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From YouTube: Employee Recognition
Description
January 14, 2014
Asheville City Council Meeting
City Manager Gary Jackson recognizes City departments, teams and individuals for extraordinary accomplishments on both the state and national level.
A
B
I
want
to
thank
mayor
and
council
for
this
opportunity.
We
have
a
number
of
recognitions
and
awards
to
share
with
you
this
evening.
We've
stored
these
up
since
before
the
holidays,
so
it
we
have
a
lot
to
be
proud
of
and
a
lot
of
folks
to
recognize.
So
please
bear
with
me.
I
would
not
want
to
slight
these
folks
in
the
least,
but
no
no.
This
will
take
a
little
bit
of
time,
but
we're
here
tonight
to
recognize
departments,
teams
and
individuals
for
extraordinary
accomplishments.
B
B
First
of
all,
I
just
want
to
highlight
a
couple
of
recent
events,
and
I
will
not
call
on
individuals
to
be
recognized
for
these,
but
I
do
think
they're
worth
noting
here
for
for
you
and
the
community.
These
are
significant
public
safety
responses
to
extraordinary
events
in
the
last
last
couple
of
weeks.
B
As
you
know,
on
january
2nd,
the
asheville
police
department
responded
to
mack
street
following
reports
of
a
discharge
weapon
in
a
residential
property.
The
ensuing
standoff
in
which
the
armed
suspect
sought
refuge
in
his
apartment,
required
the
evacuation
of
nearby
neighbors,
the
involvement
of
asheville
police
department,
emergency
response
team
and
a
crisis
crisis
negotiation
team.
B
The
standoff
lasted
overnight,
as
temperatures
dropped
well
below
freezing
the
officer's
effort
was
bolstered
by
a
valuable
assistant
from
buncombe
county
sheriff's
office,
shout
out
for
their
their
participation
and
henderson
county
sheriff's
office,
who
came
at
two
in
the
morning.
I
believe
to
relieve
them
as
well.
B
These
teams
allowed
our
officers
to
take
breaks
during
nearly
a
24
hour
event
on
the
morning
of
january.
Third,
I'm
pleased
to
tell
you
that
the
standoff
was
resolved
without
any
injury
to
our
officers.
Buncombe
county
or
henderson
county's
officers
to
the
suspect
or
two
nearby
neighbors,
the
professionalism
and
ability
displayed
by
these
officers
and
our
police
department
is
commendable
and
our
community
is
safer
because
of
their
presence.
B
On
january
10th,
another
regional
incident,
a
gas
line
between
beneath
sandhill
road
in
the
inca
fire
district
ruptured
and
ignited
sending
flames
more
than
50
feet
in
the
area
and
rocking
the
area
for
miles
around
more
than
40
asheville
fire
department
personnel
responded
to
provide
mutual
aid
alongside
regional
apartments
by
mutual
aid.
I
mean
this
is
not
within
the
city.
We
are
assisting
other
departments,
primarily
the
inca
fire
department,
in
responding
the
fire
burned
on
for
just
under
two
hours.
B
The
incident
required
evacuation
of
nearby
buildings,
a
process
which
was
aided
by
the
participation
of
a
city
bus
to
evacuate
once
the
fire
was
extinguished,
city
of
asheville,
public
works
and
water
resources.
Crews,
in
coordination
with
north
carolina
department
of
transportation
came
in,
and
impact
dealt
with.
The
impacted
utilities
went
to
work
through
the
night
and
the
next
day
to
replace
the
section
of
the
damaged
line
sand.
Hill
road
was
open
traffic
by
sunday
night
and
available
for
monday
morning
commute
so
businesses
were
not
disrupted.
B
The
the
roadway
was
not
within
the
city
of
asheville
boundaries.
The
teams
on
hand
were
able
to
provide
the
best
and
the
quickest
response.
So
without
question,
without
needing
to
have
you
all
intervene,
we
stepped
forward
and
took
care
of
that
as
regional
partners.
So
I
would
like
to
commend
all
of
these
departments:
the
fire
department,
the
water
department,
public
works
police
who
all
responded
and
worked
through
the
weekend
to
make
that
happen.
B
B
The
department's
water
pipe
tapping
team
is
being
recognized
for
outstanding
work
during
the
93rd
annual
north
carolina
american
water
works
association,
the
women's
pipe
typing
team
called
the
copperheads,
put
it
up
a
time
two
hours
and
40
seconds.
This
was
the
national
award-winning
time.
Oh
just
20
seconds
off
the
national
award-winning
time,
so
we're
very
proud
of
their
accomplishments
and
salute
these
these
women
for
their
fine
work
and
showing
their
professional
confidence
among
their
peers.
