2008 News

September 25, 2008

A Day to Say “Thank You”
Commissioners, President Judge Express Gratitude to Bucks County Work Force during Annual Employee Recognition Day Block Party

During a sun-drenched, Sept. 23 midday ceremony on Broad St., adjacent to the Bucks County Courthouse, Commissioners Jim Cawley, chairman, Charley Martin and Diane Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW, joined President Judge David Heckler to applaud the everyday efforts of the county’s 2,700 employees over the last year. As hundreds of attendees sifted through buffet lines featuring Italian, turkey and roast beef hoagies, Chief Operating Officer David Sanko greeted the throng with his own words of appreciation.

“Over the past year, you have continued to make enormous contributions to our public-service mission as we move forward together,” Sanko observed.  

The annual “Employee Recognition” event, for which the street is blocked from vehicle traffic, doubled as an opportunity to present individual awards for county employees reaching 20, 30 and 40-year service milestones. It also provides a forum to recognize winners of the Bucks County Government “Award for Excellence,” which is presented to a quartet of employees who have been nominated by their colleagues, screened by the Bucks Employees Saving Taxes (BEST) committee and approved by the commissioners and president judge.

“It has been a year of great accomplishment for the county,” Chairman Cawley noted. During his opening remarks, he detailed just a few of those recent milestones, including the opening of the county’s first centralized forensic facility in Ivyland; the distinction of becoming the first of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to commit to the Sierra Club’s “Cool Counties” initiative; approval from Doylestown Borough to proceed with the new parking garage, which is phase 1 of the Justice Center project; and continued fortification of the county’s fiscal base and bond rating.

During her first Employee Recognition Day speech, Commissioner Marseglia thanked the hundreds in attendance for their dedication and talent. She joined her colleagues in presenting the redesigned, circular 2008 Commissioners’ Special Edition tile to the anniversary honorees. The tile design was supervised by Commissioner Sandy Miller during 2007.

Commissioner Martin added his gratitude, noting, “We’re truly proud of our work force.” He also highlighted the 32 nominees for the 2008 Award for Excellence, who “were singled out by their peers for exemplary job service.”

The winners of this year’s Award for Excellence included Sherry Bird, formerly of the Area Agency on Aging, Charles T. Golder of the Sheriff’s Department, Barbara McDonagh of District Court 07-3-02, and Eileen McLaughlin of the Health Department. Following is a brief synopsis of each winner’s unique qualities:

SHERRY BIRD – AREA AGENCY ON AGING (AAA)

Mrs. Bird, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and passed away earlier this year, received the award posthumously. Commissioner Marseglia presented her plaque to members of the Bird family. On her nomination form, she was lauded by a co-worker for “showing all of us at the AAA that someone who is fighting a terminal disease can still be a valued member of the work force. She showed me that work and the people who we work with can be a healing support. I don’t think anyone will ever inspire me as much as she did.”

EILEEN MCLAUGHLIN – HEALTH DEPARTMENT

A vital member of the Health Department staff at the Levittown office, Eileen in an instrumental part of the Immunization Program and a key to the efficient manner in which clinics are run. In addition to her county position, she is an active volunteer within the community. She has served as president of the Penndel-Middletown Rescue Squad. In her nomination, a fellow employee praised her willingness to “always ready to lend a helping hand to every employee in the Levittown Government Services Center. All of the positive things written by her supervisor would be considered true by every employee in this building.”

BARBARA MCDONAGH – DISTRICT COURT 07-3-02

Barbara has worked as a court clerk administrator for Judge Schnell’s court (now in Warwick Twp.) for almost 20 years. In anticipation of opening their new court last year, she helped to smooth the transition by preparing the new facility. According to one nominator, “Barbara’s fine leadership qualities are what make our very busy court run smoothly. She works extremely hard with her administrative duties, but is always available and ready to answer our questions or join in to alleviate any heavy workload. She is a truly outstanding employee.”

DEPUTY CHUCK GOLDER – SHERIFF’S OFFICE

While traveling on an assignment in Lycoming County, traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Deputy Golder and his partner came across a tractor trailer accident. The truck had driven off the road, sliding 50 feet down a hillside, landing on its roof. Deputy Golder jumped down the steep bank, making his way to the crushed cab to extricate the driver. He waited with the truck driver, whose leg was broken, until medical help arrived. Because the truck had been loaded with green paint, which was leaking profusely, Deputy Golder also was covered with green paint.

FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE SERVICE ANNIVERSARY AWARD RECIPIENTS:

40 YEAR AWARDEES
District Attorney STEPHEN HARRIS	Health Dept. ANDREW SCHAFER
MH/MR LINDA GEHMAN
30 YEAR AWARDEES
Controller CONNIE DOW	Corrections STEVEN MARTIN KEVIN WAGNER
Courts JOANNE MILEY	Domestic Relations ELAINE HOGAN
Health Dept. KAY SCHULBERGER	Juvenile Probation STOREY GRIBBEN
Prothonotary DEBORAH SCHIESSER	Public Works LINDA FITZPATTRICK JERRY RYAN EDWARD SCHIESSER
Stenographers PAMELA LANZENDORFER	Voter Registration/Board of Elections DEENA DEAN
20 YEAR AWARDEES
9-1-1 Emergency PETER FERENCE SCOTT HOAGLAND KATHLEEN KOSZAREK STEPHEN REICHMAN	Adult Probation JEAN SCISS KATHLEEN SNYDER
Board of Assessment EDWARD RUDOLPH                                     ANNA SIMONS                                             CATHERINE WISNIEWSKI	Children & Youth JODI HERTZBERG ANDREA MATSKO SHERRY ORR
Clerk of Courts KATHLEEN FORESMAN	Consumer Protection STEVEN REILLY
Crime Lab                                 CAROL SENDECKI	Corrections JORGE ECHEVARRIA SIDNEI GALEV CHRISTOPHER KUCHEFSK ERIK OESCHGER RUSSELL PHILLIPS
District Attorney KATHRYN FINCH
DC 07-1-12                                        DIANE MCGROGAN
Fire Marshal                                                 NICK RAFFERTY	Haz-Mat Emergency Response RAYMOND HACKMAN
Health Dept. ERIC BROSIUS                          JOANNE FINKELSTON SHELLEY LEWIS                                            CYNTHIA SMARSH	MR/MR DAWN LEE SEADER         JOYCE SHUG
	Neshaminy Manor CYNTHIA MEISTER
Parks & Recreation                              KIRSTEN BECKER                      THOMAS BOOZ VANCE KOEHLER	Planning Commission DAVID JOHNSON DAVID ZIPF
Prothonotary                                         JANICE NAST PATRICIA ZIMMERMAN	Public Defender BRADLEY BASTEDO ANN FAUST CHRISTINA KING
Public Safety Training               DALE RUBY	Public Works RICHARD FURST SENG OWK JAMES WEBER JR.
Recorder of Deeds MARTIN KING
Register of Wills                                              JAMES McCULLEN JR.	Security EDGAR SNEDEKER JOSEPH WIDHSON
Sheriff’s Office RUTH BURGESS     MICHELLE JAMES                                        DENISE HARTZELL	Voter Registration GAIL MARLOW

 

The cost of the event was underwritten by corporate partners, including Chambers 19 Restaurant, Independence Blue Cross, PNC Bank, Waste Management, Dell Computers and Sodexho.