Deron Lucas and DeAndre Wilson stand with City Manager Mark Whitfield
At a recent meeting, employees with the City of Milford were recognized by council after receiving the 2024 Excellence Awards. According to Human Resources Director Jamesha Williams, this program has been in place since 2018.
“The program allows us to recognize and promote positive behaviors by staff as we work toward the city’s mission, vision and values,” Williams said. “Nominations are accepted from peers and supervisors with winners decided by the Reward and Recognition Committee using a blind peer vote. What that means is that the employee’s name is excluded, and the vote is based on the submission alone.”
The first employees recognized were Deron Lucas and DeAndre Wilson, both equipment operators with the Public Works Solid Waste Department. Williams pointed out that the two men have been instrumental in turning around the solid waste efforts in Milford but had gone above and beyond their duties earlier this year.
“On August 29, while working on the trash truck, Deron and DeAndre when they saw a man had fallen out of his wheelchair on Southeast Front Street,” Williams said. “They stopped what they were doing and helped the gentleman get back into his wheelchair, making sure he could get safely back on his route.”
Paul Beebe
Following Lucas and Wilson, Paul Beebe, an Enterprise Resource Planning Specialist in the IT department was recognized.
“For those of you who have been on council a long time, you kind of know the back story of our IT department,” Williams said. “It used to be just one full time employee and one part time employee, but we’ve expanded that so that they are doing the excellent work they have lately.”
According to Williams, Beebe has done excellent work as the city transitioned to new programs.
“His nomination was based on his work in the customer service division when they transferred to the new system and he made sure they knew what they were doing and that they understood how the process works,” Williams said. “There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes in IT that you don’t see, but Paul does an excellent job for us.”
Valerie Heritage
Howard Willis
In addition to the Excellence Awards, four employees graduated from the 2024 Delaware Municipal Supervisory Management Academy. Williams explained this was the fifth year Milford participated in the academy along with Lewes, Milton, Middletown, Harrington and Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation (DEMEC).
“All graduates earned three Wilmington University credits toward an undergraduate business program,” Williams said.
Scott Gerardi
Cody Lahman
The employees graduating from the program were Executive Assistant to the City Manager Valerie Heritage, Code Enforcement Official Howard Willis, Public Works Equipment Officer with Streets and Utilities Scott Gerardi and Public Works Equipment Operator in Streets and Utilities Cody Lahman.
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