, Bridgette Brelsford, Avis Burrows, Donald Bush, Laverne Curry, Desirae Cushing, Lori Cushing, Christine Dixon, Jennifer Elkins, Marie Faye, Leslie Flippin, Sophia Geiger, Julius Green, Wendi Hall, Susan LeCates, Shon McGuire, Barbara Hadlock, Willie-Mae Mitchell, Al Pagliari, Cindy Pagliari, Brad Schindelheim, Ellen Shreve, Carol Skeen, Janice Stoffan, Terri Waller and Don WeaverWater Resources and Utilities: Wanda Lindberg— Celene Cone, Wellness Coordinator

Employees answer the wellness challenge

GOING APE (Continued from page 1) point-of-view. His eye for rich detail enlivens this engrossing saga as it stretches across the decades of the 20th century and into the present. Given a social climate where the teach-ing of evolution continues to sharply divide neighbors and communities, ‘Going Ape’ is a must-read for anyone con-cerned with the future of public education.” “It took me five long years to do all of the researching and writing and then another year for the publishing process,” Haught recalled. “The long slog was worth it, though. I am confident that very few, if any, people know about this fascinating and raucous history and how it blends seamlessly into the

present day. We’re still fighting this never-ending war even now in 2014.” Haught has worked for the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years. Previously, he was a combat correspondent for the U.S. Marine Corps. In 1995, he worked in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. When it was bombed on April 19, he handled an onslaught of media inqui-ries as the horrible story unfolded.

SEE NO EVIL – Haught illustrates the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” philosophy he sometimes encountered during his research on the teaching of evolution in Florida’s schools.

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Around the countyKat Northey wins songwriting contest When Kat Northey isn’t providing top-notch service at the Information Technology Help Desk, she’s picking tunes with her longtime friend, Meredith Williams. As a duo, Kat and Mere have written songs and performed their unique blend of acoustic folk, rock and blues at local festivals and gigs. Their part-time music careers hit an apex late last year when their song, “Down Again,” was named song of the year at the DeLand Original Music Festival. A mournful tune about a woman who can’t keep her head above water, “Down Again” was written by Kat and arranged by Kat and Mere. Kat was raised on rock ‘n’ roll and picked her first guitar out of the trash when she was 8. “I taught myself ‘Mary had a little lamb’ on three old, untuned strings,” she recalled. “Inspired to participate in the universal song, I have been tinkering ever since.” She started performing at open mics in her early 20s, took some time off, and returned to her musical roots in 2010. She joined forces with Mere, an old high school friend, and the rest, as they say, is musical history! Kat has worked for Volusia County for six years, diagnos-ing, troubleshooting and resolving employee, vendor and citizen issues with county programs, hardware, and software installations and upgrades. Just as she’s happy to help by providing excellent techni-cal support, she’s happy to entertain with her own style of music.

TOP KAT – Kat Northey is part of a songwriting duo that won top honors at the DeLand Original Music Festival.

Mosquito Control is part of winning team Volusia County’s Mosquito Control Division was part of the nationwide Asian Tiger Mosquito Project that recently received a team excellence award at Rutgers University. Seven mosquito control districts across the United States worked on this five-year project, which was designed to enhance the surveillance and control of the Asian tiger mosquito.

Summer interns, supported by grants supplied by the USDA through Rutgers, gen-erated much of the data provided by Volusia County Mosquito Control. Other participants included the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Gainesville, the Center for Vector Biology at Rutgers University, Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Navy, University of Florida and Tulane University.

On the straight and arrow

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Trent Skille works as a radio systems manager for Information Technology and has been with the county for 16 years. He got into radio systems after a four-year tour with the U.S. Air Force, including a one-year remote tour main-taining microwave communications on a mountaintop in Turkey. When Skille isn’t working with radios, he’s sharpening his bow-and-arrow skills. About six years ago, he discov-ered archery and has flourished in the sport ever since. He recently started shooting competitively and has won a gold medal in the Florida Sunshine Games and two gold medals in National Field Archer Association tournaments. He also took first place in the Archery Shooters Association qualifier tour-nament in Daytona Beach in January. “My goal is to shoot in the indoor nationals next year in Las Vegas, where I’ll be competing against the top archers in the world,” said Skille.

Skille is also the range master at the Daytona Archery Club, where he is responsible for maintaining the ranges and repairing targets.

Around the county

STRAIGHT SHOOTER – Trent Skille has won gold medals in state and national archery competitions.

In the spotlight

After serving on the front lines of the drug war for several years, Brian Henderson has traded in his job for a new assignment and rank. Sheriff Ben Johnson recently promot-ed Henderson to the rank of lieutenant. Noting there was stiff competition and a strong field of can-didates, Sheriff Johnson told Henderson he had earned the promotion through hard work and dedication to the job. “It’s a real honor and a pleasure to be able to present you with your lieutenant’s badge,” Sheriff Johnson told Henderson at the promotion ceremony. “You earned this.” With that, the badge signifying his new rank was handed to Henderson’s mother, who pinned it on his uniform in front of a large crowd of friends and co-workers at the Deputy Stephen Saboda Training Center. Henderson has been with the Sheriff’s Office since February 2002, serving in a variety of positions, including road patrol and investigations. He also has served as a hos-tage negotiator and was a member of the agency’s crime suppression team. However, much of his career has been spent as a narcotics investigator, first with the West Volusia Narcotics Task Force and since 2011 as a supervisor with the Volusia Bureau of Investigation. Now, Henderson is putting his skills to work in his new assignment as one of the Sheriff’s Office’s two rotating, night watch commanders. A Volusia County native, Henderson is 31 and has an associate degree in criminal justice from Keiser University. His promotion was the result of a vacancy created by the recent retirement of Lt. Cliff Williams, who was the assistant district commander in the Sheriff’s Office’s DeBary headquarters until his retirement March 31.

