The Lewis County Board of Commissioners held a quarterly employee recognition ceremony on Tuesday during the board's regular business meeting, awarding Spotlight Awards for exemplary work and recognition for years of service milestones.
“This is an opportunity to celebrate the people who make Lewis County such a great place to work,” Lewis County Manager Ryan Barrett said. “These employees and teams were nominated by their peers for consistently going above and beyond. What an awesome opportunity to celebrate dedication, teamwork and the positive impact that you all have on all of us, every day.”
The commissioners awarded 12 individual Spotlight Awards to employees throughout the county’s many departments. Additionally, three department-wide awards went to the county’s fair and events team, 911 Communications and the Public Works chipseal crew.
Lewis County employees, and even entire teams, can be recommended by their colleagues in the county for recognition based on their work and service to the county.
Recognized employees are listed below.
Individual recognition
Juvenile Court employee Dulce Cabrera; Public Works employee Wes Anderson; Solid Waste employee Rocky Lyon; Coroner’s Office employee Chelsie Niemcziek; Budget Department employee Rudy Rodriguez; Assessor’s Office employee Chris Lanegan; Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) employee Kendra Garrison; PHSS employee Bryan Hall; Human Resources employee Rachel Lester; Sheriff’s Office employee Michael Mohr; Public Works employee Kai Flemming; and Board of Lewis County Commissioners Clerk Rieva Lester
Teams recognition
• Fair and events employees: Fionna Velazquez, Ashley Hamilton, Elizabeth Hill, Holland Ray, Violet Barboza and Abigail Churchill.
• 911 employees: Lisa Brockmueller, Liz Casteel, Micaela Cloutier, Eric Connor, Katie Cosgrove, Candi Danielson, Abby Guenther, Doug Hammer, Christin Joner, Ashlee Jones, Jasmine Lopez, Lindy Munoz, Jordan Pass, Morgan Pudelko, Michelle Schlecht, Kaylea Smith and Jeanetta Yund.
• Chipseal crew members: Justin DeWitt, Luke Olsen, Colton Brown, Josh Rogers, Jared Rogers, Luke Lennox, Tim Boyer, Colby Mitchell, Todd Weaver, Cody Husser, Brandon Gallagher, Darson Balsemer, Matt Wichert, Brandon Barnes, Tyson Drevniak, Carter Stennick, Dominic Winters, Paul Hodel, Andrew Shedd, Lyle Metzenberg, Wayne Chase, Scott Hicks, Steve Pendleton, Kia Fleming, Tylar Barr and John Link.
For county service milestones, the board recognized four county employees for 30 years or more in service with Lewis County. For a 30-year milestone, the county recognized Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza and member of the Lewis County Public Works Department, Rod Lakey. For 40 years of service, the county recognized another Public Works employee, Gary Hurley, and Sheriff's Office employee Kathleen Rowe.
The county also recognized a long list of other employees who have hit service milestones, starting with five years of service and marking every five additional years beyond.
Recognized employees are listed below.
• Five years: Facilities employee Thomas Dembinski; Auditor’s Office employees Ronda Dahl and Michelle Sabin; PHSS employees Imelda Franks and Marylynne Kostick; Sheriff’s Office Deputies Michael Anderson and Isaac Ingle; and Public Works employees Benjamin Sabin and Matthew Hinderlie.
• 10 years: Lewis County Jail employee RJ Wheeler; Public Works employee Colton Brown; PHSS employee Alisha Griffith; and Superior Court employees Dahkota Harmanson and Stacey Werner.
• 20 years: Board of County Commissioners employee Becky Butler; Auditor’s Office employee Tom Stanton; and Public Works employees Seth Lackie and Ryan Kelso.
• 25 years: Public Works employees Rodney Mcaleny, Michelle Steepy, Timothy Mccoy and Joseph Byers.
• 30 years: Sheriff Rob Snaza and Public Works employee Rod Lakey.
• 40 years: Public Works employee Gary Hurley and Sheriff’s Office employee Kathleen Rowe.
