Kosciuszko Pool

The Daily Plant : Monday, June 10, 2002

CONGRATULATIONS EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH

The following individuals were awarded Employee of the Month on Monday, June 3. Two April Employees of the Month were unable to attend the award breakfast last month and are included in this month’s listing. The Daily Plant congratulates them on this honor.

Brian joined Parks on May 22, 2000 and currently works as the Senior Inspector in Operations Management and Planning (OMP.) As such he supervises and dispatches OMP inspectors, updates the OMP property list, investigates correspondence, and conducts inspections. With his help, OMP has achieved its target number of ratings every single round, and has increased the number of inspections per biweekly round to 205. Brian also helps review the inspection standards, trains borough staff in the ratings, and attends Capital walk-throughs. Last year Brian attended a multi-day seminar offered by the National Playground Safety Institute, where he learned about the American Society for Testing and Materials’ national standards for playground safety. Sharp and untouchable, Brian was nominated by OMP Director Jeremy Peterson.

Pedro joined Parks on July 7, 1987 and currently works as a Maintenance Worker in District 7, which includes the Broadway Malls and Lincoln Center Plaza. Pedro works to keep the many well-traveled park properties in the district cleared of litter, and through his efforts this challenging district has achieved ratings of 91.7% cleanliness in 2002. Pedro also takes on special tasks and responsibilities. Recently he was able to resolve an on-going flooding problem at Playground 89 by replacing catch basin covers. Experienced and sensible, Pedro is an important asset to District 7 and Manhattan. He was nominated by Parks and Recreation Manager Jon Mazza.

Steve joined Parks on July 20, 1987 and for the past 14 years has worked at Rockaway Beach, where he is currently a SPMO. Steve is responsible for keeping Rockaway’s seven miles of beach and boardwalk safe and beautiful. Steve and his staff operate and maintain a fleet of equipment unique to beach operations including beach kings, surf rakes and the ever-daunting Challenger. They remove 90 cubic yards of trash from the sand each evening to ensure the coast is clear for visitors the next day. One of Parks beach operations experts, Steve is skilled and flexible and keeps things cool at the beach. Steve was nominated by Borough Commissioner Richard Murphy and PRM Joe Bonkowski.

Philip joined Parks on April 2, 1984 and currently works as a Principal Park Supervisor for District 2, which includes South and Midland Beaches. Philip preps and maintains nearly 3 miles of sand and surf and ensures that these popular relaxation spots are safe and clean. Philip also handles special events like May’s New York Cares Clean Up Day, and the upcoming Back to the Beach days which are coordinated with the Borough President’s office. Another key player in Parks beach program, Philip is a stalwart and standout in Staten Island. He was nominated by PRM Anthony Arcamone.

Joe joined Parks on May 6, 1985 and currently works as an APSW at the Bronx Garage. His normal duties include driving heavy equipment for special events, taking debris to transfer stations, and maintaining the garage facility. In 2002, Joe contributed to a number of major Bronx initiatives. He helped to reorganize the Bronx shops by creatively using a front end loader to move large items and repair the floor. Joe also played a key role in the 5x5 cooperative clean-up effort at Hunt’s Point on the Bronx River. A strong and skilled contributor to the Bronx, Joe was nominated by Project Manager Corey Rishworth.

Jessica joined Parks on February 24, 1997 and currently works as a Corporal in Brooklyn PEP. Jessica spends most of the year leading the mounted unit in Prospect Park. She and her trusty horse patrol the park, issuing summonses and guiding patrons. Jessica has established a strong relationship with borough operations and regularly advises them on park conditions and concerns. For the last couple summers, she has put away her saddle to help keep the peace at the busy Kosciusko Pool. Jessica has effectively worked with Police, lifeguards, and youths to maintain a happy and safe swimming season. A hard working and responsible lover of Parks and animals, Jessica was nominated by Alex Brash, Chief of the Urban Park Service.

(Monday, June 19, 1989)

Neighborhood residents in the Windsor Terrace section of Brooklyn treat Seeley Park like their backyard. They help clean it, remove graffiti from walls and benches and even lock the fence at night to keep vandals out of the 1.3-acre neighborhood treasure.

At the dedication of Seeley Park on Saturday after a $592,000 retsoration, Mayor Koch thanked the residents, including members of the Friends of Seeley Park, who have worked with Parks diligently for the last 10 years to keep their local oasis green and clean.

"A novel is balanced between a few true impressions
and the multitude of false ones that make up most of what we call life."

Saul Bellow
(b. June 10, 1915)