Winter Park City Talk

Congratulations to the city’s Employees of the Year

At the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce’s Mayor & City Commission Luncheon scheduled for Friday, Jan. 18, three humble public servants that have gone above and beyond the call of duty as the city’s “Employee of the Year,” “Firefighter of the Year” and “Officer of the Year” will be recognized. Please join me in congratulating each of them:

Employee of the Year – Steve Mathes

Steve Mathes, the city’s facilities manager, provided excellent service to the city during the past year in several high-profile projects, specifically the renovation of City Hall. What started out as an air-conditioning and lighting retrofit job blossomed into a complete reorganization, reorientation and rehab of an antiquated facility using a constrained funding source. Mathes’ leadership was instrumental in establishing effective alternate locations for City Hall workers during the renovation and ensuring the entire project was completed. He was also recently accredited as a Certified Facility Manager with the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA), and elected president of the Orlando Chapter of IFMA. For these and many other reasons, we are pleased to congratulate Mathes as the 2012 Employee of the Year award.

Firefighter of the Year – Bryan Moman

Firefighter/Paramedic Bryan Moman has played an integral role this year with his assistance in organizing the technology used in the department’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responsibilities. He has organized the EMS lab and been key in establishing direct connectivity with medical equipment such as EKG machines to the paramedics’ electronic patient reporting system. Because Moman has been successful at setting up, maintaining and troubleshooting this system, notes on a patient’s condition and assessment have been greatly enhanced. He was also vital in preparing the EMS bag for the department’s new Truck 61 that is now the model for the entire department’s first run units. Moman’s outstanding clinical skills and use of good judgment in everything he does has made him an exemplary role model and excellent recipient of this year’s Firefighter of the Year award.

Officer of the Year – Detective Lisa Suepat

Detective Lisa Suepat has been a highly motivated and productive member of the Criminal Investigations Division since August 2010. From day one Suepat has shown that her organizational, investigative and interviewing skills are top notch. Recently, she has worked on several cases including the arrest of the criminal involved in the luggage theft from the Orlando International Airport who resided in the city; a full confession from a robber who was thought to be tied to Winter Park; the apprehension of a suspect for the Lee Road kidnappings found from the evidence she collected; and assistance in the arrest of the “one-man crime spree” criminal from information she gathered throughout the investigation. Suepat makes Winter Park a safer place to work and live for our community, and this is why she has been selected as the recipient of the city’s Officer of the Year award.

Congratulations Steve, Bryan and Lisa, on your well-deserved recognition! Thank you for your dedicated service to our city and our residents.

City Commission meeting highlights

There was a City Commission meeting held Jan. 14 at 3:30 p.m. in City Hall Commission Chambers. Below are a few highlights from that meeting:

Mayor’s Report

• All board appointments were confirmed.

Consent Agenda

• All items were approved.

Action Items Requiring Discussion

• 90-day plan was adopted.

• Extension of power supply contract with Seminole Electric Cooperative Inc. was approved.

• Purchase $700,000 of outstanding Electric Revenue Bonds, Series 2005A was approved.

• Commissioner Sprinkel was appointed to serve as a selection committee member as it relates to the RFP process for a federal lobbyist.

• CNL and Casto properties were approved to use Lake Mendsen for stormwater needs and financially compensate the city for that use.

Public Hearings

• The second readings of the ordinances to change the existing designations for property located at 861 W. Canton Ave. as requested by Atlantic Housing Partners LLLP were approved.

• The first readings of the ordinances to change the existing designations at 835 W. Canton Ave. as requested by Atlantic Housing Partners LLLP were approved.

• The first reading of the ordinance annexing 500 E. Lake Sue Ave. was approved.

• The first readings of the ordinances amending the Police Officers’ Pension Plan and the Firefighters’ Pension Plan were approved.

• No action was taken regarding the first reading of the ordinance revising the development standards for docks on lakefront lots. Staff was directed to bring this to the Lakes & Waterways Advisory Board for further review.

A full copy of the Jan. 14 City Commission minutes will be available at cityofwinterpark.org the week of Jan. 28, pending approval by the City Commission.

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