Final bow for a longtime department head

Marking a celebratory end to 24 years of service to Saukville with a round of applause and a chorus of “congratulations,” retiring Public Works Supt. Ray deBruijn was recognized by Village President Barb Dickmann during a special plaque presentation ceremony at Tuesday night’s Village Board meeting.

“We will miss you,” Dickmann said, noting deBruijn deserved “lots of thank yous” for having gone “above and beyond” in his service to the village, praising him for his “outstanding performance” and “dedicated service and leadership” in heading the village Public Works Department from 1997 to 2021.

“Ray, thank you,” Village Administrator Dawn Wagner told deBruijn. “We’re gonna miss you, and we’re really happy for your next chapter.”

In a short speech, deBruijn reflected on his career with the Public Works Department.

“It’s been enjoyable, it’s been a very interesting 24 years,” he said, noting he would miss his co-workers both inside and outside the department, as well as his interactions with the public.

“One of the nice things about public works is it’s so diverse. You’re doing so many different things on a day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year  basis that it really makes it interesting. It’s a lot of fun. It’s been rewarding for me and I’m certainly thankful for the support from everybody in the community.”

A social gathering celebrating deBruijn’s retirement was held following the board meeting.

In other news at Tuesday’s meeting, Dickmann read a proclamation from Gov. Tony Evers marking the celebration of Municipal Clerk’s Week in Wisconsin from May 2 to 8 and praising the service of the 1,854 professional municipal clerks working across the state.

Apropos to the proclamation, Dickmann praised the work of Saukville Village Clerk Mary Kay Baumann, which was accompanied by the applause of village officials and meeting attendees.

Dickmann also read from a proclamation setting Friday, May 7, as American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Day in the Village of Saukville, asking that “all citizens pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom by wearing the Memorial Poppy on this day.”

Members of Saukville’s Landt-Thiel American Legion Post 470 Auxiliary distributed memorial poppies to those in attendance at the meeting.

Saukville village trustees unanimously approved Dickmann’s appointment of 22-year town resident Brent Fischer to fill a vacancy on the village’s Public Safety Committee.