CITY SCORES AWARD FOR PRIORITIZING HEALTH, WELLNESS
Our city’s commitment to spearheading great health has once again earned it recognition. Glendale was ranked 6th in the “Phoenix Business Journal’s” 2026 Healthiest Employers awards.
Celebrating this honor at the awards breakfast were our Human Resources and Risk Management Director Jim Brown, Wellness Program Manager Ali Waelchli-Brooks and Wellness Program Assistant Chase Henry.
The awards are given based on a comprehensive assessment evaluating performance in six key areas of health and wellbeing, including culture, strategic planning and leadership. This prestigious accolade recognizes organizations and companies that make employees’ wellness a priority. There were 60 finalists the newspaper selected for the awards this year.
As a reminder, our city provides many opportunities and support for employees to get and stay healthy, including the Move More Department Challenge, Good Life Take 10 at 10 online wellness updates and webinars on stress management, nutritious foods, choosing the best workouts and many other topics. Teladoc Health is our city’s new program to support those with diabetes, prediabetes and high blood pressure. You may check your blood pressure in a unit in the Field Operations Department office at 6210 W. Myrtle Ave.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
COMPETITIVE PAY RAISES PLANNED FOR ALL EMPLOYEES
Are you wondering if you will receive a raise in the next fiscal year? There is good news for all employees that our City Manager Patrick Banger and Human Resources and Risk Management Director Jim Brown shared during the Pop In with Patrick live Teams chat on April 30.
Jim said our city conducted a Classification and Compensation Study to compare pay in Glendale with pay in 10 other neighboring cities. The study showed 75% of our positions have wages within 5% (either higher or lower) of those jobs in the other communities. Despite a substantial decrease in expected revenue from the state and federal government and other factors, our city does not want to “balance budgets on the backs of our most valuable resources - our employees,” Patrick said.
Consequently, the following pay raises are planned for our next fiscal year:
A 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) raise for all employees
Pay raises for employees whose wages are below the market value
Merit Raises for eligible employees: 1% for those who earned a “meets expectations” rating in their evaluations and a 2% hike for workers who scored an “exceeds expectations” rating Expect to receive a compensation statement showing your base pay and what your pay increases will be around June 29 and the increases will take effect on July 17. You may learn more about the compensation plans in this Classification and Compensation Study video
GATHER INFORMATION AT FAIR TO PICK BEST BENEFITS
Open enrollment kicks off TODAY and runs through May 15. All benefits-eligible employees must either enroll or waive coverage for medical, vision, dental, supplemental life and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) by May 15. Learn more about our benefits and enjoy a FREE lunch and a chance to win raffle prizes at our Benefits and Wellness Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 7 at the Civic Center. You may also learn more about the city’s benefits at these drop-in informational sessions: May 6 from 9 a.m. to noon in room 104 at the Adult Center
May 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in room 104 at the Adult Center
May 14 from 2 to 5 p.m. in room 102 of the Adult Center
Find out more details about the city’s benefits on the Benefits webpage of our Employee Portal.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
DOWNTOWN CAMPUS REINVESTMENT PROJECT NEARLY DONE
The move into City Hall is fast-approaching. Our City Architect Eddie Garcia and Deputy City Manager Thomas Adkins shared the tremendous progress that has been made on the Downtown Campus Reinvestment Project (DCRP) at the City Council workshop on April 28.
The expected move-in date for the departments that will sit in City Hall is May 18. Our city will celebrate this momentous development at two events:
To learn more about the Downtown Campus Reinvestment Project (DCRP), visit the DCRP webpage on our city’s website.
June 18: City Hall ribbon-cutting event
June 20: Community Celebration with arts/essay contest participants recognized and a drone show
EXPLORE NEW CALENDAR HUB
It’s easier than ever to discover and keep track of city events!
The city has launched a new calendar hub on GlendaleAZ.gov, which is a go-to resource for discovering local events Browse by calendar view or image carousel, and use filters to narrow results by event type, location, age group and cost. Plus, subscribe to categories to get notified when new events are added.
