2010 News

September 21, 2010

Bucks County Government Employee Recognition Day 2010
Commissioners, President Judge Present Awards for Excellence and Long-Term Service

During a sun-splashed, Sept. 21 midday ceremony on Broad St., adjacent to the Bucks County Courthouse, Commissioners Charley Martin, chairman, Jim Cawley, Esq. and Diane Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW, joined President Judge Susan D. Scott to celebrate the work of the county’s 2,600 employees over the last year. As hundreds of county workers filed through twin buffet lines featuring deli wraps, sandwiches, salads and cookies catered by nearby Lilly’s Gourmet of Doylestown, Chief Operating Officer Brian Hessenthaler greeted the assemblage for his first time as top county administrator.

“We have been blessed with great weather, hopefully, just as we will be six weeks from now in November,” Mr. Hessenthaler stated, adding that the reference was in hopes of another Phillies World Series championship parade. He thanked the employees for their efforts in a challenging economic climate, offering words of encouragement for the 2011 county budget process that is currently in motion.

The annual “Employee Recognition” event, during which Broad St. is blocked from vehicle traffic, doubled as a forum to present individual awards for county employees reaching 20-, 30- and 40-year service milestones. It also offered public recognition to the recipients of the Bucks County Government “Award for Excellence,” which is presented annually to a quartet of employees who have been nominated by their colleagues and selected by the commissioners and president judge for going “above and beyond” in their service to the 626,000 residents of Bucks County.

Chairman Martin expressed his appreciation to the county workforce for its ongoing patience in the face of multiple capital improvements, which include the rehabilitation of the Administration Building’s three elevators, the one-block walk from the new Judicial Complex Parking Garage to the Courthouse, and the demolition of the former Parking Garage. Groundbreaking for the new Judicial Complex will take place later this year.

The winners of this year’s Award for Excellence included Todd Neumann of 9-1-1 Emergency Communications, Laura Kuhn of Adult Probation and Parole, Beth Jacques of Children and Youth, and Margie McKevitt of the Planning Commission. Following is a brief synopsis of each winner’s unique qualities:

TODD NEUMANN – 9-1-1 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

One of the marks of a top-notch 9-1-1 Emergency Communications team member is versatility, the ability to adapt to any situation in an instant. Cool, calm under pressure, disciplined – each of these describe county Squad Coordinator Todd Neumann. At the county’s comprehensive 9-1-1 Center in Ivyland, Todd oversees the operations of a dispatch squad, ensuring that the center runs smoothly. He is charged with handling disciplinary matters at the first level, and he adds value to his role by co-managing the county’s emergency response vehicles to provide proper care and deployment for emergency situations. Todd also serves as one of two coordinators who oversee the daily maintenance and operation of two key emergency response vehicles – the CP800 and CP801. Todd recently stepped up when personnel movement left the center one coordinator short. He doubled his efforts and volunteered to manage two squads. He is currently working from 12 p.m.-12 a.m. to provide managerial support to supervisors and dispatchers working around the clock.

LAURA KUHN – ADULT PROBATION AND PAROLE

While delivering service excellence to colleagues and members of the public alike, Laura Kuhn personifies the description of the “go to” person in the Adult Probation and Parole Department. As secretary, she not only directs and routes telephone inquiries through appropriate channels along with her other clerical duties, but is also involved with the Community Service Program inputting results, into a mainframe, of a classification tool used by probation officers on all offenders. In the beginning of the year, Laura and a fellow secretary found out that one of their colleagues had a daughter with a serious, life threatening disease requiring a transplant. By soliciting local businesses for donations, Laura was able to construct dozens of magnificent baskets filled with products and gift certificates for services to be raffled off. The fundraiser was a spectacular success, raising thousands of dollars to pay for expenses associated with the surgery.  Through pure selflessness, Laura was able to bring much needed relief to a fellow colleague and her family.    

BETH JACQUES – CHILDREN & YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES

Beth Jacques of the Children & Youth Social Services department is an intake case worker who provides casework and counseling services, including protective and supportive services for abused or neglected children. In this confidential, challenging role, she has excelled as a team member while addressing the diverse needs of clients and their families. In Commissioner Marseglia’s words: “Beth’s proud father is here… as a parent yourself you know there is nothing more rewarding than seeing our children do well or be honored…so I know how happy your father is today. This truly is a big deal, as this is a county of over 2,400 employees…and once a year only 3-4 are given this honor. True it isn’t the Heisman Trophy or even an Academy Award , or even the Stanley Cup. But for those of us who serve the County it feels just as important. Thank you Beth…from the children and families you help, from your co-workers and from a grateful county.”

MARGIE MCKEVITT – PLANNING COMMISSION

Margie McKevitt of the Planning Commission has demonstrated time and time again that she is diversity and excellence in motion. Margie is an office supervisor who handles all of the administrative work associated with the Planning Commission as well as the Community Services division. Her additional assignment involves assisting the Planning Commission executive director in many capacities. When the commissioners convened the Bucks County Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB) during February, 2009, Margie immediately stepped up to become the contact point for all EDAB matters. She continued to show her true colors when the EDAB members decided to conduct a comprehensive survey of all Bucks County businesses: a monumental task considering there are 27,000 businesses in our county. Working tirelessly, Margie acquired mailing lists for county businesses; refined the lists to remove conflicts and duplications; helped to write the survey questions; arranged for printing and mailing; coordinated staff work for inputting the survey results; and prepared a clear, concise and attractive summary of nearly 3,000 survey results.

FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE 40- AND 30-YEAR SERVICE ANNIVERSARY AWARD RECIPIENTS:

40 years of service
Barry Ballow	Prothonotary
William E. Booth	Emergency Communications
30 years of service
Richard A. Worrell	911
Edward J. Chromiec, Jr.	Adult Probation
Wendy Ann Stewart	Board of Assessment
Catherine K. Johnston	Clerk of Courts
Alberta V. Craighead	Controller
Charles O. Marte, Jr.	Coroner
Susan J. Beckert	Courts
Cheryl Ann Masi	DC 07-1-02
Susan Pat Cliver	District Attorney
Linda C. Frederick George Rockafellow	Domestic Relations
Walter M. Johnson	Finance
Stephen F. Meehan	General Services
Nancy J. Petrosky	Health Dept.
Richard M. Notaro	Juvenile Probation
Carol A. Bamford	MH/MR
Arthur F. Breitinger	Planning
William M. Ragsdale	Public Defender
Maureen W. McIlvaine	Purchasing
John F. Wolper	Security
Marjorie Mayer	Sheriff
William R. Snyder	Treasurer
Karen Schill	Youth Center

 

The cost of the event was underwritten by corporate partners, including Lilly’s Gourmet, Independence Blue Cross, Wachovia, and Dell Computers.