On Friday, December 8, City of Granbury hosted its annual employee awards luncheon at the Granbury Resort Conference Center. During the event, City Manager Chris Coffman recognized several employees for specific honors and milestone years of service.
Granbury Police Department Patrol Sergeant Jeremy Ballew was named 2017 Employee of the Year. Sergeant Ballew has been with the police department for about 12 years. Over the past year, he was assigned the role of Field Training Coordinator, where he recognized areas for improvement, and has worked to make changes in the program that improve training and evaluation of officers. As Coordinator for the Texas Police Chiefs Best Practices Recognition Program, Sergeant Ballew played an integral role in helping the Granbury Police Department earn the distinction of a “Recognized Best Practices Agency.” The Granbury Police Department was the 129th law enforcement agency, of which there are over 3,000 in Texas, to complete the stringent assessment of policies, procedures, and operations, and receive the distinction.
Chief of Police Mitch Galvan wrote the nomination for Sergeant Ballew, in which he noted that “Sergeant Ballew is a valued member of the Granbury Police Department, and the City of Granbury,” he wrote, “He continually demonstrates a high level of leadership by continually striving to better himself, his officers, and the department.”
The second annual “Git-R-Done Award,” which is awarded to an employee for their ability to deliver results regardless of circumstances, was presented to Water Superintendent Paul Gast.
The newest category for an award, the “Environmental Award,” for efforts in recycling and waste reduction was presented to Purchasing Assistant Cora Fritz.
The annual luncheon is also an opportunity to present service awards to those City team members who have worked for the City for five years or more:
Forty Years of Service: Terry Johnson
Twenty-Five Years of Service: Roy Eaton
Twenty Years of Service: Phyllis Dickerson
Fifteen Years of Service: Jean Pilling, Scott Sopchak, Chris Maples, Maria Meza, and Tony Tull
Ten Years of Service: Jimmy Gibson, Jose Trejo, Matt Jackson, Lauren McPhate, Brandon Duckett, Shane Dozier, Jeff Hastings, Richard Branum, Rowen Anchondo, Adriana Gonzalez, Rick Norman, Cris Brichetto, Justin McGuire, Jonathan Whitefield, and Jose Juarez
Five Years of Service: Gary Hawkins, Larry Abrigg, Cody Woolard, Roy Robertson, and Jason Barber
During the luncheon, City Manager Coffman, the employees, and the elected officials present reflected on how fortunate members of the municipal team are to get to work every day in jobs that help make the Granbury community strong and improve the quality of life for its citizens. The City of Granbury congratulates those team members who, through the length and caliber of their service, exemplify that idea.
