Easton Employee Newsletter - May 2023

Cover Photo by Dawn Hutchison, Purchasing, Asset & Grant Clerk

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

This April has been a real treat! We have enjoyed near perfect weather for a majority of the month, with trees and flowers in bloom and the pollen to prove it. In this season of growth, the Town of Easton has seen some new hires, a new section to our Rails to Trails recreational path, and a new tree planted at Idlewild Park in observance of Arbor Day.

The events keep coming too, as Discover Easton hosted an Easter Egg Hunt with over 4000 eggs placed! The Talbot County Courthouse was full of hundreds of children ready to collect their fill.

This month we saw the Plastic Bag Ordinance take effect on April 2, and are hapy to report that there has been a fairly smooth transition with significant public support. As always, remember to BYO-Bag!

Also coming up (early) this month are the municipal elections on May 2. If you are a Town of Easton resident be sure to get out and vote!

Sincerely,

Greg Mueller, Communications/PR Specialist

Employee Spotlight

JOANNE DRUMMER | ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

Meet Joanne Drummer! Joanne is the Accounts Payable Manager for the Town of Easton . Joanne has worked with us for 42 years, and is responsible for processing millions of dollars of invoices each year!

When she started, Joanne was hired by Elizabeth Willey, the mother of Mayor Bob Willey!

Joanne fondly remembers growing up in Easton and loved to ride bikes and play at Idlewild Park as a child.

Be sure to watch till the very end!

In her free time, Joanne enjoys going out camping with her husband, and spending time with her 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

Mayor Bob Willey and Public Works Maintenance Division Manager Mike Young plant a tree at Idlewild Park during the Arbor Day obersvance and proclamation on April 5, 2023.

LAND OF THE TREE

This spring, Easton was named a 2022 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Easton achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: maintaining a tree board or department, having a tree care ordinance, dedicating an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and hosting an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

“Tree City USA communities see the positive effects of an urban forest firsthand,” said

Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by Easton are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”

If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, energy use, and extreme heat and flooding.

Easton is doing its part to address these challenges for residents both now and in the future.

More information on the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.

Arbor Day Foundation names Easton a 2022 Tree City USA®

Public Works

BACK TO SWEEP

Town of Easton acquires new street sweeper for Public Works team

The Town of Easton has deployed a new street sweeper for its Public Works team. The new sweeper, a Tymco 500X Air Sweeper, is used to quickly clean Town streets of trash and debris. This addition brings the department’s fleet back to 2 units after one of their sweepers broke down and was decommissioned last year.

The new sweeper’s operator, Tim Streckfus, is glad to have the new unit. Streckfus remarked, “Absolutely I’m excited we have it. It is very satisfying to see the streets look pristine after a run.”

The Maryland MS-4 Stormwater program requires the use of these vehicles to keep stormwater from containing unwanted contaminants. The truck’s contents are emptied into a proprietary area and transported to the Easton Transfer Station where the weights are recorded in the MS-4 Database.

Public Works Maintenance Division Manager Mike Young stated, “The sweepers play an integral part in keeping our storm drains clear. Lots of dirt, trash, leaves, and whatever else hits the streets will find its way into our storm drains if they’re not kept clean.” Young continued, “Keeping our storm drains clear also helps to keep runoff from making its way to the Chesapeake Bay. As an added bonus the Town looks cleaner too.”

The sweepers play an integral part in keeping our storm drains clear...

As an added bonus the Town looks cleaner too .

— Maintenance Manager Mike Young

From left to right, Public Works Maintenance Manager Mike Young, Mayor Bob Willey, and Street Sweeper Operator Tim Streckfus stand in front of the newly acquired unit.

COMMISSIONER GORDON SWORN TO SERVE

Mayor Willey Swears in Lee Gordon as Utilities Commissioner

C. Lee Gordon was sworn in by Mayor Robert C. Willey as a new commissioner of the Easton Utilities Commission on April 13. “Lee’s legal expertise combined with her knowledge of the community we serve will be a valuable asset to our strong commission,” says Hugh E. Grunden, President and CEO of Easton Utilities.

