Employee Excellence - 2022 Archive

December 2022 Everyday Excellence: Special Events Planning Team

(Communications and Media, Constituent Services, County Administration, Fire and EMS, General Services, Police)

During the Wednesday, Dec. 14 Board of Supervisors meeting Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized the employees involved in the Special Events Planning Team as the recipients of the December 2022 Everyday Excellence for all of their hard work throughout the year.

Led by Citizen Information and Resources’ Kim Conley, who plays the pivotal coordination role, the team’s core members come from Communications and Media, Constituent Services, County Administration, Fire and EMS, General Services, and Police, among other departments depending on the nature of the event. The special events organized by this group can range from groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings and dedications to other important events like street namings, memorials and swearing in ceremonies where logistics and details matter most.

In 2022, Deputy County Administrator Clay Bowles told the Board of Supervisors, the Special Events Planning Team coordinated dedications and groundbreakings for three fire stations, a library, two schools, two park facilities, a model affordable housing project and the naming of the Enon Library in honor of the late Dr. Wyatt T. Walker, a civil rights icon.

“And that’s not even the complete list,” Bowles emphasized.

Whereas county residents and even some employees might arrive at a special event without knowing the work that’s done before, during and after, it’s clear to those involved in the process how effectively the team works.

“They are truly a behind-the-scenes, multi-disciplinary group who so effortlessly ensures that our county and schools’ successes are showcased for the community,” Bowles explained.

“They’re the first ones to be on site and often the last ones to leave,” Casey mentioned. “It’s many different departments working as one so that it’s a successful community event.”

“Being just a small part of this process I can attest to the efficiency of this well-oiled machine,” Bowles added. “They organize and coordinate all aspects of the event - parking, traffic control, programs and invitations, refreshments, signage, connecting with our community partners - and the list just goes on and on and on.”

The success of these events has been noted by board members as well.

“This is a point of pride for the county,” said Board Chair Chis Winslow (Clover Hill). “And you can tell you work as a team. You can tell that there’s communication […] When we have great events, we bring together everybody and you all do that so well. We’re deeply, deeply grateful.”

“Some of the things you do and the way you coordinate together is amazing to me,” Jim Ingle (Bermuda District) added.

“You all make it look seamless,” Kevin Carroll (Matoaca District) said. “You put great events on for our community and that’s what is really important. You never want any credit for it […] but it really is spectacular and I just want to say thank you.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the Dec. 14, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{Employees from multiple county departments were recognized at the Dec. 14 Board of Supervisors meeting as the recipients of the December 2022 Everyday Excellence Award for their work on the Special Events Planning Team. The group includes employees from Citizen Information and Resources, Communications and Media, Constituent Services, County Administration, Fire and EMS, General Services, and Police, among other departments, depending on the nature of the event.}

November 2022 Everyday Excellence: Mental Health Is a Puzzle, But We Have the Missing Piece Campaign

(Citizen Information and Resources, Communications and Media, Mental Health Support Services)

During the Wednesday, Nov. 16 Board of Supervisors meeting Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized the employees involved in the “Mental Health Is a Puzzle, But We Have the Missing Piece” social media campaign as the recipients of the November 2022 Everyday Excellence after winning multiple awards this year.

The campaign won the 2022 Best in Category Achievement Award in Civic Education and Public Information from the National Association of Counties (NACo) as well as an Achievement Award from the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo).

The county’s Youth Citizens Board (YCB), housed in Citizen Information and Resources, partnered with Communications and Media and Mental Health Support Services (MHSS) on the campaign. The Youth Citizens Board, which consists of a group of high school students appointed by the county’s Board of Supervisors, worked with county departments to craft the highly successful mental health social media campaign, which targeted teens and parents.

The YCB exists to advise the supervisors on youth-related issues and provide opportunities for community input.

At a county-sponsored model county government event in 2019 youth shared with county employees that, while there is some focus in school about what to do if students or someone, they cared about are experiencing thoughts of suicide, they did not think there was not enough communication within schools, families or communities about more common mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders. This seemed like a natural topic for the YCB to take on as mental health concerns escalated during the pandemic.

