Kent County Department Heads have selected SHIRLEY E. THOMS from the Department of Finance - Assessment Office as the October 2019 Employee of the Month.
Shirley started with Kent County in April 2006 as a Permit Technician and later transferred to the Planning Office and then ultimately to the Assessment Office in November 2012 where she currently serves as an Assessor II. Her primary duties include inspecting properties in the field to measure structures and collect data used in real estate assessment; researching parcel permitting and construction history and sales of real estate; and maintaining computerized property improvements for her assigned territory. Shirley is a State licensed Certified Assessor and was previously recognized as Employee of the Month in July 2009.
Shirley’s experience in the building permits and planning offices has proven helpful with routine property assessment tasks, but her research skills have benefitted her work product the most. She is routinely praised by property owners for effectively explaining the complex assessment process in Delaware and for her pleasant demeanor. On several occasions Shirley has designed creative exhibits to honor veterans, Kent County history, and special events in the Administrative Complex display case.
According to Finance Director Susan Durham, “Shirley has become a highly skilled property assessor for the County and willingly shares her knowledge with co-workers and constituents. She is very dedicated to Kent County and can be counted on to help out whenever needed.”
Congratulations Shirley on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected VANESSA A. MARTIN from the Office of the Kent County Recorder of Deeds as the September 2019 Employee of the Month.
Vanessa started with Kent County in September 2013 as a Permit Technician and later transferred to the Deeds Office in January 2017 were she currently serves as a Deed Clerk II. Her primary duties include verifying documents as to their accuracy prior to recording, cash receipting, assisting customers with research questions, and imaging recorded documents.
Her experience in the building permits office has proven to be very helpful to the office, and she has willingly shared her knowledge with co-workers. Supervisors praise Vanessa for her positive attitude and motivation to learn all about the history and importance of the recording process. She has excellent customer service skills and is always looking for the next challenge.
According to Kent County Recorder of Deeds Betty Lou McKenna, “Vanessa always exhibits enthusiasm with a positive attitude. She is courteous, friendly and extremely helpful when constituents come to the deeds office for information as well as for recording documents. Vanessa is very dedicated to her job as well as Kent County in general. She is an exemplary employee.”
Congratulations Vanessa on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected KENNETH A. ANDERSON Sr. from the Office of the Kent County Sheriff as the August 2019 Employee of the Month.
Ken started with the Sheriff’s Office in June 2017 and his primary duties include service of court-ordered subpoenas, maintaining records of service, conducting property inventory for scheduled sales, and assisting in the sale of property by the Sheriff.
Ken is a former Delaware State Police officer and previously worked as a uniform patrol officer at Troop 3, Auto Theft Detective for Kent and Sussex Counties, and Property Crimes Detective at Troop 3 until retiring in 2016 after 27 years
He is highly regarded for his professionalism and demeanor. His prior experience as a DSP Field Training Officer has proven especially helpful with the training and orientation of a new deputy sheriff in the Office.
According to Sheriff Lewis, “Ken is well organized and well suited for this new training assignment. He is always willing to share new ideas and is a big part of the daily office operations. It is a pleasure to have Ken as a part of the TEAM in the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. He is well deserving of the this high honor”
Congratulations Ken on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected MICHAEL A. FESTI from the Department of Planning Services as the July 2019 Employee of the Month.
Michael started with Kent County in March 2017 and serves as a Permit Technician I in the Inspections & Enforcement Office. He is primarily responsible for explaining zoning and related ordinances to the general public and building contractors; applying related ordinances to the process of obtaining a building or other permit for contractors and the general public; reviewing building permit applications for completeness and approval; and conducting research of property ownership records, zoning violations, and demographic trends.
A new co-worker recently praised Michael for his helpful instructive nature and willingness to respond to numerous questions about permitting procedures and processes. His positive demeanor and work ethic is greatly admired by customers and staff.
According to Planning Services Director Sarah Keifer, Michael is “exceptionally helpful to internal and external customers. He has worked closely with new inspectors to help them understand the County’s permitting process. During his relatively short tenure, he has already achieved an unexpected level of expertise.”
Congratulations Michael on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected MICHAEL J. BISHOP from the Department of Public Safety as the June 2019 Employee of the Month.
Mike started with Kent County in October 1991 and serves as an EMS Field Supervisor in the Division of Emergency Medical Services. His primary duties include supervising and coordinating paramedics stationed county-wide during his shift in addition to responding to medical emergencies to provide advanced emergency care procedures to patients. Mike assumed his supervisory post in 2011 and has evolved into an invaluable member of the management team and a highly respected paramedic that others strive to emulate. He was previously honored in 2006 as a Paramedic II/Field Training Officer.
