Payday Connections - July 31

PAYDAY CONNECTIONS

Check out the latest Department Spotlight, important wellness deadlines, vacation sellback and sick leave donation reminders, employee shoutouts, and more from across the District! Plus, meet our employee cover band made up of District employees and see how they are bringing their talents to the stage.

District Exchange is a great place to ask questions and get the answers you need. Use the link and check the Q&A before submitting a new question or concern

Workforce Currents

Recent Hires:

Martin Palomares Castaneda - Water Plant Operator III - Plant Operations

Desmon Curl – Transport Driver - Wilson Creek RWWTP

Shibu N Johnson – Wastewater Plant Operator III – South Mesquite RWWTP

Julio Olvera - Project Engineer - Engineering

Mamta Dua - Laboratory Manager - Laboratory Services

Johnny Fairley - Transport Driver - Solid Waste - Custer Transfer Station

Dalton Jones – Maintenance Worker – Facilities Services

Tyler Morton - Wastewater Plant Operator II - Panther Creek WWTP

Demontrey Taylor – Wastewater Plant Operator II – Wilson Creek RWWTP

Darnell Dewberry – Transport Driver – Wastewater – South Mesquite RWWTP

121 RDF Department Spotlight: Undercover Boss

*Not intended for external sharing or posting.

Biometric Screenings are due next month. Have you completed yours yet?

If you are enrolled in either of the NTMWD medical plans, be sure and log in to the Wellness Portal and complete your biometric screening by September 30, 2026.

See the steps below to get started.

Step 1:

Schedule an Annual Physical with Lab Work/Biometrics appointment with your doctor

Download and print the Physician Form from the Navigate website or app; take it to your appointment and have the doctor complete it. Upload the completed Physician Form in the Navigate portal.

Step 2:

Visit the Navigate website or app to view your results

You must meet 3 out of the 5 required metrics to receive the incentive. If you did not meet the 3/5 metrics, you have the option to complete video courses.

For additional questions or concerns, please contact Shannon Marengo, Benefits Supervisor, at smarengo@ntmwd.com.

Vacation Sellback Reminder

Today is the final day to submit your Vacation Sellback. An FAQ document is linked on the Laserfiche form, or you can contact HR with any questions

The sellback will be paid in a separate check on September 4, 2026.

Annual Sick Leave Donation Opens August 1

Section 5.3 of the NTMWD Personnel Policies Manual provides full details about the Sick Leave Pool, but here’s why it matters: since its launch in September 2020, 13 employees have benefited from nearly 3,700 hours of donated sick leave.

These donations gave them peace of mind during some of life’s toughest moments allowing them to focus on recovery or caring for a loved one without the added stress of lost income. Each of these employees has shared how truly grateful they are for the generosity of their peers

This program is only possible because of employees like you who choose to give If you haven’t reviewed the policy yet, we encourage you to take a look.

Quick Overview:

Employees can donate sick time once per year

You may donate up to 50% of your balance, not to exceed 48 hours per year.

To be eligible for future use of the pool, employees must contribute at least 6 hours during the donation period (e g , for FY26 eligibility, you must donate a minimum of 6 hours this month).

Hours from the pool may be requested when an employee or immediate family member faces a catastrophic illness or injury and their own leave is not enough.

A review committee will evaluate requests to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria

How to Donate:

The donation window is open on August 1 and closes on August 31

Click here to access the donation form: Sick Leave Contribution Form.

Donations are only accepted once per fiscal year so your next chance to contribute won’t be until September 2027.

Your contribution could make all the difference for a colleague in need. Together, we can provide peace of mind when it matters most

For additional questions or concerns, please contact Shannon Sauceman, Human Resources Manager, at ssauceman@ntmwd.com.

What Does "All In Together" Mean to You?

“Being part of something bigger than myself.”

Janet Gary, Maintenance Dispatcher, is a veteran of the U S Army As a combat veteran, she spent two tours in Iraq as a truck driver and delivered vital equipment and supplies to troops.

Now she applies her work ethic and sense of purpose to her career and NTMWD, ensuring the information she receives is relayed to the right person to get the job done

“To me, All In Together means remembering that we’re all working toward the same goal.”

“In the environment, water, wastewater, and solid waste are all connected, so I share resources and knowledge whenever it might help another team When we look beyond our own roles and help each other succeed, we are better stewards to our communities.”

-Lauren Plunk, Watershed Manager

t’s a selfie with a word or phrase, or a short video, tell us what NTMWD means to you Your submission may be featured across al media channels as we continue celebrating the people and teamwork that makes our organization special

We can’t wait to see your stories!

Please send them to: communications@ntmwd com

District Employees Take the Stage

What started as a couple of guitars and a lunchtime jam organized by Albert Hernandez, Controls Supervisor, eventually led a small group of regular participants to form the Manhole Cover Band

The group recently performed at the June 6 TxSWANA event at the 121 Landfill. Their next performance is set to take place on Saturday, August 8 in Garland Check out their latest performance.

