Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. nn> 0 1998 Spring Edition ayette Employees u4s< vfo*tOITOFtGmOjf* Create Winning Snow Sculpture Published for Forest Service employees and retirees by: Strategic Communications Intermountain Region Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Office Building 324 25th Street Ogden, Utah 84401 Cindy Chojnacky, Editor Susan McDaniel, Design & Layout IN THIS ISSUE Continuous Improvement m Survey Highlights. 6 Name That Team!. “Common Ground” for ^ Elk and Livestock. I U Bridge Built at Jack Creek ^ ^ Aids Bull Trout. I O R4 Loses 103 Employees t\t\ to Retirement, Buyout.CmZ* continued on page 3 RF Message Introducing the Regional Forester Team I would like to introduce a couple also has worked on the Shoshone, You can see that we bring a of new faces to this column. San Juan, and White River NFs and diverse geographic and professional From this edition on. Deputy on NFs in California. A Colorado background to this team. With our Regional Foresters Chris Pyron and native. Jack has a degree in water¬ different experiences and views I Jack Troyer will also take a turn shed management from Colorado think our leadership decisions sharing their thoughts with you. State University. represent unity but not unanimity. We got to thinking that since Chris came to R4 as DRF for We hope that teams throughout this we work as a team and set regional Administration in August 1997. region will also enjoy and benefit priorities as a team it would be good Before that he was legislative from the diverse ideas and experi¬ for you to get to know all three of us. resources specialist in the Office of ences of each member. We are We won't try to write this column the Chief. He has been a labor enjoying working as a team and together-you have probably seen relations and employee relations hope you each get to have this papers "written by committee." But I specialist in the WO; acting assistant experience of synergy and learning. thought it would be great if we each director for planning and application I hope you will enjoy the took a turn writing the "Regional at the Northeast Research Station; different perspectives and personali¬ Foresters' Message." and a district administrative assis¬ ties of your Regional Forester Team. Jack and Chris probably need tant on the Six Rivers NF in Califor¬ no introduction but I will give you a nia. He has a degree in economics bit of background. Jack came here as from University of California at DRF for State and Private Forestry in Riverside and has attended the March 1997. He came from Wiscon¬ Harvard Kennedy School of Govern¬ sin where he was Forest Supervisor ment. of the Chequamegon and Nicolet I'm a Minnesota native with a National Forests. Jack is no stranger forestry degree from the University to R4; before his stint in the Midwest of Minnesota and a Forest Service he was interagency team leader for work background in Minnesota, the Greater Yellowstone Area. He Alaska, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C. Editorial Policy—Intermountain Reporter The following editorial policy reflects the or general interest articles. Please suggest regular mail to Cindy Chojnacky, 1625 Regional Forester's desire to produce a ideas for these subjects to the Editor. North 1640 East, Logan, UT 84341. (Units quality Regional newsletter that enhances 3. The Regional Foresters' message will still on Data General may send articles to internal communications and helps make express their views about current events and SC:R04A. Please send urgent, mark "for the Intermountain Region a good place to situations within the Region. Intermountain Reporter," and send hard work. 4. The content of the Reporter will be copy to CindyC as above.) consistent with Forest Service policy. 7. Articles should not exceed 800 words in 1. Articles in the Intermountain Reporter 5. All submissions must be delivered to the length. will feature people. Editor by the 1st of the month prior to the 8. Photos should be black and white. 2. Each edition will be based on articles desired publication date. Deadline for 1998 9. All articles are subject to editing. submitted from Forests, Ecogroups and RO summer edition with be Friday, April 3, 1998. 