Silver Lake Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, September 5, 2000

Employees of the Month August 2000

Thomas M. "Sir Mixalot" Weber is the Bronx's Employee of the Month for August. Thomas started with Parks on April 24, 1989 and is a Cement Mason with Bronx Shops. Thomas mixes cement and concrete which is used for flooring, pavements, walks, and retaining walls. This summer, Thomas helped to rehabilitate severely damaged checker tables throughout the Bronx. Additionally, Thomas has played a major role in the restoration of the columns on Mosholu Parkway. Skilled and hard working, Thomas was nominated by Plumbline.

Joseph L. "Walls" Zimmerman is Brooklyn's Employee of the Month for August. Joseph started with Parks on September 5, 1989 and works as a City Park Worker for Borough Crews. In 1998, Joseph lead a crew of two PACT workers to restore handball courts in Brooklyn. They power washed layers of paint from the courts to create a better playing surface. Joseph and his crew have refurbished 120 courts in Brooklyn so far this year. To date, over 400 courts have been refurbished citywide through the handball initiative. For his key role in this effort, Joseph was nominated by Klondike.

Gus "Andes" Frindt is Capital Projects' Employee of the Month for August. Andes started with Parks on September 4, 1990 and is a Design Project Manager with the Consultant Project Management (CPM) program. Andes has overseen consultant design groups working on various projects citywide including the $5 million renovation of the Battery Park City Promenade and the $1.8 million installation of artificial turf playing fields in Car Wash Park and Manhattan Vocational Playground. These fields will showcase Parks' cutting edge use of Fieldturf, a long fiber type of artificial turf that replicates the look and feel of real turf with out the maintenance and watering requirements. Dependable and creative, Andes was nominated by Polecat.

Leon "Access" Fendley is Citywide Services' Employee of the Month for August. A graduate of Manhattan College with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Leon started with Parks on April 4, 1999 as a Resident Engineer with Pool Requirements at Five Boro. Recently Leon oversaw the fiberglassing of Astoria Pool's main pool tub and the elimination of water leaks inside the existing tubs. Leon has also taken a lead role in the preparation of the FY2001 Pool Requirements contracts and the capital contracts for Yankee and Shea Stadiums. A talented and devoted new Parkie, Leon was nominated by Tigress.

Audrey "Angle" Nagle is Management's Employee of the Month for August. Angle started with Parks on June 1, 1996 as a seasonal in the Citywide Aquatics Program. After receiving her B.S. in Human Biology from Albany University in June of 1998, Angle worked as a Field Coordinator for Citywide Aquatics. In 1999, she became Deputy Center Manager for Asser Levy Recreation Center. This past June, Angle was named Supervisor of the Revenue Unit at Budget where she tracks and monitors Parks' revenue and performs audits of recreation centers. Angle has played a critical role in establishing fiscal controls at recreation centers. Angle also supervises the Parks Store. A rising talent at Parks, Angle was nominated by StarkEast.

Abraham "Five Points" Tung is Manhattan's Employee of the Month for August. Abraham started with Parks on May 20, 1985 and is an Assistant Gardner for District 1 which includes Columbus Park, Foley Square, and Thomas Paine Park. Abraham's responsibilities include the seeding, mowing, and watering of plant beds and lawns. Since the fall of 1999, Abraham has been working to restore the gardens and lawns of Columbus Park, which have gone from 75% exposed dirt to 100% lawn area. An experienced gardener, Abraham has helped keep Manhattan green for over fifteen years. He was nominated by PS Lombardi.

Khadijah "Sweet Talk" McCullars is Queens' Employee of the Month for August. Khadijah began with Parks on July 1, 1994 and works as a Clerical Associate for Queens Recreation. Khadija's responsibilities include logging all donations brought to the centers and monitoring the Other Than Personnel Services (OTPS) account. Khadijah also recently helped prepare various distributions and brochures. She has excellent computer skills and brought in her personal computer to help create these publications. For her positive attitude and hard work, Khadijah was nominated by Devil Dog.

Arthur S. "Thunderbolt" Caprario, Sr. is Staten Island's Employee of the Month for August. Arthur began with Parks on June 8, 1999 and is an Assistant Gardener in District One including Cloves Lake and Silver Lake Parks. Before he worked at Parks, Arthur was volunteering his time on a weekly basis to cut weeds and clean parks. Arthur's current responsibilities include maintaining twelve Greenstreets and performing seeding, mowing, and pruning. Thanks to his quality gardening work, Arthur has proved a valuable new employee. He was nominated by Outlaw.

Eric "Yossarian" Rothstein is the Commissioner's Employee of the Month for August. Yossarian began with Parks on March 9, 1998 and works as a Hydrologist with the Natural Resources Group (NRG). Hydrology is the science of water. Yossarian's job is to monitor and help protect New York City's natural wetlands, woodlands and meadows. His recent reviews and re-designs of draft DEP filtration and wetland plans have saved hundreds of trees. Yossarian is also overseeing more than $15 million in Bond Act funds awarded to NRG. A tenacious and respected protector of our natural areas, Yossarian was nominated by Raptor.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Tuesday, September 8, 1987)

The stakes are high in this year's 10th Annual Budweiser Paddleball Classic Finals on Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13 at 8:30 AM in Macombs Dam Park in the Bronx ... twelve thousand dollars high, to be exact! Of the 5,000 men and women competing in the qualifiers, only 60 made it to the Finals. Champions will bask in the glow of victory at the awards presentation ceremony immediately following the tournament at nearby Mullaly Recreation Center at East 162nd Street and Jerome Avenue.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing Nature.'

W.H. Auden (1907-1973)