EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER | APRIL 2025
Cover Photo by Christy Spindler, HR Generalist
SPRING IN OUR STEP
Spring is finally here! As March comes to a close and spring weather seems to be here, we’re looking back at a month filled with team spirit, growth, and community impact.
Our crew took home the coveted trophy in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade potato race—proving once again that teamwork (and Josh’s mad speed) makes all the difference! Congratulations to “The Small Fries” for their amazing finish. We’re so proud of you!
EPD’s Drone Squad took their training to new heights, ensuring we stay at the forefront of technology and public safety. These advanced tools are helping officers improve situational awareness, assist in emergency response, and enhance community safety.
On the ground, the South Aurora sidewalk extension moved forward. Thank you to our Engineering and Public Works teams for their hard work! This new sidewalk adds to making our town more walkable and accessible.
The senior leadership team took part in an Adaptive Leadership class, sharpening our skills to better serve our employees and our whole community.
Thank you all for your hard work and dedication this month — let’s keep the momentum going!
Megan
Click HERE to see Jill’s video interview!
Employee Spotlight
JILL SHERWOOD | ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER
Meet Jill Sherwood! Jill serves as the Assistant Finance Officer for the Town of Easton’s Finance Department. Between here and Easton Utilities, she has worked with the Town for over 22 years!
Jill and the finance team are responsible for the accounts receivable process, taking note of and accounting for all incoming Town Funds. She reconciles the daily ledger each day, and prepares monthly financial statements for the Town.
In her free time, Jill enjoys taking her two sons to sporting events around Town, specifically for soccer and baseball. She loves the outdoors, and is looking forward to taking up slowpitch softball again with her husband when she has a chance.
Public Works/Engineering
PAVING THE WAY
New sidewalk connects South Aurora Street to Idlewild Avenue
Following a plan developed by our Engineering team, the Town of Easton Public Works Construction crew has completed a new extension of the sidewalk on S. Aurora St. This new extension joins up S. Aurora St. with Idlewild Avenue and accomplishes further walkability and connectivity along Easton’s major thoroughfares.
The project saw 3125 square feet (625 linear feet) of new sidewalk added in to make the connection, while also accounting for tree beds, driveway entrances, and even a new storm drain installation along the way. Great work from our Engineering team on planning and preparing this project, and to our Public Works team who executed most of the construction.
For this project, Construction Supervisor Justin Jones stepped up and took the lead in making sure everything was completed according to spec. This was Justin Jones’ first time as a project lead on a job from our Engineering Department, and Construction Division Manager Dustin Otto was very pleased with his team on the final result.
Otto said, “Justin exceeded my expectations — understanding the goal of expediency because we were affecting residents by replacing their driveway entrances. I also appreciate the hard work from Garey, Jon and Cody who were on the job everyday with Justin. Together they made it happen!”
Click here for video of the work
Click here for a flyover video of the completed project
ADAPTING TO LEAD
Town leadership continues development with Adaptive Leadership course
On Wednesday, March 5, Town leadership met up at the Tidewater Inn for another leadership development course. This time, the course focused on Adaptive Leadership.
The program was put on by the Town of Easton HR team, and featured Joe Thomas, Director of the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at the United States Naval Academy, who hosted previous leadership programs for the Town.
The goal of Adaptive Leadership is to foster an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and heard, and to promote different viewpoints that can lead to more robust solutions to complex challenges.
This leadership style empowers staff to adapt and make decisions autonomously when necessary. This decentralization of authority can lead to quicker responses in fast-changing situations. It teaches managers and department heads to learn to be open to feedback from their staff and peers. It is designed to bring new voices into the fold, and to strengthen teams from within.
Chief Human Resource Officer Rick Farr said, “In continuing our leadership development series, the Adaptive Leadership class proved that successful leadership is not just about being in charge; it’s about empowering others to achieve their best. True leaders create an environment where everyone can thrive.”
