East Windsor Township recognizes three top employees

By Michael V. Crismali, Correspondent
Each year East Windsor Township acknowledges the Employee of the Year from three departments. Administration, Public Works and Law & Public Safety are all vital pieces of a smooth running township, and at the latest town council meeting, the outstanding employees from 2016 were recognized in front of a packed house of family, friends and colleagues., Mayor Janice Mironov explained the process of how each winner is selected. She said there is a period of time where township employees make nominations on who they think is worthy of the award. From those nominations, a winner is chosen, making it an award earned among peers., From Administration, Karen Theer is the 2016 Employee of the Year. Karen came to East Windsor having more than 33 years of experience in providing social services and programs for senior citizens. Since coming to East Windsor, Karen has parlayed that experience and made an impact on the East Windsor Senior Center. She has been responsible for many new programs, activities, creative ideas and many trips, making the East Windsor Senior Center the envy of many surrounding towns. Under Karen’s watch, the Senior Center has evolved into a vibrant and exciting facility, sought after by so many East Windsor seniors., Karen is described as someone who is kindhearted, compassionate and enthusiastic., “I feel very blessed to come to my job every day. I am passionate about making a difference in people’s lives,” she said., From Public Works, the 2016 Employee of the Year is Nicholas Hodul. Nick came to East Windsor Township in 2010, starting out as a seasonal laborer before transitioning to a full-time employee. Through hard work and dedication, Nick was promoted to driver-laborer in December 2015., What many may not realize about Public Works is just how vital the services are. The reason the streets are clear, the garbage is picked up, recycling services are delivered and the snow is plowed is because of the hard work put in by Nick and his colleagues. These are labor intensive jobs that are necessary for the well-being of township residents., Mayor Mironov said that she has been approached by many East Windsor residents about the professional and kind nature of all Public Works employees, and that Nick Hodul embodies all of those characteristics. He is often praised by his colleagues as hardworking, dependable, and that he takes pride in the work he does. He has made a very real impression in his relatively short time as an East Windsor township employee, according to the mayor., From Law & Public Safety, the 2016 employee of the year is Russ Hazzon. Russ began his career with East Windsor in February 1987 as a part-time radio officer. In April 2007 he was promoted to systems administrator support services and record supervisor., Mayor Mironov described Russ as a “cog in the wheels of East Windsor Township,” adding that every employee of East Windsor township has utilized Russ’ expertise at one time or another. He has been responsible for maintaining township and police department computer systems, and the township’s new website would never have been able to launch without him., Russ is one of only two employees ever to win the Employee of the Year three times, further evidence of his consistency and dedication to his role East Windsor Township., Mayor Mironov explained that a municipal government can’t function correctly without the systems working properly, and Russ has been vital in keeping those systems running. According to his colleagues, Russ has tremendous skills to share, and is always enthusiastic to do so. He is a jack of all trades., Mayor Mironov reiterated how important it is in municipal government that everyone work hard and provide a high level of service to the community which they serve. This makes it equally important to then recognize the employees who embody those qualities the way that Karen Theer, Nicholas Hodul, and Russ Hazzon do.