The goal of the campaign was to engage with more Chesterfield residents and talk about the importance of addressing their mental health.

MHSS staff trained the YCB on safe messaging related to mental health while Communications and Media trained them on the logistics that go into an effective social media campaign. Planning began in September 2020 and the campaign ran on social media starting in April through May 2021 in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The campaign utilized Instagram to talk to youth about local and national resources while Facebook targeted parents and adults to talk about open dialogues around mental health. To expand the message to those who didn’t follow the accounts, they used hashtags for phrases like #YouAreNotAlone. The YCB also did traditional media interviews and wrote an op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“We had 23 students on our Youth Citizens Board, and they wanted to do a mental health campaign that was by them and for them,” said Citizen and Information Resources Director Emily Ashley. “We’ve had other communities that have reached out to us to talk about how did we do it […] It’s so easy to tell them, ‘Ask your students. Ask your community. They will tell you.’ They are more than willing to tell you what they need and what they want. That was what we were most proud of, these students. The team, they did a wonderful job of being able to facilitate those students.”

The campaign reached some 40,000 people across various platforms with a potential reach greater than 212,000 for print and 550,000 for broadcast.

“Thank you very much,” Chair Chris Winslow (Clover Hill) said. “This program was wildly successful and really did receive national attention. Certainly, coming out of the pandemic everyone’s had their own moments I’m certain and mental health’s been really at the top of a lot of people’s minds as people were shut in for such a long period of time. This was really timely, and I think you really hit it out of the park [...] Thank you all for all your efforts.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the Nov. 16, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{Multiple county departments were recognized at the Nov. 16 Board of Supervisors meeting as the recipients of the November 2022 Everyday Excellence for their work on the “Mental Health Is a Puzzle, We Have the Missing Piece” social media campaign, which took home both NACo and VACo honors. Pictured from left are Emily Ashley from Citizen Information and Resources, Eric Faw and Rebecca Lint from Mental Health Support Services, and Teresa Bonifas from Communications and Media.}

October 2022 Everyday Excellence: Accounting, Budget and Management

During the Wednesday, Oct. 26 Board of Supervisors meeting Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized the Accounting and Budget and Management departments as the recipients of the October 2022 Everyday Excellence for being honored by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) with the Triple Crown Award.

The GFOA Triple Crown designation recognizes governments who have received GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award, and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for a fiscal year.

Chesterfield is one of just 317 government that received the Triple Crown for 2020, the first year the designation has been available.

Accounting Director Consuela Wilson and Budget and Management Director Gerard Durkin were on hand to introduce some of their respective staff members before offering their thanks to the Board of Supervisors and to county administration.

“I just want to say how incredibly proud I am of the budget staff,” Durkin told members of the Board of Supervisors. “I just want to publicly say thank you to them for such a great job that they have done, continue to do, and will do in the future.”

The Triple Crown represents “a significant achievement,” per GFOA. To qualify, each entity must meet the high standards of all three separate award programs. Each award program recognizes governments that produce reports which communicate their financial stories in a transparent manner and meet applicable standards.

FY2020 was the 40th consecutive year that Chesterfield received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the county also recently was recognized with the Distinguished Budget Award for the 37th straight year.

“To achieve this type of recognition in the first year that the designation is offered is such an honor,” Wilson said recently. “But this could not have happened without staff from both Accounting and Budget who do the work to analyze and compile the data that is presented. We are extremely thankful for their efforts and for the incredible job they do in helping to make a recognition like this possible for Chesterfield County.”

“I first just want to say thank you and congratulations to you for the hard work,” Vice Chair Jim Holland (Dale District) said. “I know it takes a lot of work to be excellent but that’s what we expect. We expect excellence. We expect the best. And you deliver it. You continue to deliver it. So I just want to thank you.”

