County Participates in MLK Day Activities

Several County departments and employee resource groups participated in community events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this past weekend.

The Sheriff's Department, Probation, Office of Equity and Racial Justice and the African American Association of County Employees ERG marched in the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in San Diego on Jan. 19.

The Emerging Workforce Association ERG attended a Day of Service at the Mt. Hope Community Garden on Jan. 18.

And numerous County leaders attended the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human Dignity Awards Breakfast hosted by the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA on Jan. 17.

African American Association of County Employees

Emerging Workforce Association

Probation

Sheriff’s Department

Probation

Sheriff’s Department

County Leaders

County, J-PAL Partner for Evaluation Training and Workshop

Researchers with MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) recently visited San Diego to lead a two-day training and workshop for County employees.

The training focused on why and when to use randomized evaluations to measure program effectiveness. It also showed how to design these evaluations for real-world use, particularly in addressing climate change.

County staff from the Office of Evaluation, Performance, and Analytics (OEPA), Planning & Development Services (PDS) and various Land Use & Environment Group (LUEG) departments joined researchers from UC San Diego (UCSD) for the training.

The sessions enhanced County staff’s understanding of evaluation concepts, with a focus on designing and implementing randomized evaluations to measure the impact of programs.

Participants learned to apply the Theory of Change framework and develop strategies to maximize policy impact. The Theory of Change framework is a tool used to design, implement, and evaluate programs or initiatives by defining the desired outcomes and mapping the steps needed to achieve them.

On the second day, the group focused on applying these concepts to the County’s Climate Action Plan.

The visit was part of an ongoing collaboration between the County and J-PAL. In July, five County employees went to MIT to attend a J-PAL course on “Evaluating Social Programs,” and OEPA Chief Evaluation Officer Ricardo Basurto-Dávila participated in a panel discussion on climate action and the County’s role in it.

In November, J-PAL announced that the County had been selected for its 2024-25 Leveraging Evaluation and Evidence for Equitable Recovery (LEVER) Evaluation Incubator. This program provides funding and technical help to create or launch randomized evaluations for government programs.

OEPA and PDS will work with J-PAL and UCSD to evaluate programs from the Climate Action Plan. During J-PAL's recent visit, the team refined plans for evaluating the Sustainable Operations in Land Stewardship (SOILS) program, which encourages climate-friendly farming practices.

The County created OEPA in 2021 to use modern analytics to study the County’s vast collection of data in new ways. In part, to look for patterns, trends and associations that can help County decision makers improve programs, services and policies. That particularly includes top priorities including homelessness, mental health, equity, racial justice and climate action.

Your View: DAS Pet Disaster Relief Trailer

San Diego County Animal Services submitted a photo of their Pet Disaster Relief trailer they sent to the Pasadena Humane Society to help in the response to the devastating Los Angeles County wildfires.

The trailer is equipped with emergency supplies to care for lost and evacuated pets.

Share your photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it.

Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. Images may be posted to InSite and shared on social media. 

See more of Your View photos. 

Celebrating the 2025 Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, which corresponds with the phases of the moon. According to this lunar calendar, Lunar New Year begins on the first day of the first lunar month.

In 2025, the Lunar New Year begins on Jan. 29 and will be observed through Feb. 16, marking the Year of the Snake.

Lunar New Year is celebrated in China, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia and other countries. Lunar New Year goes by many names including, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Chūnjié (in Mandarin), Seollal (in Korean) and Tết (Vietnamese).

On New Year’s Day, family members receive red envelopes with money that symbolize good wishes and luck for the year ahead.  In addition, the holiday is celebrated with fireworks, lion dances, colorful lanterns and by eating what are considered auspicious foods like fish, dumplings, noodles, glutinous rice balls, spring rolls, rice cakes, rice cake soup and tangerines.

Year of the Wood Snake

2025 is the Year of the Snake, more specifically, the Wood Snake. People born in Snake years (1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025) are said to be known for their wisdom, intuition, friendliness and calmness—qualities that reflect Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton’s vision for the County built on culture, trust and empowerment.

