From: Debbie Van Saun
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 10:59 AM
To: 'Hummert, Raymond Joseph'
Cc: Dave Corliss
Subject: RE: KUCIMAT Intern excellence Award

 

Please accept our nomination of Jonathan Douglass for the KUCIMAT Intern Excellence Award.  Jonathan has worked in the City Manager’s Office since May, 2005 and was in the process of completing his full time internship in an exceptional manner.  Early in 2006, we were discussing with Jonathan his post-graduation plans and decided to offer him another year of employment in the City Manager’s Office.  This offer of a Management Assistant position was due to the many excellent qualities Jonathan exhibited during his internship – enthusiasm, willingness to learn, teamwork, organizational skills, research abilities, and the leadership he had shown in various projects assigned to him during the year.  Then, in March, our City Manager left the City’s employment.  Needless to say, this left our office shorthanded, in the midst of many projects and tasks that were underway, including the preparation of the 2007 budget, completing the 2007 – 2011 Capital Improvement Plan, embarking upon labor negotiations with our Police and Fire/Medical organizations, as well as some major capital improvement projects (new wastewater treatment plant, downtown waterline project, Kasold Street rebuilding project, etc.).  As Jonathan was processing our offer of employment as a Management Assistant (which is a one year offer of employment that the City Manager’s Office makes to worthy interns after successfully completing their one year internship), we reviewed our staffing issues and decided to re-classify the position to a Management Analyst position, which Jonathan then accepted.  This offer of a position of higher responsibility and greater expectations was not made lightly, but due to the abilities Jonathan has displayed during his internship and our belief that he will be an attribute to the organization as he further develops his skills as a municipal administrator.  We feel that if Jonathan is selected for the KUCIMAT Intern Excellence Award, he will be an exemplary recipient and truly deserving of recognition for the manner in which he has performed his duties and contributed to our organization during these past several months.  Please let me know if you have any questions or if I may provided additional information.  A list of some of Jonathan’s tasks/responsibilities follows.

·            Member of the 2007 Budget team – worked with departments and City Manager’s Office to prepare recommended budget document for City Commission review

·            Member of the negotiating team for new Memorandum of Understanding with Lawrence Police Officer’s Association

·            City Manager’s Office representative to the Lawrence/Douglas County Fire/Medical Department’s Strategic Planning process

·            Authors weekly City Manager’s Report for City Commission agenda

·            Develops calendar of events/activities for bi-weekly Management Team meetings

·            Conducts mini-audits on a variety of issues for the Interim City Manager

·            Project leader – Train Horn Quiet Zone

·            Research – 311 and 211, surge planning

·            Project leader – City’s Grant Team

·            Project leader – Comprehensive Vehicle Plan (replacement plan, take home vehicle policy, vehicle purchase guidelines, etc.)

·            Drafts for various policies – e.g. Airport Event Policy, Web-based Policies, etc.

·            Project leader – All-America City Award

·            Staff Liaison – Pedestrian Advisory Committee

 

Debbie Van Saun

Asst. City Manager/Airport Manager

City of Lawrence, Kansas

P.O. Box 708

Lawrence, KS  66044

785-832-3402

dvansaun@ci.lawrence.ks.us