City of Porterville
April 2022 Employee of the Month
Yuliana Andrade
Administration Department

City of Porterville
April 2022 Employee of the Month
Luisa Zavala
Community Development Department

Luisa Zavala began her career with the City in February 2008, as a Deputy City Clerk and as of May 2019, she joined the Community Development Department where she promoted to Administrative Analyst.

In her new role, Luisa has been focusing on securing grants for the City of Porterville. She has demonstrated great articulation, research skills and collaboration with other partners and agencies to write successful grant applications. The first was for $400,000 for First time homebuyer down payment assistance program, which will assist low-income families in purchasing their new home. The second was for an Active Transportation Program (ATP) Grant, to be used for improving pathways for bicyclists and pedestrians. The award received was for $7.1 M., one of the largest grants to be received by the City which will be called “The Butterfield Stage Corridor Project” and will consist of the development of a transportation corridor for non-motorized users that utilizes former Union Pacific Railroad right of way between College Avenue to the south and W North Grand Avenue to the north.  The corridor will consist of a Class 1 multi-use path that includes many amenities for user comfort and safety, and will improve mobility and access to park and open space. Most recently Luisa was successful in writing a $3.7 M., Clean California Grant to improve the Santa Fe Byway of the Rails to Trails project between Henderson Ave. and Walnut Ave.

When she is not serving the City of Porterville, Luisa enjoys watching movies and playing board games with her husband, Mike, her son Alexander, family, and friends.  She has an impressive collection of succulents and also recently has tried her hand in houseplants. 

Through the years, Luisa has achieved several awards and certificates. Among them include: Employee of Month in 2010, 2014, and 2015, a Certified Municipal Clerk Certificate and the most important one a “Best Mom Ever” card from her son Alexander.

Her 2022 goals are to continue to secure more grant funds for the City, read more and laugh often.

City of Porterville
April 2022 Employee of the Month
Sarah Weaver
Engineering & Project Management Department

Sarah began her employment with the City of Porterville in December 2004 as a Clerical Assistant II, accepting, processing, monitoring, and issuing building permits. She was an integral part of the Building Division with knowledge in permitting for all types of construction and assisting with the permitting software upgrades.

Since being hired, Sarah earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus in Project management while working full-time for the City and as her knowledge, level of work, and responsibility has increased she has promoted multiple times in the department. Sarah is currently an administrative Project Manager and is responsible for federal and state aide documentation and reimbursements, tracking of spending on projects, assisting with project bid preparation and notices, legal notices for both the Building & Engineering Divisions, assisting with grant applications, required reporting, project labor compliance, assisting other departments with project delivery, assisting with delivery of public works related project, and the delivery of building related projects.

Assignments where Sarah was instrumental to their success include the East Porterville Water Project, the Measure I Sales Tax Campaign where her work was described as “impeccable” by former Police Chief Eric Kroutil, multiple projects relating to the tragic library fire including the demolition of the damaged structure and the smoke and soot damage rehabilitation of City Hall and Fire Station 71, the Temporary Library Project, the Well 35 Project, as well as many other projects currently in the works.

Sarah is married to Shannon and they are proud to share that their daughter, Irelynn, is currently working through her undergrad studies with the goal of becoming a psychologist focusing on PTSD. We are proud of all of Sarah’s accomplishments over the years and are lucky to have her. She is a key resource in helping the department accomplish all that it does.

City of Porterville
April 2022 Employee of the Month
Gabby Cruz
Finance Department

For the month of April 2022, we are honoring GABRIELA CRUZ as the City of Porterville’s employee of the month representing the Finance Department.  Gabby, as we call her, joined the Finance Team as an Account Clerk I in February of 2007.  She started at the front counter with cash collections helping our customers in processing their transactions.  She showed excellent customer service, always professional and polite to everybody.  It became quickly apparent that Gabby is one of our more dedicated staff with excellent work habits and a great attitude.  Within a few months’ time, Gabby was promoted to an Account Clerk II and was assigned to be the chief accounts receivable clerk.  She quickly learned and mastered the Accounts Receivable module and the billing process.  In this position, she was responsible for the collection of several thousand dollars in past-due accounts. 

In July of 2013, Gabby was promoted to an Administrative Aide and took over the comprehensive payroll responsibilities.  In September 2019, she was promoted to a Payroll - Accountant I.  Twice each month, Gabby processes over 500 timesheets and provides for accurate and timely payments to City employees. Besides administering pay transactions, Gabby is responsible for maintaining and updating the employee files including each employees’ pay rates, the numerous benefits and deduction codes, leave usage and balances, and payroll taxes.  She prepares several reports as required by different state and federal agencies.  Gabby has a great work ethic, well organized and always dependable. She exudes a positive attitude and a willingness to help others at all times.

Gabby is married to Ruben.  They moved to Porterville from the LA area in 2002.  They have 2 children, Ruben Jr. and Jasmine.  Gabby likes to cook and bake and try new things.  She specially loves spending time with her family, traveling and visiting different places.  

City of Porterville
April 2022 Employee of the Month

City of Porterville
April 2022 Employee of the Month
Tristan Cardoza
Parks & Leisure Department

Tristan Cardoza was employed by the City of Porterville as a Parks Maintenance Worker I for the Police Department in January 2001.  Tristan was promoted to Parks and Leisure Services Maintenance Worker II in 2005 where he worked at the Heritage Center maintaining the interior and exterior of the facility.  After eight years of service there, he transferred to the golf course where he currently works. In addition to grounds maintenance at the golf course, some of Tristan’s other duties include city facility building maintenance, and he is the lead maintenance person for the City’s pool. Tristan has obtained his Certified Pool Operator license. He also built the frames that the Wall of Fame photos are displayed in.

Tristan thoroughly enjoys problem solving while working alongside his co-workers. His goal is to promote to a Supervisor and then Superintendent. Tristan has been married to his wife, Courtney, for 18 years. They have two daughters, Aubrie (16) and Hayden (12). When Tristan isn’t at work, he spends time coaching Porterville High School Varsity Boys Water Polo. He is also the head coach for the Porterville Hurricanes Swim Club. In addition, he has obtained his USA Swimming Official Credential. His hobbies include fly fishing, taking his Jeep on unpaved roads, and being an unpaid UBER driver for his daughter’s.

Tristan would like to thank the City of Porterville for providing an opportunity to learn, grow and raise a family.

City of Porterville
April 2022 Employee of the Month
Justin Ellistad
Police Department

Officer Justin Ellestad started with the Porterville Police Department in October of 2016. Officer Ellestad was selected as a K9 handler in March of 2019, a Field Training Officer (FTO) in April of 2020, a member of the Neighborhood Crime Suppression Unit (NCSU) in July of 2020. He is also a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team.

As a K9 handler, Officer Ellestad has been able to improve his understanding of applicable case law and has frequently demonstrated solid decision making skills when deploying, or choosing not to deploy, his K9 partner. As an FTO, Ellestad is looked to as a trainer and mentor to newer officers.

While assigned to NCSU, Officer Ellestad was instrumental in helping to make numerous significant arrests involving recovered stolen vehicles, illegal firearms possession, and sizable amounts of illegal drugs. During this assignment, Officer Ellestad made it a point to improve his investigative skills and on his own learned to write complex search warrants, utilize social media as an effective investigative tool, put together and execute tactical and investigative operations, and effectively use confidential informants to obtain important investigative leads.

Officer Ellestad has a 3 year old daughter and enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors. Officer Ellestad previously worked from 2008-2011 in the Alaska commercial fishing industry where he spent 6-9 months each year on the water in fishing boats.

City of Porterville
April 2022 Employee of the Month
Rowena Jose
Public Works Department

Rowena began her career with the City of Porterville on June 20, 2005 as a clerical assistant and has promoted her way up to her current position of Administrative Aide in the Field Services Division of the Public Works Department. 

Rowena has proven to be an exemplary employee by exhibiting many characteristics and qualities that are an asset to the department. She is a dependable, strong, and self-motivated employee who reports to work early and stays till the job gets done.  She gives careful attention to detail and always shows consistent effort and interest in her assigned tasks. Rowena is always courteous, very adaptable and constantly has a positive attitude. She is a team player and shows her dedication by selflessly giving her time and putting forth her extra efforts to the department.  Her years of experience with the City is instrumental in assuring positive customer relations and leadership in the office. 

Rowena graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.  She has been married to her husband, Chris, for 19 years and is a Youth Leader at the First Southern Baptist Church in Earlimart and considers the church youth to be her kids.  She is also currently working with other churches in a community outreach effort to help the youth in the Delano and Earlimart area.

City of Porterville
May 2022 Employee of the Month
Officer Jasmine Scott
Police Department

Officer Jasmine Scott started with the Porterville Police Department in November of 2020. Officer Scott has been assigned to the Patrol Division, where her supervisors and coworkers quickly came to recognize her as a team-player who consistently offered her assistance to fellow officers. Officer Scott would often respond to fellow officers’ calls to offer her assistance, whether completing necessary forms or help with another portion of the investigation.

Officer Scott is eager to learn and often asks pertinent questions for the sake of improving her knowledge and applying it in the field. Officer Scott is always professional when speaking with victims, witnesses, and suspects. Her calm attitude and professional demeanor make her approachable and someone with whom people feel comfortable speaking.

In August 2021, Officer Scott and members of her patrol team received an Exceptional Performance Award for their role in investigating a crime spree by suspects who committed a carjacking, discharged a firearm at a house, and fled from the scene of a traffic collision within a short span of time in different areas of the city. Officer Scott was a part of the patrol team that conducted the initial investigation, and during subsequent efforts by patrol officers and detectives, all suspects were apprehended.

In October 2021, Officer Scott was assigned as a School Resource Officer and she has continued to excel in that role. The following are examples of Officer Scott’s work as a School Resource Officer:

In December 2021, Officer Scott received an Exceptional Performance Award for her handling of a call at a local elementary school. This call for service involved two 6^th grade students who threatened to bring guns and ammunition to the school. The Principal was impressed by Officer Scott’s courtesy, professionalism, and thoroughness during the investigation. Officer Scott was described as kind and respectful to all parties who were involved, but also firm with the juveniles.

In January 2022, Officer Scott received an Exceptional Performance Award for her involvement in an investigation of a student who had brought a gun onto the campus of a local high school. Officer Scott was off-duty when she received information regarding a circulating social media post that depicted a male holding a firearm in what appeared to be a school classroom. Even though she was off-duty, Officer Scott began contacting school staff and was able to determine that the incident occurred in a classroom at a local high school. Officer Scott relayed the information to on-duty Patrol Officers, who recognized the severity of the situation, and immediately began to investigate.

Officers were able to locate and arrest the juvenile who was responsible, as well as seize the gun itself. Officer Scott was an instrumental part of the team which was able to identify the juvenile who brought the gun to school and prevent what could have been an imminent threat to the safety of staff and students had the juvenile brought the gun onto campus again.

Although Officer Scott is a newer Officer, she has taken initiative with every assignment and has exhibited dedication in her performance as a Police Officer. Officer Scott’s efforts and professional demeanor reflect positively on the Porterville Police Department. For these reasons, we are proud to congratulate her as our City Employee of the Month!

City of Porterville
Employee of the Month
June 2022
Fernando Gabriel-Moraga
Administration Department


Fernando began his career with the City in July 2010, when he accepted a part-time position as a Recreation Leader I with the Parks & Leisure Services Department.  Fernando continued to work in the after school programs through 2017, promoting to Recreation Leader III and taking on additional duties at the City’s Youth Day Camps in the summer, and helping at other school sites in the after school Y.E.S. and R.A.P. Programs.  In July of 2017, he began working part-time in the Administrative Services Department, assisting staff in the Human Resources Division.  Fernando excelled in this position, and in September of 2017, he accepted a full-time position of Clerical I in the HR Division of Administrative Services.  Seeking to advance in his career, Fernando promoted to the position of Deputy City Clerk in May 2019.

Fernando’s noteworthy organizational skills, his keen attention to detail, and his advanced knowledge and appreciation of technology have allowed him to thrive in the Deputy City Clerk position.  With the rapidly evolving challenges the COVID-19 pandemic brought to public agencies, Fernando consistently rose to the occasion in overcoming any technical challenges that presented themselves.  He successfully and creatively found ways to allow for the Council to hold virtual meetings to allow the business of the City to continue in a transparent and inclusive manner. 

Fernando handles a variety of clerk functions including but not limited to agenda processing, drafting minutes, processing liability claims, monitoring compliance with the Fair Political Practices Commission filings, and facilitating responses to public records requests.   Fernando professionally and adeptly handles tasks assigned to him, and he is a valued asset to not only Administration, but to the City as a whole. 

Fernando is married to Celine, and the couple just celebrated their one year anniversary.  When not at work, Fernando enjoys working on home projects at his new house, traveling, smoking meats, and going to concerts.

Congratulations Fernando!

City of Porterville
Employee of the Month
September 2022
Jesus Gallardo
Police Department

Officer Jesus Gallardo grew up in the San Fernando Valley and at the age of 14 his family moved to the community of Terra Bella.  Jesus attended Porterville High School and graduated in 1992. 

In 1994, Jesus enlisted in the Army National Guard. Jesus served in the Army. During his military service, Jesus was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant.  During his enlistment he was deployed to Egypt, Kosovo and Ukraine.  Jesus retired from the Army National Guard in 2019 with 25 years of service.

In 2014, Jesus earned his Bachelors of Science in Business Management through the University of Phoenix. In 2015, Jesus graduated from the College of the Sequoias, Tulare-Kings Police Academy. While in the academy, he served as a squad leader and received the top firearms shooter award.

Upon graduation from the police academy, Jesus joined the Porterville Police Department. During his 8 years with the Porterville Police Department, Jesus has worked several assignments, to include Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer and Detective with the General Investigations Unit.   Jesus is currently assigned to the Professional Standards and Training Unit, as is the Police Department Training Coordinator. Jesus coordinates training for all sworn and civilian personnel within the department. Jesus has additional responsibilities which include testing of evidence firearms for court proceedings, expert court testimony on firearms identification, Lead Range Master and SWAT Operator where he serves as one of the SWAT Team Leaders.

Jesus’ hobbies include competitive shooting and firearms training.  In 2013, Jesus and his brother Adolfo opened Gallardo Firearms Training, where they provide firearms safety classes and firearms training.  Jesus enjoys sharing his firearm knowledge and helping others who wish to improve their firearms safety and shooting skills. 

Jesus is married to his wife Jimena Gallardo and they have three children, Emilio, Diego, and Sofia and they all reside in the City of Porterville.  Jesus also enjoys spending time with his family and traveling to various comic book and Anime conventions.

 

City of Porterville
October 2022 Employee of the Month
Rocio Mejia
Community Development Department

City of Porterville
November 2022 Employee of the Month      
Austin Gonzalez
Fire Department

Firefighter Austin Gonzalez began his career with the Porterville Fire Department in June 2020. In June of 2021, Austin completed his probationary year and started his task book to become an acting engineer.

Over the last six months, Austin has been instrumental in assisting the training division with standardizing the recruit academy lesson plans and testing process. He has put in countless hours working with the instruction cadre in developing a uniform product. Austin is also a member of the Department’s forcible entry cadre, where he teaches fire department members the latest studies and practices of forcible entry. Recently, he was selected to be a member of the department’s Public Information Officer Team, where he assists in coordinating events, disseminating information through our social media platforms, and providing the public with valuable information.

Additionally, over the past year, Austin, along with other firefighters, rescued two members of the community from residential structure fires. The first incident occurred in December 2021. During the rescue efforts, the male victim was successfully removed without injury. Unfortunately, Austin sustained a major knee injury that required surgery and extensive rehabilitation. The second victim rescue occurred only a few months after Austin returned to duty from his injury. Upon their arrival, fire department members found a residential home with a large amount of fire on the second floor and a female victim hanging from a second-story window. Austin and other members of the department quickly removed the victim from the second-story window and extinguished the fire.

Austin’s favorite part of the job is knowing that he is fulfilling a family tradition in the fire service like his father, brother, uncle, and cousin. He is married to his wife Jordyn and has three boys Dax, Silas, and Titus. In his spare time, Austin enjoys spending family time, riding his dirt bike, and Jiu-jitsu.

 

City of Porterville
Employee of the Month
December 2022
Karina Galindo
Parks & Leisure/Library

Karina Galindo began her service with the City of Porterville in February 2017 as a part-time Aide in the Library Division of the Parks and Leisure Services Department.  Karina was promoted to a full time Library Assistant in July 2019.

Karina is a valued member of the library division and can be counted on to be calm and respectful in all interactions with her co-workers and library patrons. Karina has had a long work history planning, coordinating, and running multiple events for the City Library which include Día de Los Niños, Read Across America, Teen Read Week, Banned Book Week, Summer Reading, and the list goes on. Currently, Karina manages the social media platforms for the library; she is developing our early learning center at the temporary library; as well as getting our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program reignited. Karina is the ultimate team player who takes on new challenges with a positive attitude and can easily overcome any obstacles.

