You probably have seen them vacuuming leaves around your house, plowing snow in your neighborhood, mulching your local playground, or whisking your refuse and recycling away every week.
The City's Department of Public Works crews are the City employees you see every day working hard to make sure our City is clean, has working facilities and that our residents and visitors can walk, bike or drive safely on City sidewalks and streets.
Every year, the City recognizes those Public Works employees who have gone above and beyond in service to the City with the Spencer Harris Awards. This year's 31st annual City of College Park Spencer Harris Award Ceremony and Breakfast was held on January 25. The awards ceremony also recognizes the years of safe driving by City staff.
The Spencer Harris Award was established on May 10, 1988 by the Mayor and Council. It was named after a Public Works dispatcher who brought excellence to his position and dedicated almost twenty years to the Department. Throughout his years with us, Spencer received numerous awards for outstanding service and letters of appreciation from the public.
In the words of Mayor Pro Tem Monroe Dennis during the ceremony, "College Park has a reputation for being a great place to live, in large part due to the outstanding services that residents receive... In addition to dealing with weather events, City of College Park staff have continued to effectively provide essential City services such as refuse, recycling, yard waste collection, landscape services, and curbside leaf collection as well as parking and code enforcement."
In earn this coveted award, a Department of Public Works employee must be nominated by his/her peers and rate highly in honesty, diligence, respect, flexibility, dedication, reliability, leadership and initiative. This year's award went to Rodney H.!
The Spencer Harris Award is not the only award given out during the event. Thomas B. won the Quality Control Recognition Award for ensuring a high standard was met while fulfilling assigned tasks. The Meritorious Service Award went to David C. for providing commendable service. Janet M. received the Special Achievement Award for demonstrating initiative to fulfill an expanded task. The Dedicated Service Award for displaying commitment, dedication and perseverance during the course of assigned tasks went to Vincent C. Last but not least, the Director's Performance Award went to David K.
Below are the winners for the safe driving awards from the City's Departments of Public Works, Public Services and Youth, Family & Senior Services.
SAFE DRIVING AWARDS (NON-CDL)
- Deborah M. (PS) 6 years
- Vivian C. (PS) 8 years
- Morris R. (PW) 8 years
- Tom B. (PW) 9 years
- David C. (PS) 14 years
- Charles R. (PS) 17 years
- Willeva E. (PS) 19 years
- Derek D. (PS) 20 years
SAFE DRIVING AWARDS (CDL) DRIVERS
- James E. (YF&SS) 1 year
- Omar C. (PW) 1 year
- Otis G. (PW) 1 year
- Kevin W. (PW) 1 year
- Jim K. (YF&SS) 2 years
- David K. (PW) 4 years
- George M. (PW) 4 years
- David C. (PW) 5 years
- Richard C. (PW) 11 years
- Willie L. (PW) 19 years
QUARTERLY SAFE DRIVER AWARD - Kevin W.
Thank you to all winners and nominees for your hard work, dedication and exemplary service.
For pictures of all of this year's award winners, please visit our Facebook gallery here.