By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Guiding the city’s efforts to build a new storm sewer system garnered Employee of the Year honors for Project Engineer Jeff Beaule.

City Administrator Jim Bennett announced Beaule’s award at a banquet at the Ramada Inn Thursday night. Beaule is the fourth employee to get the award.

Assistant Treasurer Heather Hunter won the honor last year. General Assistance Director Sue Charron received it in 2002 and Police Officer Dan Lachance got it 2003.

Beaule has helped design most of the city’s storm sewer separation system. The federally mandated work requires the city to build a new storm sewer system that is different from the sanitary sewer. Beaule’s designs have saved the city $16 million, Bennett said.

Beaule will receive an extra week of paid vacation for the Employee of the Year title.

“If there’s a theme among the awards this year, it’s that the people winning are all quiet individuals who can always be counted on to do a solid job,” Bennett said. “They’re not the kind of people you expect to see on Page One, but you can always count on them for real work and they get it done.”

Police Officer Trevor Campbell was given one of two professional/technical service awards Thursday for his work on the Central Maine Violent Crime Task Force. Diane Labbe, in the city’s social services department, was given the second professional/technical service award for her work with the general assistance staff.

Library Circulation Clerk Gloria Johnson was given a customer service award, and Library Director Rick Speer was recognized as Manager of the Year.

Campbell, Labbe, Johnson and Speer each will receive an extra day off as their reward.

Bennett received 35 nominations for employee awards this year – more than at any other time, he said.

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