10. Not all articles that are submitted will teams. The editor will try to feature all NFs 6. Articles should be sent via IBM OpenMail be printed. and parts of the Region-but this is subject to to the Editor, Cindy Chojnacky/r4. Please 11. The Editor has final say over content. the information received. The Intermountain send hard copy of each article and any Reporter will sometimes report on regional accompanying photos and illustrations via Page 2 Region cSontinued from page 1 o, have you ever wondered elbows in snow and slush into the what Forest Service employees middle of night. Now tell me that's ixr McCall, Idaho do during the not wacky. The team re-created the long, cold winter? With more than legendary "Sharlie," sea serpent of three feet of snow on the ground, the Payette Lake, ridden by the "Bucka- only thing to do is to get together roo Bear," Smokey. and to get wacky! Also participating in the The Payette National Forest Carnival were the "wacky women" snow sculpting team led by McCall of Payette. They began entering the District Ranger Randy Swick under grand parade in 1992 and each year the creative eye of Forest Supervisor come up with a strange idea-from Dave Alexander created this year's pirates to beauty queens to ballerina Some Tips on kinds of Photos Major League First Place Winner. wannabes. to Submit to the Reporter The sculpture was also named "Most Both groups are donating their Photogenic" and, a week later, also prize money to a local charity. ✓ AWARD RECIPIENTS Try to get shots of people actually doing named "Best Maintained." The what they were awarded for as opposed awards came as part of the McCall's Miera Crawford to handshake shots or holding their 1998 Winter Carnival. Public Affairs Specialist award. Employees spent two weeks, Payette National Forest on their own time, up to their ✓ GROUP ACTIVITIES Get frontal shots of the group doing the activity your article is about. Avoid “backside” shots. ✓ SPEAKER SHOTS Especially those of the speaker in front of a podium are rather boring and don’t tell a story. Be creative. Welcome to the ✓ ACTION SHOTS Instead of posed shots. last edition ... ✓ BACKGROUNDS Be aware of backgrounds and what else of the Intermountain Reporter collect and receive information is in photo range-that you don’t done on Data General. Be¬ for this publication in the necessarily want a photo of-backs of heads, reflections, anything that would cause of the partial transition interim until all units have distract from subject. to IBM underway in the successfully been transitioned Forest Service, this edition from DG to IBM. If you have Remember, black and white is preferred, was also done by fax, Internet some ideas, questions, or but color photos and slides are fine. e-mail, telephone, futile articles to contribute, contact attempts at downloading and me at 435-755-0287 or send uploading between computer them hard copy to my address systems, and lots of re¬ listed in Editorial Policy. I’d typing. 1 didn’t realize how also like to hear or receive much I took for granted your best “computer transition having all the information, horror story.” If we get enough electronically, on one system. interesting stories, we’ll run a Right now we are not all special feature in the next on one system. You all have edition. probably experienced this. I am evaluating how best to Page 3 Region Continuous Improvement Survey Highlights Employee Concerns and Kudos T he results from R4's 1997 And some 83 percent agreed: "I In most categories, employee Continuous Improvement like the work I do." answers parallel national averages. Process survey are in, and CIP is designed to evaluate the For instance, R4 employees gave there's good news and bad news. work environment for federal high marks to organization commit¬ The "bad news": only 18 employees. It was recommended by ment to work and family life, percent of employees think that the Work Environment National diversity and quality of work life. high-performing employees are Taskforce created as a result of the About half praised supervision, promoted; only 13 percent that pay Toward a Multicultural Organization teamwork, customer orientation and raises are based on performance. report. In 1993, the taskforce defined career development. These figures Only a third feel that work distribu¬ the ideal work environment and almost exactly matched national tion is fair; fewer think the amount suggested the Forest Service use CIP results. R4 employees gave lower of work is reasonable. Just 37 percent to measure and improve the envi¬ marks to the following areas, in agree that advancement opportuni¬ ronment. descending order: ties are available for qualified people The first survey ran nationwide regardless of gender, race, religion, in 1996. R4 and the then-Intermoun- Communication - 49% nationality, age, culture or disability. tain Research Station had the highest Employee involvement - 47% Many interruptions, "red participation in the nation, said Fairness - 41% tape," too many management levels, Chuck Fierro, CIP program manager. Innovation - 41% and insufficient help and training for However, the 1997, not the Leadership - 39% employees to deal with downsizing 1996 survey, will be the solid Use of resources - 37% or pursue new careers also made the baseline, Fierro said, because there Strategic planning- 35% list of "Ten Lowest Ranked Items" in were major changes in the survey Rewards/recognition - 35% the survey. instrument. The first survey was Job security / commitment to On the other hand, on the list developed by a contractor. After it workforce - 34% of "Ten Highest Ranked Items," was completed, WO leadership Performance measures - 26% three-fourths or more respondents turned the project over to Office of agreed that R4 offers: Personnel Management (OPM) for a Fierro said CIP allows manag¬ revamped survey. "There were ers to deal with employee concerns concerns that the questions in the "before situations become difficult to ✓ Programs that encourage good first study had not been properly handle. Don't view it as a way to health practices; validated," Fierro said. "OPM has point out your deficiencies as a ✓ Protection to employees from had lots of experience with surveys." supervisor, but as a means to find health and safety hazards on the The new and improved CIP was out what processes impede employ¬ job; administered to Forest Service ees and create a negative work ✓ Programs to help employees deal employees in June and July of 1997. environment. It allows employees with work and family responsi¬ The survey looks at 17 dimen¬ and supervisors to agree on actions bilities; sions known to be characteristic of to correct those processes." For \/ Family-related benefits; organizations with a superior employees, "this survey provides a ✓ Opportunities for work-at-home climate/culture, leadership, quality means to identify and act upon your and flexible work schedules; and health. It also includes a section concern in a constructive manner," s/ Accommodations for persons on labor-management relations from he added. with disabilities; the 1997 CIP survey and two sec¬ Fierro recently sent results to ✓ Policies and programs that tions on personal work experiences supervisors of each work group promote diversity in the work¬ and job satisfaction. where five or more employees place; This time R4's participation responded. Copies of the survey are s/ Coworkers who cooperate in rate matched the national average of also available from the R4 Civil getting the job done. 56 percent. Although employees Rights Office. "can remain as anonymous as you Fierro hopes that supervisors wish," Fierro said some people still will distribute results to employees fear reprisal. Page 4 Region for review; hold a facilitated meeting where we can create a better work¬ Agency, U.S. Customs, General to discuss the items and develop ing environment." Services Administration, Defense action plans for resolving concerns; The next CIP survey is planned Intelligence Agency, Office of and then monitor and follow up on for spring, 1999. Personnel Management, Federal progress of the plans. "The CIP is Other federal agencies using Aviation Administration, National really our tool to help us continue CIP are U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Mint, Oceanography and Atmospheric and reinforce the things we are U.S. Army-Europe, Department of Administration. doing well and to work on areas Education, Environmental Protection Fishlake National Forest Uses CIP Results to Change Its Ways A bout 97 percent of Fishlake can the forest do to address the few items may have been a sur¬ National Forest employees negative issues?" prise . . . When he came, we felt like, participated in the 1996 "When the CIP first came out I he does care what's going on in the Continuous Improvement Process thought it was one of those things field, he is here to listen to us." survey. Some 96 percent participated we do, that gets shelved or thrown Mackelprang said forest in 1997. Both times, it was the out," noted Dandy Pollock, forester leadership is trying to address one highest involvement of any Forest on the Beaver Ranger District. "I was concern that came up several places- Service unit in the country. impressed that Rob (Mrowka) came the need to set priorities and agree Why the interest? over, took the initiative to listen and on what "falls off the plate." "I think employees knew we sat down with everybody on the Based on the district meetings, were serious about using the CIP to district." an analysis was done on how often make changes," said Rob Mrowka, Before the meeting, one negative areas came up at the five Forest Supervisor. "We used the concern was that the Fishlake had units, to identify the concerns most (1996) CIP results to restructure our launched a major reorganization, but consistent across the forest. "We forest organization. We worked on few updates had come to the field. don't have a formal action plan but the changes for nine months." The "Since then they have been pretty we have charged ourselves to work Fishlake has a proposal to the good about giving us update mes¬ on these issues," Mrowka said. Regional Feadership Team to sages and letting us know what's A list has also been routed "change the way we do business," going on." forestwide of positive areas, with based on CIP results. "Employees "With the reorganization, there work unit identified where the saw the results of CIP I, so they were lots of fears about what might attribute was found so "people can participated in the second." happen and where people might end network with each other and share When the 1997 survey results up," noted Vince Pace, Richfield RD good ideas," Mrowka said. came in, Mrowka and rangers held rangeland management specialist. The meetings and analysis meetings at each Fishlake unit to "The way the CIP feedback has been were done right after the Christmas discuss the findings. "We focused on handled has set some of those fears holidays. "We wanted to address it the top ten and lowest 10 items. We at rest." right on," Mrowka said. "One reason asked employees 'what's working "We all were saying, this is just people say they don't want to right?' Next they discussed areas another one of those surveys, but it participate in these things is that where the organization didn't makes a difference when the Forest 'nothing will change.' I think the 'measure up' in terms of a good Supervisor takes the time and wants folks on the ground on the Fishlake working environment. They consid¬ your input," said Cindy are seeing that we're eager to build ered that some of the concerns are Mackel prang, Beaver RD forestry on our strengths but also to deal driven by problems outside the technician. with the problems." scope of one unit or forest-things "A lot of the stuff that came up like downsizing, budget cuts and in our meeting, he needed to hear. Cindy Chojnacky regulations, for instance." My impression was that he was Strategic Communications Employees were asked "what already aware of some things but a Regional Office are some things we can affect? What Page 5 Region /Vame fAaf 7eamf Regional Teams, Boards and BODs Disclosed The Federal government often seems pretty mysterious to the public with its many acronyms-USDA, USFS, BLM, USFWS, NMFS, WO, RO, SO, RD, NEPA, EIS, EA, FONSI, ID team. After several years of organization change efforts, the Intermountain Region has its own set of acronyms for leadership, organization levels and teams. New hires to R4 probably should have a glossary of organizational terms and roles added to their new employee orientation literature. Several R4 employees asked the Intermountain Reporter for an article explaining the many teams, groups, and other entities that seem to have supplemented the traditional leadership structure in R4. Here is a list of key entities and what they are in charge of, as decided at the January Regional Leadership Team meeting. RLT BOD ECOGROUPS Regional Leadership Team (formerly Board of Directors the Management Team). NUEG - Northern Utah Ecogroup - MEMBERS: Regional Directors, Ashley, Uinta and Wasatch-Cache MEMBERS: Regional Forester (RF), NFFE VP, RMRS A.D., ARO. led by Forest Supervisors (FS) of Deputy Regional Foresters Assisted by Strategic Analyst those units; SUEG - Southern (DRFs), Forest Supervisors (FSs), staff. Utah Ecogroup - Dixie, Fishlake, Deputy Forest Supervisors, ROLES: Manage the Regional Office, and Manti-LaSal (FS); Nevada Regional Directors, Regional provide oversight of and address Ecogroup - Humboldt-Toiyabe Appeals Reviewing Officer issues ranging from those limited National Forests (FS); Central (ARO) Vern Fleischer, Executive to a particular function to those Idaho Ecogroup - Salmon-Challis Assistant Glertna Prevedel, having significant Regional NFs (FS); Greater Yellowstone Rocky Mountain Research implications. Determine priori¬ Ecogroup - Targhee, Caribou, and Station (RMRS) Assistant Direc¬ ties. Responsible to develop Bridger-Teton NFs (FS). tor (A.D.) Dean Knighton, strategic direction for the Region. ROLES: Overall leadership and National Federation of Federal AUTHORITY: Category 2. Specific direction in setting priorities and Employees (NFFE) Vice President assignment includes appropriate allocating human and financial George Christopher, and Colum¬ decisionmaking authority. resources within the ecogroup. bia River Basin Project Manager Otherwise, role is advisory. Reports to the RFT. Team mem¬ Susan Gianettino. bers have individual (tactical) ROLES: Exists to foster R4 success Forest Supervisor responsibilities, in fulfilling our share of the FS as well as team responsibilities. mission by . . . making decisions AUTHORITY: Category 1. Decisions using an effective, inclusive (line officer). process. AUTHORITY: Category 1. Teams/ individuals with delegated Executive Branch authority to make decisions (line officers). Page 6 Region GANG OF 8 —I Regional Forester Team Regional Issues Teams MEMBERS: One Forest Supervisor MEMBERS: RF Jack Blackwell MEMBERS: Depends on purpose of from each Ecogroup, a Staff DRFs Chris Pyron and Jack team. Examples include Employee Director, and one Deputy Re¬ Troyer, Executive Assistant Idea Team (EIT) and