Employees Only: A separate employee calendar is available on the internal website that has internal-only events.
EXCELLING AND MAKING AN IMPACT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM EARNS STATE HONOR
Congratulations to our Economic Development Department for receiving a special honor solidifying its positive impact on the economy. The Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) recently recognized our department with the prestigious Economic Development Organization of the Year (Large) award.
These awards were established nearly 50 years ago to celebrate the outstanding work of AAED members. Three of our Economic Development team members completed the 2026 AAED Basic Academy, five hold the AZED Pro designation (two of whom earned it in 2025), and two team members participated in the AAED Mentor/Mentee Program in the past year. This is our city’s first EDDE Award. Our Mayor Jerry P. Weiers said our city “continues to grow every day and strives to be business friendly” across the community.
GEAR UP FOR NEXT ROUND OF LEAN ACADEMY COURSES
Beat the summer heat by turning up the dial on your professional develolpment!
The Glendale Lean Academy has two classes starting this month - Green Belt candidates will begin May 6 and Yellow Belt participants will start May 27. This type of training helps employees sharpen their skills, solve problems more effectively and drive meaningful results. Register for these classes today through this Smartsheet webpage. To learn more about Glendale Lean Academy, visit the academy’s webpage on the Employee Portal Or contact our Organizational Performance Department at orgperformance@glendaleaz.com or call 623.930.2489.
EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE
PASSION FOR SAFE DRIVING EARNS MANAGER AWARD
Our Traffic Education Program Manager Cassandra Johnston is in the spotlight for her unwavering passion, tireless dedication and steadfast commitment to roadway safety. She recieved the Howard Pyle Safety Award at the annual National Safety Council Southwest Safety Conference.
Cassandra’s remarkable success with implementing the Alive at 25 defensive driving program in Glendale high schools has educated thousands of students and helped shape a safer future for communities across the state. She has consistently championed the expansion and visibility of Alive at 25 through media interviews, as well as by delivering presentations to key regional and professional audiences. The Peoria Police Department, as well as Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) representatives are exploring ways to adopt and implement the program to build on Cassandra’s momentum She exemplifies selfless service and leadership to help improve the lives of the people she serves every day!
COUNCIL ASSISTANT/ASU FELLOW EARNS AWARD
The future looks bright for Maylee Acosta, our Council Assistant to Vice Mayor Ray Malnar and Management Intern. Maylee recently was honored with the Dr. Robert Denhardt “Just Plain Good Management” Award at the Arizona State University School of Public Affairs Annual Awards Ceremony.
She is a second-year Jane Morris Fellow and the first recipient of this award named for the late Dr. Denhardt, who among other roles was a Regents and Emeritus Professor, Lattie and Elva Coor Presidential Chair, and director of the School of Public Affairs at ASU. Maylee, who will graduate this month with a master’s degree in Public Administration, embodies the values Denhardt described in his “Just Plain Good Management” bookshowing up, serving others and doing the work with integrity. Maylee has researched every city department and is passionate about making a difference in residents’ everyday lives and will soon start a full-time position in our Budget and Finance Department as a management analyst. Congratulations, Maylee, on your award!
GOING THE EXTRA MILE IN GLENDALE
COMMUNITY SERVICES MARKS EMPLOYEE’S ANNIVERSARY
It is not every day that an employee celebrates four decades of service to the city Maria Rascon, a Community Services Account Specialist, did just that recently, with her appreciative colleagues.
Maria has dedicated 40 years of service to the city, with much of her career rooted in the Housing Division, according to her manager Trilese DiLeo, Community Services Human Services Grants Administrator. After the recent department restructuring, Maria brought her experience to the Human Services Grants Division, where she helps oversee and manage the city’s federal grant and public housing funding, ensuring landlords and vendors are paid on time. She keeps critical financial processes running smoothly and has taken on additional responsibilities including postings, account reconciliations and deposits with the same care and consistency with which she is known.