B
Now
to
recognize
our
development
services
department,
as
you
know,
we've
downsized
the
development
services
department
from
over
70
personnel
to
just
over
50.
we've
streamlined
the
operation,
we're
now
automating
the
process
of
plans
and
permits,
and
we
have
a
responsibility
to
be
annually
rated
and
certified
in
the
state
and
the
combination
of
these
ratings
are
gathered
from
all
the
different
departments
throughout
the
state
and
the
average
of
those
ratings
are
what
drive
our
statewide
insurance
rates,
okay
and
so
annually.
B
So
this
process
goes
on
and
we
participate
in
it
and
we
could
get
a
score
from
one
to
ten.
The
average
in
the
norm
in
the
state
is
predominantly
four
to
five,
and
then
the
insurance
rates
are
based
upon
that.
Our
iso
rating
grade
was
a
two
and
we're
not
allowed
to
know
who
the
other
party
was
that
received
a
two,
but
we
know
we're
only
one
of
two
departments
that
have
the
rating
of
two
in
the
entire
state.
So
I'd
like
to
ask
all
of
our
building
code
officials
for
their
effectiveness.
B
B
B
On
november,
7th,
the
engineering
firm
of
cd
smith
and
the
city
of
asheville
received
an
honors
award
for
the
preliminary
design
of
the
river
arts
district
transportation
improvement
project.
You
will
be
hearing
more
about
this
project
later
today,
as
we
try
to
move
into
the
actual
final
engineering
design,
so
hats
off
to
cd
smith
and
our
staff,
who
work
directly
with
them.
B
This
is
the
wall
that
you
recognize
remember
failed
in
north
asheville,
in
a
store
in
the
albemarle
park,
historic
district
and
our
task
was
to
design
and
recreate
that
and
maintain
its
historic
character,
make
it
functional
and
safe,
and
it
was
truly
a
a
challenge
of
an
engineering
feat
to
accomplish
that.
I'd
like
to
call
forward
to
actually
formally
receive
the
award
which
was
granted
back
in
november.
B
C
Thank
you
mayor.
Vice
mayor
members,
council,
our
one
of
the
most
important
team
members
was
not
able
to
make
it
tonight.
Lee
morrison.
Our
construction
inspector
is
in
mississippi
doing
some
deer
hunting
so
but
great
team.
Here
we
had
good
good
team
with
our
consultants,
and
the
community
did
as
much
as
anybody
to
help
us
come
up
with
the
design
and
the
patience
that
they
showed
through
the
construction
was
admirable.
We
really
appreciate
that.
B
Believe
it
or
not,
asheville
is
a
silver
walk
friendly
community
and
that
did
not
happen
by
accident.
Asheville
was
recently
named
a
silver
walk,
friendly
community
by
the
pedestrian
bicycle
center
in
chapel
hill
asheville
is
one
of
44
walk
friendly
communities
in
the
nation
and
the
fourth
to
be
so
designated
in
north
carolina.
B
This
is
based
upon
the
engineering
education
and
it
and
investments
that
are
being
made
with
the
approval
and
direction
of
the
city
council
to
enhan,
and
they
enhance
our
pedestrian
facilities
in
the
community.
You're
well
aware
of
the
additional
lane
miles,
the
sidewalks
that
have
gone
in
and
the
safe
routes
to
schools,
connections
that
are
being
put
in
in
partnerships
with
the
north
carolina
department
of
transportation,
I'd
like
to
call
up
marsha
stickford
barb
me
sergeant
scott
pruitt
officer,
john
derrick,
scott
barnwell
and
alan
glines
to
take
this
plaque
for
me.
A
B
B
B
And
then,
on
november
12th
he
received
a
national
level
honors
recognition
for
meritorious
service.
This
award
is
given
to
distribution
of
operators
who
are
deserving
a
special
recognition,
special
performance
and
the
development
of
new
and
modified
equipment
or
significant
process.
Modifications
to
our
water,
maintenance,
division
and
so
steve
might
have
a
thing
to
say
as
well
and
thank
you.
D
D
I'd
call
in
the
middle
of
the
night.
Yes,
sir
I'll
get
right
on
it.
He's
he's
just
a
willing
employee,
very
knowledgeable,
of
our
system
he's
put
in
the
time
and
the
hours
he's
constantly
asking
questions.
What
can
I
do
better?
How
can
I
learn
to
do
this?
Better
he's
had
good
mentorship
and
good
training,
but
he's
taken
it
upon
himself
to
pursue
that
level
of
excellence
that
was
recognized
by
the
state
and
by
the
international
awa
organization.