Mike is described as “an extremely competent medic as well as a well likeable and caring supervisor.” He has excellent writing and organizational skills and is often tasked with developing new protocols and processes. In addition, Mike troubleshoots all of the Departmental vehicles and is responsible for all of the pharmaceutical rotations and elimination of expired drugs.
According to Director of Public Safety Chief Colin Faulkner, “Mike goes above and beyond every workday. The 9-1-1 Dispatchers greatly appreciate his information sharing and coordination, so they can anticipate which individual paramedic will likely respond to a particular call. It is a great example of internal customer service. He also has a keen ability to sense and resolve issues in the platoon before they evolve into something more.”
Congratulations Mike on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected MICHAEL S. RIGBY from the Department of Community Services as the May 2019 Employee of the Month.
Mike serves as Assistant Director of Community Services – Parks & Recreation Division and has worked for Kent County since January 1995. He is responsible for managing the development and maintenance of the County’s five parks as well as ensuring that a comprehensive program of recreational activities are offered to the public.
Mike was originally hired more than 20 years ago as a Parks Maintenance Foreman and was promoted to his current Assistant Director position in 2016. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to forge complementary relationships between parks and recreation staffs and the community as a whole. In addition to his numerous duties as Assistant Director, Mike plays a vital oversight role in the construction of numerous park improvements, oversees facility management for the Recreation Center Complex, and processes facility rental requests. He was previously honored as Employee of the Month in July 1997.
According to Community Services Director Jeremy Sheppard, “Mike is an exceptionally versatile and loyal County employee. He is constantly looking to make Kent County Parks and Recreation better. He takes a tremendous amount of personal pride in our facilities and programs.”
Congratulations Mike on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected MARGO ORLANDO from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office as the April 2019 Employee of the Month.
She started with Kent County in September 2008 and serves as Secretary in the Sheriff’s Office. Her primary duties include processing court documents and related paperwork; answering incoming telephone calls; assisting with Sheriff Sales; and numerous other clerical duties. Prior to transferring to the Sheriff’s Office in 2015, she worked in the Personnel Office and in the Register of Wills Office.
Current and previous supervisors report that Margo always exhibits enthusiasm and a positive attitude, making her a first-rate example of Kent County Levy Court’s commitment to excellent customer service. She is an exemplary employee, performing her duties in a timely fashion and always willing to assist others. In keeping with her spirit of service, Margo teaches classes for children at her local church and has been a member of the Clayton Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary for years.
According to Kent County Sheriff Brian Lewis, “Margo makes everyone in the office feel at home and welcomed, whether it is visitors to the office or coworkers. She is always pleasant, a pleasure to be around and her spirit is delightful. She is a great asset to this department!”
Congratulations Margo on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected DANE R. STROSNIDER Jr. from the Department of Administration as the March 2019 Employee of the Month.
Dane started with Kent County in October 2016 and serves as a Computer Support Technician I in the Information Technology Office. His primary duties include troubleshooting computer hardware, software, and/or network connectivity issues; responding to telephone calls to the I.T. Helpdesk; installing new computer hardware and configuring software; and assisting County employees with various computer related glitches.
Since his first day, Dane has consistently demonstrated his ability to overcome difficult technology challenges. His first such task was to retrieve video content from an unfamiliar system. He thoroughly researched the software program and ultimately was able to capture the surveillance video needed by authorities investigating theft of County property. And while he is kept very busy answering Helpdesk calls from County staff, Dane is also responsible for managing toner inventory which he has optimized with automated forms featuring month-end balances. In addition, he is currently working on a project to convert numerous paper forms used by County staff into electronic templates.
According to Information Technology Director Kim Crouch, “Dane is friendly and quick to respond to Helpdesk calls. His enthusiasm for challenges and ever expanding knowledge of County software systems makes him an extremely valuable resource for the I.T. team.”
Congratulations Dane on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected JILL A. JOHNS from the Department of Planning Services as the February 2019 Employee of the Month.
Jill first started with Kent County in 1995 and presently serves as the Administrative Secretary for the Department of Planning Services. Her primary duties include supervision of clerical staff, preparation of general correspondence as well payroll, coordination of the professional certification and renewal process for inspections staff, and verification of vendor invoices. She was promoted to her current position in July 2004 after serving as Senior Secretary in the Inspections & Enforcement Division and a Personnel Technician II in the Personnel Office.