Karina is engaged to her fiancé Mark and they share a son named Mars who is 19 months old. Karina, Mark, and Mars just settled into their new home a few months ago and are enjoying decorating it for the holidays. However, let it be noted that Karina’s favorite holiday is Halloween! In her spare time Karina enjoys spending time with family and friends, and taking Mars on as many new adventures as possible.

City of Porterville
January 2020 Employee of the Month
Araceli Cerda
Finance Department

For the month of January, we are pleased to honor Araceli Cerda as the City of Porterville’s employee of the month.  Araceli joined the Finance Team as an Account Clerk I in June of 2013. She is being recognized for her consistent dedication, positive attitude and outstanding work ethic.

Araceli started at the front counter with cash collections helping our customers in processing their utility billing transactions and setting up new utility service accounts.  She displayed excellent customer service, always professional and her energy and enthusiasm for learning was quickly apparent.   In June 2014, Araceli was promoted to an Account Clerk II. She was assigned to the Accounts Receivable division and quickly learned and mastered the Accounts Receivable module and billing process. In this position she was responsible for setting up new accounts, monthly billing, and the collection of several thousand dollars in past-due accounts.

Araceli obtained her California Notary License in June 2016 which has been an asset to the City.  She is a team player and always willing to help out wherever we have a need. During the East Porterville ESA sign up events, Araceli, helped after regular work hours to notarize documents and assist the public with translation services and on occasion translates City documents for other departments.

In April 2018, Araceli was promoted to Utility Billing Supervisor and has shown excellent management skills.  She is effective at responding to customer questions and complaints and resolving issues while maintaining a professional demeanor. With her positive attitude, exemplary work ethic, and trustworthiness, Araceli is truly one of our most valued employees. 

Araceli is married to Manny. They have 2 boys, Alex who is 16, and Nico who is 12, and two daughters, Nelinha who is 5, and Emma who is 7 months.  Araceli is very much involved with her children and you can often find her cheering them on at sporting events and extra-curricular activities. In her spare time she enjoys shopping, reading, and loves spending quality time with her family.

Araceli’s favorite part of working for the City is the teamwork environment and her fellow coworkers. Araceli is one of our more dedicated staff with excellent work habits and has a great attitude. Thank you, Araceli, for your hard work and congratulations for being chosen as the employee of the month for January 2020!

City of Porterville
February 2020 Employee of the Month
Rudie Aguilar
Fire Department

City of Porterville
December 2016 Employee of the Month
Phil Henry
 Public Works Department

Philip Henry has been employed with the City  Of Porterville Public Works Department since May 2014. Philip is the Chief Building Inspector for the Building Division. He is responsible for managing building, permit issuance and building inspections within the City’s jurisdiction.

Philip currently serves as Board member/Treasurer for the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of the International Code Council. He also is an adjunct professor at College of the Sequoias where he teaches building code classes.

Philip has been happily married to Irene for twenty-three years, and has three children, Mikey, 14; Morgan, 5; and Madeline who will be three on Christmas Day.
Philip enjoys spending time with his family and working on his 1953 GMC Pick-up. He enjoys serving the citizens of Porterville with a dedicated staff and being a part of this great community.

It is with great pleasure that we announce Philip has passed his final exam for CASp certification. This is a difficult feat. On average, only 20% of those individuals taking the 2-part test, pass.

We are lucky to have Philip on our team.

City of Porterville
November 2016 Employee of the Month
Vince Madrigal
 Parks & Leisure Department

Vince Madrigal was employed by the City of Porterville as a part-time Parks Maintenance Worker Aide for the Parks and Leisure Services Department in June 2012.  Vince worked his way up to become a full-time Parks Maintenance Worker I on October 2015.

Vince is responsible for the maintenance of many City buildings including the Heritage Center, Library, Corporation Yard and City Hall to name a few.  Vince always displays a great attitude and is a true team player when it comes to helping his co-workers.  It is his attitude work ethic that will enable him to continue to climb up the Parks Division ladder in the years to come.

Vince has been married to Mireya for 12 years and has two children, Alex age 20 and Valerie age 11.  His hobbies include camping and riding quads with his family and friends.

Vince states that what he enjoys most about his job is serving the community and working with great co-workers.

City of Porterville
October 2016 Employee of the Month
Clyde Loflin
 Public Works Department

Clyde Loflin began his service with the City of Porterville in May of 2007 working for the Water Department in the Field Services division as a Field Service Worker I. He was promoted to Water Utility Worker I in November of 2009. Clyde has attained several certificates and licenses over the past years. He currently has a Class B Commercial License, a D1 Water License, Water Safety Certificates, and is in the process of attaining his D2 Water License.

His job duties include addressing the public with water related issues, connecting new homes to the City water system, as well as repairing leaks in the City’s water distribution system. According to Clyde, the most enjoyable part of his job is establishing relationships with the public and his fellow co-workers.

Clyde has been married to Nicole Loflin for 16 years and has 2 kids, Cloey and Cole, ages 14 and 11. He is very supportive of his kids and enjoys watching his daughter play volleyball and his son play football. Clyde is an NRA member and in his spare time, enjoys hunting, fishing, and barbequing.

City of Porterville
August 2016 Employee of the Month
Erik Martinez
 Police Department

Officer-In-Charge Erik Martinez has worked with the Porterville Police Department for almost ten years.  Erik was born in Tulare, California and after graduating from high school he joined the United States Army.  While in the Army, he was a distinguished honor graduate of the Air Assault School and later served at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Camp Sears, Korea.

In 2005, Erik attended the Tulare/Kings County Police Academy. Erik graduated from the police academy and was hired by Tulare Police Department as a Community Service Officer.  After working for about twelve months at Tulare Police Department, Erik was hired with the Porterville Police Department as a Police Officer.

During his employment with the Porterville Police Department Erik has worked a variety of assignments which include: Uniformed Patrol, Field Training Officer Unit, Traffic Unit, Special Weapons and Tactics Team, Neighborhood Crime Suppression Unit, Narcotics Unit, General Investigations Unit, and was recently assigned as an Officer-In-Charge for the Patrol Division.

Erik has shown skill in identifying criminal problems within the city and then developing a plan to solve the problem.  Erik is a gang and narcotic expert which has led to many successful felony convictions. Erik has been instrumental in assisting in gang related homicides, narcotic investigations and other types of violent crimes, which have led to convictions.

Erik continues to demonstrate his capability in supervising many different complex investigations and is also an assistant supervisor to the department’s Major Accident Investigations Team.  Erik continually seeks out ways to improve his abilities not only as an officer, but as a supervisor.   Not very many people know this, but Erik is also fluent in Sign language, which has been instrumental in the investigation and prosecution of several criminal cases.

Erik has two wonderful children, Erika Jaiden Martinez, age 9; Erik Martinez Jr. age 5; both of whom reside with him in the City of Tulare.

City of Porterville
July 2016 Employee of the Month
Sarah Cardoza
Administrative Services Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have chosen Sarah Cardoza as the Employee of the Month for July 2016.  Sarah works as an Administrative Analyst in the Human Resources Division of Administrative Services.  She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services/Business Management, and holds the designation of Certified Labor Relations Professional by the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association.

As an HR Administrative Analyst, Sarah is responsible for the daily administration of employee health and retirement benefits.  This includes assisting in the evaluation of contracts, renewals, and plan revisions; coordinating dissemination of plan information; overseeing claims administration; and keeping apprised of changes in applicable state and federal law, in particular the Affordable Care Act.  Sarah also assists in the collective bargaining process with four of the six employee associations, and is the go-to person for compiling and analyzing data.    If that wasn’t enough to keep Sarah busy, she also assists with managing employee leave, developing and conducting supervisor training sessions, and conducting administrative investigations.  Sarah is a consummate professional who is passionate about her job.  Time and time again she tackles the most challenging assignments and executes them with proficiency and professionalism.  She is a tremendous asset to her Department, not to mention the City.

Sarah and her husband Darin have two beautiful daughters, nine-year-old Sophia, and five-year-old Makayla.  When she is not serving the City of Porterville, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, hosting summer BBQs, and vacuuming her house with her coveted Rainbow vacuum to keep it spotless.  Yes, vacuuming!   When asked to describe her favorite aspect of her job, Sarah says that she loves that her job requires her to be a lifelong learner, as she is required to stay on top of ever-changing labor laws.  She is also appreciative of the City, and the relationships she has established with her co-workers.

The City of Porterville is fortunate to have an employee like Sarah.  Please join me in congratulating the July 2016 Employee of the Month, Sarah Cardoza!

City of Porterville
June 2016 Employee of the Month
Debbie Salter
City Manager's Office

Debbie has been selected by the directors of the City of Porterville as the June 2016 Employee of the Month. Debbie was pleased to begin working for the City in 1999 and has been happy and proud to be a member of the City of Porterville team. She began her career with the City of Porterville working in the Finance Department as the assistant to the Purchasing Agent. In 2000, she transferred to the Police Department, assigned to the Patrol Division. Debbie had a first-hand view of the challenging lives of police officers and admires and strongly appreciates the work they do for our community.

Debbie accepted the position of Secretary to the City Manager in September 2007. This position provided her with an opportunity to further expand her knowledge of complex City and municipal government functions and work more closely with the public.

Debbie is now on the threshold of beginning a new adventure – retirement. She hopes to have time to connect to her “artistic side.”  And she will, no doubt, volunteer at an animal shelter or a rescue because everyone who interacts with her knows she is passionate about improving the lives of animals. She also looks forward to spending more time on long walks with her own furry girls.

Her goal is to also spend more quality time with her “ohana” – her family. Debbie is married to Steve, has a son, Larry (and daughter-in-law, Annette) and a daughter, Missy (and son-in-law, Joe).

City of Porterville
May 2016 Employee of the Month
Jason Biagio
Community Development Department

Jason Biagio began his employment with the City of Porterville in October 2008 as an Assistant Engineer in the Public Works Department. He served in that role until February 2013 when he was promoted to an Administrative Analyst II, leading the Geographic Information System Division for the Community Development Department.

Jason’s current job duties involve design, implementation, and management of City of Porterville’s GIS, analyzing and generating spatial data for every department of the City. By way of specific examples, Jason maintains the City’s Dispatch (Emergency 911) system’s geographical data; assists the Transit Division with GIS data, graphic design, and schematic design of new facilities; assists the Economic Development Division with his graphic design skills, developing marketing materials. He also generates maps for City Council agenda items and exhibits for public education. Jason developed the new webpages for the Transit Division and the Economic Development Division’s “ChoosePorterville” website. Jason is the go-to person for all spatial data queries, and is a valued asset in the Community Development Department.

Jason also serves as an advisory board member for Porterville Unified School District’s Environmental Sciences Academy at Monache High School.

He is very proud of his Italian heritage, and the Department enjoys occasions when he will prepare and share delicious homemade treats such as pesto and lasagna. He received a full-ride scholarship to play soccer at Pacific Union College. Today he shares his skills and love for that sport by giving back to the community, coaching youth soccer.

In his spare time, Jason and his lovely wife, Shauna, are enjoying the overwhelming challenges of renovating their “new” 110 year old home and keeping up with their beautifully blended family.

City of Porterville
April 2016 Employee of the Month
Mark Graves
Fire Department

Mark Graves grew up and went to school in the San Bernardino town of Running Springs where he met his future wife, Michelle.  In 2006, Mark and Michelle moved to Springville, and in 2010 he became a paid-call firefighter with Tulare County.  Mark enjoyed serving the community as a firefighter and began pursuing a career by taking several fire training courses at Porterville College. While at PC, Mark became acquainted with the Porterville Fire Department and quickly became a Reserve Firefighter. In 2012, Mark accepted a full-time position with the department.

From that point forward, Mark has pursued training and education at an unprecedented pace, and has established himself as a positive role model for others to follow. He has completed the EMT Academy, the Wildland Academy, the Firefighter 1 Academy, and both Driver Operator 1A and 1B.  He went on to participate in the department’s recent Engineer promotional process which is considered one of the most challenging tests the department offers. Having just over two years of experience, Mark passed on his first attempt and now serves as an interim Engineer on B-Shift, working from the new Public Safety Facility.

Not to rest on previous accomplishments, Mark has already begun taking the ten courses required by State Fire Training to be certified as a Fire Officer, and expects to graduate in the next two months. Mark is credited with playing a major role in construction of the department training facility. Using his prior experience in the construction trades, he helped prepare the training tower foundations and lift several 8,000 lb. sections into place more than 30’ above the ground.  He continually demonstrated humility in his skills, saying “I was just doing my job.”  Engineer Graves has a great work ethic, and is ready to tackle any challenge with an enthusiastic attitude.

Mark and Michelle have three children, Matthew, Megan and Mallory, and in their spare time enjoy camping, 4-wheeling, backpacking, and trips to the coast. 
Join me in congratulating our Employee of the Month, Engineer Mark Graves!

City of Porterville
March 2016 Employee of the Month
Christina Carrillo
Parks & Leisure Services

Christina Carrillo was employed by the City of Porterville Parks and Leisure Services Department January 2005, as a Recreation Leader I for the Recreation Afterschool Program.  She was promoted to Assistant Site Director in August 2005 and then Site Director in October 2005.  In September of 2007, she was promoted to her current position of Clerical Assistant II. 

Christina works out of the Heritage Center and her co-workers call her the backbone of the office.  Christina’s major undertaking of late has been transitioning Leisure Services from its old recreation management software to its new one.  From the public’s eye it was a seamless transition but there were many, many hours spent on the back end implementation side.  Some of her other duties include facility reservation, program registration, doing the daily deposit, and sports leagues and special event coordination.

She is always willing to help her co-workers and usually has things done prior to being asked.  Another great quality of Christina is that she is able to keep her composure while working in what can be at times a frenetic environment.

Christina is married to Eric and has a daughter, Mikayla (18), and a son Anthony (12).  Her hobbies include reading and spending time with her family.  She also has quite the M&Ms souvenir collection.  When asked what she likes most about her job, Christina states, “Working with my very fun co-workers.”  She added that she likes feeling involved and feeling like she is a part of something.

City of Porterville
February 2016 Employee of the Month
Gordon Trott
Public Works Department

The Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Gordon Trott of Public Works as the February 2016 Employee of the Month for the City of Porterville.

Gordon began his employment with the City of Porterville on September 29, 2008, as a Field Services Worker I with Public Works. Gordon has worked his way up through the ranks. Gordon started with the Department as a Field Services Worker I, promoted later to a Water Utility Worker I, and now serves as a Water Utility Worker II. Gordon is responsible for the maintenance of the City’s Water Distribution System.  Gordon’s initiative to further his education and attain Distribution Certifications, Backflow Certifications, and strong, professional work ethic are just some of the reasons Department Directors selected Gordon Trott as Employee of the Month for February. Gordon is a great asset to the Field Services Water Utility Division.

Gordon finds the most enjoyable part of his job is serving the community and working with great people within the City day-to-day.

Gordon’s family consists of his wonderful girlfriend, Frances, and his five children - Melony, Tommie, Ashley, Jessie, and Taylor.

In Gordon’s free time, he enjoys the outdoors with his family, along with hunting and fishing. 

City of Porterville
January 2016 Employee of the Month
Augie Gonzales
Animal Control
Porterville Police Department

Congratulations to Augie Gonzalez, the City of Porterville’s Employee of the Month for January 2016.

Augie Gonzalez is the City of Porterville’s Animal Control Supervisor and contributes countless hours to this assignment.  Through his leadership, the challenges that our Animal Control Facility presents are met head on and remains at a high operating level, ensuring the best possible outcomes for Porterville’s pet population.  His diligence and his community contacts allow for the shelter to receive donations that enhance the care and comfort of the animals at the facility. 
Although Augie could easily receive recognition as the City of Porterville’s Employee of the month for his efforts as the Animal Control Supervisor, Augie was selected based on all of his volunteer work that he performs on a regular basis.

Augie Gonzalez is very active in our community and has been so for many years.  Outside of his duties as the Animal Control Supervisor, Augie also participates in the Porterville Police Explorer Youth Program.  He regularly goes on extended trips with the program where he serves in an advisory capacity and is also in charge of all meal preparations.  The activities involved in meal preparations include menu planning, food preparation, and the actual serving of meals for upwards of several hundred people.  Augie organizes his own volunteers to assist with these duties as well.  Despite the long hours worked during these events, which involves being the first one up in the morning and the last one to finish at night, Augie is always in a pleasant mood and remains eager to provide assistance in any way needed.

Recently, the City of Porterville and Porterville Chamber of Commerce held their Santa in the Park event.  Augie was an instrumental part in helping to organize and operate the event.  Through his hard work and diligent efforts he was able to obtain donations from numerous supporters throughout the community which resulted in providing gifts to scores of children.  This event was well organized and well attended in no small part due to Augie’s dedication and commitment to the community.

As if Augie did not have enough to do, Augie also recently prepared a nice dinner for all the law enforcement personnel assigned to this year’s Christmas parade, and was instrumental in helping to prepare the turkey for the City of Porterville’s Christmas luncheon.

The above activities are just a representation of Augie’s involvement in the community.  We don’t have enough time to list them all.