Roads gional Forester (from RFT). Glenna Prevedel. Assessment and Policy Team. ROLES: Regional project budget ROLES: Make decisions and define ROLES: Teams appointed for specific allocations. Implements budget responsibilities, timelines, and purposes and various durations, and financial decisions. Reports accountability for Regional usually short-term. (Example: EIT to RFT. leadership. Members have was recruited by COT last fall to AUTHORITY: Category 2. Specific individual (tactical) responsibili¬ provide cost savings and effi¬ assignment includes appropriate ties as well as team (strategic) ciency suggestions to BOD by decisionmaking authority; responsibilities. involving other employees.) otherwise, advisory. AUTHORITY: Category 1. Execu¬ AUTHORITY: Category 3. Advisory tive Branch authority to make only; can make requests in the decisions. name of leadership teams they represent. Page 7 Region BOCs COT ■■■ CRAT mi Boards of Customers Corporate Oversight Team Civil Rights Action Team MEMBERS: During Region's MEMBERS: One FS or Staff Repre¬ MEMBERS: Representatives from reorganization efforts in the early sentative from each Ecogroup, two each Forest and from the Re¬ 1990s, organization staffs/units Regional Directors, one DRF, NFEE gional Office. were classified into "work," VP. Assisted by Strategic Analyst ROLES: Serve as clearinghouse for "service," and "strategy" levels. Staff. Appointed in September, employee civil rights concerns Several units identified as "ser¬ 1997 by the RLT. and issues. Recommend to vice" ("Customer Service Teams") ROLES: Develop measures to reduce Leadership, regionally and receive oversight from represen¬ costs and increase revenues nationally, priority issues to tatives of their customers, i.e. Regionwide. Work through address and resolve. Reports to Boards of Customers. There now existing staffs and organizations to RFT. are various BOCs throughout the aid collaborative decisionmaking. AUTHORITY: Category 3. Advisory Region, including: Engineering; Make strategic decisions and only. Minerals; Human Resources; recommendations, working with Financial Resources; Lands; the Gang of 8, that involve budget Cultural Heritage. Several other needs. Develop measures to Customer Service Teams are manage the overall distribution of Partnership Council working with entities similar in FTE's ("full-time equivalents"— nature and charter to BOCs. number of fulltime employees a MEMBERS: RF Jack Blackwell; ROLES: Make decisions and recom¬ unit is allowed) within the Region. Janette Kaiser, Manti-LaSal Forest mendations to Gang of 8, RFT, AUTHORITY: Category 2. Some Supervisor; Harold Klein, Cari¬ BOD, and applicable Customer specific decisionmaking authority; bou administrative officer; Tony Service Team. Ensures that otherwise, advisory. Valdez, Tonopah District Ranger; customers' expectations are met Jeanne Smith, Greys River RD through open communication resources clerk; Cathy Becker, and feedback between service Salmon and Challis computer team and the customers. Also Partnership Enhancement Team specialist; George Christopher, provides strategic recommenda¬ (Originally referred to as "Grants and NFEE VP; Curt Peterson, Human tions in the program area; ap¬ Agreements Team") Resources Management director; proves service team's program of Ed Morris, HRM employee work and priorities, and organi¬ MEMBERS: One representative from classification/pay. Advisors: zation and staffing; recommends each state: Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Gloria Crawley and Carolyn budget and funding level (work¬ Wyoming. RLT decided on this Reynolds, HRM employee ing with Gang of 8); provides team in September 1997 and it was management/ relations. feedback to service team leader later chartered by the COT. ROLES: Deal with labor-manage¬ on team member performance. Mentored by Regional Recreation ment issues collaboratively and Works with individual Directors and Lands Director Bob Ross and with pre-decisionals that have and applicable Customer Service advised by Regional Grants and regionwide implications. Teams. Agreements Coordinator Lars AUTHORITY: Category 2. Some AUTHORITY: Category 2. Some Lind. specific decisionmaking author¬ specific decisionmaking author¬ ROLES: Develop and engage in ity; otherwise, advisory. ity; advisory. strategies, processes, and tech¬ niques for both enhanced cost Janet Arling recovery opportunities and Strategic Analyst Staff additional revenues for the Inter¬ Regional Office mountain Region. Develop new funding approaches above and Cindy Chojnacky beyond R4's successful partnership Strategic Communications Staff and volunteer program. Set criteria Regional Office to keep efforts focused on natural resources work. Reports to COT. AUTHORITY: Category 2. Some specific decisionmaking authority; otherwise, advisory. 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