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Bartlett honors city employees and proclaims April 10 as Blue Green Day for organ-donor awareness
Summary
City leaders recognized five employees for 2025 Employee of the Year honors, highlighted work on EPA lead-and-copper compliance, and presented a proclamation supporting Donate Life Blue Green Day on April 10.
The Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen recognized five city employees at its March 24 meeting for service and program leadership and issued a proclamation in support of Blue Green Day, an organ- and tissue-donor awareness day observed April 10.
Mayor and city staff asked Chief Human Resources Officer Lori Van Barkle to present the 2025 Employee of the Year awards. Van Barkle described each honoree's contributions: Driver Dalton Ellen Becker (Fire Department) was praised for long service, honor-guard duties and SWAT-team medical support; GIS manager Todd Graves was credited with leading the city's work on the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead and Copper Rule and, according to the presentation, helped reduce required water-service-line inspections for the city's approximately 20,989 service connections; Dispatcher Tammy Jenkins (Police Communications) was honored for launching the communications division's newsletter and a quality-assurance program; Solid Waste driver Eddie Austin was recognized for intervening to protect a resident and for ongoing community assistance; and Elizabeth (Beth) Lester, youth and family program manager in Parks & Recreation, was honored for program growth and revenue gains at Camp Singleton.
During the employee remarks the presentation credited Todd Graves with coordinating with consultants and EPA representatives to bring the city into compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule. The claim about inspection counts was made in the recognition remarks and was not supported by documents presented in the meeting record.
The board also presented a proclamation recognizing Blue Green Day in the Midsouth to promote organ and tissue donation. The proclamation referenced national transplant-waiting-list figures and urged residents to register via donatelifeetennessee.org or registerme.org. A representative asked attendees to consider registering as donors and thanked the city for its support.
What's next: the recognized employees will be photographed and receive commemorative awards and monetary recognition as described at the meeting; staff will continue work on LCR compliance and follow up on any documentation related to inspection counts if requested.