Those born in the Year of the Snake are believed to be naturally strategic, excellent problem-solvers, and skilled communicators. They follow their curiosity, foster acceptance and belonging, build trust through communication and partnerships, and empower others by encouraging innovation and ensuring all voices are heard.

Upcoming Events (free to the public)

• San Diego Tết Festival at Liberty Station
  The festival will feature performances, competitions, lion dancing, a cultural village, food, a carnival, and more. It will take place at NTC Park in Liberty Station over three days: Friday, Jan. 31, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 1, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the festival and until 9 p.m. for the carnival.

• 2025 San Diego Lunar New Year Festival at Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park
  The three-day festival will feature lion dances, arts and cultural exhibitions, fireworks, food vendors, and folk and traditional performances. The festival will take place from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Jan. 24, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Jan. 25, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 26.

• San Diego Chinese New Year Fair 
  Experience live music, food, and fun activities for all ages in Downtown San Diego on Feb. 8 and 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Balboa Park Chinese New Year Fair
  This event will feature Chinese food vendors, cultural performances, arts and crafts, calligraphy and lion dances. The fair is organized by the House of China located at the International Cottages Balboa Park. Saturday, Feb. 15 and Sunday, Feb. 16 from 11 a.m. 50 5 p.m.

• Celebrate the Year of the Snake at Poway Library
  The Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees invites the community to a Lunar New Year celebration at Poway Library. Celebrate the Year of the Snake with lion dancers, cultural performances, crafts and face painting. Sunday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. Lion dancers will perform at 3 p.m.

• Celebrate Chinese New Year at Lakeside Library
  Learn about the Lunar New Year from Riverview International Academy students with hands-on learning activities. Saturday, Jan. 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Lunar New Year Storytime at Cardiff-by-the-Sea Library
  Enjoy a bilingual storytime in both Mandarin and English, celebrating the Lunar New Year. There will be stories, songs, and movement activities followed by a craft. Saturday, Jan. 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

• Lunar New Year at Del Mar Library
  Celebrate the new year at Del Mar Library, featuring the CK Lion Dancers. Please note this event will be very noisy. All ages welcome. Register to attend; space is limited to the first 80 sign-ups. Saturday, Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Resources

• Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees (APACE)

• County of San Diego Filipino-American Employees Association (CSDFEA)

• Britannica

• History.com

• ChineseNewYear.net

• China Highlights

• Fodors - How the Lunar New Year Is Celebrated Around Asia

Celebrate the Year of the Snake at Poway Library

The Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees invites the community to a Lunar New Year celebration at Poway Library. Celebrate the Year of the Snake with lion dancers, cultural performances, crafts and face painting.

Date: Sunday, Feb. 2
Time: Starts at 2 p.m. The lion dancers will perform at 3 p.m.
Location: Poway Library, 13137 Poway Road, Poway, CA 92064.

See the flyer below.

Lightning Takes EV Goals Over the Top

Fleet Services celebrated the delivery of a new Ford F-150 Lightning recently. The pickup truck symbolized a milestone in the Electric Vehicle Roadmap – the 250th electric vehicle to join the County fleet.

The roadmap called for converting 250 gas-powered vehicles to EVs by the end of 2025. The year was only eight days old when the Lightning came in, prompting a flurry of celebratory photos at General Services.  

Public Works drove the Lightning off the Kearny Mesa lot. In fact, compared with other departments, Public Works is the second highest buyer of EVs, with 41. Of all the groups, Land Use and Environment drives the most EVs, more than 70.

The County’s EV fleet features battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. They include additional Ford Lightnings, Ford Escapes, Chrysler Pacifica vans, Toyota RAV 4s, Jeeps and more.

Fleet’s Departmental Operations Chief David Fernandez says 16 departments helped Fleet meet the goal. To encourage buy in, Fernandez tells prospective buyers about the advantages.

Light-duty EVs like sedans, smaller SUVs, minivans and small trucks are cheaper to maintain than conventional vehicles and manufacturer warranties are just as long. More importantly, EVs protect the environment.  