“We are just so pleased,” Chair Chris Winslow (Clover Hill) said, adding later, “I think people want to be like Chesterfield. So, if you keep doing that, we continue to raise the flag high here. We’re just so grateful to each and every one of you.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the Oct. 26, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{The teams from Accounting as well as Budget and Management were recognized at the Oct. 26 Board of Supervisors meeting as the recipients of the October 2022 Everyday Excellence after being honored by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) with the Triple Crown Award. Pictured are several members of those respective teams as well as the five members of Chesterfield’s Board of Supervisors.}

September 2022 Everyday Excellence: Emerging Senior Leaders Program

(Learning and Performance Center)

During the Wednesday, Sept. 21 Board of Supervisors meeting Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized the Emerging Senior Leaders Program and the graduates of this year’s group for their continued efforts to learn and improve their leadership skills in service to Chesterfield.

The 12 members of the ESLP began the course in 2020 but paused due to COVID-19. The graduates of this class, which is the fourth cohort since Chesterfield began the program in 2011, included Kelly Booth (Citizen Information and Resources), Danika Briggs (Social Services), Stephanie Brown (Procurement), Matt Coffin (Fire and EMS), Nancy Crockett (Risk Management), Dan Dillion (Fire and EMS), Jasna Elswick (General Services), Margaret Howard (Chesterfield County Public Library), Michael Nannery (Utilities), Danielle Sayre (Mental Health Support Services), Natalie Spillman (Constituent Services) and Chessa Walker (Transportation).

“In total, we’ve graduated 64 leaders of which 41% of graduates have been promoted to higher levels of leadership,” said Kevin Bruny, director of the Learning and Performance Center. “Nine of the program’s graduates are currently sitting in department director positions.”

The Emerging Senior Leaders Program is a unique year-long learning experience for leaders who aspire to obtain an assistant director or director level position. This developmental opportunity is offered to leaders identified in the county’s talent stewardship program to further develop their leadership skills as well as broadly educate them on the inner workings of local government and expand their peer network.

The program begins with an application process that includes a 400-word essay on why they want to participate in the program along with expected outcomes. Eighteen to 20 applicants are selected and the vetting process includes conversations with individual department directors and deputy county administrators, with final approval by the county administrator.

Each cohort begins by completing the county’s core competency based 360° Assessment. Leaders meet with performance consultants to finalize a plan and identify learning opportunities to strengthen assessment results. Initially, each cohort is launched with an orientation session that includes participant supervisors and a half-day high ropes challenge course experience.

The group, which meets monthly, completes assignments throughout the year-long term with the majority of the curriculum being delivered by senior professionals from the Learning and Performance Center and members of the county’s leadership team.

“This cohort is a bit unique as they have traveled and persevered this journey the longest of any cohort – a full 33 months due to the pandemic and our shifting of learning during that time,” Bruny explained.

“We are absolutely delighted at your success, your hard-fought success, over this last almost three years,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow (Clover Hill). “People are always important, talent is always important […] I think we have all seen just how important it is. We are grateful to you for your commitment to Chesterfield County citizens and this program, and seeing it through to the finish line. Congratulations to all of you.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the Sept. 21, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{Members of the Emerging Senior Leaders Program (from left to right), back row: Matt Coffin (Fire and EMS), Dan Dillion (Fire and EMS), Stephanie Brown (Procurement), Michael Nannery (Utilities), Chessa Walker (Transportation) and Margaret Howard (Chesterfield County Public Library); front row: Natalie Spillman (Constituent Services), Danika Briggs (Social Services), Jasna Elswick (General Services), Danielle Sayre (Mental Health Support Services), Kelly Booth (Citizen Information and Resources) and Nancy Crockett (Risk Management).}

August 2022 Everyday Excellence: Drew Noxon

(Planning)

During the Wednesday, Aug. 24 Board of Supervisors meeting Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized Drew Noxon of the Chesterfield Planning Department as the recipient of the August 2022 Everyday Excellence for his work on the Rockwood Special Focus Area Plan, which resulted in the project winning the Old Dominion Award from the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA).

Every year, APA Virginia honors and showcases the best in planning throughout Virginia with its annual awards program as way to recognize the tireless work of individuals who spearhead great planning. The Old Dominion Innovative Approaches Award recognizes pioneering planning efforts in the Commonwealth. Nominees may include innovative planning processes, plans, programs, initiatives or site developments that have or will lead to real results.  