City of Porterville
December 2015 Employee of the Month
Rafael Baez
Public Works Department

Rafael Baez began his service with the City in November of 2006 with the Field Services Shop as a Mechanic II. His duties include performing maintenance and repairs on City vehicles and equipment, and serving as lead mechanic in the absence of the Shop Superintendent. Rafael is appreciated for his ability to recognize and address potential problems before they become costly breakdowns, his willingness to help wherever needed, and his inspirational work ethics. Rafael recently received his Traffic Signal I Certification and assists the City Electrician as time permits.

When asked about the most enjoyable part of his job, Rafael says he likes the challenge of figuring out what is wrong with equipment and making effective repairs. He also appreciates working with great coworkers at the Shop and all other Departments. One of his personal goals it to keep up with the rapidly changing technology in the automotive field.

Rafael has been married to Maria for 17 years. He has two children, Gabriel and Alondra.

Thank you, Rafael, for your continuing service to the City of Porterville.

City of Porterville
November 2015 Employee of the Month
Julie Phillips
Community Development Department
Planning Division

Julie LaPere, otherwise known around City hall as Julie Phillips and within the Community Development Department as the “brains” of the operation, began working for the City in September of 2005 as a Senior Planner, but had worked with the City for the previous two years as the on-call environmental consultant. In 2006, Julie returned to consulting, but maintained her relationship with Porterville. She returned to the City in 2012 as the Community Development Manager.
Julie enjoys researching and keeping abreast of State and Federal regulations and finding effective ways to implement those in our community. She particularly appreciates coordinating with the various departments on projects like the Medical Cannabis Ordinance, Animal Control Ordinance, and all of the various water-related policies and ordinances, such as the Extraterritorial Service Agreement Policy and tonight’s Water Conservation Ordinance. In this past year, Julie has been responsible for several environmental documents, updating the Housing Element, implementing the Receivership Program, revising the Sign Ordinance and multiple annexations.

Julie met her true love while working for the City and is happily married to David LaPere. They are raising David’s two daughters, Megan, 18, and Madison, 14, as well as their three K-9 kids: Gracie, Marcie Who-paw and Maggie-Mae. In Julie’s spare time she enjoys working on home improvement projects, crocheting, and baking (although she rarely brings her treats for staff to enjoy). (-:

City of Porterville
October 2015 Employee of the Month
Luisa Zavala
Administrative Services

Luisa Zavala has been selected as the City of Porterville Employee of the Month for October 2015.  Luisa began her career with the City in February 2008, and currently holds the position of Deputy City Clerk in the Administrative Services Department.

Luisa has proven to be a tremendous asset in the Department, and takes great care in the performance of her many duties, which include preparing agendas and minutes, processing City legislation, drafting proclamations, and assisting with municipal elections.  She serves as a compliance officer with Fair Political Practices Commission’s filings, and coordinator on all California Public Records Act requests.  Luisa is also the department’s resident passport expert; the go-to person for City-wide research projects, and oversees all updates to the department’s webpage.  Luisa’s excellent writing skills, her adeptness at multi-tasking, and her attention to detail make her a tremendous asset to the City.  Her quick wit and clever personality is a bonus. 

When asked about her most enjoyable aspects of her job, Luisa replied, “While many outside of city government may not know what a city clerk does, it is one of the oldest positions in city government.  I think that is pretty cool.”  She also enjoys the camaraderie she has with co-workers; and the opportunity to work with the public, City Council Members, and community leaders.  She says that being Deputy City Clerk provides her with a broader knowledge of municipal government and her community which she can utilize when helping the public. 

When she is not serving the City of Porterville, Luisa enjoys spending time with her husband, Mike, her “little Schatzi,” one-year-old Alexander, family, friends, and their three dogs.  She enjoys crafting, and is an avid reader.

City of Porterville
September 2015 Employee of the Month
Arthur Demarath
Parks & Leisure Services

Arthur was employed by the City of Porterville as a Leisure Services Coordinator in March 2014.  Some of his duties include overseeing the Youth Center, administering fall soccer, arena soccer and youth baseball, handling program registrations and facility reservations, and assisting with many of the Parks and Leisure Services special events throughout the year.

Two of Arthur’s highest attributes are his integrity and exceptional work ethic.  He is a driven individual who sets goals and goes after them.  His latest accomplishment was increasing the youth fall soccer program to an all-time high, with 476 boys and girls ages 4-13 participating, along with 110 volunteer coaches.

When he’s not recruiting Council Members to umpire a youth baseball game, or lining a soccer field, Arthur may be seen working with the Team M youth wrestling program or coaching the varsity wrestling team at Monache High School where he has been the head coach since 2008 and in the program since 1998.

Arthur is married to his wife, Eileen, and has two children: Arthur III age 19, and Zachary age 16.  His family volunteers at many special events and are always a huge help.  Aside from coaching, Arthur enjoys reading James Patterson novels, watching all forms of sports, and tending to his 40-year-old bonsai tree “Bud.”

Arthur states working with his co-workers, and with the community, helping kids get involved with sports, are two of his favorite aspects of his job. 

City of Porterville
August 2015 Employee of the Month
Nick Sauceda
Fire Department

Firefighter Sauceda began his career with the Porterville Fire Department in March 2013 as a Reserve Firefighter. After completing the Firefighter 1 Academy, he received a promotion to probationary Firefighter in January of 2015, and was assigned to A-Shift with Captain Randall Cline and Lieutenant Mike McGill. Nick became a nationally registered Emergency Medical Technician in June of this year.

While on A-Shift, Nick has earned a reputation for having a great work ethic and for being the first volunteer for every assignment. 

Since joining the Fire Department, Nick has demonstrated his commitment to public safety and community service by responding to an unusually high number of emergency incidents.  During the month of June, Nick responded to 75 emergency incidents, double the average of all other firefighters and nearly 18% of the department monthly total.

Nick is from Porterville and attended local schools, graduating from Porterville High School. He and his wife Tiffany, are expecting their first child in February. While not responding to emergency calls, Nick and Tiffany enjoy spending time in the mountains, camping and hiking.

Prior to his career with the City of Porterville, Nick was a five-year member of the United States Air Force, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant while stationed in Alaska and serving in the Middle East.

City of Porterville
July 2015 Employee of the Month
Erika Benevidez
Police Department

Erika Benevidez was nominated and selected by the Directors as the City of Porterville’s employee of the month for July because of her dedication to her job and exemplary work ethic.

Erika was born and raised in Porterville all of her life.  Erika has three sisters and is the oldest daughter of Manuel and Francis Benevidez.  Erika attended local schools, graduating from Porterville High School in 2001.  In 2010 Erika put herself through an eight-month training program offered by Proteus.  Upon completing her training, she was hired by the City of Porterville on October 1, 2010, and opted to work at the Porterville Animal Shelter because of the love and passion she has for animals.  Erika was ultimately hired as a Community Service Officer by the Porterville Police Department where she remains assigned to the Animal Shelter.  Erika has proven herself to be an extremely valuable member of the Animal Control Unit and has been instrumental in the adoption and implementation of new computer software programs which significantly aid in the management of the facility.  While Erika’s duties include working in the field, she is considered by all to be the go-to person whenever it comes to matters of running the office.  In addition to being extremely knowledgeable as to the workings of the Animal Control Unit, she has also shown herself to be very friendly, adaptable, and is always willing to help others, whether it is her co-workers or members of the community.    When talking with Erika she will readily tell you that she absolutely loves coming to work at the shelter and working with the animals.

Erika’s immediate family includes her “better half” (her words) Davin Jiron, and her 11 year old daughter, Mercedes.

City of Porterville
May 2015 Employee of the Month
Manual Acevedo
Finance - IT Department

For the month of May 2015, we would like to honor Manuel Azevedo as the City of Porterville’s Employee of the Month. Manuel was hired on October 20, 2013 as an IT Analyst.  Manuel grew up in Tulare County and he attended Tulare Union High school.  He received his Bachelors of Science degree from Devry University in technical management in 2006.

Manuel spent some time in the Bay Area working in software sales and medical device manufacturing and support. He returned to the Central Valley and specifically Porterville to raise his family.

The function of an IT analyst here at the City varies in technical and analytical duties in support of the enterprise, client and server, desktop PC's, software and mobile terminals. Manuel has continually demonstrated the ability to successfully support all aspects of technology we have. Manuel also brought his customer support skills as he interacts with our internal users with enthusiasm, knowledge, and respect.  When Manuel is assigned a project, he takes ownership and follows through with determination and ardency.

In addition to Manuel, he has three other family members who are part of the City of Porterville team: His cousin, Sgt. Mark Azevedo, cousin-in-law, Kim Azevedo, who is a dispatcher, and his wife, Diana who is a Police Records Clerk.

Manuel has been married to Diana for 17 years. They have two boys: Aaron who is 13 and Jacob who is 10. In addition to raising a family and being a good husband, Manuel is heavily involved with his son’s Little League team and he is their number one supporter.

City of Porterville
April 2015 Employee of the Month
Tim Mulvihill
Public Works Department

The Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Tim Mulvihill of Public Works as the April 2015 Employee of the Month.

Timothy Mulvihill began his employment with the City of Porterville July 12, 2010, with Public Work as a Field Services/Water Utility Worker. Tim has worked his way up through the ranks during his tenure with the City. Tim started with the Department as a Water Utility Worker I, and now serves as a Water Utility Worker III. Tim is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the City’s Sewer Collection System.  Tim’s initiative to further his education, attain Distribution Certifications, and strong, professional work ethic are just some of the reasons Department Directors have selected Tim Mulvihill as Employee of the Month for April. Tim is considered to be a great asset to the Field Services Water Utility Division.

Tim finds the most enjoyable part of his job is working with the specialized heavy equipment in his department.

Tim also has the privilege of being married to his lovely wife, Samantha.

In Tim’s free time, he enjoys drag racing in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA, Heritage Series), and competition shotgun shooting.

City of Porterville
March 2015 Employee of the Month
Amy Graybehl
Parks & Leisure Services

Amy Graybehl was employed by the City of Porterville Parks and Leisure Services Department on January 2, 2013, as a Leisure Services Specialist.  Amy grew up in Porterville and graduated from Monache High School prior to attending UC San Diego and obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Communications. 

As for the marketing portion of Amy’s position, her duties include: social media and website updates, producing all press releases, flyers, banners and presentations for the department, writing a bi-weekly article for the Porterville Recorder and doing interviews on KTIP radio.  Amy’s position also has her performing several other duties.  Some of these additional duties are coordinating many special events including Freedom Fest, Step Up, Kids Fest, the Wall of Fame Ceremony and Corporate Games.  She also launched the City’s myPorterville app and is responsible for maintaining it.  Another of her duties is serving as supervisor to the Youth Commission, as well as assisting with various youth and adult sport leagues.

Her tremendous work ethic and professionalism deems her more than worthy of this award.  She truly aspires to make as many people as possible aware of, and in attendance at, City events, and takes pride in creating the best experience for attendees.

During her free time, Amy enjoys adventures outdoors, going to concerts, playing volleyball and any excuse to travel and spend time with her family.  When asked what she likes most about her job, Amy said she could best describe it with the moments at events or activities where she can witness the impact of her department’s efforts in bringing people together to play, to connect, and to build the community.

City of Porterville
February 2015 Employee of the Month
Joe Juarez
Police Department

Joe Juarez has been employed with the City of Porterville for approximately 25 years.  He was first hired by the City of Porterville in 1991 as a part-time employee in the Parks and Leisure Services Department.  In 1995 he became a full-time employee and continued to work for the Parks and Leisure Services Department, serving in a number of capacities, but primarily as the building custodian for the Police Department.  In January of 2007, Joe transferred to the Porterville Police Department, continuing his duties as building custodian, where he still works today. Joe was recently named the Police Department Civilian Employee of the year.

At the Porterville Police Department, Joe performs a myriad of duties with regard to building and grounds maintenance; so many that it would be very hard to list them all.  Joe doesn’t need to be assigned tasks – he just sees what is needed and does it. Joe has an intimate knowledge of the 25 year old building and its constant requirements to keep clean and well maintained.  His strong work ethic and attention to detail ensures that the building remains in top condition, a condition which draws positive comments from many visitors to the building.  Along with that, his helpful attitude combined with his pleasant demeanor makes Joe an outstanding employee who is well liked throughout the Department.  With that, it is often said that any person in the department can take a week off work and not many people will take notice, but if Joe is gone for only a few days, everyone notices and misses him.

Joe has three children, a daughter, Ruby, who is 19, and two sons, Anthony, who is 20, and Andrew, who is 16.  When not working for the Police Department or spending time with his family, Joe spends his time coaching the Porterville Cougars, a Pop-Warner football team and also spends time working with the Porterville High School Panthers Football Team.

City of Porterville
January 2015 Employee of the Month
Eric Orong
Fire Department

Eric Orong is originally from Visalia, and graduated from Mt. Whitney High School in 1998.  He began his career in fire service in 1999 and worked for several fire organizations before joining the City of Porterville Fire Department on Sept. 17, 2007.  He currently holds the rank of firefighter and is also an acting engineer, critical incident stress de-briefer, and previously served as fire investigator.  Eric completed the College of the Sequoia’s Fire Academy in 2001, and has attained certification as a fire apparatus driver-operator and Fire Officer.  He is currently completing the training program for certified fire instructor.  Eric has been married to Stephanie for six years and they have two sons, Owen and Luke.  When not on duty, Eric works part-time for Porterville College as a professional expert and enjoys spending time with his family. 

On November 29, 2014, Eric was driving with his family to Visalia to look for a Christmas tree.  Approaching Lindsay, they noticed a large column of smoke and went to investigate.  They found a commercial building on fire in the downtown area of Lindsay with a single police officer operating the fire engine and hose.

With Stephanie’s permission, Eric went into firefighter mode, helping relocate the fire engine to prevent it catching on fire and then directing the high flow, master stream nozzle to the flames.  Only after the engine was secure and additional help arrived did Eric rejoin his family to continue on their way.
His actions helped prevent damage to a City of Lindsay fire engine and to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings.

City of Porterville
December 2014 Employee of the Month
Maria Medina
Finance Department

Maria Medina joined the City of Porterville in October of 1994 as a temporary Account Clerk I with the Finance Department.  She started at the front counter with cash collections helping customers with bill payment and signing up for utility service.  Her customer service skills, cheerful attitude, and fluency in Spanish earned her full-time, permanent status in September 1995.  She continued working at the front counter, learning other utility duties and assisting the business license clerk.  In May of 1997, Maria was promoted to an Account Clerk II and she moved to the back office where she processed closing utility bills and penalties and continued to assist in business license.  Later on, she was assigned to accounts receivable where she handled the billing and collection of various City services, including weed abatement, bin services, police services, hangar rentals, and others.  In 2003, Maria accepted the position of business license clerk, a position she still holds today and one she really loves.  In this position, she processes new business license applications, renewals and collections.  She also handles the applications for bingo permits, temporary auto sales, circus and carnival, and car wash permits.  In September of this year, we stepped up our business license enforcement and actively sought out unlicensed businesses.  This brought about some unwanted and fierce responses that Maria took all in stride, calmly explaining the regulations for compliance to City Code.  So far, we have licensed over 60 new businesses in this period of time.

For the past 10 years, Maria has also worked part-time at the City’s OHV Park, first as a cashier during the weekends.  Within a few months, she was appointed to the position of OHV assistant coordinator, which she still holds today.  With a great attitude and cheerful disposition, Maria continues to be a valued member of the City team.

Maria has been married to Miguel for 30 years.  They have 4 children and 14 grandchildren.  In her spare time, Maria loves to crochet and to read books.  But most of all, she loves spending time with her grandchildren.  Before working for the City, Maria was an enlisted member of the US Army for four years and later on spent two years with the National Guard.

City of Porterville
November 2014 Employee of the Month
Jason Ridenour
Community Development Department

Jason Ridenour joined the City’s Community Development Department as the Economic Development Associate in December 2012. Prior to working with the City, Jason worked in the San Francisco Bay area in the private sector helping new businesses to develop as a Director at an angel investment firm, similar to venture capitalism. Jason studied Finance at California State University Chico, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2007.

The regular workload of the Economic Development Associate position is anything but “regular,” and tasks vary from statistical data crunching to helping local businesses improve and expand.  In addition to staying connected to the community and assisting local businesses as they grow, Jason proactively recruits national retailers and industry to the city. Jason builds relationships with possible businesses, as well as with local developers, and uses his experience and local familiarity to encourage partnerships that would result in a new business in Porterville. Jason’s ability to successfully “sell” Porterville is evident with the upcoming openings of Panera Restaurant, Me-N-Ed’s Pizzeria, and Applebee’s Bar and Grill.

Jason is a dedicated and driven employee, and is always willing to take on those “other duties as assigned,” he steps in to help wherever he can. His work ethic is only matched by his great sense of humor. Jason helps keep spirits high in what is often a stressful department, and encourages his teammates to keep up the good work by reminding us that we all contribute to the growth and future of Porterville.

Born and raised in Porterville, Jason is enthusiastic about doing all he can to bring great things to his hometown, both professionally and personally. He is married to his childhood sweetheart, Tiffany, and in August of this year they welcomed their son, Lucas. When he isn’t doting on his wife and son, Jason enjoys working on his racecar (Number 83!) and doing home improvement projects.