THIS ELECTION WILL DETERMINE OUR NEXT: Council President
CANDIDATES:
Don Abbatiello (Current Ward 2 Councilperson)
Frank Gunsallus IV (Incumbent)
Ward 2 Councilperson
CANDIDATES:
Lynnette D. Keefe
Robert J. Rankin
Ward 4 Councilperson
CANDIDATES:
Rev. Elmer N. Davis, Jr. (Incumbent)
Moonyene S. Jackson-Amis
Cameron Keefe
WHEN: Tuesday, May 6, 2025 from 7am to 8pm WHERE: Easton Firehouse, located at 315 Leonard Rieck Drive, Easton, MD 21601
More details and a full schedule of events can be found on our page at: https://eastonmd.gov/616/GeneralElection---May-2025
Town of Easton residents can register to vote in the election by picking up forms in person at the MVA located at 9148 Centreville Rd, Easton, MD 21601, or online at: https://elections.maryland.gov/
ARE YOU CONNECTED?
Follow us on social media: @townofeastonmd
POTATO GOLD
“Small Fries” win big in exciting finish at the Potato Races
Lots of things could have gone wrong for the Small Fries.
Limited practice time, uncertainty about competition, a team rebuild that saw two new members, and a determined Easton Utilities team were all looming clouds over the tall trophy of gold and emerald. While both literal and figurative clouds threatened their race that day, the Small Fries elevated their game and forged a rainbow path to
victory, securing the pot o’ gold for the Town of Easton for the seond time in three years.
“A couple weeks out and we didn’t even have a full team,” said team captain Carolinne Kahane. Kahane reached out to co-workers to try to replace former team members Mayor Megan Cook, and Kody Cario who could not participate in this years event.
Click here to see a frame by frame video of the thrilling finish!
Luckily, we had two comp’taters step up to the challenge with Mark “The Spark” Turner, and Josh “Bulldog” Maxwell joining “Quick” Nick Johnson and “Primetime” Carolinne Kahane and filling in the last two positions on the team.
While practice was in limited supply, and they had never competed in the “big dance,” Mark and Josh would have a major inpact on the outcome of the races.
After the St. Patrick’s Day Parade wrapped up, teams made their way out to Washington Street in front of the courthouse in orde to compete. A preliminary qualifier would see the top three teams out of five advance to the finals.
The qualifier did not see much drama, for the Small Fries at least. They performed well with a speedy but safe approach that saw them finish second out of the five to advance. Easton Utilities was in the lead of the qualifier when again they lost their potato nearing the finish line and failed to advance. Alas, their challenge for the title would have to wait another year.
The finals started with the Small Fries acting a little too conservatively. They moved the potato relatively safely, but were getting outsped by the leaders, Marathon Service Company.
Mark passed the potato to Nick, who passed along to Carolinne, and finally to Josh. While waiting for his leg to start, Josh noticed how far behind the team had fallen. By the time the transfer had been made, Marathon Service Company was already halfway to the finish.
“I looked up and I knew we had nothing to lose. I’d either drop the potato or I’d run as fast as I can and maybe have a chance,” said Maxwell (Bulldog).
Bulldog took off and sprinted as fast as he could while the potato stayed glued to his spoon. Despite their big lead, Marathon Service Company could not compete with the Bulldog’s raw speed on the final leg. What began as a massive lead quickly turned into a narrow upset as he flew by them for a photo finish.
After crossing the finish line, Bulldog was swarmed by his team in celebration, quickly followed by fans, onlookers, and the media.
Sometimes, it’s that “nothing to lose” mentality that can send a team or a competitor over the edge to make a play, or win the game. On St. Patrick’s Day, we got to witness that first hand, as history was made on the streets of Easton.
MEET CHIP SPUDSKI
Easton Employee Newsletter gets an exclusive interview with two-time champion Chip Spudski
EEN: What got you into Potato Racing?
CS: Of the five major US sports: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, and Potato Racing, I showed the most promise in potato racing as a young sprout. People would tell me all the time I should go pro, so I stuck to it, and it’s really paid off for me.
EEN: Who are your major influences in sporting?
CS: (Laughs) well, im not very exciting there, I’m afraid. I love most of the usual greats: Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Wayne Gretzky, and of course Tate “The Great” Starch from the early days of potato racing. People used to say he would ride the edge of the spoon like a wave during races to get more aerodynamic. I don’t know if that all works or not, but as a kid I thought it was so cool.
EEN: What is your fastest 40 -yard dash time?
CS: It depends on who is carrying me — but I’ve broken 6 seconds before. Not bad for a potato!
