By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Fourteen employees, many of whom have worked for the city for decades, were honored
during Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
City Manager Shawna Burkhart, continuing the recognition of service initiated by her
predecessors, told city council members, “We would like to take a moment of your time
to honor our employees with many years of service.”
Burkhart read out each employee’s name, job title, city department and the number of
years each had worked for the city and had certificates of appreciation ready to present to
them.
Assistant City Manager Manuel Chavez stood by to give each of the employees a city of
Del Rio lapel pin.
Burkhart asked each of the employees being honored to step forward to receive the
certificate of appreciation, but only one, Guillermo Ortiz, a carpenter in the city’s
municipal facilities department, was present at Tuesday’s meeting. Ortiz has worked for
the city for 27 years.
Other long-time city employees honored during the meeting included the following:
— Pat Rodriguez, court supervisor in the municipal court, 41 years;
— Rogiero Sanchez,
superintendent of the city’s water distribution department, 37 years;
— Del Rio Fire Department Capt. Jimmy Crane, 30 years; and Maria Perez, assistant city planner in the
city’s development services department, 31 years;
— Hector Espinosa, clerk III, streets and drainage department, 29 years;
— Del Rio Fire
Department Engineer Ariel Falcon, 29 years;
— Hervey Huerta, heavy equipment operator
in the city’s water distribution department, 29 years;
— Daniel Jalomos, superintendent
of the city gas department, 29 years;
— Del Rio Fire Department Capt. Clay Sinclair, 28 years;
— Del Rio Fire Department
Assistant Chief Victor Rocha, 26 years;
— Del Rio Fire Department Firefighter Stephen
Gladson, 26 years;
— Del Rio Fire Department Lt. Clint West, 22 years;
— Del Rio Police
Department Sgt. Valentin Martinez, 22 years.
“I am very impressed by all the years of service,” Burkhart noted as she read the names
and the length of time they had served the city.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
