Laura Garza, Myriam Varela
Municipal Courts Administration
Ed Wellmann couldn’t get his Tennessee insurance license until he
provided documentation about a May 1987 arrest in Houston. Because the
“youthful indiscretion” occurred so long ago, no documentation
existed, Wellman wrote.
Wellmann called Laura Garza and Myriam Varela. They sent a certified letter to the insurance licensing authorities.
“Thank you for being so pleasant to work with,” Wellmann wrote. “If all civil service employees were as friendly and helpful as Laura and Myriam, government wouldn’t have such a bad reputation.”
Roy Woodard
Finance & Administration
Kudos to Roy Woodard, who has earned praise
from several residents.
Charles Turner’s trash container disappeared during a rainstorm. Woodard received Turner’s request for a new one and made sure the container was replaced.
“I am most appreciative of your quick response,” Turner wrote.
Salvador Medina needed to dump some used tires but didn’t know where he could legally take them. He e-mailed 311. Medina was impressed when, early the next day, Woodard e-mailed him the city’s policy on disposing of tires and a list of depositories.
Rosie Ledezma
Public Works & Engineering
Sonja Raffeet’s opinion of city workers was very poor until she
met Rosie Ledezma.
For two months, Raffeet, a private investigator, worked with Ledezma to acquire copies of plans on file with the city.
“Ms. Ledezma has patience beyond belief,” Raffeet wrote. “She will ensure that you know what’s expected of you, and she does not huff and puff if she has to restate the same thing twice.
“She should be a mentor for all persons working with the public.”
Rebecca Jackson
Planning and Development
“We greatly appreciate the consideration and effort Rebecca
Jackson put into getting the lot next to our property mowed in
a timely manner,” wrote Tony and Geneva Mann. “The city needs
more employees like Ms. Jackson.”
Julie Blum, Jason Harsh, Glen Childers
Parks and Recreation
St. Theresa Catholic School’s fund-raising golf tournament at Memorial
Park was a “wonderful success” largely because of the efforts
of Julie Blum, Jason
Harsh and Glen Childers, wrote Frances
Ramsey.
“These people could not have represented the city in a better way,” Ramsey wrote. “Harsh prepared the course with such expertise the golfers commented throughout the day on the great conditions of the grounds. Glen Childers and Julie Blum did a fantastic job, from the planning of the event all the way through to tabulating the winners.”
Hellena Stokes
Library
Teresa Crain enjoyed the library’s Black History Month program.
“Hellena Stokes did a wonderful job,” Crain wrote.
Michael Jones, Debra Payton
Solid Waste Management
Passersby added garbage to the pile of tree limbs and heavy trash Wilson
Sparks’ son had placed in the yard prior to the Tuesday pickup.
The modest pile grew to a heaping mound, Sparks wrote.
On Tuesday, the city trash truck arrived, slowed down in front of the house, then continued on without picking up a thing. Sparks noticed the other piles in the neighborhood were being removed, so he called the Solid Waste Management Department and talked to Debra Payton.
Soon, Michael Jones came to the house and told Sparks the trash would be picked up. That evening at 5 p.m., a truck arrived and cleaned up the pile.
“Ms. Payton and Mr. Jones were extremely professional, courteous and prompt in their handling of my problem,” Sparks wrote. “Too often we are quick to complain when services are not handled to our satisfaction, but in this case the city workers exceeded my expectations.”
Jim Ramsey
Police
Joe Pukaite witnessed a murder at a gas station, but HPD officers had
very little evidence to go on, and Pukaite didn’t know how they
would catch a suspect.
“The police were completely baffled as to why this woman had been shot,” Pukaite wrote. “Through my many interactions with Sgt. Jim Ramsey in the days and weeks that followed, I watched as he and his team efficiently and effectively conducted a thorough investigation that ultimately led to the capture of a suspect. In less than three weeks, and starting with essentially no lead, Jim and his team took a dangerous person off the streets.
“Results are king in today’s world. Jim and HPD got results
that will save numerous lives.”