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Meet The Day Porters Team from the Public Works Department

Group photo of Day Porters Day Porters are a vital part of how the City of Hillsboro maintains clean and healthy facilities – duties that became heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team of Oscar Godinez, Brenda Allison, Marina Gomez, Silvia Marin, Magaly Romero, Gabriela Rodriguez, Perla Syago, Al Sanchez and Keith McGrew visit the City’s buildings each day to ensure that all spaces used by City employees and community members are safe and sanitized.

“We take this job very personally because just as we protect our family, and we keep a clean home, it’s the same way we maintain the buildings. We feel satisfaction in doing a good job.” –Marina Gomez

“They may see us, they may not see us, but I hope that they feel confident that there is someone who has their back.” –Magaly Romero

The team received a Shining Star Award in January, 2021 and we caught up with several of these Hillsboro Public Works Department employees as they continued to carry out their duties.

Lea estas entrevistas en español.

Marina Gomez

What led you to work for the City of Hillsboro?

When I applied, it seemed that this position was a fit for me. And well, really, I looked at it as an opportunity that really suited us as a team. And we can see that it has been a better deal, better salary and better benefits above all.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

In the Civic Center, one has to be monitoring the restrooms and constantly disinfecting the entrance doors, and then arranging the conference rooms for meetings, disinfecting and cleaning tables, and vacuuming if necessary. We also make sure the break rooms look clean, and we have to respond to calls on the radio for an emergency or something that happens on one of the floors or outside with security.

How has your work life changed since the pandemic began?

My life changed in the sense that I became much more aware of the importance of taking things more seriously, and that any grain of sand that one can contribute to protect ourselves and others, it is very important.

What was a memorable moment for you at work?

I have done this type of work for more than 25 years, and I spent four years training disabled people to do this job. So for me it is memorable to watch the people I trained in the 90s continue to work today. For me, that has been very rewarding and memorable.

What is something you’d like people to know about you?

Whatever you do for work, you should do it with pride and you should do it with joy and optimism, and give your best. I come from a very humble family and I have done different kinds of work -- in agriculture and everything. I have always done my job with a smile on my face and I tell people that I am proud of what I have done.

Magaly Romero

What led you to work for the City of Hillsboro?

I knew that the City provided good benefits, opportunities to grow, and so I applied. I notice sometimes that there are people who I think do not like what they do because, and I am not judging anyone, they look down about their job. But I really like my job because I don't like sitting at a desk for long periods of time.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

When I arrive at Hidden Creek Community Center, I will disinfect the entire gym area. I am disinfecting the handles of the doors, by the reception area, by the photocopier and also where the offices are, disinfecting all the same. I also come in after each meeting and disinfect all the desks, tables and chairs that staff use.

How has your work life changed since the pandemic began?

The pandemic was something new, and very frustrating, and sad. I was very mindful of my family; I would come home and quickly shower because this thing felt deadly. Now, thank God the vaccines have arrived and we have more knowledge of how we can take care of ourselves. But I'm still wearing a mask and the routine remains the same.

What was a memorable moment for you at work?

That none of the group was infected. That is what’s been most remarkable for me, that by God’s grace none of us have been infected. They have sent us to places where there have been infected people so that we can disinfect their areas and everything that was there.

So if there is something memorable, which hopefully we can claim for years, we can always say: Despite standing in front of the proverbial canyon, God took care of us and kept us safe from all this.

What is something you’d like people to know about you?

I want to recognize Brian Nelson, who was our supervisor. He worked closely with us during this time, and he was hugely supportive.

Also, I would like people to know that I am giving 100 percent, giving my best to maintain a sanitized, safe place where they feel that there really is someone who has their back.

Oscar Godinez

What led you to work for the City of Hillsboro?

I have been working for the City for 13 years. My first three years were for Parks, but it was seasonal work. And then I worked eight years at SHARC. Now, with this pandemic, the work slowed down and Facilities was looking for someone to help them disinfect areas. Soon after, I applied and I have been in this position for about eight months.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

Me and Gabriela work together and we have a route of four areas/buildings to clean and disinfect: a fire station, the Parks maintenance building, a police station, and the Civic Center. After we complete our route, we have things to repair or deliver. We also pressure wash where it’s needed.

How has your work life changed since the pandemic began?

It was a beneficial change for me, because the work at SHARC had slowed down, and they were able to keep us busy with something different. To be honest, it was a positive change for me because I am happy with the group that I’m in right now.

What was a memorable moment for you at work?