EEN: How do you prepare for a big race event?
CS: I normally try to do some relaxing things before the big day to clear my mind. Rolling around in the dirt and listening to some of my favorite “chip” tunes normally does the trick.
EEN: Any advice for people looking to replicate your success?
CS: Follow your heart! Don’t let anyone call you “just a potato” or an “Inanimate object” without the ability to “think critically.” They’re just jealous they couldn’t make the big leagues. Do what you do best and don’t look back!
TO THE SKIES
Easton Police Department Drone Squadron trains new initiates
Last month our drone squadron took to the skies for a training session. Under the direction of senior members Detective Nick Everngam and A/Cpl. Tony Cullings, new drone squadron members Detective Frank Sova, PFC. Blair Barstar, and Records Clerk Jay Horner all practiced proper drone procedure, flight patterns, reconnaissance, vehicle searches, and indoor flight.
Our drone team practices throughout the year to make sure operations are carried out safely and effectively. Drone operations can include: locating missing or lost persons,
SWAT team clearances and vehicle searches for safe entry, and accident reconstruction through aerial views.
Squad leader Detective Nick Everngam said, “Drones are great tools that help our residents and officers stay safe. Having the ability to get an aerial view of an accident can really help us put together what happened at a crash site more effectively, and being able to send a drone into a home during a search warrant could be the difference between life or death. We have a talented team here that can fly well, and training helps keep us sharp for when we are needed.”
Click the image to the right to view the entire SHSP document.
Road
PLANNING FOR THE BEST
Town of Easton releases Strategic Highway Safety Plan
The Town of Easton is proud to announce their 2025-2030 Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) has been approved and published on their website. The plan was voted on and unanimously approved by the Easton Town Council during their meeting on Monday, February 17, 2025.
The SHSP is a 72-page document detailing how the Town of Easton can achieve “Vision Zero,” or zero traffic fatalities within Town limits. The document explains Vision Zero and how it works, and identifies specific traffic problems in Town (i.e. speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving), while providing detailed action plans to address these problems and create safer roadways and procedures.
The SHSP was authored by Ron Engle, who served as a Town of Easton Council Member for eight years, and also enjoyed an eight year career in Virginia law enforcement (including three years as a State Trooper), and 32 years with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Engle worked closely with Town officials on crafting the document, including Mayor Megan Cook, acting Town Manager and Chief of Police Alan Lowrey, Town Engineer Rick Van Emburgh, Director of Engineering Kody Cario and Communications/PR Specialist Greg Mueller.
The document was compiled using data from the Easton Interactive Traffic Dashboard (EITD), a web-based interface released in July 2024 that allows easy access to traffic data from local law enforcement agencies, including citations and crashes, from 2018 to the present. The dashboard was created for the Town of Easton by the Washington College GIS
Program in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office.
“The EITD allowed for quick access to traffic data relevant to the problem areas studied in the SHSP and massively helped with creating action plans for these obstacles,” said Engle. “Without it, I don’t think that creating this type of plan would have been possible at all.”
Mayor Megan Cook said, “Ron has done a remarkable job in putting this together. We’re lucky to have had someone with his background and expertise willing to assist us with this massive evaluation of our traffic safety plans over the next five years.” Mayor Cook continued, “We’re optimistic that the creation of this plan will open up new avenues for state and federal grants to achieve our goals, but most importantly we know that enacting this plan will save lives.”
In addition to the SHSP, the Town of Easton is making several other major improvements to traffic safety in 2025, including involvement in a “Complete Streets” program, upgraded traffic signals throughout Town, ADA improvements to crosswalks, and push button crossings for all signalized crosswalks throughout Town. Mayor Cook added, “2025 is an exciting year for us in many ways, but we’re going to be making real headway with traffic safety and efficiency. The SHSP is the start of many good things to come for anyone who frequents Easton.”
The Town of Easton SHSP can be viewed in its entirety on the Town Website at https://eastonmd.gov/614/Strategic-Highway-Safety-Plan-SHSP.
WE HAVE A WINNER!
Congratulations to Carolinne Kahane for winning the Employee Newsletter Cover Photo Contest!
Carolinne now has a $25 gift card to Panera Bread for her submission that landed on the March cover of the Town of Easton Employee Newsletter.
