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Jean Chatsky, popular financial editor for NBC News and the Today Show, will be a keynote speaker at the Nov. 9 North Carolina Governor’s Conference for Women at the Raleigh Convention Center. Financial professionals like Chatsky can be a great resource as one charts a course for financial stability in these challenging times.

Chatsky’s basic philosophy has been the same through all the ups and downs of our economy during her nearly 20 years of offering financial guidance to others: “If you want to own your life, you have to own your money.” Chatsky offers information on how to strengthen your financial position so that you can better weather financial uncertainty.

Chatsky emphasizes the importance of maximizing your earning power, spending less than you earn, investing wisely, and protecting everything that you’ve built. In addition to offering detailed guidance in such areas as budgeting, debt consolidation and restructuring and savings plans, she recommends several websites that individuals can use to maximize their financial options and help make their debt more manageable. 

For more information about Chatsky’s appearance or to register, visit the North Carolina Governor’s Conference for Women website at  http://www.ncwomensconference.com.  Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an array of high-profile presenters who will focus their message on ways women can improve their lives.

When you picture in your mind New York’s Twin Towers engulfed in flames, or even fake smoke pouring from a fictionalized movie high-rise, the thought of at-risk workers exiting safely from a multi-story office building is a very real concern. It’s one we develop plans for through our Facility Management Division, but the unpredictable nature of such events make real-time drills vitally important in saving lives and property.

That is why the Department of Administration did not hesitate when we were approached by the Raleigh Fire Department with a request to conduct a high-rise training drill in a state office building. Such an exercise will be held all day Saturday at the Archdale Building, 512 N. Salisbury St., which houses the Departments of Crime Control and Public Safety, and Environment and Natural Resources.

The drill will be repeated three times during the day to allow numerous fire departments and emergency medical response teams an opportunity to participate. Responders will stage their equipment in the parking lot behind the Administration Building.

Fire department officials are planning to train in a highly realistic, dark and smoke-filled environment. While responders will practice locating teams and hooking trucks into hydrant systems, they will not spray water during the drills.

While the exercise is bound to have an impact of those who live and work in the area – nearby streets will be closed and access to some state buildings and parking lots restricted – the impact of not training for potential crises could be far more devastating. We wish our colleagues success in this endeavor and thank them for their selfless efforts to protect our safety, and we thank our neighbors for their patience during this important activity.

I’ve come to the conclusion that folks get steamed up when they arrive in downtown Raleigh via Capital Boulevard. It’s not the traffic, mind you.

It’s their endless curiosity about what we’re doing to improve the old Caswell Steam Station located near the intersection of McDowell and Lane streets. It started with a small spray of steam that escaped from a nearby manhole cover – a minor energy loss that looked dramatic when the mercury plunged.

The project was delayed, for safety reasons, until we could count on mild weather to completely shut down the steam plant and cool the equipment. Today, however, we are in the midst of a major renovation of the Caswell Steam Station, which was constructed in the 1940s to manage heating and cooling through a maze of underground tunnels in the Downtown State Government Complex.

The Caswell operation is part of a larger, four-boiler Central Steam Plant system that went online in 1992 to provide primary heating for most downtown state facilities. Formerly housed in an aging, white painted brick structure, the Caswell works are being relocated to two secure, waterproof concrete vaults that will increase both operational efficiency and worker safety.

The project includes significant infrastructure improvements, including replacement of condensate lines that become fragile over decades of use, and new valve systems that better regulate energy use and are easier to maintain. Proactively upgrading outmoded systems now, instead of when they give out and pose additional risk, is the smart road to long-term safety and energy savings.

OK, we’ve heard you. You’ve tried finding forms online and instead found frustration. You’re pretty sure someone works at a particular agency, or the agency offers a particular service, but can’t locate a phone or e-mail contact. You want to learn more about a state program but can’t tell if you qualify for its benefits.

Bottom line, it’s not always easy to find what you need on NC.gov, the official state portal.  Well, to paraphrase a popular ad campaign, there’s an app for that.

The Agency for Public Telecommunications has been tasked with the mission of redesigning the state’s main website to make it more logical and functional. We want to make it prettier, too, of course, but our primary task is to simplify how information is organized to help our visitors access the services and resources they need.

To accomplish this, we have created an online survey to learn more about how folks use the main state website. It only takes a few minutes to complete the nine-question survey, which will provide considerable guidance regarding what you need and want in the new state portal.

So please, give us a minute of your time and take the survey at this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ncgovwebdesign.

The survey will remain open through 5 p.m. Nov. 5. Please share it with friends and colleagues and especially your social networks. We aim to reach as many people as possible to develop the best resource we can.

The North Carolina State Capitol is one of our most visited and recognized landmarks.

But lately, the landscaping around the building has been looking a little rough.

Record heat, drought and other factors have taken a heavy toll on the shrubs and plants surrounding the Capitol, a 170-year-old landmark that houses the governor’s office.

Everybody wants the Capitol to look attractive, but in this economy, Gov. Bev Perdue is looking for ways to save money.

Members of the N.C. Nursery & Landscape Association came to the rescue with a generous donation of more than 600 plants and 20 cubic yards of compost as well as design services. Visitors to the Capitol will see on each corner of the building new plants including dwarf yaupon holly, green mountain boxwood and dwarf hydrangea.

To add a splash of color to the design, the shrubs will be accented by bed of annuals, starting with pansies.

A hedge of dwarf yaupon holly is a smart choice. The plants will look great. But they will also be resistant to drought and disease. Likewise the hydrangea and boxwood will also be able to survive even if there’s less water.

And the plants are going in the ground at just the right time. Plants put in the ground in the fall need less water to take root and will be healthier and heartier in the coming months. Gov. Perdue has signed a proclamation reminding state residents that "Fall is for Planting."

