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Portsmouth honors Parks and Recreation permits coordinator Cada Chapman with awards and leave
Summary
Portsmouth City officials honored Parks and Recreation permits coordinator Cada Chapman at a recognition ceremony, presenting a $150 check, certificates, a mayoral letter, a day of administrative leave and a gift bag; Chapman and family spoke about her long ties to the community.
Portsmouth City officials held a recognition ceremony to honor Cada Chapman, a permits coordinator in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, for her years of service.
Mark Palmer, director of Parks and Recreation, recalled Chapman’s long tenure with the department — beginning in part-time roles and later working in summer camps, after-school programs, aquatics and athletics — and said she moved into the full-time permits coordinator role helping manage city events. Palmer praised Chapman’s demeanor, saying, "She says she's fabulous, but she lives it," and called her a consistently positive face of the department.
City Manager Steven Carter offered his own praise, calling Chapman "a great lady" and saying she is the sort of employee who merits higher recognition; Carter suggested she should be considered for "employee of the year." Officials formally presented Chapman with a $150 check, certificates signed by city leaders, a letter from the mayor, one day of administrative leave and a gift bag with city memorabilia.
Chapman thanked God, her family and Parks and Recreation staff during her remarks. She said she first worked for the department in 2012, returned to the department in 2022, and described her mission as giving back to the community that raised her: "I was born and raised in Portsmouth," she said, and described educating the public about city processes as part of her job.
Family members spoke after Chapman. A parent who identified their family ties to Parks and Recreation said they were proud to see Chapman honored. Chapman’s spouse shared personal recollections of her passion and customer-service skills and encouraged continued community support.
The ceremony closed with photos and an invitation for attendees to congratulate Chapman in person.
The presentation did not include any formal policy actions or votes; it was a recognition event conducted by city staff and leadership. Officials indicated the awards are intended as tokens of appreciation and do not reflect a personnel action beyond the stated one day of administrative leave and the presented items.