City of Porterville
October 2014 Employee of the Month
Terry Mendez
Public Works Department

For the month of October, Department Directors have selected Terry Mendez as the City of Porterville’s employee of the month.  Terry began working for the City of Porterville in October of 2000 at the Wastewater Treatment Facility as a Clerical Assistant I and was promoted to a Clerical Assistant II in 2004. She is the sole clerical support person for the entire Treatment Facility and she adeptly keeps the flow of the office humming along.

Terry is in charge of gathering data and preparing monthly and quarterly reports that are submitted to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Wastewater Operators rely on her knowledge to order not only routine maintenance material and parts, but they also rely on her purchasing experience in ordering specialized equipment.  She is in charge of booking tours of the Treatment plant and enjoys seeing children react to the different smells and reach realization of what wastewater really is.  She is very polite and professional when speaking on the phone or when greeting people in person in her office. She is great at helping others in her office troubleshoot problems or questions that deal with any of the programs in Microsoft Windows.  She can always be counted on to complete a task that is given to her with a smile.

Terry is married to John and together they have 3 children: Isaac who is 20, Analiesa who is 18, and Isabella who is 15.  Terry enjoys reading, shopping, spending time with her family and getting together with her two closest friends that she has had since the first grade.   But most specially, she likes to go to live tapings of shows in Hollywood and she has been to the Jay Leno Show, The Conan Show and, most recently, The Voice.

City of Porterville
September 2014 Employee of the Month
Vikki Cervantes
Library - Parks & Leisure Services

Vikki Cervantes began working for the City of Porterville as a part-time Library Assistant in 1995 and became a full-time employee in 2000.  She received her BA in Social Science from Chapman University in 2004 and her Masters in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University in 2009.  Vikki became Porterville City Librarian in August 2007 and has been in library services for 19 years.

It didn’t take Vikki long to bring many fresh new ideas and programs into the Library.  Under Vikki’s leadership the Library has been awarded California State Library Grants for Online Homework Help and Family Place Library.  Vikki has worked hard to establish a team that is adaptable to handling the diverse needs of the community, and most notably delivering the friendly service expected by the patrons.  Vikki continues to work on the transformation of traditional library services. She has created an Early Learning Center, focused on collection maintenance, reorganized library space at the Margaret J. Slattery Library, and enhanced the visibility of library services through community participation.

Vikki currently serves as the Chair of the San Joaquin Valley Library System.  She is also on the Board of Directors for the Family Crisis Center and the Time Marches On Committee.

Vikki has a three-year-old daughter, Kimoriana.  Her hobbies include reading, cooking, traveling, and home improvement projects.  Vikki’s most rewarding hobby is assisting young people with their future educational goals and careers.

City of Porterville
August 2014 Employee of the Month
Officer Wayne Martin
Police Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Porterville Police Department Detective Wayne Martin as the Employee of the Month for August 2014.

Wayne has been employed with the City of Porterville since December 2006.  He began his employment as an officer assigned to the Patrol Division.  As a uniformed officer in the Patrol Division, Wayne worked a variety of shifts, handling calls for service and proactively seeking those who were violating the laws.  It was during this time that Detective Martin developed his skills and subsequently his reputation as a thorough investigator and outstanding report writer.  He also developed a reputation of being a reliable and extremely hard worker who is well liked by all of his peers and supervisors.

Based on Wayne’s quality of work in the Patrol Division, he was transferred to the Investigations Division as a detective in January 2013.  As an investigator, Wayne is responsible for investigating a variety of crimes, ranging from simple burglary to homicide.  However, it was quickly realized that he had the temperament and personal skills that would enable him to excel in the investigation of child abuse and sex crimes and he is now the primary investigator for such crimes.  These types of crimes can be difficult not only to investigate, but to gain the trust of the abused victims.  Wayne has these abilities and he has even been recognized by Child Welfare Services as a go-to person when they require assistance. 

As part of his assignment in the Investigations Division, Wayne is also responsible for tracking all registered sex offenders within the jurisdiction of the City of Porterville.  When given this assignment, he developed a more efficient system of tracking these registrants and regularly organizes operations to contact these persons and verify their compliance with their restrictions.

Wayne is also an advisor of the Police Department’s Explorer Program.  As an advisor, he sacrifices many hours of his own time in helping the program and the young adults in the program.  He travels with them several times a year when they are participating in events. 

Despite the workload demands of his current assignment, Wayne has also returned to the classroom and is in the process of obtaining his bachelor’s degree so he can even better serve the community.  He is a valued employee who sets the standards for his fellow employees and is an asset to the Investigations Division, the Police Department, and the City of Porterville.

Detective Martin is married to Rachael and they have two sons, Lucas and Ryan.

City of Porterville
July 2014 Employee of the Month
Luisa Zavala
Administrative Services

Luisa Zavala has been selected as the City of Porterville Employee of the Month for July 2014.  Luisa began her career with the City in February 2008, and currently holds the position of Deputy City Clerk in the Administrative Services Department.

Luisa has proven to be a tremendous asset in the Department, and takes great care in the performance of her many duties, which include preparing agendas and minutes, processing City legislation, drafting proclamations, and assisting with municipal elections.  She serves as a compliance officer with Fair Political Practices Commission’s filings, and coordinator on all California Public Records Act requests.  Luisa is also the department’s resident passport expert; the go-to person for City-wide research projects, and oversees all updates to the department’s webpage.  Luisa’s excellent writing skills, her adeptness at multi-tasking, and her attention to detail make her a tremendous asset to the City.  Her quick wit and clever personality is a bonus. 

When asked about her most enjoyable aspects of her job, Luisa replied, “while many outside of city government may not know what a city clerk does, it is one of the oldest positions in city government.  I think that is pretty cool.”  She also enjoys the camaraderie she has with co-workers; and the opportunity to work with the public, City Council Members, and community leaders.  She says that being Deputy City Clerk provides her with a broader knowledge of municipal government and her community which she can utilize when helping the public.   Oh, and she really enjoys long City Council Meetings!

When she is not serving the City of Porterville, Luisa enjoys spending time with her husband Mike, her “little Schatzi” one-year-old Alexander, family, friends, and their three dogs.  She enjoys crafting, is an avid reader, and a founding member of the City’s book club.

City of Porterville
June 2014 Employee of the Month
Tallen Speck
Fire Department

Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Firefighter Tallen Speck as the June 2014 Employee of the Month. Tallen was selected for this honor on the basis of his strong work ethic, positive attitude, and his cooperation with his superiors and his team of co-workers.

Firefighter Tallen Speck was born in Oklahoma and moved to California with his family at age 5. He attended local schools and graduated from Monache High School in 2000. He then worked in construction, installing granite counter tops, before graduating from the Fire Academy in 2011. Shortly after his graduation, he was hired as a reserve firefighter with the City of Porterville Fire Department. Tallen showed great promise and was hired as a full time firefighter with our Department in December 2012.

Tallen is a team player and immediately volunteered his construction and granite-working skills when the Fire Department decided to renovate the circa 1964 kitchen at Fire Station 1 earlier this year. In short order, he and his crew transformed an outdated eyesore into a modern, functional, and sustainable kitchen with new floors, refinished cabinetry, and granite counter tops. This crew of willing workers saved the Department thousands of dollars in material and labor costs.
Tallen continues to pursue professional development and has recently completed the California Fire Service Training and Education courses for emergency vehicle operations and fire pump operations. He is now assisting in training the department’s newest firefighters. 

In his free time, Firefighter Speck enjoys hunting, fishing and camping. He and his wife, Kaycee, have four sons: Tallen Jr, Gryphen, Owen, and Corben.

City of Porterville
May 2014 Employee of the Month
Debbie Salter
City Manager's Office

Debbie has been selected by the directors of the City of Porterville as the May 2014 Employee of the Month. Debbie began working for the City in 1999 and was, and is, happy to be a member of the City of Porterville team. She began her career with the City of Porterville working in the Finance Department as the assistant to the Purchasing Agent. In 2000, she transferred to the Police Department, assigned to the Patrol Division. The seven years she worked there gave her a unique insight into the workings of the Police Department and you would be hard pressed to find someone who is more “pro law enforcement.”

Debbie accepted the position of Secretary to the City Manager in September 2007. This position has provided her with an opportunity to further expand her knowledge of City and municipal government functions. Since the City Manager’s office is the hub of the City organization, she interacts with many departments as well as Council Members. She also answers the “Operator’s” line so she hears from many citizens of our community for many different reasons. Her goal is to assist each person so they have a positive experience when they contact the City. 

Debbie is married to Steve, has a son Larry (and daughter-in-law, Annette) and a daughter Missy (and son-in-law, Joe). She also has two much-loved “furry girls”: Mika, a Lab/Border Collie mix, and Maddie, a Goldendoodle. She enjoys walking them, and you might have seen her out and about with a large black dog and a large white curly dog. We all know her as a strong advocate for animals, because, as she says, “They can’t speak for themselves.”

City of Porterville
April 2014 Employee of the Month
Irene Anaya
Finance Department

For the month of April 2014, we would like to honor Irene Anaya as the City of Porterville’s Employee of the Month.  Irene joined the City in 1999 as a Clerical Assistant assigned to the Planning Department.  She moved to the Engineering Department for a short period of time prior to joining the Finance Department in 2003 as an Account Clerk.  Irene matriculated through Accounts Receivable, Business License and Utility Billing, ultimately landing in Accounts Payable in 2005.

Her broad skill set and keen attention to detail quickly stream-lined the payables process, and her bi-lingual abilities plus her knowledge of licensing and billing make Irene one of our most valued employees.  Irene is very dependable and conscientious with an impeccable work ethic.  She is always the first one at work, well-liked by staff, always willing to help out wherever and whenever help is needed.  She is able to handle difficult or problematic situations calmly and with a level-head.  We are very fortunate indeed, to have Irene as a member of the City team.

Irene grew up in Porterville and moved to Strathmore when she married Ralph, her husband of 30 years.  Together they have two boys:  Cesar, 26, and Cristian, who is 20.  Irene is very devoted to her family and spends a lot of her time with them.

Thank you, Irene for a job well done! 

City of Porterville
March 2014 Employee of the Month
Jeff Duke
Public Works Department

The Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Jeff Duke of Public Works as the March 2014 City of Porterville Employee of the Month.
Jeff Duke began his employment with the City of Porterville on December 1, 2012, at the Wastewater Treatment Facility. Jeff works in the Engine Room and is responsible for keeping all engines running and serviced. He is hard working and detail oriented and keeps all work orders up to date on plant equipment and all mechanics in working order.

Jeff is industrious and recently obtained his Grade 1 Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation certification and is now diligently working toward obtaining his Grade 2. He is also a member of the California Water Environment Association. He states his favorite part of his job is always learning something new and his goal is to someday run the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Jeff enjoys mechanics, welding, riding quads, and camping with his family in the desert. Jeff is married to his lovely wife Stephanie, and has two children: Zack, 17, and Azlynn, 13.

City of Porterville
February 2014 Employee of the Month
Mike Patterson
Parks & Leisure Services

Mike Patterson has been employed with the City of Porterville for 25 years.  He was hired as a Parks Maintenance Worker I in 1989.  Mike was promoted to a Parks Maintenance Worker II in 1991 and to a Parks Maintenance Worker III in 1993.  His main duties while serving in that position for 19 years was to oversee the maintenance of the golf course and pool.

Mike was promoted to Acting Supervisor in February 2012 and then became Parks Superintendent in July 2012.  Due to an unexpected health issues suffered by his wife, Mike will be retiring this month and he will move onto a more important role of taking care of his wife and spending time with his family.  Mike was extremely well liked by his co-workers, took pride in his work and was very dependable.

During Mike’s brief Superintendent stint, his tremendous attitude and vision paved the way for the Parks Division to make some significant, positive strides.  Mike did a fantastic job keeping project costs under budget and he always was thinking of creative ways to save money.

Mike is married to Patricia and has a son, Kevin, (daughter-in-law Shanuda), daughter Alicia, and two grandchildren, Kamry and Kasen.

His hobbies include fishing, camping, reading and woodcarving.  When asked what he liked most about his job, Mike stated working on projects with the parks crew to improve the parks and other areas of town, and the lifelong friendships he developed over his years with the City.

City of Porterville
January 2014 Employee of the Month
Elbia Graves
Police Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Porterville Police Department Records Clerk Elbia Graves as the Employee of the Month for January 2014.

Records Clerk Graves has been employed with the city of Porterville since October 1996.

As a Records Clerk, Elbia handles public information requests and police incidents at the front counter. She also performs general clerical record keeping duties in support of the police records management system.

Elbia is an extremely hard worker who is well liked and is very reliable. She is a valued employee who sets the standards for her fellow employees and is an asset to the Records Division.

Prior to her employment with the City of Porterville, Elbia served her country in the United States Army for 20 years. While in the armed forces, Elbia also received her Associates of Arts degree at the University of Maryland.

Elbia is a resident of Visalia and a graduate of Lindsay High School.  She has two sons, James and Thomas.  She also has two grandsons, Lincoln and William, and one granddaughter, Samantha.

Elbia has submitted her retirement application, which will become official effective April 2014, and her last day of working will be at the end of January 2014, as she will utilize her accumulated vacation time until April.

City of Porterville
December 2013 Employee of the Month
Ramon Velasco
Parks & Leisure Services

Ramon Velasco was hired by the City of Porterville as a part-time Parks Maintenance Worker Aide in May 2003 for the Parks and Leisure Services Department.  He became a full-time Parks Maintenance Worker I in August 2005. Ramon was promoted to his current position as Parks Maintenance Worker II in March of 2007.

Ramon spends most of his time maintaining the 85-acre Sports Complex.  Ramon handles all the irrigation, oversees the equipment maintenance, mows the grass, cleans the restrooms and preps the fields.  He also goes above and beyond to help all of the youth sports leagues that use the Sports Complex.  Ramon always displays a great attitude and is a true team player when it comes to helping his co-workers.  It is his attitude and tremendous work ethic that will enable him to continue to climb up the Parks Division ladder in the years to come.

Ramon is married to Maria and has a son, Jose (11) and a daughter, Destiny (7).  His hobbies include horseback riding, Mexican rodeo, watching sports, and coaching his children’s sports teams.

Ramon states that his favorite part of his job is being outdoors and that he is happy to be a part of the Parks and Leisure Services Department. 

City of Porterville
November 2013 Employee of the Month
Sabrina Barrios
Porterville Fire Department

Firefighter Sabrina Barrios is the daughter of Shelly Porter and Tony Barrios. She spent her early years in Porterville and Visalia, together with five sisters and two brothers.

Sabrina’s interest in firefighting began at an early age when she became a volunteer Explorer for Tulare County Fire Department at age 15. Within a year, she was promoted to Explorer Chief and was active in this capacity until age 18. After graduating from Golden West High School in 2005, she was hired by Cal Fire where she worked for three years before being hired by the Porterville Fire Department in 2007.

Firefighter Barrios recently obtained her Fire Officer certification as well as Driver Operator endorsement to drive fire equipment. She is responsible for maintenance and repairs of the department’s self-contained breathing apparatus, and is a Porterville Fire Department CPR instructor.

In July of 2013, Firefighter Barrios responded to an emergency medical incident for a person electrocuted and in full cardiac arrest. She immediately initiated CPR and defibrillation, administering multiple shocks to the patient, restoring both a heartbeat and normal breathing within minutes of her arrival on scene.

In October, Firefighter Barrios volunteered to be a CPR instructor for the Fire Department’s first public CPR classes and helped teach 49 members of the community life-saving CPR skills.   
          
When not working at the fire department, Sabrina enjoys fishing and spending time with her boyfriend, Eric, his two daughters, Ellie and Georgia, and her two shepherds Allie and Kilo.

City of Porterville
October 2013 Employee of the Month
Fernando Rios
Community Development Department

Assistant Planner, Community Development Department- Planning Division

Fernando was born and raised in the Porterville area, and is a graduate of Porterville High School. After obtaining his Bachelors of Science in Urban & Regional Planning at Cal Poly Pomona, Fernando returned to pursue his chosen profession with the City of Porterville, beginning as a Planning Technician in October 2008, and promoting to Assistant Planner in 2009. In 2011, he accepted an employment opportunity with CVMS, a local property preservation company. Fernando returned to the City of Porterville Planning Division as an Assistant Planner in December 2012.

Fernando is a valuable resource in the Planning Division, and is involved in nearly all current planning projects, as well as many long range planning efforts. Over the last year, the Community Development Department has experienced significant turn over due to retirements and other staff changes. Upon his return to the City, Fernando hit the ground running, helping to get projects processed and complete backlog due to the staff transitions. His attention to detail and considerate interpretation of the Development Ordinance is a resource to the entire team and the development community. Additionally, Fernando is integral to the success of the City’s Elderberry Mitigation site- spending many early mornings and hours of his own time walking the site to help improve the success rate of the mitigation plantings.

Fernando is active in his off-duty hours, and enjoys gardening, snowboarding, and running- he has finished five local 5Ks this year. He has a great sense of humor which everyone in the Community Development and Public Works Departments enjoys- often finding creative ways to motivate others to participate in the quarterly fitness incentive. Some might call it “trash talk”, but we call it encouraging exercise.