The Rockwood Special Focus Area Plan (SFAP) recommends a variety of land uses, additional housing choices, an interconnected grid system of streets including parallel networks to better distribute traffic and improve access to Rockwood Park, a system of bikeways, trails, and pedestrian corridors for the area which entails the creation of bypass routes around the main intersection and increased connectivity to Rockwood Park, as well as new greenways along area stream corridors. 

Realistic phased redevelopment concepts are considered within the Rockwood SFAP, demonstrating how it could develop. The result, the Virginia APA said in announcing the award in July, is a document that provides flexible options for implementation, which address economic feasibility, natural resource conservation, sustainable urban design, and efficient land use.

Virginia’s Vice President of External Affairs Nick Rogers said in a press release that “this plan has already begun to be implemented in one of the key sites in the plan’s core area and has promoted major changes in the area […] The Rockwood Special Focus Area Plan has already shown real results.” He also lauded Chesterfield County for producing and adopting this plan in an expedited timeframe of just 13 months, about a third of the time traditionally required for such a process. This change, he explained, allows Chesterfield to be more nimble in addressing changing dynamics. 

“Drew […] really spearheaded that project and more importantly really is responsible within the planning department to look at some new and innovative ways to do things,” Deputy County Administrator Jesse Smith told the Board of Supervisors. “This particular award is just a recognition of that fact.”

“We’re really proud of our work,” Noxon told the board. “We’re really proud and appreciative of all of the support we’ve gotten from the board and our administration, as well as our leadership […] The one thing I can say is that, as a planner, we need to be agents of change. When we’re doing our best work, we are promoting positive change in the community and we’re happy to see that our Rockwood Special Focus Area has done this.”

“Thank you Drew and congratulations to the entire team on this,” Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow (Clover Hill) told Noxon. “This is one of those placemaking efforts and I know it’s near and dear to Mr. Holland’s and my heart and our respective districts. It will be a positive force for change for years to come.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the Aug. 24, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{Drew Noxon (second from left) was recognized at the Aug. 24 Board of Supervisors meeting as the recipient of the August 2022 Everyday Excellence. With Noxon as he accepted the award last month at the APA Virginia conference are, from left, Assistant Planning Director Steve Haasch, Clover Hill District Planning Commissioner Gloria Freye and Planning Director Andy Gillies.}

July 2022 Everyday Excellence: Parks and Recreation - Rover Team

During the Wednesday, July 27 Board of Supervisors meeting Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized members of the Parks and Recreation Rover Team as the recipients of the July 2022 Everyday Excellence for their hard work to keep the parks running at all hours.

Parks and Recreation Director Neil Luther came forward during the meeting to introduce the recipients: Supervisor Neil Johnson (who has been with Chesterfield for 7 years) along with Scott Tingen (32 years), David Guill (28 years), Richard Hodnett (15 years), Lamar Dreher (3 years) and Welford Smith (1 year).

“In my short tenure here I’ve been working late getting orientated and I had the opportunity to get to know them,” Luther told the Board of Supervisors. “Thank you all for taking the opportunity to recognize what they do.”

With county parks divided into six operational districts, Parks and Recreation must staff a minimum of two rovers every evening to provide customer contact and support to ensure the safety and cleanliness of each park. The rovers conduct many duties like cleaning and emptying trash bins. However, their most important duty is to identify, assess, and de-escalate situations before they become a major problem. Rovers act as the department’s first responders in that way.

During contacts, according to Luther, rovers step in to ensure that the proper steps are taken to intervene proactively and create a positive outcome.

Recent examples of their work include their efforts to work collaboratively with our supported athletic users groups and CCPD to address pop up parties at Ettrick and Matoaca parks. Rovers were also first on the scene to assist with closing Henricus Park after a medical emergency in the James River.

Rovers are truly vital to the department and the community as they act as great stewards of the parks.

“They are doing something at dusk, they are doing something at dawn and if there is something needed in between they seem to be the ones called out to duty,” Dr. Casey said.

“I have really been impressed by the work of you all,” Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow (Clover Hill) said. “We really appreciate it because things pop up and I know you all have seen it all.”

