City recognizes staff certifications, emergency management award and library anniversary

The March 19 meeting included a series of staff recognitions and organizational honors: the George and Helen Mayhan Library was celebrated for 50 years of service (cited collection size and community programming), and multiple city employees were acknowledged for professional certifications and awards.

Notable recognitions included Rebecca Martin (Department of Environmental Health) for earning Registered Sanitarian certification; Bailey Ratliff (assistant city engineer) for receiving the 2024 Young Engineer of the Year award from the South Plains chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers; Kristen Sager (planning and zoning director) for earning the International Code Council Zoning Inspector certification; three plan examiners for ICC residential building inspector certificates; Margaret Beltran for a permit technician certification; Riley Price (Parks & Recreation) for Certified Playground Safety Inspector certification from the National Recreation and Park Association; and TJ Carpenter (assistant director of facilities management) for the Certified Facilities Manager credential. In addition, Joe Mauy (Emergency Management director) and Nicholas Fort (deputy) were recognized after receiving a Texas Department of Public Safety regional director’s award for a statewide terrorist‑attack training exercise conducted Oct. 26.

Why it matters: Professional certifications strengthen the city’s capacity to administer safety codes, manage facilities and respond to emergencies; the library anniversary underscores sustained public resources and services.

The mayor praised staff dedication and the practical public‑safety benefits of credentialed staff, stating at one point that employees “study all the time” to improve city services. These presentations were ceremonial; no new policies or budget allocations were announced during the recognitions.