Fernando enjoys planning the future of his home town, where most of his family still resides.

Thank you, Fernando for all your hard work.

City of Porterville
September 2013 Employee of the Month
Gabby Cruz
Finance Department

For the month of September, the directors have selected GABRIELA CRUZ as the City of Porterville’s employee of the month.  Gabby, as we call her, joined the Finance Team as an Account Clerk I in February of 2007.  She started at the front counter with cash collections, helping our customers in processing their transactions.  She showed excellent customer service, always professional and polite to everybody.  It became quickly apparent that Gabby is one of our more dedicated staff with excellent work habits and a great attitude.

Within a few months time, Gabby was promoted to an Account Clerk II and was assigned to be the chief Accounts Receivable Clerk.  She quickly learned and mastered the Accounts Receivable module and the billing process.  In this position, she was responsible for the collection of several thousand dollars in past-due accounts, balancing the daily cash receipts and preparing the deposits to the bank.  Recently, Gabby was promoted to Payroll Administrative Aide. She is currently learning payroll maintenance, processing and reporting. Gabby continues to be dependable and trustworthy.  She is very conscientious and thorough about her work.  She enjoys learning new things.  She’s always willing to help out wherever we have a need.  With her positive attitude, exemplary work ethic, professionalism, and excellent customer service, Gabby is truly one of our most valued employees.

Gabby is married to Ruben.  They moved to Porterville from the LA area about 11 years ago.  They have 2 children, Ruben Jr. who is 15 and Jasmine who is 8.  Gabby enjoys reading, shopping and surfing the internet.  But most specially, she likes to go to different places with her family.

City of Porterville
August 2013 Employee of the Month
Jesus Guzman
Public Works Department

The Directors of the City of Porterville have selected Jesus Guzman as the August 2013 Employee of the Month because of his exemplary high work ethic.

Jesus began his service with the City of Porterville on August 16, 2010, as a Wastewater Operator in Training with Field Services. On August 1, 2011, he was promoted to the Operator I position. Most recently, Jesus was promoted to the Operator II position on July 1, 2013.

Jesus has been the lead process control operator since November 2012. He was reassigned to his position from the maintenance side of wastewater treatment. Jesus has quickly adapted to his new role and is learning how to interpret laboratory data and plan process control adjustments.

Jesus said his favorite part of the job is the camaraderie at the wastewater treatment facility and the day-to-day challenges of running the plant.

Jesus has been a member of the California Water Environment Association since 2010. The CWEA is an organization dedicated to the educational development of wastewater professionals.

Jesus is certified by the State of California as Grade II Wastewater Treatment Facility Operator.

Jesus and his girlfriend, Yvette, have six children. He likes spending his off-work time customizing cars and enjoying time with his family.

City of Porterville
July 2013 Employee of the Month
Rita Gilmer
Porterville Police Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Rita Gilmer as the Employee of the Month for July 2013.Rita Gilmer has served as a Records Clerk for the Porterville Police Department for over 34 years. Rita has served the City and the Department proudly during that time.

Rita graduated from the College of Sequoias in 1978 with an Associates of Science Degree in Business Management.  Shortly after graduation, Rita began her career at the Porterville Police Department as a part-time Records Clerk.  Rita continued her part-time employment until she was given a full-time position on June 24, 1980.  Rita has spent her entire career solely with the City of Porterville’s Police Department.

During her time at the Department, Rita has become an expert in every facet of the Records Division. She was instrumental in helping the Department transition to an automated Records Management System in 1998.  She has been instrumental in helping mentor and train personnel who were hired after her.

Rita has long been a backbone in the daily operations of the Records Division. Her current assignment has her working concurrently with the local District Attorney’s Office, ensuring that all criminal reports are completed in a timely manner for review and prosecution.

In her off time, Rita enjoys spending time with friends and family, camping at the coast, or being active in her church. She has been married to her husband, David Gilmer, for 17 years and they have one daughter, Erica, who is 13 years old.

Rita is scheduled to begin her vacation August 2013, which will continue to her anticipated official retirement date in November 2013. Rita claims to have no current plans for her retirement, other than being a full-time parent.

City of Porterville
June 2013 Employee of the Month
Gale Labonte
Parks & Leisure Services Department

Gale Labonte began working for the City of Porterville on January 18, 1999, in the Planning Division as a Clerical Assistant.  In June of 1999, she moved over to the Parks and Leisure Services Department.  Gale worked at the front counter in the City Hall Parks and Leisure Services Department handling Leisure Services clerical responsibilities, including park reservations and program registrations.  She then moved to the parks office at the Corporation Yard in 2004 where her duties focused on the Parks division.

In November 2013, Gale moved back to City Hall where she currently works in the Parks and Leisure Services Administrative office maintaining parks division work, as well as administrative office clerical duties.  It is fantastic having Gale back ‘home’ in the Parks and Leisure Services City Hall office.  She possesses a wealth of knowledge from her fourteen years of experience. Gale attends the Parks and Leisure Services Commission meetings and is responsible for the minutes.    She has also been instrumental in maintaining the City of Porterville Tree City USA status.

Gale is married to Andy and has two sons, Adam and Travis.  Her hobbies include collecting Mickey Mouse items, crafting, decorating and learning about history.  When asked what she likes most about her job, Gale states that she has great co-workers who make it fun to come to work!  She added that there’s never a dull moment in Parks and Leisure!

City of Porterville
May 2013 Employee of the Month
Josie Castaneda
Administrative Services Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have chosen Josie Castaneda as the Employee of the Month for May 2013.  Josie has worked for the City for 28 years, beginning her career in 1985 as a Clerical Assistant II in Risk Management.  She is currently employed as an Administrative Analyst in the Human Resources Division of the Administrative Services Department.

As an HR Administrative Analyst, Josie’s primary responsibility is the administration of the City’s workers compensation program.  In this regard, she handles all aspects of work-related injury claims, involving a tremendous amount of coordination between the injured worker and his/her supervisor, as well as the City’s third party claims administrator, doctors, and sometimes attorneys to facilitate the appropriate resolution and the return to work of the injured employee.  Josie is extremely knowledge in workers compensation administration and her attention to detail is just one of Josie’s much valued attributes. Josie strives to stay current on the ever-changing workers compensation laws, and works diligently to protect the rights of all involved parties.  In addition, some of Josie’s other responsibilities include tracking performance reports for all full-time City employees; preparing and filing mandated CalOSHA reports; and coordinating certificates of insurance through the Central San Joaquin Valley Risk Management Authority, on which Josie also serves as the City’s Alternate Member.  When asked to describe her favorite aspect of her job, Josie says that she most enjoys working with professionals in every department and gets great satisfaction from providing assistance to them.

Josie is a dedicated and extremely dependable employee.   She is a tremendous asset to the Administrative Services Department, not to mention the City.  Josie resides in Woodville with her husband of 29 years, Guillermo, and has three adult children, Ana Laura and her husband Robert; Guillermo Jr.; and Julio Cesar.   When she is not serving the City of Porterville, Josie enjoys spending time with her family and traveling to tropical destinations.

The City of Porterville is very fortunate to have an employee like Josie.

City of Porterville
April 2013 Employee of the Month
Michael Brodbeck
Fire Department

Michael was born and raised near Pismo Beach in Nipomo, California. In 2006, he graduated from Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria with an Associate of Science degree in Fire Technology. Later that year, he completed the State Fire Training course requirement’s for certification as a Firefighter 1.

Before coming to Porterville, Michael spent four years as a firefighter with the Nipomo Fire Department and worked in the Cal-Fire, San Diego Ranger Unit as a seasonal firefighter.

Michael began his career with the City of Porterville in June of 2008. In October of 2011, he accepted a position in the Fire Investigation Unit as a Fire/Arson Investigator and has recently become an Acting Engineer. In December 2012, Michael received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Studies through Brandman University.

Michael was selected as Employee of the Month for his great work ethic and positive attitude, his willingness to assume additional responsibilities and assignments, and for helping to meet the goals and objectives of the Porterville Fire Department.

Michael has been married to Janelle for three years.  They have a beautiful little girl, Samantha Rose.  In his free time, Michael enjoys camping, biking, and hiking and spending time with his family.

City of Porterville
March 2013 Employee of the Month
Cliff Savage
Public Works Department

Cliff Savage started working for the Public Works Department as a Refuse Driver on January 3, 2006.   From the beginning, Cliff has been a very dependable and dedicated employee with a consistently positive attitude and he takes great pride in his job.

Cliff is always willing to assist others and promotes team work at all times. He often reports to work early, works overtime, and Holidays when necessary.  Cliff is flexible and he adapts well to change, as is evident in the fact that he can and will operate all the different vehicles in the refuse fleet from the front end loaders to the forklift.  He currently operates a side loader on the residential routes.  Cliff enjoys running all the different equipment and thinks it’s fun to work, which may be why he’s had a 100% attendance record every year since beginning work for the City.  

He is an avid Ram’s fan and also enjoys golf, baseball and fishing.  Cliff has been married to April for the past 21 years, and they have three daughters, Heather, Stephany and Cynthia.

City of Porterville
February 2013 Employee of the Month
Lupe Diaz
Community Development Department

Lupe has been with the City since 2007 in the Housing Division of the Community Development Department and has recently taken on the duties of Development Associate.  She is responsible for the administration of the CDBG grant program as well as managing the housing programs, including the First Time Homebuyer Program, the Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program, and the Public Utility Assistance Program for low-income households.  Lupe also monitors several multi-family housing projects within the City. For the past five years, Lupe has been the coordinator of Project Homeless Connect and the annual Point in Time Survey. Her involvement with the Kings/Tulare County Continuum of Care on Homelessness has given her the opportunity to assist individuals that find themselves in need. Most recently, while coordinating with Family Services, she has had the satisfaction of assisting to house four homeless individuals through the Shelter Plus Care Program.

Lupe describes the most enjoyable part of her job as being able to assist those in need, reaching out to the community and making a difference wherever possible. Her motto is, “Give whatever you have, help with whatever you can, and start wherever you are.”

Lupe has two children; a daughter, Daniella, age 24, who teaches first grade at Kennedy Elementary in Lindsay, and a son, Samuel, age 22, who is attending College of the Sequoias and works as assistant manager at Guitar Center-Visalia.Lupe enjoys reading, walking, and cooking. Lupe loves antiques and thrift store shopping. She finds her recent hobby of painting furniture in shabby chic style rewarding and relaxing. She attends Porterville Believers Church.

City of Porterville
January 2013 Employee of the Month
Carlos Meza
Finance Department

For the month of January, we are honoring Carlos Meza as the City of Porterville’s Employee of the Month.  Carlos was hired in October 2008 as a Meter Reader.  Carlos immediately demonstrated outstanding performance in his new position. He has a great attitude, reports to work with a smile on his face and ready to work.

Carlos’ work is exceptional, always completed ahead of schedule and with accuracy.  He is a team player, always helping out with anything that needs to be completed. Carlos doesn’t mind going above and beyond his job duties.  Instead of calling the Water Department for repairs, he does the work himself.  He is very well liked and has a great working relationship with staff.

Carlos is always able to maintain a courteous demeanor, even in adverse situations.  He is able to express a calm and polite attitude while dealing with the most difficult customers.   Carlos has an extraordinary degree of job knowledge, always adhering to policies. He can always be depended upon to handle any situation that may arise.

Carlos has been married to his wife, Maria, for 12 years.  Together, they have raised Maria’s brother and sister, Raul and Catia.  Carlos is very active; he enjoys playing soccer, which keeps him in shape.  He successfully participates in the City’s Fitness Incentive Program, often scoring as an “Olympian.” Carlos mostly enjoys spending time with his family.

Carlos, we truly appreciate you and your work. You represent the City of Porterville in a positive manner!

City of Porterville
December 2012 Employee of the Month
Marshall Chairez
Public Works Department

Marshall Chairez was selected as the December 2012 Employee of the Month because of his outstanding work ethic, his attention to detail, and his willingness to assist others.

Marshall began his career with the City of Porterville in September 1988 as a Field Services Worker I in the Streets/Traffic Division.  He was promoted to Field Services Worker II in 1997 and to Field Services Worker III in 2009.  In this capacity he is responsible for the maintenance of all Street Signage and Street Markings throughout the City.  Marshall takes pride in his job and states that one of the most enjoyable parts of his job is serving the public to the best of his ability.

Marshall has been married to his wife Norma for 24 years.  They have three sons: Marshall, Eric, and Randy, and four daughters: Megan, Jeanine, Alyssa, and Britney.  Marshall has coached football in the community for the last 23 years, and is currently an assistant coach at Porterville High School.  He enjoys spending his free time camping & fishing with his family, and being grandpa to Jayden and Maddison. 

City of Porterville
November 2012 Employee of the Month
Darren Maddox
Parks & Leisure Services Department

Darren Maddox was hired by the City of Porterville on November 1, 1987, as a Parks Maintenance Worker II. He was promoted to Parks Maintenance Worker III two years ago. During his 25 years with the City, Darren has always been receptive to taking on new responsibilities, and there have been many additional responsibilities assigned to him lately due to the vacancy of the Parks Supervisor and one Parks Maintenance Worker III.

Darren’s skills are many: he is exceptionally knowledgeable in working with trees, he is currently welding a new fence at Murry Park, he possesses both a Class A and B license, he is a Certified Pool Operator, he oversees the SWAP program for the division, and he is well versed in equipment maintenance.
Darren is married to Tammy and has two daughters, Kristy and Brittney, a son-in-law, Anthony, and five grandsons.

His hobbies include dirt track car racing, off-roading, football, and camping.

Darren states that what he likes most about his job is working with his co-workers and with other City departments.

City of Porterville
October 2012 Employee of the Month
Robert Meier
Police Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Officer Rob Meier as the October 2012Employee of the Month.

Rob was born in Fremont, California, and spent time, while growing up, in Denair, California, and Chicago, Illinois, before finally settling in Visalia. He is married to Shanna and he is a devoted father to their beautiful daughter, Jaymee.

Rob Graduated from the Tulare Kings Basic Police Academy in December of 1998 and was hired as a Deputy Sheriff for Tulare County in July of 1999. Rob spent nearly 10 years working as a Deputy Sheriff before accepting a position with the Porterville Police Department in February of 2008. Since that time, Rob has been assigned as a Patrol Officer, a Narcotics Investigator, and is currently assigned as a Training Officer in the Patrol Division.

Rob has excelled in every assignment he has had and routinely goes above and beyond what is expected of him. On September 1st of this year Rob and his trainee were dispatched to a disturbance at a local hotel.  Upon arrival they learned the source of the disturbance was a young girl who was upset. She and her family were displaced due to a residential fire and she was distraught and scared staying in unfamiliar surroundings.

Although the shift was busy, Rob took time to connect with and comfort the young girl displaying a great deal of compassion for her and her family. The parents of the girl were quite appreciative of the concern shown by Officer Meier but his efforts did not stop there.

The following day, Officer Meier returned to the hotel with a care package for the young lady that included pajamas, girl’s clothing, a few toys, and a princess dress. The young girl’s mother called the Police Department stating her family was simply overwhelmed by Officer Meier’s generosity and concern. She further stated that his actions have given her family much needed hope and strength during hard times.

This incident is simply one example of the type of service Officer Meier is providing to the city of Porterville on a daily basis. It is for that reason he has been chosen for this recognition.

City of Porterville
September 2012 Employee of the Month
Cody Clem
Fire Department

Cody Clem was born and raised in Porterville. He attended Monache High School, where he participated in the Associated Student Body, was a section leader for the drum line in the Monache High School Band, and was actively involved in sports.  Cody went on to attend Porterville College as well as Allan Hancock College, graduating with honors and an Associate Science degree in Fire Technology.

Cody began his career with the City of Porterville Fire Department in June 2006, when he was hired as a Reserve Firefighter. In the summer of 2008 he worked as a seasonal wildland firefighter with CalFire, thereafter rejoining Porterville Fire Department in the fall of 2008. He was hired as a temporary firefighter in November 2008 for a 1000-hour, limited term position, which led to him being selected as a full-time firefighter with the department in July of 2010.

Cody is known for his boundless energy, positive spirit, and his desire to complete any task quickly and in an efficient manner. In his free time, Cody is often involved in community service events, such as Shave the Brave, Fill the Boot, and the Porterville Firefighters Association’s Chili Cook-off. He also volunteers as a percussion instructor at Granite Hills High School.

When asked to describe his favorite aspect of his job, Cody says that it is a pleasure to serve the community that has given him so much, and he enjoys the camaraderie of working with his captain and fellow shift members.

City of Porterville
August 2012 Employee of the Month
Javier Sanchez
Public Works Department

The department directors of the City of Porterville have chosen Javier Sanchez, the Assistant City Engineer, as the Employee of the Month for August 2012.

Javier was chosen to be recognized because he played a major roll in the City's success in securing our FHWA funds for the Plano Street Bridge Project.

Javier began working for the City in March 2008. His duties include managing federal-aid capital improvement projects and enforcing various codes and regulations.

Javier serves on the advisory board for the Academy of Engineering at Harmony Magnet.