 For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the July 27, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{Members of Chesterfield Parks and Recreation’s Rover team were recognized at the July 27 Board of Supervisors meeting as the recipient of the July 2022 Everyday Excellence for their continued hard work and dedication in helping keep the parks open and in great shape. The team includes supervisor Neil Johnson (center) along with group members David Guill (left) and Scott Tingen (right). Not pictured are fellow rovers Lamar Dreher, Richard Hodnett and Welford Smith.}

June 2022 Everyday Excellence: Communications and Media

During the Wednesday, June 29 Board of Supervisors meeting, Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized Communications and Media as the recipient of the June 2022 Everyday Excellence for its performance in the 16th Annual Hermes Creative Awards.

Communications and Media was awarded six honors from the competition, which had 6,500 entries from 28 different countries this year. The Hermes Creative Awards acknowledge creative work in multiple different mediums from many creators and honors those disseminating information. This includes publications, branding, advertising, websites, videos and marketing. Entries are not compared to other entries but rather are judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals against industry best standards.

“These six awards really speak to the high-quality industry standards that we hold ourselves up to, and the incredible talent we have in our department,” said Susan Pollard, director of Communications and Media. “We truly love what we do, telling the stories of Chesterfield and serving this wonderful community.”

Chesterfield was recognized with:

• Platinum Award - Video Series - Resilient Chesterfield 
• Platinum Award - Communication Campaign - Promote the Vote 2020
• Gold Award - Magazine Placement - Mental Health Is A Puzzle, But We Have the Missing Piece 
• Gold Award - E-Newsletter - Happening in Chesterfield
• Honorable Mention - Newspaper Advertisement - Chesterfield On Point Blog
• Honorable Mention - Outdoor Advertisement - Got Snow? Drive Slow!

Communications and Media’s role is to tell Chesterfield’s stories and share important information. The department accomplishes this task through a variety of different methods, be they traditional vehicles like news releases or through more modern ones like the Happening in Chesterfield weekly e-newsletter, the Chesterfield On Point blog, the Chesterfield Behind the Mic podcast and more.

“As the media environment continues to change, you all have been a constant in telling our story – it’s just been wonderful,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow (Clover Hill). “Without you, that story sometimes doesn’t get told.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the June 29, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{Chesterfield County’s Department of Communications and Media was recognized at the June 29 Board of Supervisors meeting as the recipient of the June 2022 Everyday Excellence for its performance in the 16th Annual Hermes Creative Awards. Members of the department are (from left): Brad Franklin, Jim McConnell, Matt Boyce, Janna Dougherty, Susan Pollard, Teresa Bonifas, Debbie Wrenn and Martin Stith. Not pictured is J. Elias O’Neal.}

May 2022 Everyday Excellence: Nate Mathis

(Transportation)

During the Thursday, May 26 Board of Supervisors meeting, Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized Nate Mathis of Chesterfield County Transportation as the recipient of the May 2022 Everyday Excellence for his work on the North Courthouse Library Connector Trail.

The trail was among 13 winners announced in March by Gov. Glenn Youngkin as a 2022 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award winner, which recognizes the significant contributions of environmental and conservation leaders in four categories: sustainability, environmental project, greening of government and implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan.

“This is a really a time to celebrate this trail and specifically the work of Nate Mathis,” said Deputy County Administrator Jesse Smith. “He was really the force behind getting this project done. It’s really a nice achievement and just wanted to say ‘Thank you’ to Nate and give him some recognition.”

The North Courthouse Library Connector Trail was funded and constructed by Chesterfield County’s Transportation Department, in collaboration with three other county departments, and was the first project delivered using the county’s community connectivity sidewalk fund. It connects the 1,900-home Briarcliff subdivision with the North Courthouse Public Library and Fire Station. Completed in Spring 2020, the paved trail is a third of a mile long and has already seen significant use by families as well as fire fighters and library visitors.

“I just want to say thank you so much for funding projects like this,” Mathis told the Board of Supervisors. “We appreciate that because that’s the only way these kinds of projects get done. They don’t score well in state funding so this local funding source is good and we appreciate it. Thank you very so much.”