Jill was previously recognized as Employee of the Year in 2004, and has continued to exceed expectations year after year and more recently took on additional responsibilities due to staff downsizing. Her positive attitude and outstanding customer service skills serve as a model for all County employees and consistently earn her high praise from the public.
According to Planning Services Director Sarah Keifer, “Jill is the best of the best. The entire staff relies upon her to keep the department in sync. The task is untenable, but she handles it with confidence and enthusiasm. We are so fortunate to have her on our team.”
Congratulations Jill on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected COLBY G. HARRINGTON from the Department of Public Works as the January 2019 Employee of the Month.
Colby has been a Kent County employee since February 2012 and serves as Maintenance Foreman for the Collection & Transmission System for the Regional Resource Recovery Facility. His primary duties include prioritization, scheduling and assignment of personnel responsible for maintenance activities for the sewage collection and transmission system.
As foreman, Colby makes decisions regarding sewage overflows or backups on weekends and at all hours of the night. He has earned a reputation with sewer customers for his quick and empathetic response to what is more often than not a very unpleasant situation. A highly capable supervisor, Colby is often called upon to oversee large rehabilitation projects at major pumping stations and the treatment plant itself. A recent example of his success was the $950,000 emergency south basin liner replacement project that required tremendous coordination of multiple contractors and staffing resources.
According to Director of Public Works Diana Golt, “Colby is dedicated to Kent County and can be depended upon to take charge to get daily and emergency jobs done. His experience and dedication are great assets that benefit the County every day. He is truly deserving of recognition as Employee of the Month.”
Congratulations Colby on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected PATRICIA A. (TRISH) BROWN from the Clerk of the Peace Office as the December 2018 Employee of the Month.
Trish has been a Kent County employee since January 2017 and serves as the Deputy Clerk of the Peace. Her primary duties include assisting the elected official with office operations, collecting and verifying information required to issue marriage licenses, officiating marriage ceremonies, preparation of Levy Court meeting minutes and publication of hearing notices and ordinances, collecting/depositing applicable fees and electronically filing marriage records, and staff supervision duties.
Trish previously worked more than 19 years as a Judicial Case Manager for the Court of Common Pleas and developed a strong commitment to customer service while there. That experience has proven invaluable in this highly public office and earned her many comments about her pleasant and friendly attitude. She is regularly praised by couples for her helpfulness during the marriage license application process and for going above and beyond when helping customers by telephone.
According to Clerk of the Peace Brenda Wooten, “Trish is dedicated to Kent County and can be depended upon to perform marriage ceremonies, take Levy Court business meeting minutes, and oversee the day-to-day operations in my absence. She is a joy to work with and always goes the extra mile to see that all tasks are done to perfection. She is truly deserving of recognition as Employee of the Month.”
Congratulations Trish on a job well done!
Kent County Department Heads have selected MICHELE A. LAPINSKI from the Department of Community Services as the November 2018 Employee of the Month.
Michele has been a Kent County employee since July 1989 and currently serves as a Library Technician II in the Division of Libraries. Her primary duties include assisting library patrons with book and material selection, cataloging and processing library materials, and assisting visitors with the public computers and Internet access.
Michele previously served as an Account Specialist in the Parks & Recreation Department, before transferring to the Libraries Division in 2015, and was a long time Employee Council member serving as Secretary for the group for many years. Since then she has become very involved in programming activities and providing leadership to unique elements of the reading community – such as anime and music. She is passionate about reading and that is reflect in the outstanding effort she invests in every program.
According to Community Services Director Jeremy Sheppard, “Michele takes advantage of her personal passions of music and art to create new and successful programs at the Kent County Public Library. Michele is a thoughtful and dedicated long time employee of Kent County.”
Congratulations Michele on a job well done!
Kent County Employee Council selected and Kent County Levy Court has honored LARRY T. RIDDICK from the Department of Administration as the 2018 Employee of the Year!
Larry started with Kent County in June 2016 and serves as a Custodian in the Facilities Management Office. His primary duties include recycling collection and complex terrazzo floor maintenance in the Kent County Administrative Complex as well as weekend assignments at the Kent County Recreation Center.
Larry is a dedicated employee who earns high praise from supervisors for his personal commitment to maintain a clean and sanitary environment for visitors and fellow employees. Larry is a dependable employee who can be counted on to complete all assigned tasks in a safe manner and represent Kent County in the most positive way.
According to Facilities Director Dick MacDonald, “The work our custodians do is often underappreciated, but it is extremely important in maintaining a safe environment for everyone working in or using our facilities. Larry comes to work every day with a positive attitude and diligently performs his duties in a manner that generates good will from the public and visitors. He is well deserving of this recognition.”
Congratulations Larry!
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