He enjoys exercising, spending time with family, and mentoring students and interns. He is married to Yuri and they have three children.

City of Porterville
July 2012 Employee of the Month
Howard Muzuki
Community Planning & Development Department

The City of Porterville is pleased to announce the selection of Howard Mizuki as our Employee of the Month for July 2012.  Howard’s selection was based on his ability to complete major projects, his flexibility to change, participation as a team player, and his success in achieving cooperation from his co-workers under what is, often, stressful conditions.

Howard began his career with the City in 1994 as a Water Systems Specialist.  In 1998 he was promoted to Administrative Analyst and currently coordinates the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) efforts.

Howard was instrumental in installation of the Automated Permits and Inspections software.  Other areas of responsibility include coordinating, Technical Support to Community Development, Training staff and documenting technical procedures for the department.

Howard is an avid golfer and works hard to remain physically fit. He is consistently among the top scorers in Fitness Incentive testing.

Howard and his wife, Paidge, have lived in Porterville since 1989, raised three daughters and have four grandchildren.

City of Porterville
June 2012 Employee of the Month
Janie Rodriguez
Finance Department

Competent and conscientious with a keen commitment to accuracy can best describe June’s employee of the month, Janie Rodriguez.  Janie joined the City’s Finance Department in November 2005, as an Account Clerk II.  She was soon reclassified to Account Clerk III and thereafter promoted to Accountant I in 2008, the position she holds today.

Janie received her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of LaVerne in 2006.  She has a lot on her plate as her responsibilities include preparing journal entries, quarterly financial reports and monthly Revenue & Expenditure reports.  She conducts the accounts payable audit and provides back-up support to both A/P and Payroll.  She is responsible for the First Time Home Buyer loan payment reconciliation as well as Agreement payments.  Janie is a valuable assistant to the Finance Director, especially during preparation of the annual CAFR and Budget.

Janie has been married to Jerry for twelve years.  They have two children, Lily, 12, and Erik, 7.  She loves exercise and walks and rides her bike.  Her favorite past-time is spending time with her family and she enjoys a good novel when she makes the time.  Janie also loves going to Las Vegas; however, she spends her time watching others lose their money—not hers!

City of Porterville
April 2012 Employee of the Month
Sarah Cardoza
Administrative Services Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have chosen Sarah Cardoza as the Employee of the Month for April 2012.  Sarah works as an Administrative Analyst in the Human Resources Division of the Administrative Services Department and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services/Business Management.

As an HR Administrative Analyst, Sarah is responsible for the daily administration of employee health and retirement benefits.  This includes assisting in the evaluation of contracts, renewals, and plan revisions; coordinating dissemination of plan information; overseeing claims administration; and keeping apprised of changes in applicable state and federal law.  Another of Sarah’s responsibilities includes assisting in employer/employee relations and the collective bargaining process with five of the six employee associations.  Sarah is the go-to person for compiling and analyzing data, and has worked diligently in preparing comprehensive MOUs for each of the units.  If that wasn’t enough to keep Sarah busy, she also assists with managing employee leave, developing and conducting supervisor training sessions, and serving as back-up personnel for Workers Compensation benefits administration.   When asked to describe her favorite aspect of her job, Sarah says that she loves the necessity of being a lifetime learner, as she is required to stay on top of ever-changing labor laws.  She also is appreciative of her job and the relationships she has established with her co-workers.

Sarah is a consummate professional who is passionate about her job.  Time and time again she tackles the most challenging assignments and executes them with proficiency and diligence.  She is a tremendous asset to the Administrative Services Department, not to mention the City.

Sarah was born in Visalia, and lived there until she met and married her soldier, Darin.  In 2002, they moved to Fort Drum, New York, where she lived while Darin was deployed in Afghanistan.  In 2004, she and Darin returned to Visalia, which is where they currently reside with their two beautiful daughters, Sophia, who will be 5 years old next month, and Makayla, who is 8 ½ months old.  When she is not serving the City of Porterville, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, hosting summer BBQs, and vacuuming her house with her coveted Rainbow vacuum to keep it spotless.  Yes, vacuuming! 

City of Porterville
March 2012 Employee of the Month
Debbie Salter
City Manager's Office

Debbie has worked in a few different departments in the City, but considers it all to be the same team. She began her career with the City of Porterville in 1999, working in the Finance Department as the assistant to the Purchasing Agent. This position gave her a good overview of the City since she helped purchase items for, and had contact with, all the different departments. In June 2000, she transferred to the Police Department, assigned to the Patrol Division. The seven years she worked there gave her a unique insight into the workings of the Police Department and you would be hard pressed to find someone who is more “pro law enforcement.”

Debbie accepted the position of Secretary to the City Manager in September 2007. This position has provided her with an opportunity to further expand her knowledge of City functions and municipal government (as well as the Brown Act).

Debbie endeavors to have a positive impact on those she comes in contact with and believes every citizen of Porterville is our customer and deserves attentive, quality service. 

Debbie is married to Steve, has a son Larry (and daughter-in-law, Annette) and a daughter Missy (and son-in-law, Joe). She also has two “furry girls” that she adores: Mika, a Lab mix, and Maddie, a Goldendoodle.

Debbie enjoys humor, spending time with friends, traveling, and walking her dogs. She also ardently cares about animals and would love to see the building of the animal shelter in Porterville given top priority.

City of Porterville
February 2012 Employee of the Month
Yuliana Andrade
Parks & Leisure Services Department - Library

Yuliana Andrade was first introduced to public library work through the CSET Youth Program in 2005. After that program ended, Yuli was hired on as a part-time Library Aide in June of 2006. In March of 2011, she was chosen to fill a full-time Library Assistant position.

Yuli is a team player and is willing to flex her schedule as necessary to help other divisions in her department with activities like Step-Up events, Kid’s Day, and Junior Giants Baseball. She is actively involved in programming inside and outside the library. Yuliana has conducted several presentations for Homework Help, assisted staff with school visits to promote Summer Reading programs, and has conducted library tours.  She organized and promoted our 2011 Banned Book Week. Yuli uses her bilingual skills to help connect with and serve our Hispanic population.

Yuliana has a pleasant outgoing personality and gets along well with her co-workers.  She eagerly takes on new responsibilities as assigned. Yuliana is currently assisting staff in conducting monthly computer classes for the public and has received many positive compliments from the students. Yuliana performs with a high level of energy and contributes extra efforts in all aspects of her assignments.  She was asked to meet with co-workers for cross training of library duties and exceeded our expectations by completing this task ahead of schedule.

Yuliana is committed to professional development and has completed many Info-People online training sessions. She is currently taking online classes through the State Center Community College District to attain her Library Technology Certificate.  Besides being a dedicated Library staff member by fulfilling her assigned duties and responsibilities, Yuli goes above and beyond by promoting the Library in new ways and accepting the associated work into her routine. Her most recent success is the Library’s Facebook page.  Within just a few months of creation, the Porterville Library’s Facebook page had more likes than Tulare County Library’s Facebook page and Tulare City Library’s Facebook page combined.  In order to keep postings current and responses timely, she sometimes manages the content from home on her own time.

Yuli is an excellent example of investing in individuals when hiring employees for the City. When our individual employees, like Yuli, are successful, their respective teams, divisions, and departments are on the road to success. Our City organization will prosper greatly when we invest in and reap the rewards of employees like Yuliana.

City of Porterville
January 2012 Employee of the Month
Officer Mark Knox
Porterville Police Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Officer Mark Knox as the Employee of the Month for January 2012.

Mark Knox came to work for the Porterville Police Department in May of 2002, after beginning his career with the Woodlake Police Department in 2000.

Mark was selected as Police Officer of the Year in 2003.

Mark has worked in a variety of assignments at the police department, which included time as an officer in the Patrol Division.  Mark worked three years as the DUI Enforcement Officer and to date has made over 1,100 arrests of individuals driving a motor vehicle while impaired.

Mark worked three years in the Special Investigations Unit where he investigated narcotics cases and gang investigations.  He was involved in a multi-agency gang investigation in the city of Porterville that concluded in 2008 with the arrests of over 50 individuals and the service of 25 search warrants.

In 2008, Mark was assigned to the Officer-In-Charge Program, where he became the supervisor in the absence of the shift Sergeant.

In 2010, Mark became the supervisor of the School Resource Officers, the Explorer Program, and the GREAT Program taught by Officer Mariko Williams. Mark spends several extra hours each week overseeing these programs, and donates hours to the Explorer Program each time they work details at Pebble Beach.

The police department recently tapped Mark’s past experience in landscaping to assist in the planning and installation of the irrigation system at the new police shooting range which now has over 1½ acres of sprinkler system.

Mark makes his home in Visalia with his dog, JD. Mark spends much of his free time doing outdoor activities including camping, hunting, and fishing.

Mark is a highly-valued member of the Porterville Police Department and a role model for young officers to emulate. He comes to work everyday with the mindset of doing the best job possible and making a difference through his work for our community.

City of Porterville
December 2011 Employee of the Month
Caroline Thomason
Laboratory, Public Works Department

Caroline Thomason started working for the City of Porterville nine years ago as a Lab Attendant. Caroline has since obtained Lab Analyst Grade 2 and Environmental Compliance Inspector Grade 1 certifications and is currently a Lab Technician II.

Caroline is a hard working, diligent employee who uses her time management skills and knowledge efficiently to get the laboratory samples analyzed on time. She runs tests on the sophisticated laboratory testing equipment and has had a large role in running the laboratory’s proficiency testing samples this year. Caroline is detail oriented and maintains laboratory maintenance logs and quality control charts for each procedure used in the lab. She collects and analyzes samples from our industrial dischargers. Caroline has a very good rapport with the laboratory clients who come in with their samples or to ask questions regarding their water.

Caroline has received her AA degree at Porterville College and is currently working on her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Resource Management. Caroline said she enjoys challenging herself in school as she works toward her degree which is relevant to her job, and she is able to apply her water knowledge with her environmental studies.

When not working or studying, Caroline enjoys riding dirt bikes and quads, camping, shooting, and watching movies.

Caroline is married to David and they have a 7-year-old daughter, Miranda.

City of Porterville
November 2011 Employee of the Month
Lieutenant Mike Hildreth
Porterville Fire Department

Mike Hildreth was born in Redlands, California, and has lived in the Porterville area for approximately 37 years, growing up in Success Valley.  He attended Citrus South Tule Elementary School, Pioneer Jr. High School, Porterville High School, and Porterville College.

Mike began his career with the City of Porterville in 1998 when he was hired as a Reserve Firefighter.  In 1999 he became a full-time Firefighter with the department, and has worked his way through the ranks to his current position of Lieutenant.  In addition to his officer duties, Mike is also charged with developing and administering Wildland Firefighting Training to all shift personnel on an annual basis.  Mike also oversees the Reserve Firefighter Program.  As Reserve Program Coordinator, Mike is responsible for overseeing the recruitment and testing of all new Reserves, conducting the City’s in-house Reserve Academy, developing and administering monthly training sessions, and providing general supervision of the Reserves’ training program.

When asked to describe his favorite aspect of his job, Mike says that assisting members of the public when they are in need is very rewarding.  He also enjoys the camaraderie of working with his engine company, as well as training and drills to sharpen his skills and stay current with new life safety procedures and techniques.

Mike has been married to Patrice for eight years.  Together they have two beautiful daughters:  Logan, who will be five years in December, and Regan, who will be two years in February.  When not being utilized as a jungle gym by his girls, Mike enjoys golfing, cycling, and weight training.

City of Porterville
October 2011 Employee of the Month
JENNI BYERS
Community Planning and Development

Jenni Byers is an Assistant Planner in the Community Development Department. She has worked for the City on two separate occasions. After working as a medical transcriptionist at Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield for 10 years, she was hired as the Community Development Department secretary in April 2005. At that time the department was significantly understaffed and development was going crazy. This allowed Jenni to take a crash course in planning and she was able to assist from the beginning on the General Plan update. She worked for the City for about 10 months and then went back to college, finishing her bachelor’s degree at the University of Phoenix in Business Management. Following graduation she worked for a private consulting firm, Provost and Pritchard, as an environmental planner. The City contracted with this firm for planning services and Jenni was brought in to help complete the General Plan. She was rehired by the City in April 2009 as a provisional employee and later was hired on full-time in November 2010.

Jenni is passionate about her job and loves serving the public. From her early days of working for the City, the need for logical development appealed to her. She enjoys working with compassionate people in planning, housing and economic development – and being able to see the big picture of the services and programs the City provides to better this community.  She has tackled some really difficult projects – like completing the environmental work so the ball fields at the airport Sports Complex could be lighted and working through the red tape of the FAA to gain the release of the airport lands for the new fairgrounds.  She is a very experienced environmental planner, and works to provide environmental reviews of the most difficult projects. Currently, Jenni is the lead planner on the Zoning Map update. Jenni says that she loves her job because every day brings something new.

Jenni adores her husband, Grant, who works as a salesman for Thorco Valves. They have three children: Joshua, 20, who is getting ready to transfer to Point Loma Nazarene University where he wants to become a pastor, Jake, 18, who is a senior and loves working on cars, and Emily, 16, who is a vivacious junior on the Stockdale High School color guard in Bakersfield.  Jenni says that Emily is her favorite hobby. She feels like half her life is spent following her activities, being in the band booster, and traveling around for her color guard activities.

Jenni is a founding member of the City’s book club and she loves to play softball. At any given time she has a bat, cleats and glove in her car because you never know when someone will need an extra player. As a family, the Byers love to snowboard, ride bikes and fish – while Jenni reads. Jenni enjoys her commute from Bakersfield everyday because it’s her only down time and according to her, it’s the only time when she’s not expected to cook or clean.

City of Porterville
September 2011 Employee of the Month
TONYA HALL
Parks and Leisure Services

Tonya was employed by the City of Porterville as a Leisure Services Coordinator in February 2008.  She coordinates the Spring Kids’ Fest, Youth Basketball, Jr. Pirates Track Club, Adult Coed Volleyball League, Annual Senior Christmas Dinner, Dive-In Theatre, Winter & Spring Youth Fishing Derbies, Spring Egg Hunt, and the Junior Giants.  Tonya was instrumental in getting the new Youth Girls Softball League off to a successful start this past spring.  She also assists with numerous other special events including the Freedom Fest, Music on Main, other youth sports, as well as manning information booths on the department’s behalf at other community functions.

Tonya is on the City website committee and keeps the Parks and Leisure Services Department web information updated, as well as sending out the new internet resident information service.  Tonya is currently on the Sesquicentennial Committee and has put in countless hours towards planning and implementing this year’s events. 

Tonya has five children: Alexis, Seneca, Madison, Savannah, and Dillon.  Her hobbies include playing volleyball, softball, and keeping up with all of her kids’ activities.  She is also a proud member of the TC VillainZ, an all women's flag football team.  Tonya lists getting to interact with the community as the most enjoyable part of her job.  She says she feels very fortunate to have a job that she loves and gets to work alongside the most amazing people in Porterville.
Tonya always does an excellent job taking on added responsibilities.

It is because of the aforementioned that we would like to recognize Tonya Hall as the City of Porterville Employee of the Month for September 2011.

City of Porterville
August 2011 Employee of the Month
Anita Gustuson
Finance Department

Dependable, resourceful and always careful with the taxpayers’ dollars are some of the strong points describing August Employee of the Month, Anita Gustuson.  Anita joined the City in June 2000, as a Clerical Assistant II in the Finance Department, supporting the Purchasing Division.  Her prior experience as a Buyer for National Diversified Sales in Lindsay, plus being a 1993 Leadership Lindsay graduate, made her an excellent choice for the position.  Anita wears many hats and handles numerous critical tasks for the department including ensuring the bidding process on our capital projects runs smoothly and is well-organized.  She processes all Community Civic Event applications, keeps our DUNS Central Contractor Registration updated, works on research projects for the Finance Director, and generally manages all functions that keep the Finance Department staff working efficiently.  Additionally, Anita is currently learning the Business License Code and will soon be able to process new and renewal Business License applications.  She maintains a close working relationship with the City’s vendors and contractors, and always puts a positive attitude at the forefront.  Anita’s initiative is well recognized at the City.  She thrives well on innovation and enjoys using new technology to streamline work processes - a recent example being her work with the Engineering Department to facilitate electronic transmission of bid documents to plan rooms.

Anita earned her AA Degree from Porterville College in 2002, and just recently completed all requirements to earn her Paralegal certification.  She has two grown daughters:   Kathleen is married to Bradley and teaches in Lindsay; her youngest, Renee, is finishing college in Fresno.  She is a brand new grandma, thanks to Kathleen and Bradley giving birth to “Everett Dylan” on July 7th.   In addition to enjoying time spent with family, Anita’s hobbies include sewing and quilting, hiking in the mountains, and reading a good novel with her trusty dog, Merlin, by her side.

City of Porterville
July 2011 Employee of the Month
David Payne
Public Works Department

Department directors for the City of Porterville have selected David Payne as the July 2011 Employee of the Month.

David Payne arrived in the San Joaquin Valley with his family from up north when he was a small child, and he attended grammar school in Porterville.  The family relocated to Tulare, and he graduated from Tulare Western High School.

