| NETWORK Archives | ||||||
  |
||||||
 |
||||||
ACCSS Centralizes 250-Employee Operation
in Hacienda
By Nicole Zaro Stahl The latest sign of the population growth in the east side of the county might be the upcoming relocation of Alameda County Child Support Services (ACCSS) from Oakland to Hacienda, slated for completion on July 22. Consolidating operations from two separate sites about 12 miles apart, ACCSS will now see its entire staff of 250 housed in a single building, at 5669 Gibraltar Drive, in Pleasanton. Operating as part of the Rancho Cordova-based state Department of Child Support Services, ACCSS “establishes paternity and child support orders, collects child, medical, and spousal support payments, modifies orders, and provides medical enforcement services,” all at no cost to clients, according to the agency web site. “We represent the welfare of the child,” explains ACCSS public information officer Rachel Massa. The ability to serve wage assignments to collect child support is one of ACCSS’s most critical tools. After the court order and account set-up, support payments are automatically deducted from the responsible party’s paycheck and transferred to the state disbursement unit in West Sacramento. By law the agency must mail a check to the client within two days. Over the past few months, a fast-tracked, custom renovation has transformed the 67,000-square-foot Gibraltar Building into an updated, efficient work space, with 67 enclosed offices and 210 cubicles. A large lunch room will do dual duty as a venue for employee training and town-hall type meetings. Green initiatives show up everywhere in the new facility, from energy-saving lighting and motion sensors to low-flow, automated plumbing fixtures and the mandate to use only eco-friendly cleaning products. “Ellis Partners and Hacienda Venture Portfolios, the owners, have been extremely accommodating to the needs of our organization,” remarks Massa, who has been closely involved with move preparations. Another aspect of the agency’s strategy to lower its carbon footprint is Hacienda’s proximity to BART, a high priority during the site search. ACCSS’s former main office, although in an attractive, park-like setting not far from the Oakland Zoo, “was nowhere near BART, or even close to a bus stop. We are trying to get employees and clients to use public transportation,” Massa points out. The new facility is just one mile from the Pleasanton BART station. “We scouted out the bus routes and found that the 50 line stops in front of the courthouse [the Gale-Schenone Hall of Justice] right around the corner on Stoneridge Drive, so it’s very close and convenient. “Pleasanton will be a new experience for us,” she continues, but informational sessions at both current locations (the legal division occupies a former bank in downtown Oakland) will help employees make the transition. Massa is also encouraged by development plans for the new county government center in Dublin and construction of the additional BART station by Stoneridge Mall. “If you look at the population growth, the county seems to be slipping east,” she observes. ACCSS plans to show off its new offices in an open house tentatively scheduled for August. For more information about the full scope of its services, visit www.acgov.org/css. The agency also maintains a toll-free hotline at 1-800-809-2955. Byers Engineering Provides Specialized
Expertise to Telecom and Utility Companies
By Nicole Zaro Stahl Byers Engineering Co. (BEC) is a relatively new name in Hacienda, although many of its employees have been working out of the company’s facility at 4637 Chabot Drive for several years. In April 2007 the Atlanta-headquartered Byers acquired the office’s previous occupant, Randstad Communications, a California-based utility technical services subsidiary of Randstad North America, adding to the engineering firm’s existing resources and giving it a truly national footprint. The transition went smoothly, with former Randstadt employees Gary Olson and Gerry Ahlbach moving into their respective new roles as vice president, West Support, and vice president, West Operations, without missing a beat. Privately held BEC has been providing technical services and software products since 1971. According to Tim Parker, president of the company’s Engineering Division, most of the activity at the Pleasanton site focuses on the telecommunications and utilities industries. “Our business is project engineering. We set up special projects for our clients and run them out of our offices. We also put engineers on premises to fill gaps when our clients have peaks and valleys in their workflow.” As the hub of the company’s western region, the Pleasanton office houses approximately 15 people, a number that “ebbs and flows,” says Parker, adding, “we have another 495 employees deployed throughout the state and the Midwest on assignments.” Byers’ long history of work in the telecommunications industry is a sought-after area of expertise. “It’s pretty much of a niche market,” surpassing the knowledge base of most civil engineering graduates, he points out. “Few colleges or universities in the country offer any type of degree in telecommunications, so we rely on people who have come up through the industry. They have to be ready to go the first day on the job. Our clients come to us when they have a peak and need immediate help. There is no time for training.” Explaining some of the complexities, he observes, “The difference in telecommunications is that every house needs a pair of copper wire to send and receive signals. The trick is keeping those wires straight. Each has an individual identity. If there are three million customers, that means three million individual numbers that must be kept up and maintained.” Looking at the challenges facing the telecommunications industry, Parker cites new technology as a major issue. “Phone and cable companies, and in some cases even power companies, all want to provide the ‘triple play’—bringing wireless, video, and data to the home. The industry is looking to find that one best technology, but it’s a gamble and there’s a big question mark about how much to spend. Our challenge is keeping up with this direction, and finding people to handle what our telecom clients need next.” For more information about Byers, call the local office at (925) 226-4100 or visit www.byers.com. |
||||||
|
Also in this issue ...
|
||||||
| |