There are two recreational areas located along the walking and bicycle trail that have playground and exercise equipment, which provide additional recreational opportunities for the community. The library also utilizes the trail for educational purposes, with featured books displayed along the trail page by page. 

Following a compliance review by the Army Corps of Engineers, Mathis and other county staff worked to reroute the trail to ensure that its path did not negatively impact sensitive wetlands. Trees taken down during construction were repurposed for mulch in the exercise areas. 

Chesterfield County’s comprehensive plan includes increasing trails as a way to promote healthy lifestyles. The success of this first library-to-neighborhood trail provides a framework for several other libraries that have been identified as future locations to connect residents to existing public facilities. 

“Nate, you do excellent work on behalf of the county and we appreciate you,” Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow (Clover Hill) told Mathis. “That trail is very popular. It’s always got children and families walking to and from the library and that’s exactly what it’s for. So, we appreciate you.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the May 26, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{Chesterfield Transportation Senior Engineer Nate Mathis, second from left, accepted the 2022 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award last month on behalf of the North Courthouse Library Connector Trail. Joining Mathis are, from left, Travis Voyles, acting secretary of Natural and Historic Resources, Ian Hogan, Timmons Group project engineer, Mike Rolband, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality director, and Matthew Wells, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation director. Mathis was recognized for the honor by the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors with the Everyday Excellence Award on May 26, 2022.}

April 2022 Everyday Excellence: Deputy Kiara Marshall

(Sheriff's Office)

During the Wednesday, April 27 Board of Supervisors meeting, Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized Deputy Kiara Marshall with the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office as the recipient of the April 2022 Everyday Excellence for her outstanding service in assisting a neighbor and her family during a fire.

“Deputy Marshall is here today and we’re very proud of her,” Sheriff Karl Leonard told the Board of Supervisors before explaining what happened on the evening of March 22 when Marshall got a call on her way home at about 8 p.m. from her sister telling her of a house fire just up the street.

“Deputy Marshall, without hesitation, responded down the street where she found a house on fire and an adult female in the front yard suffering badly from burns and expressing concern for her three children,” Leonard recounted. “While fire crews and medics began to attend to the adult female, Deputy Marshall began to tend to the children ages 7, 9 and a 17-year-old who was autistic.”

Marshall and her sister, Jordan Coles, helped the children into the warmth and safety of Jordan’s car and comforted them, immediately building a rapport. This provided “an invaluable tool” for fire officials, Leonard explained, and assisted them in their investigation as they looked to gather information on the fire. 

Marshall’s conversations with the children led to contacts with the family and arrangements for them to have a place to stay. That was even more critical considering the father was deployed in Germany. 

Marshall, the Sheriff said, provided the transportation herself before returning the next day to see if there was more she could do.

“Deputy Marshall cleared the scene just before midnight and was there the very next morning to assist the family with any needs they had,” Leonard concluded. “She also organized efforts to help find clothes for them and other essential items for the family.”

“Well, you’ve been very busy,” Board Chair Chris Winslow (Clover Hill) jokingly told Marshall before offering his gratitude for a job well done, saying: “Here we have excellence in action…You make us all proud. Thank you very much. It’s awesome.”

“Thank you,” Vice Chair Leslie Haley (Midlothian) told Marshall. “I know that’s what you do every day when you go out there. Thank you.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the April 27, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.

_{During the April 27 Board of Supervisors meeting Deputy Kiara Marshall, right, was recognized by County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey as the recipient of this month’s Everyday Excellence for going above and beyond in helping a neighbor following a house fire on March 22, 2022. Also pictured is Sheriff Karl Leonard.}

March 2022 Everyday Excellence: Police

During the Wednesday, March 23 Board of Supervisors meeting, Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized members of the Chesterfield Police Department for outstanding service in being chosen for three distinguished awards.

Chief of Police Col. Jeffrey Katz recognized two members of the department in attendance: Master Officer Rob Wilson, who was tabbed as the Officer of the Year, and Senior Detective Christopher Lee, who was chosen as the Detective of the Year. A third member of the department who was unable to attend the meeting, Sgt. Winfred “Lew” Lewis, was recently given the Mason T. Chalkley Award which recognizes supervisors who exhibit exemplary leadership.