The Manhole Cover Band consists of all District employees: Albert Hernandez, Controls Supervisor (creator and MC) (not shown); (in photo from l to r) Colin Carson, GIS Analyst (sound engineer, bass), Dylan Booth, GIS Supervisor (drums, guitar, vocals), Reba Aarnos, IT Administrative Technician (bass, drums, vocals), Josh Hathaway, Environmental Compliance Manager (lead guitar, vocals) and Joe Duke, Environmental Program Coordinator (acoustic guitar, mandolin, vocals)

Retirement Announcement

Written by Joshua Forte –Lead Wastewater Plant Operator

Randy Marshall joined the District in February of 2011 and has dedicated more than 15 years of outstanding service. Holding a C Wastewater License, Randy has been an invaluable member of the Wilson Creek team, providing expertise and leadership in both the control room and plant operations.

Throughout his career, Randy consistently worked to ensure plant operations were conducted safely, efficiently and to the highest standards

His knowledge, commitment and professionalism have made a lasting impact on the District and those who have had the privilege of working alongside him. We sincerely thank Randy for his years of service As he begins this exciting new chapter in life, we wish him all the best in retirement. While we are excited for his future, his experience, expertise and most of all his “stories” will be greatly missed

Congratulations to Makenzie Davis, who has been officially voted in as the ARMA Dallas Chapter President for the 2026–2027 year!

This is an outstanding accomplishment and a testament to the confidence the chapter has in her

Makenzie’s election follows her successful board member service as the VP of seminars, where she demonstrated dedication, professionalism, and a true commitment to the records and information management community

We’re proud to see her representing NTMWD in this prestigious role. Way to go, Makenzie!

-Brenna Dudley, Records Specialist

I'd like to recognize Kassi Jones for the incredible work she does to support our team!

As a Financial Analyst (Special Projects), Kassi helps secure funding for NTMWD by managing Texas Water Development Board financing applications and guiding projects through every stage of the funding process. She works closely with our engineering teams to make sure projects meet program requirements and maximize available state and federal funding opportunities.

Kassi is an integral part of our team. She keeps projects and funding moving forward by coordinating schedules and making sure everyone stays informed throughout the application process. She drives all of the scheduling that keeps our projects and funding moving forward, and her organization and attention to detail help keep everything on track

Thank you, Kassi, for everything you do. Your hard work and dedication are appreciated, and we're grateful to have you as part of our team!

-Aliza Caraballo, Engineering Manager

Workday Spotlight: Frequently Asked Questions

In this issue of the Workday Wire, we wanted to spotlight a few FAQs that employees have been asking:

When will we go live with Workday?

All employees will gain access to Workday on September 20 Employees who clock in/out will have their first clock-in in Workday on September 20 (if working that day). th th

When will we receive training for Workday?

Training will begin August 24 Registration for training sessions will open in mid-August th

With Workday being implemented, are there any systems that will be sunsetted? Dayforce and Incode will go away after we implement Workday. Is Workday mobile friendly?

Yes, you will have the ability to complete certain tasks on the mobile app

What information from Dayforce will switch over to Workday automatically?

All active employee information will be converted into Workday. Historical data (e.g., prior job history, past compensation changes, etc ) will NOT be migrated into Workday Please also note that if you make any changes to your information during our freeze period, these changes will not be reflected in Workday For more information about our freeze and transition period, please visit the Prepare for Go Live page.

Have more questions about Workday?

Start with the FAQ page.

Find answers to common questions about timelines, training, and what’s changing

Click here to view FAQS When does training start?

Where can I find resources? What’s changing?

https://ntmwd.sharepoint.com/sites/Work ay Spotlight TTAS.aspx

In Case You Missed It

Have you listened to the latest episode of Unfiltered? Use the link to check it out.

The new Administrative Building parking lot is now open, please use the newly installed bridge to get across

Insurance Cards and Incident Reporting Reminder: New insurance cards for the 2026–2027 policy period have been distributed to all departments The new policy period is July 1, 2026, through July 1, 2027. If you drive a District vehicle, please remove your old insurance card and place the new insurance card in as soon as possible.

Survey results from 2024 and 2026 are available, along with action items the District is moving forward on to improve the employee experience. Read the full survey results.

Planning ahead? The 2026 Holiday Schedule is posted on the HR page of the intranet and on the Dayforce HUB under Quick Links.

IT has completed the District-wide rollout of 1Password, our new secure password management solution. Please check your inbox for an invitation from IT to join the North Texas Municipal Water District on 1Password. Your invitation email will look similar to this sample. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact IT Support.

PAYDAY CONNECTIONS

Look for your next edition of Payday Connections on Friday, August 14.

We want to share your department's stories in future Payday Connections newsletters!

Topics we are looking for include:

Department and/or individual achievements and accolades

Employee highlights, including those living out our mission daily, retirements and intradepartmental coordination

Information about training, new processes, workflow and departmental updates

Important project updates and success stories

Please make sure to include photos with your story submission Or if you need help capturing some, just reach out to the Communications Team through the ticketing link below

Please submit the information, including items for all network user distribution, with a Communications Department Fresh Service Ticket