BERLIN—During the Feb. 10 town council meeting, Mayor Gee Williams announced that Public Works Director Michael Gibbons would be leaving on Feb. 28 to accept a position as Public Works Director for the Town of Fruitland, prompting several council members to commend him for his service and leadership in the Town of Berlin.
Williams told Gibbons he was leaving his department “much more self-sufficient than it was before.” Councilmember Paula Lynch noted that Gibbons could be counted on for an attitude of focusing on how to resolve the given tasks presented to him. “You raised the bar,” she said.
According to a description provided by Town Administrator Laura Allen, Gibbons began his tenure in Berlin in 2008, after working for a private home builder, and earned certifications as a playground safety inspector and a pesticide applicator while in the position.
Among his key accomplishments in Berlin, according to Allen, Gibbons:
initiated the use of an automated sanitation truck; worked closely with Grow Berlin Green to add a 30 yard container downtown to capture more recycling collections from businesses; supervised the installation of new Adults with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks on several roadways; started a compost area for organic debris, which helped the environment and saved the town money by eliminating landfill fees; developed a systematic approach for snow removal; converted the town’s pole barn from a one-bay to a two-bay shop, which allowed the town to save money by doing more mechanical work in-house; introduced cutting edge technologies for road paving, such as glass grid reinforcement with overlays and geotextile fabric with tar and chip applications, which will extend the life expectancy of town streets; and renovated several roads, including Maple, Washington, Harrison, Vine, Graham, Grice and Franklin.
Williams told Gibbons he was leaving his department “much more self-sufficient than it was before.” Councilmember Paula Lynch noted that Gibbons could be counted on for an attitude of focusing on how to resolve the given tasks presented to him. “You raised the bar,” she said.
According to a description provided by Town Administrator Laura Allen, Gibbons began his tenure in Berlin in 2008, after working for a private home builder, and earned certifications as a playground safety inspector and a pesticide applicator while in the position.
Among his key accomplishments in Berlin, according to Allen, Gibbons:
initiated the use of an automated sanitation truck; worked closely with Grow Berlin Green to add a 30 yard container downtown to capture more recycling collections from businesses; supervised the installation of new Adults with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks on several roadways; started a compost area for organic debris, which helped the environment and saved the town money by eliminating landfill fees; developed a systematic approach for snow removal; converted the town’s pole barn from a one-bay to a two-bay shop, which allowed the town to save money by doing more mechanical work in-house; introduced cutting edge technologies for road paving, such as glass grid reinforcement with overlays and geotextile fabric with tar and chip applications, which will extend the life expectancy of town streets; and renovated several roads, including Maple, Washington, Harrison, Vine, Graham, Grice and Franklin.