The Shining Star recognition. That it was our own supervisor who nominated us, it was a special moment for everyone. It’s special for everyone because they take into account the work we are doing. Many people do not realize the risks we take. Sometimes we were in charge of going to disinfect areas where people who tested positive for COVID worked. It was part of the job. But thank God, we never got sick.

What is something you’d like people to know about you?

I am very grateful to be working for the City of Hillsboro. Three years ago, I had a problem with an artery in my heart, it was closing, and it is the only time I have been hospitalized in my life. And if I didn't have the benefits that I have here, it would have been very difficult to get medical care. I show gratitude by trying to make the best of my job. It is great working for the City of Hillsboro.

Brenda Allison

What led you to work for the City of Hillsboro?

I worked for Washington County’s Vector Control program for two field seasons and got to know Hillsboro quite well during that time. When the City of Hillsboro posted the Day Porter position, I knew I wanted to apply because working for the City felt like a natural next step for me.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

My day-to-day duties include disinfecting and cleaning buildings, monitoring supplies, and addressing any problems as they arise. Taking care of problems is truly a team effort, and I love how the Day Porter team collaborates with each other and other departments to get things done.

How has your work life changed since the pandemic began?

Unfortunately, I lost a job I truly enjoyed due to the pandemic, but there was a silver lining: it ultimately led me to the Day Porter position. As we move past the pandemic, I think that our job lives will continue to grow and evolve as traditional job roles are reviewed and tweaked.

What was a memorable moment for you at work?

A memorable moment for me was when the entire Day Porter team was chosen as Shining Stars for the month of January. The Day Porter group is full of kind, hard-working and truly amazing people. It’s an honor to be part of the team!

What is something you’d like people to know about you?

I’m a native Oregonian. I grew up on a farm in eastern Oregon and studied Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University. As a former farm girl, I’ve maintained an interest in tinkering and keeping my hands busy. I think that’s why I enjoy working in building maintenance. Cleaning and fixing things is deeply satisfying to me!

Silvia Marin

What led you to work for the City of Hillsboro?

I applied when they opened the Day Porter positions to the public to hire their own people, and they called me for the interview and everything, and that's how I got the Day Porter position.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

I work at the Brookwood Library, and I take care of having everything disinfected by the time it opens -- the bathrooms, the doors -- and making sure that the entire building is working well so that the workers do not have problems, that everything is in good condition. One has to constantly be disinfecting, and walking around outside the building collecting garbage.

How has your work life changed since the pandemic began?

It was a very big change because they changed my building assignment, since they closed Brookwood Library, and sent me to the Civic Center from March to July 2020. I had never worked in that building and had a lot to do there. Then they moved me back, and it was still difficult because I had to go to other buildings. They needed me only for a little while at Brookwood and for a while at Shute Park Library. Even now, you still have to be constantly disinfecting so that everything works well for the health of the public and City staff.

What was a memorable moment for you at work?

When the City of Hillsboro chose me to work with them, it was memorable for me. It inspires me to continue to aim higher, to continue further.

What is something you’d like people to know about you?

I like to enjoy the nature that Oregon has, like parks, like rivers, anything natural. And I have my four daughters, and one son, two grandchildren – I live for them.

Gabriela Rodriguez

What led you to work for the City of Hillsboro?

More than anything, what interested me was the benefits. That's what made me apply: better benefits, above all medical insurance that covers my entire family.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

I work with Oscar Godinez and we have our route of several buildings. On a typical day, we are responsible for keeping the buildings sanitized more than anything. Oscar and I also work with the pressure washer. My work is varied, but the responsibility is the same: to keep employees and customers safe because we are there disinfecting and making sure they are in a safe environment.

How has your work life changed since the pandemic began?

Let's say that before we focused on keeping things clean, right? Now, we go further in that we focus on keeping things disinfected. It's like I feel more responsibility. It did seem at first like there was a lot of risk coming to work – for example, cleaning in an area where an infected person was. So it was like I felt a lot of responsibility because I had to protect people and on the other hand, I also had to be mindful about protecting myself because I also have my family.

At the same time, I also realized the importance of our work because many people stayed at home and I had no choice. I had to continue working in the same manner and with more responsibility.

What was a memorable moment for you at work?

In January of this year, my entire team was nominated for the Shining Star. Brian Nelson, who nominated us, highly valued our work. He told us: “You are very important, you take risks every day, and your work is essential.”

What is something you’d like people to know about you?

The work that I do, I do it with pleasure, because someone has to do it. (Laughs) I am very happy working with the City. They have treated me well.

Meet More City of Hillsboro Employees

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