“We need to be thoughtful about the way we use our vehicles and consider their impact on air quality,” said Fernandez. “If we can reduce emissions to make air quality better, then that’s what we’re going to do.”

Now fleet is striving for its second EV Roadmap goal; place 501 EVs in service by 2027. That would be more than double the current EV numbers in just two years.

But Fernandez is confident. Two additional EVs have already come in and he says 90 others are on order and should arrive this summer. In other words, he says we’re right on track.

CAO Message: Honoring a National Day of Service

A message from Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton:

As County employees, you have chosen to serve the community and each other every day.

On Monday, we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a leader who championed justice, equity and service. His dream of a society rooted in equality and compassion inspires us to take action to improve our communities. This is why MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, encouraging all of us to embody his vision through acts of kindness and solidarity.

Your work as public servants is a powerful reflection of Dr. King’s legacy. You collaborate with partners and individuals to move the region toward a just, sustainable and resilient future. Beyond your professional roles, many of you extend this commitment by volunteering your time, supporting causes close to your heart, and working to uplift those in need.

I am truly proud to work alongside all of you as we live out the vision of promoting equity and service to others.

One opportunity to make a difference in our region is by joining hundreds of your fellow employees and others the morning of Thursday, Jan. 30 to connect with people experiencing homelessness. That effort, known as the Point in Time Count, helps bring valuable funding to the region to serve and support this vulnerable population.

County employees are a significant part of making this annual count possible. Employees are paid for volunteering. Supervisor approval is needed to participate. Learn more about how to register.

You can also give back through the San Diego County Employees Charitable Organization (CECO), which provides grants to local nonprofits and assistance to employees and retirees in crisis. CECO is funded by the generosity of employees and retirees through donations and volunteer efforts. Learn more about how your contributions make a difference.

Dr. King reminded us that “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Your dedication to service answers that question daily. Whether through your work or personal efforts, you are building a stronger, more compassionate San Diego. Thank you for all you do to honor his legacy and make a difference in our community.

Limited Payroll Services Available on Jan. 16 & 17

As part of the Auditor & Controller relocation, Central Payroll Administration is moving to a new work location on Thursday, Jan. 16 and Friday, Jan. 17.

 As a result, there will be limited services available:

• Manual printed paycheck and advice requested for pick up will be temporarily distributed at 5500 Overland Ave., Third Floor, San Diego, CA 92123, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Inter-office and U.S. mail deliveries to Central Payroll Administration may be delayed.

• The main fax line at 858-694-2052 will not be available.

Effective Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Auditor & Controller, including Central Payroll Administration, will be at the new address 5500 Overland Ave., Suite 470, San Diego, CA 92123. 

Central Payroll’s main telephone number (858) 694-2051, fax number (858) 694-2052, and Mail Stop O-68 will remain the same.

If you have any questions or concerns, email Central Payroll at CentralPayroll@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Read the Latest Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Newsletter

The latest EDI Digest is out! This interactive newsletter, with a focus on the power of positivity, has curated videos, podcasts, and articles that will help inform, build connections and spark inclusive conversations. It is designed to be used as a learning resource throughout the quarter for County employees. 

Check out the Connecting the Dots section featuring one of our new Deputy Chief Administrative Officers Kimberly Giardina.  

Explore it now (open in Edge).  

Employees Invited to Community Circle

Join the Middle Eastern Employee Resource Group and the County of San Diego for the Building Bridges Community Circle – a unique opportunity for San Diego County employees to come together in an ancient and healing practice.

In a time of change and uncertainty, the event offers a safe space to connect, listen and heal as a community. Through shared stories and collective support, we’ll work to bridge divides, foster understanding and restore unity.

Experienced facilitators Tina Medina and Luis Ruan will lead this event, which offers the chance to reflect, process, and build stronger relationships within our workplaces and beyond.

Space is limited, so reserve your spot today for this free event on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the County Operation Center (COC).

Registration closes Jan. 27—don’t miss this transformative experience.

If you are interested in attending future community circles, please join this interest list.

See the flyer below.

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