Lee is a Partner at Parker Counts law firm and focuses her practice on the areas of estate planning, estate administration and guardianships. She also assists clients with real estate and business transitions. Lee obtained her undergraduate degree in Politics from Washington & Lee University’s Williams School of Commerce and graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law with honors. She has been named to What’s Up Eastern Shore’s list of Leading Lawyers for 2014, 2015, 2020 and 2021.

“I am honored to serve Easton Utilities in this capacity as we focus on maintaining critical infrastructure,

meeting renewable energy goals, and ensuring affordability for our customers,” says Gordon.

Collectively, the commissioners are charged with governance responsibilities for the organization. Gordon replaces Rodanthe Hanrahan who served as a commissioner for just under eight years. “We thank Rodanthe for her unwavering support and strategic guidance over the years,” adds Grunden.

Gordon currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Talbot Hospice Foundation, Inc., is a member of the Talbot County Advisory Board for Mid-Shore Community Foundation, and is Secretary for Eastern Shore Title Company, Inc. She has also served as the President of the Board for Christ Church Day School, Treasurer for the Baker-King Fund, and on the Board of Trustees for The Country School. Gordon is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and has lived in Easton for 16 years.

From left to right: Easton Utilities President and CEO Hugh Grunden, New Easton utilities Commissioner Lee Gordon, Mayor Bob Willey, and Easton Utilities Commissioner Buck Duncan.

Discover Easton’s Easter Egg Hunt was a very egg-citing event! Mayor Willey arrived by firetruck at the start to kick things off.

Two egg hunts were held; one for young children 4 and under, and one for older children ages 5-10. Discover Easton placed out over 4000 eggs for the event and they were scooped up by hundreds of

excited kids in just a matter of minutes.

The event also featured free facepainting, and an appearance by the Easter Bunny who was available for the perfect photo opportunity.

The egg hunt was a great event that brought lots of joy to the youth of Easton, great job Discover Easton!

“

It’s really great to be able to put on an event like this for free for our community. The kids loved it, and it was such a nice turn out on a beautiful day.

— Holly DeKarske, Executive Director, Easton EDC

CONNECTING

THE SPOTS

Town of Easton unveils newest Rails to Trails Extension to public

On April 18, The Town of Easton held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Inaugural Walk to open up the newest section of the Rails to Trails east/west walking trail.

The event took place at the trail intersection of Hanson St. and Station Lane. Crowds gathered in the morning around 10:30 am and mingled before coming together under the tent for speeches.

Town Engineer Rick Van Emburgh kicked things off, followed by Project Manager Kody Cario, Town Manager Don Richardson, and Mayor Bob Willey. Each speaker discussed the scope of the project, detailed their own interactions and involvment with it, and praised our Public Works and Engineering teams for their hard work in getting this accomplished.

After the speeches, the crowd gathered to see the Mayor cut the ribbon. Once the ribbon fell, the Talbot County Garden Club provided compliemntary Scottish Highland Creamery ice cream to attendees. Shortly thereafter, the inaugural walk took place.

Participants followed Mayor Willey, Council Member Al Silverstein, and Council President Megan Cook down the newly opened section of trail. The walk continued down the trail until it reached its current end at Port Street and then participants turned back and made their way back.

Town Manager Don Richardson stated, “We are happy to see our residents make use of this new east/west trail, and we are excited to see where we can take it next!”

We are happy to see our residents make use of this new east/ west trail, and we are excited to see where we can take it next!

— Don Richardson, Town Manager

RAIL TRAIL QUICK FACTS

This is the first of two trail phases funded by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), through the Recreational Trails Program

Phase 1 is .90 miles long Multi-Department project design and construction was overseen by the Engineering Department, constructed by Public Works, and once complete will be managed by the Parks and Recreation Department

Trail construction took a little over a year to complete

When Phase 2 is complete, the East-West trail will connect the existing Easton Village Trail to the existing North-South Trail (see map)

The State Highway Administration will need to install a traffic signal and pedestrian crossing at Glenwood Ave. and MD 322, before Phase 2 can be fully constructed. SHA work currently scheduled for fall/winter 2023

END OF THE ROAD

Sanitation Supervisor Alan Conaway retires after 40 years of service

On Friday, April 21 we had to say goodbye to our long-time Sanitation Supervisor Alan Conaway. Alan retired after 40 years of service with our Public Works team. Alan’s retirement was celebrated by staff from the Town and the Public Works team at the Easton Firehouse on his last day.

