By Stan Lynch
BurbankNBeyond
Employees of the City of Burbank were honored recently for their years of service at an Employee Service Recognition breakfast held in the parking lot at City Hall. Heading the list of honorees were three long-time employees, each with 40 years of service to the City.
Mary Jo Watkins began her career with the City while still a student at John Burroughs High School. As Mary Jo Hopkinson, she took a work experience class as her last class of the day. She would leave school and spend her afternoon in the City’s Personnel Department as a work trainee. When she graduated from Burroughs in June of 1972, she was hired fulltime, and has been at City Hall every since.
She learned shorthand in high school and college, as it was a requirement for secretarial jobs 40 years ago. “It’s a lost art,” said Watkins, who noted that she hasn’t used shorthand in years.
She has spent all but five years of her time with the City, working in the Management Services Department. Her biggest challenge on the job was back in 2000, when she helped plan the move of the entire Finance Department across the street to the old “Cal-Fed” building at Olive Ave. and Third St. She did that while still doing her regular job. But that seems to be typical of Watkins. Even at the breakfast where she was one of those being honored, she was hard at work passing out recognition certificates to other honorees. She has no plans to retire.
Louise M. Paziak started her career with the Library Services Department as a part-time Library Page after she graduated from high school. Over the past 40 years she has held a number of positions with increasing responsibility. Recognizing her creative talents, the library has put her in charge of producing all printed matter, from newsletters to press releases. She also arranges for all the programs that are held at the libraries.
When asked how the Burbank Public Library had changed in the 40 years she has been there, Paziak said, “Books are still the same, but computers have changed the library. Computers give us more options, more choices.”
While she sees computer as making work easier, she doesn’t see them replacing books any time soon. “I see books staying around for a long time,” said Paziak, “People like to hold them in their hands.”
Guy Zink was hired back in 1971 as a “temporary” worker. Now, 40 years later, he’s become a “permanent” fixture in the Park, Recreation and Community Services Department. His area of expertise is the irrigation systems that keep our parks and public places green.
“I used to kow where every City sprinkler valve was located, “ said Zink, who noted that today many of the sprinkler systems are computerized, like the one on the Chandler Bikeway.
Zink, who grew up in Burbank and graduated from John Burroughs High School in 1964, enjoys his job. He noted that he gets to work outdoors and do something different every day.
Nearly 300 City employees were honored at the catered breakfast, which was held in a large tent set up in the parking lot behind City Hall. On the tables at the breakfast were note pads that were specially designed for the occasion. Marking the City’s centennial, the notepads contain photos from Burbank’s past, including the Nash Metropolitans used by parking control officers in the 1950’s, and the old City Hall. There’s even a photo of the town’s first street sweeper, taken in 1917. The notepads were created by Mary Jo Watkins and Mike McDaniel of the Reprographics Department.
Honored for 35 years of service were:
Ralph J. Costanzo of the Public Works Department, and Charles A. LeRoy and Patrick N. Thomas of Park, Recreation & Community Services were recognized for 35 years of service.
Honored for 30 years of services were:
Jerry Anderson, Anthony J. Carbono, David E. Flores, Alfred L. Johnson, Arnold D. Peterson, and Ronald G. Vincent – Public Works. Elliot Azus, Dev D. Birla, Gina M. Grossi, Jeffrey W. Hancock, Gaye A. Mains (ret), Keith Orduno, Bruce K. Redmann, Crisanto C. Sanchez, qne Salvatore S. Sinardi – Burbank Water & Power. Steven D. Buteyn, Ronald F. Caruso, Michael Gibbons (ret), Laurence ‘Larry’ R. Hill, Scott Moody, Robert ‘Bobby’ R. Quesada, and Gary E. Seymour – Police Department. Brian D. Hannick, Carol S. Mercado, and Gayle B. Migden – Park, Recreation & Community Services. Jeffrey F. Howe, Kenneth J. MacNew, Bruce L. Smentek, Lewis V. Stone (ret), Gary H. Thompson, and Robert W. Trowbridge (ret) – Fire Department. Tina Larsen – Library Services.
Other City of Burbank Employee Service Recognition honorees, by department, are:
City Attorney: Julie Scott – 25 years. Vartuhie Arutyunyan and Denny Wei – 5 years.
City Clerk: Ziomara R. Gamez – 5 years.
City Manager: Marissa M. Vander Borght – 5 years.
City Treasurer: Donna E. Anderson – 25 years.
Community Development: Jack P. Lynch (ret), Elaine L. Pease, and William M. Weyandt – 25 years. Christoper Thompson – 20 years. R. Mike Labudzki and Thomas A. Zartl – 15 years. Cassidy F. Allen, Ernest Dellinger, and Thomas W. Lim – 10 years. Adriana R. Garcia, Srapion E. Khourdadjian, Scott R. McGookin, Patrick D. Prescott, Ara Retchian, and Laurie N. Van Wagenen – 5 years.
Financial Services: Dino Balos, Jennifer K. Becker, Eva R Felipe, Paul W. Herman, Carrie A Matson, and Leana Mkrtchyan – 10 years. Arshaluys Ashikian – 5 years.
Fire Department: James V. Baldridge, Michael J. Boufford, Alan P. Burgess, Timothy P. Doppenberg, Daryl S. Isozaki, Dennis M. Kenehan, Ruben S. Mercado, M. Kevin O’Neill, Ronald B. Pearlman, and David A. Schmitt – 25 years. Clinton Bruton, Steven Byrne, Jeffrey D. Carion, Cameron Cerwin, Peter Garcia, Jason Murphy, Andrew Romaine, and Ryan B. Weber – 10 years. Andrew W. Chest, Brent W. Crosby, Omid Kianersi, Frank A. Quinones III, Brandon B. Vaughan, and Robert D. Williamson – 5 years.