“It’s my privilege and honor today to recognize two of our best personnel,” Katz said during the meeting in introducing Wilson and Lee.”

Wilson, Katz explained, is known for having an incredible work ethic and being driven to be outstanding in all facets of his job. He has led the department in total traffic stops and arrests for the last four years and also volunteers for the GR-ACY Program that partners with VCU Health. GR-ACY, which is the Get Real – Alcohol/drug choices & Consequences for You Program, takes young adults who have been charged with certain driving offenses and puts them through a “scared straight” style program.

“In December 2020, Officer Wilson had an idea to honor the memory of victims of crashes that have occurred in Chesterfield County,” Katz told members of the Board of Supervisors. “Officer Wilson presented the idea to his chain of command and then began coordinating with various parties that have a vested interest to determine design, costs, locations, and much more. Officer Wilson’s idea, after months of planning, turned into a major traffic safety campaign that was called ‘In Memory Of.’

“It was a valuable public safety and traffic safety message for education in our community,” Katz added. “And also, it honored the memory of people who tragically lost their lives on our roadways.”

The campaign was launched at the end of March 2021 and resulted in several local news stories as well as tremendous feedback on social media.

“His dedication to the preservation of life, protection of the vulnerable, development of personnel, and the building of problem-solving partnerships is the core of his work ethic,” Katz said. “In his nomination for ‘Officer of the Year’ he was described as being the best of the best. His unparalleled work ethic, commitment to his community and passion for public safety keep Chesterfield County a First-Choice community.”

Lee, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the most skilled and capable investigators in the Persons Unit since he transferred to the Special Victims Section in 2018. He is also an informal leader of the Special Victims Section. 

“Detective Lee is incredibly thorough, diligent, and resourceful,” Katz said. “He’s team oriented, he’s an effective communicator, he’s the epitome of professionalism, and possesses a remarkably dogged work ethic. All these qualities are ever-present in his impeccable case work.”

As a detective, Katz explained, it is very easy and understandable to become fixated on individual pursuits, and your own personal performance. But what makes Lee an ideal representative of the Investigations Bureau is that he “has shown time and time again that he doesn’t view himself as merely a detective only concerned with investigative his endeavors, but as a member of the police department who will do whatever it takes to help other department members fulfill their mission.”

Lastly, though he was unable to attend the meeting, Lewis was also recognition for his prestigious award.

“One of the unique things about it is the fact that nominations often come from subordinates,” Katz wrote. “A true sign of the outstanding work done by all of the nominees…You would be hard pressed to find anyone within this organization who is more dedicated, genuine, or cares about their subordinates more than Sgt. Lewis.”

Lewis is known to his fellow officers to be someone with a trademark laugh but also someone who pays attention to detectives and can quickly assign cases based on availability and individual skillsets.

“His greatest strength is his ability to lead while helping you to grow as a detective and become more confident in your ability,” wrote one officer in nominating Lewis. “He is an amazing asset and a calming influence as the unit and caseload have continued to grow.”

“You make us all proud,” Chairman Chris Winslow of Clover Hill said when Katz was done with his presentation. “All of you.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the March 23, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.

^{During the March 23 Board of Supervisors meeting, Senior Detective Christopher Lee, left, and Master Officer Rob Wilson were recognized by County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey as the recipients of this month’s Everyday Excellence for being chosen as the Detective of the Year and Officer of the Year, respectively, by the Chesterfield County Police Department.}

February 2022 Everyday Excellence: Jerry Giles

(Utilities)

During the Wednesday, Feb. 23 Board of Supervisors meeting, Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized Jerry Giles as the recipient of the February 2022 Everyday Excellence for being named the Department of Utilities 2021 Employee of the Year.

One of the county’s largest departments at more than 300 positions, Utilities regularly receives local and national recognition for its high quality and reliable water and wastewater service as well as affordable rates, solid financial position, environmental stewardship and exceptional customer service. 

Each year, the department administers an Employee of the Year program where employees nominate coworkers throughout the department. Due to challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Employee of the Year nominations were based on performance for the past two fiscal years. 

