Village staff honored for service years

The deleterious consequences of high turnover in the workplace brings a long list of well-documented woes — loss of valuable knowledge and experience and loss of morale among them.

But in the Village of Saukville, the institutional stability afforded by widespread employee longevity was front and center at an April 13 “Years of Service” employee recognition presentation.

Ten Village of Saukville employees were recognized by Village Administrator Dawn Wagner at the Village Board meeting for achieving five-year increment milestone anniversaries ranging from five to 25 years of service. 

In total, Wagner said the employees honored represented a “really, really impressive” combined 160 years of service to the Village of Saukville.

“Years of Service is something we take very seriously,” Wagner said. “The Employee Recognition Program is created as a formal recognition for our dedicated employees who maintain continuous service with the village.

“We’re so fortunate to have employees who show such commitment. It’s outstanding. You serve the community really well.”

Employee Years of Service Awards, along with gifts of assorted muffins and pastries from Mila’s European Bakery in Thiensville, were presented to the following employees:

• Administration — Mary Kay Baumann, 20 years.

• Utilities — Eric Paulus, 20 years, and Mark Kichura, five years.

• Library — Jen Gerber, 10 years, and Martin Morante, five years.

• Police Department — Bob Ramthun, 20 years.

• Fire Department — Avis Gillson, retired in 2020, 25 years; Jason Laabs, 20 years; Sandy Smith, 20 years; and Deb Golec, 15 years.

Village Board president Barb Dickmann, meanwhile, feted appointed village committee, board and commission officials and volunteers such as the police reserves and fire department auxiliary for their service to the community, “improving quality of life” in the village and “moving Saukville forward.”

“Thank you one and all,” Dickmann said. “I applaud all your combined efforts. All of your input is vital to the community.”

In other news at the April 13 Village Board meeting, Saukville trustees:

• Accepted a bid from Waukesha-based Payne & Dolan, Inc. for the village’s fire department parking lot paving project. Bids, opened on March 11 at the Village Hall, included rival submissions from Poblocki Paving Corp. and Stark Pavement.

• Approved a zoning text amendment request by Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Household of God, 145 W. Church St., to amend village ordinances to allow adult day-care centers and community living arrangements as conditional uses in I-1 industrial zoning districts.