Information Technology: Garen K. Essakhanian, Peter J. Tooch, and Jennifer L. Wyatt – 10 years. Natasha N. Aasadore – 5 years.
Library Services: Pamela Richardson – 15 years. Andrea Brooks-Kinder, Laura Goldstein, Hubert Kozak, and Lori A. Kremer – 10 years. Marilyn M. Baklarz, Bruce Eggen, Anna L. Martino, Joan O. Mathews, Sara A. Rebman, Leslie D. Regal, Joanne O. Rode, and Jaime M. Torres, Jr. – 5 years.
Management Services: Judie L. Wilke – 20 years. Elizabeth M. Dolan, Brady C. Griffin, Shari L. McGlynn, Kenny Pang, and Terri L. Quickley – 10 years. Melanie J. Stennis – 5 years.
Park, Recreation & Community Services: Victoria E. O’Neill – 25 years. Juan G. Cardenas, Kimberly A. Freed, Anastacio Gallardo, and Marisa P. Garcia – 20 years. Rena R. Foountain, Randall S. Henson, Caroline Arrechea Lewis, and Pamela L. Napuunoa – 15 years. Erin L. Barrows, Scott Doran, Jose Flores, Rena Ghamelian, Esmeralda Hernandez, Jay S. Lesowski, Guadalupe A. Meza, and Frank Ostos – 10 years. Maria A. Clarke, Herb L. Cleveland, Vanessa L. Covarrubias, Philippe Eskandar, Maria G. Flores, Johnathan W. Frank, Hen Hom, Chelsie L. Hunt, Tanya M. Lewis, Kimberly G. Mandl, Rhonda L. Miles, Ricardo M. Moran, Adrine Ovasapyan,Paul L. Paolone, David Rivera, Christopher J. Serrano, Mark R. Voorhis, and Aaron S. White – 5 years.
Police Department: Kelly S. Frank, Michelle C. McCord, Rick A. Medlin, Todd J. Mofford, Darin P. Ryburn, and Rita I. Smith – 25 years. Laura R. Cuellar-Garcia, Fern E. Grow, David M. Kleinfeld, Leslie K. Lowe, and Gig A. Painter – 20 years. Charles E. Henry, Randy W. Lloyd II, and Anthony J. Valento – 15 years. Gina G. Baitman, Ofelia G. Chavez, Celia Hawver, Nabil Hourany, Ernest J. Jacobson Jr., Aaron C. Kendrick, Dawn M. King, Danielle J. Lloyd, Rhonda J. Loebs, Justin Meadows, John R. Pfrommer Jr., Stacie C. Wood-Levin, and Edumndo Zepeda – 10 years. Jonathan C. Cheng, Adam R. Comils, Jeannette M. Dease, Michael R. Edwards, Brent M. Fekety, Joe M. Henry, John R. Kaefer, Joshua D. Kendrick, Liberato S. Maliglig, Ryan M. Murphy, Marissa J. O’Brien, Kristiana O. Sanchez-Suarez, John H. Voorhis, and Denyse J. Yanez – 5 years.
Public Works: Raul, Martinez and Brian W. Mole – 25 years. Sergio C. Carrillo, Diana Goulding, Jeffrey Musich, Albert Sheean, and Errol Wilkerson – 20 years. Brian Little and Jorge Sandoval – 15 years. Marco Henriquez, Kenneth C. Johnson, Omar M. Moheize, Michael B. Salvani, Jose J. Sanchez, Carolyn M. Scully, and Eric Villegas – 10 years. Schell L. Chandler, Andrew J. Corral, Roy Garcia, Michael V. Gutierrez, Brian S. Hurley, Eden Lopez, Dimas Molina, Michael Montoya, Francisco G. Moreno, Michael M. Muravez, Saro K. Ohanian, Daniel J. Rynn, Bradley J. Simpson, Deanna R. Tovar, Dino M. Velasquez, and Daniel Zacariaz – 5 years.
Burbank Water & Power: Homayoun Bozorgmehri, Chris T. Friesen, Brian J. Ginley and Kirk L. Jenson – 25 years. Bruce A Campbell, Patricia A. Hickman, Kevin G. Mitchell, Steven E. Urrutia, Judy C. Westcott (ret), and Lendsy J. Wiley III – 20 years. Glenn R. Harrison, Andrew J. Nystrom, Delvin J. Yoder, and Michael J. Zankoski – 15 years. Sean A. Aguino, Carlos A. Carballo, Corey L. Carr, Karamjit Chahal, Jason S. Cornelison, Peter C. Erickson, Kevin Gustafson, David M. Hickman, Bob Liu, Jeff R. Martin, John N. Marx, and Scott Mellon, Timothy J. Morrison, Kirc W. O’Neal, Roderick Reed, Steve Rossodivito, Harry T. Rountree, Richard Saylor, Varant Soghomonian, Cynthia L. Tumacay, Christoper M. Vilchis, Cheryl L. Wilkins, and David L. Winters – 10 years. Clifton E. Bernard, Donald V. DeJohn, Craig L. Disiere, Jose Granados, Roy C. Hembree II, Howard E. Hull, John M. Johnson, Jessie D. Kehoe, Brian P. Lowers, Donald G. Newton, Steven G. Pantaleo, Curtis A. Pavard, Hunter B. Schmidt, Melissa A. Schnitzius, Naveed H. Sediq, and Rosemary A. Worthen – 5 years.