In all, seven nominations were sent forward to the committee to be considered for this award.

Giles, who serves Chesterfield as the assistant chief operator and head of maintenance at the Addison-Evans Water Production and Laboratory Facility, was chosen as the 2021 Employee of the Year thanks to his consistent and continued dedication. 

Having contributed to committees and previously represented the department at job fairs, Giles has spoken to elementary schools about water treatment and was a member of the Virginia American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water for People, where he even co-starred as a character voice in an educational video for children. 

Here were two of the comments put forward in nominating Giles for the award:

“Jerry has good relationships with all members of the Addison-Evans staff,” said one coworker, “and he fosters excellent synergy between the members of his own maintenance staff. He leads his employees and encourages them to come up with alternative solutions.”

“Jerry was instrumental in keeping the plant online during periods of construction,” said another fellow employee. “In one instance, he designed and implemented a temporary tank system to feed chemical while the bulk system was out of service during replacement, thus ensuring the plant was able to remain online and in production.”

“We’ve got great leaders in Utilities,” Giles told the Board of Supervisors. “Y’all pay me and charge me with responsibilities, and I take them very serious. I just want to say thank you for taking care of us. It really means a lot. I’ll always be here for you. All you’ve got to do is tell me what you need.”

“We appreciate you and all you have done,” Chair Chris Winslow, Clover Hill District supervisor, told Giles. “We really, really appreciate the work you all do there. I know it’s hard work but the dedication shows inside your whole department.”  

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the Feb. 23, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting.

^{Jerry Giles, Utilities 2021 Employee of the Year}

January 2022 Everyday Excellence: Mental Health Support Services

During the Wednesday, Jan. 26 Board of Supervisors meeting, Chesterfield County Administrator Dr. Joe Casey recognized the Chesterfield Community Services Board, which functions as the Chesterfield County Department of Mental Health Support Services, as the recipient of the January 2022 Everyday Excellence for being reaccredited once again by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for a period of three years for all programs.

“This is an outstanding achievement and marks the highest standards attained for services offered, continuous improvement, and satisfaction among those served,” Dr. Casey told members of the board.

In Virginia, Chesterfield is one of only two CSBs that are accredited for all services and one of just six out of the 40 CSBs that are accredited at all.

This reaccreditation is awarded to organizations that show substantial fulfillment of the standards established by CARF, an independent, nonprofit accreditor of human-service providers in the areas of behavioral health, child and youth services, employment and community services, and medical rehabilitation. The reaccreditation indicates that current conditions represent an established pattern of total operations that is likely to be maintained and/or improved in the future.

The Chesterfield County Department of Mental Health Support Services offers comprehensive services for individuals and families with mental health needs, substance use and intellectual disabilities. The department also provides prevention and early intervention services for infants, children, and families.

Kelly Fried, executive director of the CSB, introduced Annette Stinson, who is the agency’s quality coordinator, and Jarek Muchowski, who is the assistant director for administration, strategic planning and quality and thanked them for their hard work in helping Chesterfield achieve its eighth accreditation.

“We are so proud of that,” Fried told the board on Jan. 26 of being accredited for the eighth time in a row. “It’s a three-year accreditation but each one that we go through, it’s not an easy feat. We have over 2,000 standards of quality that we are responsible for being in adherence. This is truly a whole-department effort.”

All staff are continually responsible for adhering to all standards but the reaccreditation process is an intensive one, especially this year due to COVID protocols that required the uploading of hundreds of policies and procedures.

“When I look at the amount of time that you’ve been accredited,” said Chairman Chris Winslow of the Clover Hill District, “all you can look at is a history, a generation-plus, of people who have been under accredited care in this county. You’ve really set a standard that not only our citizens have come to expect and appreciate and be the beneficiary of but also for localities that around us to say ‘That is the Gold Standard right there.’ So I can’t say enough. Thank you. Thank you to you both for all of the work you do.”

For more information, view the Everyday Excellence presentation during the Jan. 26, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting.

^{From left: Kelly Fried, Jarek Muchowski and Annette Stinson}