The Genesee Valley Branch of the American Public Works Association recognized two long-time highway workers and a public works project in Orleans County during a Jan. 30 awards program at the RIT Inn and Conference Center in Henrietta.
The following descriptions of the honorees was taken from the program during the awards celebration.
Public Works Project of the Year Award for Small Cities/Rural Communities
The Town of Albion was honored for the Clarendon Road Culvert Replacement Project in Orleans County.
On the surface this project looks like a typical rural town culvert replacement project, the Genesee Valley Branch of the APWA stated.
However, it was the cooperative effort between the Town of Albion Highway Department and the Orleans County Highway Department that sets this project apart.
The existing structure was in very poor condition and lacked appropriate guide rails to protect the traveling public. In addition, Clarendon Road is a heavily travelled thoroughfare adjacent to the Albion Central School District.
This Town of Albion was awarded a grant through the 2016 BridgeNY Program with an overall project budget of $174,000 for design, construction, and construction oversight. The project was put out to bid as a precast concrete buried structure and wing wall system supported on precast concrete footings. The bids came in higher than budgeted and the town needed to find an alternative method for completing this project.
The construction of the new corrugated metal culvert pipe, approaches and guide rails were designed by Labella and constructed by the Orleans County Highway Department under their shared services agreement with the Town.
The project is forwarded to the APWA State Level for consideration of a statewide award. If chosen for a state award, it will be considered for National APWA recognition.
Public Works Leader of the Year
Ed Morgan was recognized for an active 30-year career as highway superintendent for the Town of Murray.
The Public Works Leader of the Year Award was established to inspire excellence and dedication in public service by recognizing the outstanding career service achievements of individual public works professionals.
Ed Morgan has served as the Town of Murray Highway Superintendent since elected in 1990. During that time, Ed has helped facilitate the construction of nearly 300,000 linear feet of water main to serve the residents of the community.
Ed performs dual responsibilities, as Water Superintendent operating the water system, while at the same time maintaining over 30 miles of roads throughout the town, along with total winter maintenance on 17 miles of county roads and 16 miles of State roads.
Under Ed’s urging and direction, the Town of Murray Highway Department staff completed the replacement of the Highway Department flat roof with a new truss roof, built a large storage building and expanded the Town Hall to accommodate the expanding court system with accessibility for town residents and operational staff.
They also built a 1,200-ton salt storage building and installed a computerized fuel system to accommodate not only the Town’s needs, but also service two fire departments. These improvements completed by Town staff have saved the Town hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Ed and his employees were also the lead agency in the construction of the Holley Industrial Park including, roads, water and sanitary. Ed was also instrumental in building two complete soccer fields for the Holley Central School District.
Ed has works closely with other Town Highway Superintendents to assist them when needed. He has been a strong advocate for highway departments across the state. He has served as President of the Orleans County Highway Superintendents Association several times over the past 30 years.
Ed is community minded and previously served as Treasurer of the Holley Rotary Club, has received a Rotary Paul Harris citation, served as the Orleans County Republican Chairman for 12 years, currently sits on the Western New York OTB Board of Directors as Chairman of the Batavia Downs Committee and is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation Board. Ed also serves as Vice-Chairman on the Board of Fire Commissioners for the F-H-M Fire District as well as a Trustee for St. Mary & St. Mark Church.
It is with this combination of professional and personal dedication that we recognize Ed Morgan as the Public Works Leader of the Year.
Douglas C. Zefting Public Service Employee Award
Steve Fuller (right), lead motor equipment operator for the Orleans County DPW, is pictured with John Papponetti, DPW superintendent, during the awards celebration on Jan. 30.
This award recognizes outstanding public service and achievement of an operational maintenance level employee of a public works agency of a political subdivision. Candidates must be employed on a full-time basis by any state, county, city, village or town and shall have a minimum of 10-years public service. The award is named in honor of Douglas C. Zefting, P.E., former City of Rochester Engineer.
Steven Fuller was recognized for his 31 years of service to Orleans County where he has worked his way up through the ranks from laborer to become a Lead Motor Equipment Operator, and head of the County’s paving operation.
Steve is the main point of contact for the County for all paving operations and coordinates all project needs including equipment, materials, and labor. Steve works closely with the 10 Towns and 3 Villages within the County to complete their paving projects. This is a $3.5 million countywide operation each year.
Steve is a valuable asset to the County. He is the first one to show up in the morning, and the last one to leave. He is a hard worker that leads by example and maintains a positive working relationship with all of the Town and Village Highway Superintendents.
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