Happy Holidays—Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Las Posadas, Diwali, New Year (Chinese and otherwise), and Merry Christmas! During this time of year, many of us are fortunate to take a few days off from work to spend with family and friends. However, for a number of City employees, work must go on regardless of the holiday. E-911 dispatchers, Fire-EMS personnel, Police Officers, and Deputies are but a few of the employees who are always on call. Should a traffic signal go out or inclement weather move in, a whole other group of dedicated workers are ready to respond to ensure we remain safe and the situation is addressed as rapidly as practical.
Preparations
Before the holidays begin, folks in Parks and Recreation, Facilities Management, and Transportation work alongside clerks and administrative assistants to ensure our facilities add to the spirit of all that is going on. Staff decorate the Municipal Building; identify and deliver a giant Christmas tree for downtown; decorate the Christmas tree and downtown light poles; and decorate the Fishburn Mansion for holiday tours. Library and Parks and Recreation workers facilitate Christmas programs at library branches and recreation centers. Transportation and Police employees coordinate street closures, traffic, and public safety personnel to ensure downtown events go smoothly. Staff are involved behind the scenes in many other events and celebrations as well, with the goal of making sure we all are safe and enjoy ourselves as much as possible.
After the Celebrations
After we and our families have gathered and continue to celebrate, sanitation workers move about the City gathering our recyclables, our solid waste, and even those Christmas trees and wreaths discarded at the curb. And, of course, as we head into the New Year it all has to be cleaned up and packed away. That’s where all these folks come into play again.
Thank You
So to all these City employees I say, thank you! And to everyone, enjoy your holidays and let’s all look forward to what the New Year will bring!
-- Bob Cowell