The outstanding work of Manchester Township’s municipal employees was celebrated during the 2017 Holiday Party and #EmployeeRecognition Awards, hosted earlier this week by Mayor Kenneth Palmer and the Township Council.
 
Mayor Palmer, Business Administrator Donna Markulic and Personnel Officer James Gant presented the awards during the luncheon event. Present from the Council were President Sam Fusaro, Vice President Craig Wallis, and Councilman James Vaccaro Sr. All employees were invited to nominate their peers for their exceptional efforts, and from those nominations a committee selected this year’s award recipients.
 
“Manchester Township is one of the best places to live, work and visit because of the consistent effort our employees put forth each and every day,” said Mayor Palmer in his opening remarks. This was also the first year for a new award category, the Group Excellence Award, which went to the Manchester Police #NotEvenOnce Officers. We’re extremely proud of all of our employees for their efforts throughout the year!
Below are brief summaries of all award recipients:
 
*Exceptional Service Award*
 
Robert Dolan
Lt. Dolan went above and beyond in implementing the many IT projects he has been tasked with outside his normal daily working assignments. Over the past year he was responsible for the monumental task of replacing the CAD/RMS system that was over 30 years old. Pulling this off required a diligent and tireless effort, as well as immense coordination between the service provider and the Township of Toms River, with whom we share the system.
 
*Sustained Superior Performance Awards*
 
Michael Morgan
Michael is the Supervisor of Building & Grounds with the Department of Public Works and has worked in the department since 2011. His demeanor in stressful situations remains even and focused. Mike is always willing to offer a helping hand to any and all staff in the building and is an asset to the Township.
 
Greg Kyriakakis
Greg is the Confidential Aide to the Chief in the Police Department. Greg consistently goes above and beyond in all of his assignments and regularly exceeds expectations. In addition to his regular duties, Greg routinely takes on additional work and is always willing to help others when the need arises.
 
Sean Gelsleichter
Sean is a Light Equipment Operator/Truck Driver/ Laborer with the Department of Public Works. He has shown exemplary service working on the 6th Avenue Park project since last Winter. Sean has continued to take responsibility on assignments that are delegated to him.
 
John Lacapria
John is a Mechanic with the Department of Public Works. With little over a year in the department, he brought with him a vast knowledge of auto and diesel repair expertise. Always coming to work with great pride and enthusiasm, he readily accepts new challenges and sees them through to the end.
 
Mike Syslo
Mike is a Light Equipment Operator/Truck Driver/ Laborer with the Department of Public Works. Recently the town acquired leaf vac trailers which requires a Class A license to operate, several employees have the required license, but it was in the Department’s interest to obtain a few more. Mike was one of the first employees who stepped up and offered to get the license, he followed through and as a result we now have enough drivers to properly operate all the equipment.
 
Timothy McCarthy
Tim, or “Timmer” as he is known in his department, is a Light Equipment Operator/Truck Driver/ Laborer with the Department of Public Works. When the town purchased leaf vac trailers, we realized we were in need of Class A drivers. Tim readily accepted the challenge to obtain his Class A license. He’s not afraid to get involved in any of the department’s functions.
 
Craig McCollum
Craig is a Mechanic with the Department of Public Works. He has been with the Department for over 4 years, and in this time has proven his high level of knowledge by his ability to effectively repair much of the equipment. He takes on challenges and works to find a resolution to the problem.
 
Paul Kodman
Paul is a Mechanic with the Department of Public Works. Paul has consistently demonstrated his automotive knowledge. His attention to detail and troubleshooting ability are second to none. Paul helps maintain a fleet of vehicles (police, building inspections, and senior outreach) and enters most of the information into the work order programs.
 
Michael Sabie
Michael is a Senior MIS Specialist with the Division of Data Processing. Michael was instrumental in upgrading many components of the ever-evolving network ecosystem. He spearheaded a server refresh across both buildings as well as complete email server overhaul. Hours upon hours were spent on each phase of the project, from vendor meetings to price comparisons to the actual cut overs for each system.
 
Mark Pellecchia
Mark is a Public Safety Telecommunicator with the Police Department. Members of his shift and others go to him for advice, guidance and instruction. Mark has shown tremendous initiative when it comes to seeking out training, attending training on his own time and always offering his time and talents to the department. He is always offering to assist with scheduling conflicts that might arise with team members.
 
Ron Rhein
Ron has been a welcome addition in the Police Department as Records Supervisor. Through his leadership, he has streamlined the Records process and embraced customer service for those residents who require records from the Police Department. He was an integral member of the Police Department’s Spillman Implementation Team, spearheading efforts for not just the Records Division, but the Police Department to strive towards being as paperless as possible.
 
*Professional Achievement Award*
 
Martin Lynch
Martin completed nearly a year long training course and received his Certified Public Manager’s Certificate this year. In classes as these, your cohorts usually provide just as much insight and training as the instructors. Martin was routinely asked to explain the intricate tax laws, as well as other issues that also impact his current office such as affordable housing. He was a wealth of information and the instructors were glad to have him in the class. Martin’s CPM project received a grade of 100%.
 
Al Yodakis
The New Jersey Society of Municipal Engineers chose the 6th Ave Playground Rehabilitation Project designed by Al Yodakis as the First Place Recipient in the Municipal Management Projects – “A” Category. Al received this award at the annual League of Municipalities awards luncheon on November 15, 2017. Al continues to be a great asset to this organization and is making a substantial impact on the Township of Manchester in providing excellent services to our residents.
 
Diane Lapp
In 2017, Diane was named the Chairperson of the Ocean County JIF’s Executive Committee. In addition to being the Chairperson, she also sits on the Claims Review Committee, Coverage Committee, Finance Committee, Rules and Contracts Committee, as well as acts as an alternate MEL Representative, EJIF Representative and Residual Claims Representative. These honors are not given lightly and shows the knowledge and commitment Diane has whether within the Township of Manchester or while helping direct the operation of the Ocean County JIF.
 
*Group Excellence Award*
 
#NotEvenOnce Officers
Officer Christopher Cerullo, Officer Keith Craig, Det. Adam Emmons and Officer Joseph Fastige were selected to create a proactive High School Opiate Awareness program for the students in Manchester Township. They spent countless hours at work and on their own time creating, preparing and then piloting this program in front of individuals of many different disciplines. To date, more than 400 officers and educators have been trained in #NotEvenOnce. The creation of this program took many hours of time, dedication and teamwork.
 
#Congratulations #JobWellDone #Awards