Pictured: Gov. Perdue signs a proclamation noting fall is the best time for planting. She is surrounded by members of the N.C. Nursery & Landscape Association who donated plants and landscape services to the State Capitol.

We all are fortunate to live and work in a time when female leadership in state government is the norm and not the exception. With a female governor and majority on the Council of State, and many more women in executive roles, it is all too easy to overlook the years of struggle and inequity that preceded these accomplishments.

I was reminded of that quite vividly this week during an extraordinary meeting with nine female legislators from different political parties and regions in Pakistan. The delegation had just attended the Council of State meeting – a session led by Gov. Bev Perdue, in which financial and policy reports were presented and votes taken on multi-million dollar transactions. Such public meetings, I learned, do not occur back home.

I was joined by four women – each of whom has experienced "first's" in their professional careers – invited to meet with the group and share our experiences: Linda Carlisle, Secretary of Cultural Resources; Beth Wood, State Auditor; Cherry Berry, Labor Commissioner; and Jenny Lancaster, Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Correction.

Our distinguished guests, here as part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, are dedicated to enhancing open government and improving conditions for women. The International Affairs Council, a Research Triangle organization that works to increase global understanding, helped coordinate the visit.

"We are here to see what you do here and to share the things we learn with the women of our country," said one second-term legislator.

Their comments and questions suggest they have their work cut out for them, but they will carry home ideas that may help to improve the lives of all Pakistanis.

Learning about their commitment to help empower women is a strong reminder of how far we’ve come. And realizing that women like us serve as role models around the world is both humbling and inspiring. (Pictured: Michaux addresses the delegation as Leila Bekri, program director of the International Affairs Council looks on.)

As we continue to move through peak hurricane season, it is reassuring to know that the Governor’s Emergency Information Bilingual Hotline is prepared. More than 95 volunteer state employees, along with a cadre of community bilingual volunteers, have been trained as operators to provide critical, perhaps life-saving, information to callers. Using web-based technology, they are prepared to provide real-time information such as which shelters are open, what their current capacity is and if they are pet-friendly; which bridges or roads are closed; and which counties have issued evacuation orders. Operators will also provide information about housing assistance and the recovery process, as well as what donated goods are needed by survivors and if volunteers are needed.

Since Hurricane Floyd in 1999, volunteer hotline phone operators have answered tens of thousands of calls from people across our state that needed emergency information. Some of the volunteers trained for this year’s hurricane season have been hotline operators for 10 hurricane seasons! North Carolinians are fortunate to have these caring volunteers who serve as the friendly voices at the hotline – helping other people when they need it most.

Are you prepared for the hurricane season? Please visit www.readync.org (English) and www.listonc.org (Spanish) to learn how.

One of the ways North Carolina is honoring 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is a statewide food drive on Friday, Sept. 10, through Sunday, Sept. 12.

The food drive is part of the partnership that Gov. Bev Perdue announced between Volunteer NC and the NC Association of Feeding America Food Banks to help end hunger and honor this special day.

State employees play a vital role in this effort. The Governor is calling on all state employees to participate by donating non-perishable food, monetary donations, and volunteering your time.  With the potential for more than 90,000 state employees to participate, we can really make a difference toward ending hunger.

As a state employee, you receive 24 hours of paid community service leave.  We urge you to take advantage of this benefit by joining fellow North Carolinians in this national service effort.

On September 7, look for food barrels in your state agencies to start donating food.  The last day to donate food will be Monday, September 13 before noon.

For additional information to find your local food bank please visit www.911dayofservice.nc.gov.

The employees in the Fiscal Management Division of the Department of Administration are highly focused on monitoring limited state resources and ensuring that every penny of our budget is used as intended. Indeed, they are so good at what they do that I am no longer surprised when they catch errors or make suggestions that save money.

I was surprised, however, when I learned that one of my staff saved a life this week. Accountant Tracy Howell had been in Durham for an evening activity. She recalled passing a gentleman on the street who seemed to be trying to stay out of the sun. After the meeting, she observed him again – unconscious and sprawled on the sidewalk.

Accompanied by her father, they approached the man, who was unresponsive. She called 911 and was asked to check if he had a pulse, which he did not. Police and Fire & Rescue soon arrived and performed CPR for about 10 minutes, finally reviving him.

After the fellow was taken by ambulance for additional treatment, Tracy was told that had she not taken the time to stop and call 911, the man likely would not have survived.
On behalf of Tracy’s colleagues at Fiscal Management and all of the Department of Administration, we thank her for demonstrating the humanity and care to which we all should aspire.

I wish you and your family many blessings and a very happy Thanksgiving weekend!  Please travel safely and eat well.  I will be with my family this weekend, and giving thanks for my many blessings. But I will also take a moment to remember those I've met recently who are less fortunate. 

On Monday, I helped deliver the four millionth meal for the Winston-Salem Meals-on-Wheels program.  After I delivered her meal, Ms. Nancy Hooper told me how thankful she is for the volunteers.  It’s more than just a warm meal those dedicated North Carolinians bring — it's a smiling face, a friendly conversation, a little bit of humanity. That can make all the difference. 

On Tuesday, I spent some time at the Raleigh Rescue Mission.  I spoke with many of the people there — some were recovering from addiction and others were unlucky families who are homeless for the holidays.  At the children's development center, I listened to pre-schoolers of homeless mothers.  Despite their situation, they were all able to list something they were thankful for — and there's nothing like the sincerity of a child to brighten your day and give you hope for the future.

Please count your blessings and give thanks this weekend. Remember your friends and neighbors who may be struggling this year; it's a rough time for many North Carolina families, but together, we will get through this. Let's all take inspiration and hope from stories like those from Meals on Wheels and the Rescue Mission — we all have something to be thankful for.