Sheriff’s Office clerk named county employee of the year

Photo by Tom Rivers – Nicole Spohr is congratulated by Chief Deputy Michael Mele, left, and Undersheriff Chris Bourke this afternoon after she was named the Orleans County Employee of the Year. Spohr works as a senior civil clerk at the Sheriff’s Office.

ALBION – A senior civil clerk, who handles payroll for 90 Sheriff’s Office employees and serves in many capacities with the employee union, has been named the Orleans County employee of the year for 2015.

Nicole Spohr prepares the payroll with knowledge of two union contracts as well as the management compensation plan. It’s a complicated job, said Jack Welch, the county’s personnel director.

He presented the award today to Spohr in the legislative chambers of the County Clerks Building during the County Legislature meeting.

Spohr has been a representative for her union since 2006, and serves on the union’s negotiating committee. She also has been on the Employee Assistance Program Committee since 2004, and has been the EAP treasurer since 2006.

She also helps plan the employee summer picnic and holiday luncheon, events that needed to be done in 2015 for the first time without the nursing home’s staff as a base.

“This employee is able to perform her duties and is willing to take on additional service to the county and to the county employees, always cheerfully with a can-do attitude,” Welch said.

Spohr was named employee of the month in February. Other employees honored with monthly awards in 2015 include Katherine Marks from Probation; Diana Kephart from Social Services; Claire Haulk from Social Services; Michael Mele from the Sheriff’s Office; James DeFilipps from the Sheriff’s Office; and Julie Vendetti from the Sheriff’s Office.

Welch said the employee of the year was picked from the pool of monthly winners. A committee looked at additional service by the employees since they were recognized with the monthly award.