Happy October! Who's ready for Halloween? For team members and their children (or furry friends🐶) who wear a costume, send us your photos so we can feature them in next month's Chronicles.
As for September's wrap up below, here's what to expect:
- Tips for creating strong passwords;
- Pictures from the Senior Fall Harvest; and
- Team member highlights.
Stay protected: Expert tips for creating strong passwords
Plus, download our best practices guide
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so we reached out to our network security experts, Dustin Brown and Josh Risch, for their top tips on creating hacker-resistant passwords.
With cyber threats and data breaches on the rise, it's crucial to protect your accounts with strong passwords that can withstand attacks.
Five tips for creating hacker-resistant passwords
- Always use 15 characters or more
- Create memorable phrases with a mixture of special characters, capital letters and numbers, like "Cats-g0-Wolf!"
- Use a free password manager such as LastPass or Bitwarden
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever available.
- Be selective with single sign on (SSO). Logging in with Google can share more data than necessary.
Take action: Download the password security best practices guide and start creating secure passwords.
Arm yourself against the flu
The best way to stay well this flu season is to get vaccinated. Roll up your sleeve and get your FREE flu shot at one of the three Northern Kentucky Health Centers, while supplies last. Schedule an appointment at mypremisehealth.com.
Employee Spotlight: Kris Siegert, Kenton County Public Works
Kris Siegert is lead mechanic for the Fleet Services division within our Public Works department. When he joined the County 17 years ago, he brought with him extensive experience in gas and diesel mechanics, as well as three years of service in the U.S. Navy. Learn more about Kris here.
Team accomplishments: Recent celebrations from Kenton County
Kenton County hosts annual Senior Fall Harvest
The Kenton County Senior Fall Harvest was a success, with nearly 300 guests on site for the festivities.
Thank you to Sue Kaiser, our Fiscal Court Clerk, for your fantastic work arranging the event, and a special shoutout to our Parks & Recreation team for setting up the fairgrounds. View the team member photo gallery.
Thanks for all you do, Treasury team
Our team recently celebrated Finance & Accounting Appreciation Week (Sept. 23-27). The Office of the Treasurer, led by Kurt Greivenkamp, works directly with our internal departments and various external agencies to ensure every aspect of Kenton County's financial management is well-coordinated.
These superstars keep our teams moving
Have a question about our benefits? Not sure where to access your pay stubs? Our HR superstars are there to help.
Meet our team:
- Erica Doane, Kenton County Detention Center
- Kelly Baker, Kenton County Fiscal Court
- Lauren Heck, Kenton County Fiscal Court
Another bundle of joy added to Kenton County team
Congratulations to Kenton County Detention Center Chaplain Stuart Warren and his family on the birth of Davis Tate, born Sept. 26.
Cross-team Shoutout
Travis Workman, James Rider, Sean King, David Jump, Anderson Vernet, William Kelsay and Brandon Hegge. Not pictured: Adam Ryan and Matt Schmidt
Ashley Hawks, director of the Kenton County Emergency Communications Center, gave a big shout-out to our Public Works' team for repairing and upgrading the road leading to the 911 radio tower in the Devou Park neighborhood.
Originally planned as a contracted project, the Public Services team determined they could complete it more efficiently in-house, saving both time and money.
Their work proved essential during the major storms on Sept. 27, when power to the tower was lost, requiring an emergency gas delivery to keep the generator running. Without the road fix, this critical delivery may not have been possible.
Team member milestones
The Fiscal Court approved two new hires and two promotions in September.
New hires
- Richard Cecil, public services technician II, Kenton County Public Works
- Bradley Creech, public services technician II, Kenton County Public Works
Promotions
- Whitney Quint, purchasing manager, Office of the Treasurer
- Taylor Sharp, volunteer coordinator, Kenton County Animal Services
The Kenton County Detention Center celebrated three team members in August who hit their six-month milestone.
- Chyanna Chumley, deputy
- Katelyn Niccum, deputy
- Nathaniel Pugh, deputy
Connect with your fellow employees — access the staff directory.
What's Happening: Fiscal Court updates
In September, the Fiscal Court celebrated its second Pioneer Award recipient, Sister Jean Marie Hoffman, whose trailblazing work as executive director of DCCH Center for Children and Families transformed the lives of children throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Learn more about Sister Jean Marie Hoffman’s impact here.
The Fiscal Court also took the next step in its development of Kenton County’s newest park, opening bids for an owner’s representative for the project. The owner’s representative will advise the County during the planning, design and construction phases. At 225 acres, the new Kenton County park is the largest of the County’s seven parks and is the former home of Fox Run Golf Course.
Parking options at the Kenton County Government Center
Coming to the Kenton County Government Center? As a reminder, Kenton County team members may not park in the front, back or Pike St. parking lots. Parking is available on the street, under the interstate, in the Turner's lot and in the Toyota lot (8-10 spots along Pike Street). Thank you for your cooperation and patience as the garage is constructed.
Mark your calendars: Two key dates to remember
Don't forget to RSVP for Kenton County's Employee Awards Banquet.
Plus, cast your vote for your preferred hors d'oeuvres. RSVP here by Oct. 18.
Make sure to complete your online Annual Security Training.
Complete your required training by Oct. 17.
Day in the Life: Homeland Security & Emergency Management
Todd Schulkers, deputy director of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, was the featured teammate in September's "Day in the Life" episode. Click the image below to watch the episode.
Next up: Kenton County Government Center