He was hired by the City in June 2007 as a Public Works Field Services Worker I.  Since then, he has acquired his Water Distribution II & III state mandated certification and has advanced to the rank of Water Utility Worker II.

David has always been a person with a positive attitude, has a great work ethic, and is always willing to do any variety of tasks requested.  David’s regular work assignments include fixing water main breaks, repairing broken fire hydrants and testing backflow devices.  Along with David’s everyday work activities, he also receives a very large percentage of the after-hours water and sewer call-outs.  He has been extremely dependable in all aspects of this work.  His supervisor says he is a pleasure to work with.

David is a member of the American Water Works Association and American Backflow Prevention Association.  Up until recently, David was the only field backflow tester for the City.  Through this responsibility, David has demonstrated dependability and professionalism.

David has been married to Krista for 12 years; and they have 2 daughters, Sienna and Sami, and one son, David.  He enjoys vacations with his family and hunting and fishing, especially when visiting his parents in Oklahoma.  You can tell David truly enjoys working for the City and is an asset to the Public Works Water Utility Division. 

City of Porterville
June 2011 Employee of the Month
Mariko Williams
Porterville Police Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Officer Mariko Williams as the Employee of the Month for June 2011.

Mariko was raised in a military family that moved frequently until finally settling in the Southern California city of Temecula.

After Mariko graduated from high school, she followed her family’s tradition and joined the United States Marine Corps where she served from 1994 to 2002.  Mariko had a much decorated career in the Marine Corps, serving the initial four years training fellow Marines in protection efforts against nuclear biological chemical weaponry. Her remaining four years in the Marines was spent as a Russian linguist attached to an intelligence unit.

Following her honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps, Mariko began her law enforcement career with the Honolulu Police Department in Hawaii.  She worked as a police officer in Hawaii from 2002 to 2006.

In September 2007, Mariko relocated to Porterville because of family and applied to work for the Porterville Police Department. Viewing her background and work history, not to mention being a Hawaii Five-O, she was a natural fit for our department.

Since 2007, Mariko has worked in the Patrol Division with assignments as a Sector Officer, but she found her true calling when she began working as a School Resource Officer.  While working in the school system, Mariko found what drives her and that is helping our youth. Mariko has been instrumental in guiding students to make positive choices in their lives. Mariko has mentored some of the police department female explorers who enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. Seeing these young people follow in her footsteps is truly something to be proud of.  

Mariko developed and implemented the GREAT Program within our school system; she balanced the program to meet the needs of the students, schools, and our community.  She used her drive and passion to seek grants that funded her training, enabling her to teach the GREAT Program in our local schools.  Her teaching of the GREAT Program began in August 2010 and she had 45 classes graduate from the program this year.  Her program has reached over 1,800 5th and 7th grade students this year alone.

Mariko has partnered with Bob Perez, our City/School Liaison, in visiting and counseling at-risk youth and their families.  Their partnership currently has a caseload of 200 families they visit monthly, and they have been in the homes of over 700 families since the inception of the program.

Mariko has a 10 year old daughter, Malia, who is very proud of what her mother is doing.

As you can see, Mariko is a very special person, one that we are proud to have as a member of our team, one that’s making a difference. Please join us in honoring Mariko Williams as Employee of the Month.

City of Porterville
May 2011 Employee of the Month
Shauna Craig
Administrative Services Department

For the month of May 2011, we are honoring SHAUNA CRAIG as the City of Porterville’s Employee of the Month.

Shauna spent the majority of her adolescence in some state of “moving,” either packing, moving, or unpacking!  She was born in New Jersey, and has lived in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Washington, Oregon, and all over California, before settling in Porterville during her freshman year of high school.  She is a graduate of both Monache High and Porterville College.

Shauna began working for the City of Porterville in January 2010 when she was hired as a Human Resources Assistant in the Administrative Services Department.  As an HR Assistant, Shauna is responsible for all recruitments for the City, oversees the employee service awards program, conducts customer service trainings, and also serves as “wellness guru,” administering the City’s wellness program.  For the first time, the City’s fitness incentive testing was taken in-house in an effort to cut costs. Shauna not only oversaw this successful transition, but also does an outstanding job in managing the program.  Participation in the program has since tripled, due much to the enthusiastic efforts of Shauna.  In addition, Shauna has created “The Wellness Word,” an electronic employee newsletter which she publishes bi-monthly.  Shauna’s positive, can-do attitude, her strong organizational skills, and creativity has helped promote a more healthful culture amongst City employees which will most certainly positively impact health coverage costs in years to come.  Shauna is the quintessential team player, always offering her assistance where needed.  She hit the ground running upon her hire and has yet to stop, or even slow down!

When asked to describe her favorite aspect of her job, Shauna says that conducting recruitments for many of the City’s positions has made her appreciative of all of the things that as citizens we take for granted, such as the safety of our drinking water, what happens once a toilet is flushed or trash is left at the curb, or whether or not someone will be there when 911 is dialed.  She is proud to serve the City and greatly enjoys working with fellow employees and the public.
Shauna is married to Mike, and they have three amazing daughters:  KaitLynn, age 16; Shae, age 14; and Hanna, age 6.  In her spare time, Shauna enjoys “Stampin Up” crafting, entertaining, writing, riding quads, organizing, and reading (Shauna is a founding member of the City’s book club).

City of Porterville
April 2011 Employee of the Month
Rick Land
Porterville Fire Department

Rick Land was born and raised in Porterville, and is the youngest of seven children born to James and Carol Land.  He attended Vandalia Elementary School, Pioneer Jr. High, Porterville High School and Porterville College.

Captain Rick Land is the training officer for the Porterville Fire Department.  Rick was hired by the City of Porterville in May of 1998 as a reserve firefighter. Since then he has held the ranks of firefighter, engineer, lieutenant and captain.  Rick is a registered Driver/Operator instructor with State Fire Training.  He was named Firefighter of the Year in 2001.  Rick is a recent graduate of Leadership Porterville, class of 2010, and is currently on the curriculum committee for Leadership Porterville.

As the training officer for Porterville Fire Department, some of Rick’s responsibilities include scheduling, coordinating and providing training to members of the fire department and other City staff.  He maintains and updates reports on the City of Porterville’s National Incident Management System, maintains fire personnel training records, and is responsible for maintaining the City of Porterville’s Emergency Operations Center.

Rick is also involved in the Golden Guardian process for an emergency preparedness exercise that will occur in May of this year. Rick was selected as Employee of the Month for his enthusiasm, loyalty, can-do attitude and for helping to meet the goals and objectives of the Porterville Fire Department.Rick has been married to Michelle for over 18 years.  Together they have three children: a 16-year-old daughter named Amber, and two sons, 12-year-old Nathan and 11-year-old Treyton.  Rick enjoys many outdoor activities, including camping, hunting and coaching youth sports.

City of Porterville
March 2011 Employee of the Month
Linda Clark
City Manager's Office

Linda Clark has been chosen by Department Directors as the March 2011 Employee of the Month. Linda Clark was employed with the City of Porterville in May 1991 and has consistently been an excellent example of a dedicated, capable, and hard-working employee.

Linda was initially hired as the Secretary to the City Manager, but her abilities were soon tapped for the development of a public transit system in Porterville. Linda has been an integral part of the transit system since its inception – seeing that the services expanded to meet the growing needs of our community. Linda has acquired a vast knowledge of the many components of transit – grant application and administration, federal requirements, copious reports, equipment specs and on and on. She works closely with the Transit Operator, assuring the smooth running of the daily routes. Linda has diligently taken care of a very complex, highly demanding job in a stellar way and the City is very appreciative of that fact.

Linda was promoted to Administrative Aide in September 1994, to Analyst I in July 2000, and to Analyst II in September 2006.

But Linda’s job is not limited to Transit – she also serves as the City’s Public Information Officer, keeping the public and news media informed regarding important issues and projects that are happening within the City. Her extensive knowledge of the City and its functions make her a very valuable employee to all departments and she readily assists with various projects as needed.

Before coming to the City of Porterville, Linda worked for 17 years as a legal secretary, taught business at Porterville College night classes for 12 years, and worked more than 4 years for the City of Lindsay.

Linda is married to Ed, who is retired from the City of Porterville, and has one daughter, Amy, and two sons, Cris and Craig.

Linda enjoys cooking and loves to travel – particularly to the states of Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. Linda and Ed also share an avid interest in Native American art and artifacts.

City of Porterville
February 2011 Employee of the Month
Brian Herrera
Parks Department

It’s a great honor to present the February 2011 Employee of the Month, BRIAN HERRERA.

Brian moved to Porterville in 1980 to attend Porterville College.  For three years Brian studied classes offered in the area of Building Trades and Drafting.

Brian began working for the City of Porterville in 1990 as a Field Services Worker I in the Water Division, primarily responsible for the maintenance of water meters.  In 1996 a great reverence came over Brian, he saw a flaming light and transferred to the Parks and Leisure Services Department as a Parks Maintenance Worker I, performing duties as a tree surgeon on our Street Tree Crew.  A few years later, Brian was promoted to Parks Maintenance Worker II, and just recently promoted to Parks Maintenance Worker III, as the lead worker in building and maintenance.

Brian’s latest project is the finely crafted handicap ramp at the Spencer House, the new home of the Friends of the Library.  He’s currently retrofitting the Municipal Golf Course restrooms to meet ADA requirements and will soon start work on rebuilding the Breakfast Lions Pavilion at Veterans Park.  Brian has a great passion for his job; the challenges that are presented to him on a daily basis are welcomed.  His willingness to tackle any task, his wonderful attitude, along with his skills, makes Brian one of our most valued employees.

As a single Dad, Brian raised three children who are now adults: Brian Jr., Sonia and Regina. He’s also the proud grandpa of seven.  During his spare time Brian enjoys performing skilled wood work. 

City of Porterville
January 2011 Employee of the Month
Lt. Robert Blankenship
Police Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Acting Lieutenant Robert Blankenship as the Employee of the Month for January 2011.

Lieutenant Blankenship has served in law enforcement for over 33 years, beginning his career with the communities of Farmersville and Kingsburg.  He was hired as a police officer for the City of Porterville in August 1979.

Bob has worked in virtually every capacity within the police department; serving in the Patrol Division as an officer and later as a supervisor.  He has worked as a narcotics detective, also serving on the county-wide taskforce known as INET (the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team).  Bob received numerous recognitions from State and Federal authorities because of his efforts in combating illegal drug activities in our community.

Bob has twice been recognized as Police Officer of the Year: in 1984 and again in 1996 for the exemplary work he performed each and every day.
Bob has been a part of the Traffic Unit off and on for most of his career.  He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1998, and for the past three years has supervised the Traffic Unit. Bob has authored and overseen several of the traffic grants that the police department has received to assist in impacting traffic-related issues in our community.

One of the behind-the-scenes efforts that Bob is responsible for is the coordination of special events.  Each year there are several events our community celebrates that require special effort and detail from numerous resources.  Within the police department, it is Bob who coordinates the Veterans’ Day, Christmas, and Cinco de Mayo Parades, the Porterville Fair, graduations of Porterville, Monache, and Granite Hills High Schools, along with other events.

In 2010, Bob was involved in each of the aforementioned events, in addition to coordination of the AMGEN Bike Race that came through the city of Porterville.  In November, Bob was the City of Porterville representative who coordinated the City’s efforts in honoring fallen soldier Brett Land during his funeral service and scheduling and coordinating one of the largest processions occurring in our city’s history.

Bob has been a model employee for over 30 years for the City of Porterville and, because of his vast experience and knowledge, he was recently selected to fill the vacancy of Police Lieutenant within the police department, and now serves as the night watch commander for the department in that capacity.

Bob has been married to Wendy for almost three years and they have a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix named Sophie. Bob loves riding his Harleys and spending vacations at his home in Montana.

City of Porterville
December 2010 Employee of the Month
Jason Biagio
Public Works Department

Jason came to the City of Porterville in October 2008 as a provisional Assistant Engineer and began full-time employment on June 3, 2010.  He previously worked six years with Townsend Architectural Group as a Project Manager/Visualization Specialist.

Jason works on design and calculations for Public Works projects.  He works closely with the Parks & Leisure Services Department on projects such as the Sports Complex Lighting project, Rails to Trails, and the Tule River Parkway.  He designed and developed to the construction phase the recently completed ‘G’ Street Rehabilitation, Henderson Avenue Full Depth Reclamation and the Olive Avenue Cold In-Place Recycling projects.

Jason also works closely with the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) division in developing maps and drawings of existing City infrastructure. He is responsible for updating the Public Works Department City webpage, and testing new work stations and software, like the 64-bit 3-D AutoCadd program that will give staff greater precision and efficiently. Jason states that he enjoys everything that he does because it is all so different and entertaining.

Jason enjoys running, playing and coaching soccer, target shooting and working on his 2004 Ford Mustang.  His family is drag racing enthusiasts (not on local roads) and is a member of a Northern California Mustang Club.  As a Napa native he is also a wine connoisseur.  Jason has three children Joseph (8), Sofia (6), and Zella (5) and has lived in Porterville for eight years.

City of Porterville
November 2010 Employee of the Month
Larry Benton
Finance Department

For the month of November, we are honoring LARRY BENTON as the City of Porterville’s employee of the month.  Larry was hired January 1, 2008, as a Meter Reader.

Larry immediately demonstrated outstanding performance in his new position. Larry has a great attitude.  He shows up for work with an exceptional interest in achieving team results, always helping out with anything that needs to be done.  His work is completed in a very accurate, neat and effective manner.  Larry demonstrates exceptional safety techniques, always communicating any potential problem.  Larry is able to maintain a courteous demeanor, even in adverse situations.  He is able to express a calm and polite attitude while dealing with the most difficult customer.

Larry is a very detail oriented person.  If there is one thing that describes Larry best, it would be that he is a PLANNER.  He plans to be at work early, he plans for what job is to be completed for the day, and he plans on what may be needed for today’s tasks.  You would never see him running back to the office for anything, because he has already planned on what may be needed for any situation that may arise.  Larry is truly an example of a perfect employee.  He represents the City well with his knowledge, his courtesy and his caring personality.

Larry has been married to Annette for 7 years.  They have 2 adorable girls, Sasha & Lexi, which are actually their very spoiled Bichon Frise dogs.  Larry enjoys vacationing in Hawaii.  After just returning from a trip in October, he is already “planning” his Hawaii trip for next year.  Larry also enjoys playing golf, working around the house and spending time with his family.

Thank you Larry for always going above and beyond in all that you do for the city!

City of Porterville
October 2010 Employee of the Month
Tina Brown
Police Department

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Communications Dispatcher Tina Brown as the City of Porterville Employee of the Month for October 2010.

Dispatcher Brown has been employed with the City of Porterville since January 1998.  During her employment, she has been recognized and honored as the Dispatcher of the Year twice: first in 1999, and again in 2003.

Her recognition in 1999 stems from her handling of a robbery call at Tucoemas Federal Credit Union in February 1999.  She displayed a high level of skill, compassion, and professionalism which had a calming affect on the victim, eyewitness, and other callers.  Tina was able to obtain necessary and relevant information and promptly relay it to responding officers.  It was clear that her efforts contributed to an organized and effective response by officers to a dangerous and highly emotional event.

Her recognition in 2003 was based on what Tina is about as an employee and as a person.  Tina is full of life and energy; she is caring, confident, and sincere in everything she does.

As a dispatcher, Tina handles public requests that encompass medical aids, fires, and police incidents.  It all starts with a call into our dispatch center, and as citizens of Porterville, we are very fortunate to have a person of Tina’s caliber meeting our safety needs each time we call.

Tina is a resident of Porterville and a 1984 graduate of Porterville High.  She is married to Warren and they have three children, Krystal, Briana, and Brandon.  They also have two granddaughters, Brooklyn and Addisyn.

City of Porterville
September 2010 Employee of the Month
Michelle Bascom
Parks & Leisure Services Department

Michelle Bascom was born and raised here in Porterville.  She moved to the Bay Area in 1985 and returned in 2002.

Prior to being hired in May 2009, she worked for Pioneer Home Outreach, Inc. for several years as a Social Worker and Assistant Director.

Michelle feels very blessed to be a part of the staff here at the City of Porterville.  She states that from day one, there have been many people who are very helpful and supportive.  The Parks and Leisure Services Department provides a variety of services to the community, which lends itself to many different opportunities for learning.  She tries to take advantage of those opportunities to expand her knowledge base to be as effective as possible.  The combination of a broad range of job responsibilities and a great staff is why she enjoys her job very much.

Michelle’s family includes her husband Lloyd, her son Richard, who is currently serving in the United States Air Force and is stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and two step children Eric and Brandy, who reside in Fresno.

Michelle enjoys cooking, cleaning, learning to play golf and target shooting.

City of Porterville
August 2010 Employee of the Month
Luisa Herrera
Administrative Services Department

Luisa Herrera has been selected as the City of Porterville Employee of the Month for August 2010.  Luisa began her career with the City in February 2008, and currently holds the position of Deputy City Clerk in the Administrative Services Department.