“Maria is truly the kind of teammate everyone hopes for,” Trilese said. “She is reliable, detail-oriented and always willing to jump in and help wherever needed. Beyond her technical expertise, Maria brings a positive, supportive energy to the team and a genuine commitment to serving our community. She is not only highly trusted but she's also a joy to work with. Our team and the community are incredibly fortunate to have had her talent and dedication for 40 years.”
Employees took time to recognize their colleagues for their valuable contributions and great personalities and enjoy some treats for Administrative Professionals Day on April 22.
Our Human Resources and Risk Management Department, pictured above right, honored 33 employees with cheesecake. The department also gave cards with cash to two administrative support team members - Lorena Ramirez and Erik Elias - to thank them for their hard work.
Topgolf on 99th Avenue honored administrative professionals in any department in the city by providing free food, drinks and games after work. Some employees at the Topgolf outing were Jelisa Vinger, Miguel Avina and Sherry Crapser, pictured above left, in our Development Services Department. We appreciate our administrative professionals’ hard work every day!
MENTORS AND MENTEES PLANT SEEDS FOR GROWTH
Newly matched mentors and mentees bonded and began making plans to meet for expanded professional connections and leadership building at the program launch for this round on April 14 at the Civic Center.
Energy was high as mentors and mentees answered fun questions to get to know each other better. Amy Handlong in the City Manager’s Office shared information on navigating online resources, the benefits of the program, expectations for mentors and mentees and keys to success. Learn more about mentoring in the city by visiting the mentoring program webpage.
CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY
EMPLOYEE GIVING COMMITTEE FEEDS FAMILIES IN NEED
Our Employee Giving Committee demonstrated its compassion and strong work ethic at two events in April. Employees on this committee joined Glendale Elementary School District workers packing and distributing boxes of food for families in need, who drove through a line at the GESD System of Care Center April 15 and 29
Our city employees moved swiftly to prepare the boxes of non-perishable food and load them into vehicles. These events were held in honor of National Volunteer Month. More than 800 households and nearly 4,000 people received the support over the two days of giving.
The need for food boxes for Glendale families has increased steadily in recent months, along with the demand for volunteers. These food-donation event were approved for employees’ Civic Duty Leave.
Thank you to everyone who took part in these important volunteer opportunities!
CITY OFFERS HEAT RELIEF
The temperatures are heating up, which means our Community Services Department with support from many other departments and community partners is busy helping people stay cool and safe.
Our city on May 1 opened several heat relief sites where residents may stay cool, drink a bottle of water and gather information about valuable community resources. Community Services Human Services Grants Administrator Trilese DiLeo, pictured on the far left, as well as Gabe Priddy with Phoenix Rescue Mission, were interviewed about these important sites on a live segment on FOX 10 Phoenix on April 30. Check out the video to the left.
EXPANDING HORIZONS
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DUO PRAISES PARTNERSHIPS
Our Emergency Management Department and Maricopa County Department of Public Health recently partnered to give a presentation on the importance of collaboration in highprofile, large-scale planned events during the National Association of City and County Health Officials’ 2026 Preparedness Summit in Baltimore, Maryland.
Director/Emergency Manager Nicole Munson, pictured in the middle of the photo above, and Emergency Management Specialist Madison Rybicki, on the far right, spoke about how pre-established relationships between our agencies during the Covid-19 pandemic were beneficial in operations during Super Bowl LVII and the Charlie Kirk memorial event. They shared how the relationship helped to increase coordination, collaboration and communication with their healthcare partners and increase preparedness in the event of a mass casualty incident.
CITY MARKS ARBOR DAY
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Our city showed once again how it takes “going green” seriously at an Arbor Day event at Hillcrest Park. The Parks and Recreation Department, with support from our Transportation and Water Services departments, Mayor Jerry P. Weiers and Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff, engaged Copper Creek Elementary School third-graders in this event to celebrate trees and sustainability on April 24.