You could be the next winner by submitting your potential cover photos to gmueller@ eastonmd.gov. If your submission is chosen, you too will win a $25 gift card!
Town of Easton partners with Talbot Thrive for Run/Walk Club
Talbot Thrive is excited to partner with the Town of Easton Parks and Recreation and the YMCA of the Chesapeake to launch a new Running and Walking Club – a community-driven initiative designed to bring people together in a fun and supportive environment to improve their physical and mental health!
Join us every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Idlewild Park in Easton and walk or run the trail for about an hour to accommodate all fitness levels. Whether you’re looking to start your fitness journey, improve your endurance, or connect with like-minded individuals, this meetup will provide an inclusive space where everyone can THRIVE at their own pace.
Learn more at https://talbotthrive.org/runwalkclub/
Birthdays
Calvin Walters- Parker
Michael Thume
Kody Cario
Norman Sova
Gregory Hall
Marleni Baltazar-Aguilar
Kaylan Rinehimer
Eric Kellner
Jill Sherwood
Michael Young
Jon Mcdougald
Trevor Newcomb
Matthew Cordrey
Anniversaries
APRIL
Billy Murdoch - 2 years
Tyrone Pinder - 2 years
Andrew Griffith - 2 years
Brandon Miles - 5 years
Jennifer Kellner - 17 years
Timothy Lyons - 27 years
Kay Spence - 38 years
Clarence Gould - 51 years
SWEET POTATO
BREAKFAST PIZZAS
4 Medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), divided
1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, olive oil, divided
1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 Teaspoon onion powder
1/4 Teaspoon paprika
1/8 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
All-purpose flour, for rolling dough
1 Pound whole-wheat pizza dough at room temperature, divided into four equal portions (4 ounces each)
1 Cup freshly shredded gouda cheese
4 Large eggs
1/4 Cup diced chives
Preheat oven to 400 f. Place 1 pound sweet potatoes directly on rack and bake until soft, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes. Peel and puree flesh until smooth; reserve 1 cup.
Increase oven heat to 450 f. Peel remaining sweet potatoes and dice into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss 2 cups diced sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and salt and pepper, to taste; place in even layer on baking sheet. Roast until softened but not crisp, 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway. Remove from oven.
Lightly flour clean, flat work surface. Roll each ball of dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness (about 7 inches diameter).
With remaining oil, lightly coat rimless baking sheet. Transfer rolled out dough to baking sheet.
Spread pureed sweet potato over surface of each dough round, about 1/4 cup each, leaving about 1/2-inch border. Top each with 1/4 cup shredded gouda. Add 1/2 cup roasted sweet potato cubes, leaving open space in center of pizzas.
Carefully crack one egg into center of each pizza; bake 15 minutes until crusts are golden brown on bottom, cheese is melted and egg whites are fully set. Carefully remove pizzas from oven.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top each pizza with 1 tablespoon diced chives.
PIZZA IN THE MORNING
Bring the Family Together with Breakfast Pizzas
(Family Features) If you feel like it’s a struggle to get the entire family together for a meal, it might be time to put fun back on the menu. A little creativity and a few favorite ingredients are all it takes to bring back family mealtime and spend precious moments at the table.
These Individual Sweet potato Breakfast
Pizzas are a perfect way to start a weekend morning, offering a delicious invitation to loved ones to join you in the kitchen. Equal parts sweet, savory and nutritious, you can enjoy seeing smiles on their faces while feeling good about what you’re serving them.
Providing just the right touch of sweetness are North Carolina Sweet potatoes, one of the most versatile vegetables in the produce department. They’re easy to add to a variety of recipes - even breakfast pizza -
to enhance flavor and nutrition. Try them on the stove, baked, microwaved, grilled, slow-cooked or air-fried for quick and easy options that are a breeze in the kitchen.
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, all of which are good for overall health and may help prevent disease. In fact, they’re even considered a “diabetes superfood” by the American Diabetes Association. As a natural sweetener, they give recipes that sweet flavor you crave without the added sugar.
Whether they become your favorite oftused ingredient or you stock up on the abundant veggie, sweet potatoes also boast a long shelf-life - up to 4 weeks if stored properly in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat sources - meaning you can buy in bulk without worrying about waste.