Central Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, October 7, 2003

CONGRATULATIONS EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH

The following individuals were awarded Employee of the Month for September in a ceremony held on Monday, October 6, 2003.

The Commissioner's Employee of the Month is Betsy W. Smith. Betsy is the Chief of Marketing and Corporate Sponsorship, and has been with Parks & Recreation since September 9, 2002. Betsy is the first person to hold this newly created position at Parks & Recreation and, in just one year, she has developed new approaches to bring in private money for Parks needs and programs. Betsy also oversees the Citywide Special Events office, which produces several hundred events each year. The most recent was September's concert by the Dave Matthews Band, a high-profile production that brought over many fans to Central Park's Great Lawn to raise money and awareness for New York City's schools. Betsy and her team worked long and hard since the start of the summer to make the event possible. Other major efforts have included the Dalai Lama's recent visit to Central Park, and the continued strong relationship with the Road Runner's Club. Her experience in the private sector as well as her intelligence, common sense, and sense of humor have made a welcome and significant impact.

Gus Anagnostakos is the Capital Projects Employee of the Month. Gus is the Director of the Capital Budget, and has been with Parks & Recreation since February 26, 1979. He began in the Budget Unit at the Arsenal after starting his career at the City’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where he worked for two years. In his current role, Gus is responsible for overseeing the behind-the-scenes details of Parks & Recreation’s capital budget, which includes hundreds of active construction and design projects. Patient and persistent, Gus is skilled at navigating the difficult, and sometimes frustrating, budget process at OMB. Recently, Gus was called on to condense a year's worth of tracking of capital staff project time into a three month rushed period. An important resource at Capital, who is always willing to go the extra mile, Gus was nominated by DC Amy Freitag.

Margaret A. Johnson is Management's Employee of the Month. Margaret is a Press Officer and has been with Parks & Recreation since January 14, 2002. Margaret interacts with the media on sensitive issues every day, preparing media advisories and press releases, and coordinating press events. Margaret is also the editor of The Daily Plant. She regularly handles press inquiries on a wide variety of topics, including the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Urban Park Rangers, Forestry, and Special Events. This year, Margaret was instrumental in highlighting the 150th anniversary of Central Park, working closely with the Conservancy on media, from local to international. More recently, Margaret helped coordinate press operations for the Dave Matthews Band concert in Central Park. For her skill and hard work, Margaret was nominated by Press Director Megan Sheekey.

Jacqueline Lu is an Operations Employee of the Month. Jackie is a Forestry Analyst, and has been with Parks & Recreation since June 28, 1999. Jackie tracks forestry indicators, writes and monitors forestry maintenance contracts, and supervises the GIS team. She also works with federal and state officials to track and combat the Asian Longhorned Beetle throughout New York City. During our recent storm emergency, Hurricane Isabel, Jackie played a key and independent role in coordinating debris removal efforts and tracking of over 2,400 storm related calls. Outside of work, Jackie is currently working on a master's at Columbia University, where her thesis tackles the critical issue for Parks of why and how the Asian longhorned beetle spreads. Intelligent, capable, and focused, Jackie was nominated by Fiona Watt and Keith Kerman.

Marvin Brown is an Operations Employee of the Month. Marvin is an Superviros of Parks Maintenance and Operations, and has been with Parks & Recreation since October 31, 1964. Marvin oversees troubleshooting for all 63 Parks swimming pools. When a problem arises, which may include improper chlorine levels, cloudiness in the water, or leaks, Marvin corrects the problem so that thousands of patrons can continue to swim. In the spring, Marvin conducts training for the Filter Plant Operators (FPOs), and assists the Plumbers and Electricians with pump and motor installation. The end of summer is especially busy, as Marvin surveys every FPO for details on the performance of the outdoor pools. Marvin also helps keep the indoor pools running year-round. Whether he is calibrating a chlorinator or clearing contaminated water, Marvin has a solution. For his dedication to Parks for yet another successful summer, Marvin was nominated by Chief of Technical Services Artie Rollins.

Orlando Sanders is Public Programs' Employee of the Month. Orlando is the Center Manager at the J. Hood Wright Recreation Center in Manhattan and has been with Parks & Recreation since January 20, 1999. Orlando is responsible for all aspects of the center's operations, including athletic and educational programs, outreach to the community, and center maintenance. One of Orlando's unique initiatives is intergenerational programming, which brings together senior citizens, after-school children, and teens for special day trips, community service projects, and arts events. Focused on education, Orlando is also the liaison between Parks & Recreation and Friends of Fishes, a program that provides hands-on education about aquatic life for the community's children. J.Hood Wright achieved the highest score of any center citywide, with a rating of 4.7 in Fiscal Year 2003. Since becoming the Manager in 1999, Orlando has been running a safe and fun center for people of all ages. For his model program, Orlando has been nominated by Deputy Chief of Recreation Chris Caropolo.

Miguel Santiago is the Beyond the Call Employee of the Month. Mike is an Supervisor of Parks Maintenance and Operations and has been with Parks & Recreation since March 30, 1979. Recently, Mike made a stand in the citywide fight against illegal dumping. While leaving Ocean Hill Playground Park House in Brooklyn he observed two men illegally dumping construction waste such as sheet rock and metal beams on the housing projects property. Mike approached the men and asked the driver for his license and registration. He called Parks & Recreation Manager Jim Holden on the Nextel and requested contact with Sanitation Police and PEP. Mike and Jim kept the offenders from leaving until the response teams arrived 20 minutes later. Sanitation Police issued summonses and confiscated the vehicle. For his courage in approaching two men and tackling a serious problem affecting Parks & Recreation, Mike was nominated by Chief of Operations Charlie Gili.

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Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center