We recognize our employees twice each year. Once in the fall and once in the spring. In both ceremonies, we recognize employees who have achieved certain thresholds of service such as 5, 10, 15, 20, etc years as City employees.
But in the spring we also recognize employees for achievements in customer service, teamwork, community service and for their demonstration of our "performance partnership" values: customer service, flexibility, initiative, results orientation, teamwork – which we call the City Manager Quality Awards.
The photo shows our 2006 EPy award winners. Front Row L-R: Sgt. Carter Staff – Police Department, winner of the 2006 Dr. Jean L. Harris Award for Community Service in Eden Prairie; Ikram Ibrahim – Community Center Reception/Customer Service, winner of the 2006 Carl J. Jullie Award for Customer Service; and Kitty Port, City Clerk – winner of the 2006 James J. Clark Award for Teamwork.
Back Row L-R: Scott Heddle, IT Technician; winner of the 2006 Dr. Jean L. Harris Award for Community Service in an employee's home community (in this case, it's Richfield); Mark Vandenberghe, Fire Department, winner of one of the 2006 City Manager Quality Awards; and Steve Pitkanen, Water Plant, winner of a 2006 City Manager Quality award. Not pictured: Tom Tesch, Street Division Manager, winner of a 2006 City Manager Quality Award.
These awards are given based on nominations from employees. That's how youmake the list. Once you make the list, the Department Directors and I make the final decisions. It was exceptionally tough this year. We had a number of very deserving nominations. Our winners this year were some of our top performers. It was a true pleasure to recognize them for their work.