Luisa has proven to be a tremendous asset in the Department, and takes great care in the performance of her many duties, which include preparing agendas and minutes, processing resolutions and ordinances, drafting proclamations, and assisting with municipal elections.  She serves as a compliance officer with the Fair Political Practices Commission; is the department’s resident passport expert; and is the go-to person for research projects.  Luisa also serves on the City’s Website Committee and is responsible for all department updates on the web.  Her whit and clever personality make her a pleasure to work with.  Luisa’s most enjoyable aspect of her job is the daily interaction with all of the departments, the Council and the public.

When she is not serving the City of Porterville, Luisa enjoys spending time with her fiancé Mike, family, friends, and their three dogs.  Luisa enjoys crafting, is an avid reader, and a founding member of the City’s book club.

City of Porterville
July 2010 Employee of the Month
Lupe Diaz
Community Development Department

Since November 2008, Lupe has served as Chairman of the City’s 2010 Census Committee. Under her very capable leadership, the Committee organized and participated in numerous community events to educate the public about the importance of the Census. Due to the Committee’s efforts, the Census return results to date have increased nearly 10% over the 2000 Census. In addition, during this time Lupe also served on the Library Facility Planning Committee which studied and evaluated the future needs of the library and alternatives for expansion and a possible new facility. As part of her regular duties, Lupe implements the City’s housing programs, including the First Time Homebuyer Program, the Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program, and the Public Utility Assistance Program for low income households. Lupe recently assisted in the preparation of housing grants for the continuation of the City’s assistance programs. Lupe’s involvement with the Kings/Tulare County Continuum of Care on Homelessness has given her the opportunity to act as coordinator of the Project Homeless Connect that has been hosted by the City for the last two years. For one day in November, this project brings together agencies, organizations, and individual volunteers to provide a variety of services to over 300 people in need of assistance.

Lupe has been with the City for just over three years. Before being hired in her current position, Lupe facilitated the Spanish First Time Low Income Homebuyer Education class as an independent contractor beginning in 2003.

Lupe describes the most enjoyable part of her job as being able to assist those in need, reaching out to the community and making a difference wherever possible. Her motto is, “Give whatever you have, help with whatever you can, and start wherever you are.”

Lupe has two children: a daughter, Daniella, age 21 who attends CSUB, and a son, Samuel, age 20, who is completing his third year in a Christian internship program at the LA Dream Center.

Lupe enjoys reading, walking, cooking, and volunteering. Lupe loves antiques and  definitely enjoys a good bargain. She worships at Porterville Believers Church where she teaches Sunday school in Kids Towne Children’s Church.

City of Porterville
June 2010 Employee of the Month
Clayton Dignam

Clayton Dignam began his career with theCity of Porterville in April of 2007.  In 2008 he became a certified code enforcement officer.  He is assigned to the Prevention Division of the Porterville Fire Department. 

Clayton’s positive attitude and approach have contributed to the success of the City of Porterville Code Enforcement program.  Clayton has the ability to talk to citizens and help them comply with City Codes and ordinances.  His “can do” attitude, gentle demeanor, great work ethic, due diligence, and resourcefulness are exemplified by the number of complaints that are resolved through voluntary compliance.

Clayton works diligently with employees from all City departments as well as working with property and business owners.  Together they work first towards voluntary compliance on numerous code violations.  He is conscientiously committed to promoting and maintaining a safe and desirable living and working environment as well as improving the quality of our community. He is also a Hearing Officer for the City of Tulare Code Enforcement administrative hearings.
In his tenure as the Code Enforcement Officer, Clayton has been instrumental in obtaining compliance with projects throughout our city, as well as being involved with the following:

• Tier 1 of the Tule River clean-up effort in 2007 in which tons of trash and thousands of tires were removed.
• Working with the City attorney and building division on addressing and correcting blighted properties.
• Weed Abatement enforcement for the fire department’s annual program.
• In 2009 he began serving inspection warrants to abate nuisance and blight ridden properties.
• Occasionally works sector details with PPD to address property issues.
• Works annual fireworks enforcement detail with Fire Department and PPD on 4th of July.

Previous to his employment with the City, Clayton worked 9 years for a locally owned and operated pest control company.  He was a licensed termite inspector and fumigator.  He has served as the Worthy President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 1351, during which time they donated over $26,000 to our local community.  He has served on the Burton Elementary School Site Council and is currently on the board of the Porterville Neptunites Swim Team.

Clayton was born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and moved to Porterville at 3 years of age.  He has lived in Lindsay and Oceanside, CA.  He chose to move back to Porterville to raise his family.  Clayton and Roxanne are happily married and they enjoy every moment with their children.  His hobbies include watching his children play sports, camping at the coast or in our beautiful mountains, watching movies, helping others and enjoying life.

City of Porterville
May 2010 Employee of the Month
Donna Silvas

Donna Silvas was selected as the May 2010 Employee of the Month because of her outstanding customer service. She is a dedicated employee who exemplifies the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

Donna came to work for the Porterville Public Library as a Library Assistant in April 2007.  She loves serving the diverse informational needs of the Porterville community. Donna’s work merits recognition because it is above and beyond regular duty.

She is flexible and eager to work any shift as needed.  Donna has an interest in learning new things and expanding her knowledge in all areas of public library services.

Donna is extremely creative and puts a lot of effort into our monthly displays located throughout the library. She is especially resourceful in this activity and often brings in her own personal items for the displays.  Donna has received many letters of gratitude from patrons for her outstanding customer service and exceptionally creative displays.  Donna has said on many occasions that working at the library is her “Dream Job.” 

Donna was born and raised in Porterville. She attended Alta Vista School and was a graduate of the last “pure” class of Porterville Union High School, class of 1970.

Donna has been married to Ruben Silvas for 34 years, they have five children: Delia, Penni, Paul, Amanda, and Deidre. They have eight grandchildren and their ninth grandchild is due in September. They also have one great-grandson. Donna enjoys spending time with family, reading, collecting antiques, and gardening.

City of Porterville
April 2010 Employee of the Month
Russell Isom

Russell Isom was selected as the April 2010 Employee of the Month because of his outstanding work ethic, his attention to detail, and his willingness to assist others.

Russell Isom began his career with the City of Porterville in December 2001 as a Field Service Mechanic I at the Field Services Shop. He was promoted to Field Service Shop Supervisor in August 2007 and to Field Service Shop Superintendent in May 2008. In this capacity, he is responsible for all operations of the Field Service Shop and does an excellent job of making sure it runs smoothly and efficiently. He loves a challenge and states one of the most enjoyable parts of his job is successfully completing a difficult repair.

Russell oversees the City’s fuel management facilities, including public access CNG sales and he is a Certified CNG Fuel System Inspector. He also does the laborious technical aspect of writing specifications for vehicles purchased by the City.

Russell enjoys spending time with his family, vacations at the coast, and fishing. He has been married to his wife, Dawn, for almost 19 years and they have a three-year-old son, Colton

City of Porterville
March 2010 Employee of the Month
Gary Miller

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Officer Gary Miller as the Employee of the Month for March 2010.

Gary Miller came to work for the Porterville Police Department in June of 1999 after leaving his home state of Louisiana. Gary quickly developed a passion for the K-9 program and became a dog handler until his appointment to the Department’s Special Investigations Unit.

Following his tour as a narcotics detective, Gary returned to the patrol division and once again took on a K-9 partner, Seven. Gary and Seven have conducted literally hundreds of public demonstrations and have appeared in numerous parades and K-9 competitions. Gary is also the primary Range Master for the Police Department where his love of firearms and passion for teaching are evident with each monthly training session.

Officer Miller continuously demonstrates a knack for locating and apprehending felons shortly after crimes have been committed. In 2009 he was commended three times for such proactive activity. One recent example occurred in late December of 2009 when an armed robbery occurred at the Jack in the Box restaurant on West Olive. The suspect, who was armed with a handgun, fled the scene and very little information was known about his identity. Through good teamwork with his co-workers and the use of his resources, Officer Miller had the suspect identified and in custody within 17 minutes of the crime occurring.

Gary and his wife Carla make their home in Porterville with their 6 children. Gary spends much of his free time doing outdoor activities and volunteering as a leader with the Boy Scouts of America. He is frequently seen performing activities with the Scouts such as camping trips, work details, or delivering phone books throughout the city.

Gary is truly a valued member of the police department and a role model for young officers to follow. He comes to work everyday with the mindset of doing the best job possible, and making a difference through his work for our community.

Please join us in congratulating our March 2010 Employee of the Month, Officer Gary Miller.

City of Porterville
February 2010 Employee of the Month
Richard Givens

Richard began employment with the City of Porterville as a Field Services Worker I in the Water Division.  During his seventeen-year career at Field Services, he was promoted to Field Services Worker II in the Water Division and Field Services Worker III in the Sewer Division. In his supervisory capacity as FS Worker III, Richard regularly trained entry-level Field Service Workers.

Late in 2005, Richard was promoted to his current position of Public Works Inspector in the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department, and assumed responsibility for field inspections of capital improvement projects, subdivisions, and encroachment permits.

Richard has spent the last several months training C-Set workers in the performance of concrete construction that includes the repair of curbs, gutters, and sidewalks.  His crew was also responsible for installing concrete bench pads at Centennial Park.

Richard and his wife Judy enjoy vacationing in Nevada and visiting family in Arizona.  They live alone with their dogs.

Richard appreciates receiving this recognition, and is grateful for the years he has worked at the City of Porterville.

City of Porterville
January 2010 Employee of the Month
Gregg Kroutil

Gregg Kroutil was born in Oklahoma, but moved to Porterville at a young age. He attended elementary, junior high, and high school here in Porterville. Shortly after receiving his high school diploma, Gregg joined the United States Navy. He spent three of his six-year enlistment stationed overseas in Sasebo Japan attached to Amphibious Group Seven.

Gregg is a Veteran of Foreign War, having served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. He is a designated Surface Warfare Specialist and has received the Southwest Asia Service Medal, National Defense Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, and two Navy Achievement Medals along with two Letters of Commendation from the Commander Amphibious Group Seven Southwest Asia. He received an honorable discharge in January 1993.

Gregg owned and operated King Electric Motor and Pump Service of Porterville for several years before selling the business. Shortly thereafter he opened California Auto Rental and Sales of Porterville. He ran the business for a few years before deciding that he really wanted to be a firefighter.

Gregg graduated from the Porterville College Fire Academy in January 2006. During the last several weeks of the academy, he spent every spare moment at the Porterville Fire Department learning how they conducted their day-to-day routines. He was hired as a reserve firefighter in February 2006. In May 2006, Gregg was hired full time as a provisional firefighter. Then in February 2007, he was hired as a regular, full-time firefighter.

In the short time he has been with Porterville Fire Department, Gregg has been instrumental in the forward progress of the department. Specifically, he was the driving force in the design, construction, and installation of the two new Patrol apparatus vehicle mounted fire pump assemblies. He has spent countless hours both on and off duty working alongside Battalion Chief Blasdell in the construction of the Porterville Fire Department Training Classroom from the groundbreaking through the completion of the extensive project.

Gregg has also committed to advancing his professional career through training. He has achieved qualifications as a Confined Space Operator, Hazardous Materials Specialist, and many others. He is a designated Acting Engineer for Engine Pumpers and the Ladder Truck and has accumulated over a thousand hours in that capacity. Gregg has passed the Fire Engineer promotional exam and is on the hire list for consideration when a vacancy becomes available. You can see why his brother, Captain Eric Kroutil of the Porterville Police Department, described him as the hardest working man he knows.

Gregg has been married to his beautiful wife, Kari, for 25 years. They have two amazing daughters, Brittany, 24 years old, and Katelyn, who is 13.

Gregg would like to dedicate this honor to his father who passed away recently. He is directly responsible for making Gregg the man he is today.

City of Porterville
December 2009 Employee of the Month
David Behrens

Dave began employment with the City of Porterville in June 2005 as Assistant Engineer for the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department.  He came to the City after 33 years of land surveying experience at R.L. Schafer & Associates.

Dave works closely with subdivision and other land development projects, which includes checking public improvement plans, final maps, parcel maps, lot line adjustments, parcel mergers, and preparation of property legal descriptions.  His land surveying skills are highly valued and he has been involved in teaching these skills to co-workers in a survey crew environment.

Dave is competent in GPS/Trimble and TOPCON data collection systems, and works extensively on City projects requiring design from field topography.  He is also experienced in concrete curb and gutter design and staking, as well as problem solving unforeseen issues in the field.

Dave has lived in the Terra Bella/Porterville area his entire life. He enjoys singing in his Church Choir, working in the garden, and playing with his grandson.  Married for 37 years to Vikki, who is a first grade teacher at Belleview School, they take pleasure in traveling to the Oregon coast as much as possible.  Dave and Vikki have three adult children.

Dave has also been a participant of the Employee Incentive Program since his arrival at the City, riding his bike to and from work almost everyday. Sponsored and funded by Tulare County Association of Governments through their “Make a Difference in Air Quality” program, Dave has earned over $630 in award gift cards. That’s more than 1,890 daily round-trip rides on his bicycle. “Green Dave” has been seen airborne across the Rite-Aid parking lot on several occasions and wife Vikki is plugging a local reality show called “Riding with Dave.”

Dave is a highly skilled, integral part of the Public Works Department, so join me in congratulating Dave Behrens, the December 2009 Employee of the Month, for his service to the City of Porterville!

City of Porterville
November 2009 Employee of the Month
Captain Dave LaPere

We are pleased to introduce to you the November 2009 City of Porterville Employee of the Month, Dave LaPere.

Dave started his career with the Porterville Fire Department as a Reserve Firefighter in 1989.  In 1990 he was offered a full-time Firefighter position, and rose through the ranks to become Captain in 2007, currently serving as the Fire Department’s Deputy Fire Marshal in the Fire Prevention Bureau.

He was selected as the City of Porterville Employee of the Month due to his “can do” attitude and diligence in working with not only City staff in other departments, but also contractors, architects, and developers on issues that arise during plan review and construction of projects.  He was instrumental in the finalization of the new Church of the Nazarene, Sears, and Vallarta Market, just to name a few.  He has also assisted local restaurants in becoming compliant with the new State law requiring the retrofitting of Hood and Duct Suppression Systems throughout the City.  David also made it possible for the Fire Marshal to spend a great deal of his time in the construction of the new training facility by not only continuing with his own duties, but also taking on most of the Fire Marshal’s duties.  He is a great asset to the Fire Prevention Bureau.
 
In his free time, Dave is a voracious reader, and enjoys subjects as varied as history, anthropology, biographies of great statesmen, and the Fire Code.  He is a certified Fire Prevention Officer with the State, as well as a Certified Fire Officer.  He is working on his degree at Porterville College along with additional classes with the goal of becoming a certified Prevention Specialist, Plans Examiner, and Fire Marshal.

Dave has been married to JoJeana for 22 years. They have two daughters, Megan and Madison.

Let’s give a big welcome to the November 2009 City of Porterville Employee of the Month, Dave LaPere.

City of Porterville
October 2009 Employee of the Month
Detective Chris McGuire

Department Directors for the City of Porterville have selected Detective Chris McGuire as the Employee of the Month for October 2009.

Detective McGuire has been in the law enforcement profession for nine years, the last two years working for the City of Porterville.  During Detective McGuire’s career, he has received several commendations related to his work productivity, the quality of service he has provided, and for the overall strong devotion, commitment, and work ethic that he displays each and everyday.

Detective McGuire received recognition from the California Highway Patrol twice during his career for his work related to combating auto thefts in the communities he has served. This recognition came in the form of being awarded the “10851 Pin,” which is an accomplishment that few in the law enforcement profession ever attain.

The Porterville Police Department, recognizing the quality of work performance that Chris McGuire possessed, found him to be the natural fit for a newly-formed auto theft taskforce to combat auto theft in Tulare County.  In April 2008, Detective McGuire was assigned to TRATT (Tulare County Reduce Auto Theft Taskforce) which was formulated at the direction of the Tulare County Police Chiefs’ Association and overseen by members of the California Highway Patrol.

Since the inception of the taskforce, this group has made a significant impact in reducing the number of auto thefts that occur each year in our county.  In 2006, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Tulare County was ranked third nationally with respect to auto thefts.  In 2008, Tulare County’s ranking is 11th nationally with 1,221 less auto thefts reported.  It is obvious that the efforts of this group are having an impact on reducing auto thefts in our community. Thus far in 2009, TRATT has recovered 222 stolen vehicles, has arrested 149 persons responsible for committing auto thefts, and shut down 19 chop shops. The city of Porterville has seen a 19% decline is auto thefts since TRATT was formed, and Detective McGuire has been a vital part of the overall success of the program.
Detective McGuire is also a member of the Department’s S.W.A.T. team and recently completed a two-week tactical school, which is required of each team member.

Detective McGuire is a 1997 Monache High School graduate and received his A.A. Degree from Porterville College in 2004.

Chris is married to wife Roberta, and they have four children, Leah, Spurgeon, Max, and Teagan.

Chris is the son of Larry and Kay McGuire, which explains the strong work ethic and value system that Chris displays each day.

Please join us in congratulating Detective Chris McGuire, our October Employee of the Month!