A tasty lunch consisting of fried chicken, sandwiches, meatballs, and chips with dip was served followed by a delicious dessert featuring brownies, cookies and cake.

After the food, service awards and gifts were presented to Alan by Mayor Bob Willey, Town Engineer Rick Van Emburgh, Town Manager Don Richardson, and Public Works Superintendent Mike Dickerson.

Immediately following the awards, various Public Works staff members stood to share their fond memories of Alan and to wish him well.

Over his tenure, Alan was a dedicated and hard worker who has served in every branch of our Public Works Department. In 40 years he never took a single sick day!

Alan was also a leader and a teacher who guided his teams, and assisted many of our employees with CDL certification.

Thank you for your service Alan, we wish you a very happy (and well deserved) retirement!

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Congratulations to Joey Faulkner for winning the Employee Newsletter Cover Photo Contest! Joey won a $25 gift card to The Ivy for his submission that landed on the April cover of the Town of Easton Employee Newsletter.

Thank you for your photos, and well done Joey!

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!

A LOOK BACK IN HISTORY

In this look back, we have a newspaper clipping from the Star Democrat, printed in 1947. The story details new sanitation regulations that were put in place as stated by former Town Engineer William Corkran Jr.

At the time, the entire Town’s trash could be collected in one day, and they also had scheduled days to pick up ash from residents.

Birthdays

MAY

Pat Sally

Zachery Christ

Nicholas Everngam

Daniel Farmer

Gordon Lee

Milton Orellana

Susan Filbird

Kay Spence

Alan Silverstein

Donald Abbatiello

Anniversaries

MAY

Ronald Engle — 8 years

Alan Silverstein — 8 years

Robert Willey — 32 years

Megan Cook — 14 years

Jill Sherwood — 4 years

Kyle Hardy — 2 years

Mark Schinault — 2 years

Scott Finch — 2 years

Blair Barstar — 2 years

Megan Coxon — 12 years

Stuart Coleman — 2 years

Nancy Pinkney — 8 years

John Greene — 21 years

It’s amazing how the town has grown since 1947, when the entire town’s garbage could be picked daily . It now takes four days to pick up all the refuse in town, with three garbage trucks running daily.

“

— Mike Dickerson, Public Works Superintendent

TO THAI FOR Recipe

(Family Features) Fresh, flavorful ingredients take springtime meals to another level, and it’s hard to top seafood as a seasonal favorite. Skip the wait at restaurants and instead create your own savory seafood dish by taking advantage of this easy-tomake recipe.

While takeout may be an easy option, the satisfaction of enjoying a delicious, homecooked meal like Shrimp Pad Thai with Jasmine Rice can make you feel like you’re enjoying a restaurant-quality dinner. Next time you’re craving Asian cuisine, swap out traditional rice noodles for this version with

Shrimp Pad Thai with Jasmine Rice

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

1 bag Success Jasmine Rice

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons dry roasted peanuts, chopped

4 lime wedges

Prepare rice according to package directions. Set aside.

In small bowl, combine brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce. Set aside.

Jasmine rice as an aromatic, quick-cooking solution for your own spin on a classic.

Take the guesswork out of cooking rice with an option like Success Boil-In-Bag Rice, which offers a heat safe, BPA-free and FDA-approved solution for fluffy, flavorful rice that cooks up perfectly. The high-quality grains are quick, easy, mess-free and ready in 10 minutes, so you can enjoy hassle-free dishes such as Successful Crab and Rice Cakes.

Visit SuccessRice.com to find more springtime meal ideas.

In large wok or skillet over high heat, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil. Quickly scramble egg. Remove from pan and reserve.

Add remaining oil to wok over high heat. Add shrimp and garlic; stir-fry 5 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked. Add reserved sauce and rice; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add green onions and reserved egg; toss to combine.

Divide pad Thai between four bowls. Top each with bean sprouts, cilantro and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.