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TOP STAFF – Sheriff Ben Johnson is pictured with the Sheriff’s Office’s 2013 top employees. From left to right are Deputy of the Year Lonnie Feaster, Volunteer of the Year Isaac Snipes, Sheriff Johnson, Investigator of the Year Glen Bennett, and Telecommunicator of the Year Paul McGovern. Not pictured is Civilian Employee of the Year Shelley Hattaway.

Sheriff’s Office

PROMOTIONS – Sheriff Ben Johnson is shown with four recently promoted Communications staffers. From left to right are Clare Smith, Marirma Perez, Sheriff Johnson, Allaina Luna and Gina Evans.

Henderson

Sheriff names new lieutenant

Fielding more than a million calls for service annually, the Sheriff’s Communications Center is a busy and hectic work center and among the largest civilian components at the agency. And now, four recently promoted civilian employ-ees are more than ready to help meet the challenge as they take on added supervisory duties. The Communications Center is the first point-of-contact for citizens seeking public safety services. More than two years ago, police, fire and rescue dispatching services for all 16 cities in Volusia County were consolidated under the Sheriff’s Office. Last year, the Communications Center fielded 1.1 million calls for service – including 317,637 911 calls. Sheriff Johnson said the communications employees are the unsung heroes of the agency. “The green uniforms are the most visible aspect of the service we provide to the public,” he said. “But we couldn’t provide that service without the behind-the-scenes sup-port staff. They’re the ones who help us get the job done.” At a recent staff meeting, Sheriff Johnson recognized four of those civilian communications employees who were promoted into positions of greater responsibili-ty. They have a combined 33 years of service with the Sheriff’s Office. They include Clare Smith, who was pro-moted to telecommunicator coordinator, and Gina Evans, Allaina Luna and Marirma Perez, all promoted to telecom-municator supervisors. Two of them – Evans in 2008 and Smith in 2010 – were selected as the agency’s top telecommunicators of the year.

Four veteran communications staffers promoted

Movers and shakersAnimal control director, fire chief appointed The Volusia County Council has confirmed the promotion of two long-time employees to division directors in the Public Protection Department. Jeff Smith, who has 31 years of progressive experience in firefighting, has been promot-ed to director and fire chief for Volusia County Fire Services. Smith began his career with the Daytona Beach Fire Department in 1983 and moved to the coun-ty as a battalion commander in 2005. He was promoted to divi-sion chief in 2009 and was named deputy fire chief in 2011 and interim fire chief last year. Smith has degrees in emergency medical services and fire science from Daytona State College. Volusia County Fire Services provides fire protection and rescue services throughout the unincorporated areas of the county and in the municipalities of Lake Helen, Oak Hill and Pierson. Sergio Pacheco, the coun-ty’s new animal services director, began his career with the ASPCA in New York City in 1983. He joined Volusia County’s Animal Control Division as an animal control officer 10 years later and was promoted to field operations supervisor in 1998 and interim director in 2013. The Animal Control Division protects the health and safety of humans and animals by promoting responsible pet ownership through education and enforcement of local ordinances and state laws. The staff also coordinates the Pet Vet Cruiser, a mobile veterinary clinic that provides low-cost spay and neuter services. “These two gentlemen epitomize the spirit of the pub-lic protection staff,” Public Protection Director George Recktenwald told the County Council. “They don’t shy away from problems – they run to them head on.”

WILDFIRE AWARENESS – Lt. David Hall, left, and Lt. Dennis Futch distribute fire safety information to at-risk homes as part of National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day in May.

Whetstine promoted to captain Benjamin Whetstine, a 16-year veteran of the Beach Safety Division, has been promoted to captain. Whetstine started as a part-time lifeguard in 1998. He became a full-time beach safety specialist in 2005, a senior lifeguard in 2008, and a field training officer in 2011. He received a commendation for distinguished service last summer after he revived a heart attack victim at a community pool on his day off. “I have loved this job since my first day and wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said. In other Beach Safety news, Director Mark Swanson gave commendations to the following employees:• Seasonal Lifeguard Nick Beaulieu, commendation for heroism for preventing a suicide attempt in the ocean• Beach Safety Specialist Matthew Kraljev, commenda-tion for heroism for rescuing a child from a flipped cata-maran – during dangerous weather conditions and with a dislocated shoulder• Officer Joshua Marlett, commendation for valor for assisting the Daytona Beach Police Department with an active shooter situation at Halifax Medical Center

Do you know a mover and shaker? Please contact Pat Kuehn in Community Information at pkuehn@volusia.org with the details.