Mayor to Present September 2020 Award of Excellence

Published on September 20, 2021

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird today will present the Mayor’s Award of Excellence for September 2020 to Michael Gardner of Aging Partners. The award will be presented at 3 p.m. at the beginning of the City Council meeting at the County-City Building, 555 S. 10th Street.

The award presentations for 2020 were postponed due to the pandemic and recognize City employees who consistently provide exemplary service and work that demonstrates personal commitment to the City.

Gardner was nominated in the categories of customer relations and valor for assisting a senior during a medical crisis. He was nominated by Aging Program Coordinator Mitchell Sump, Aging Specialist IV Elizabeth Schuster and retired Aging Services Supervisor Sandra Lutz. While delivering meals to an apartment complex, Gardner observed one of the waiting seniors begin to faint. Gardner quickly caught the woman, lowered her to the ground and stayed with her until paramedics arrived.

The other categories in which employees can be nominated are productivity, safety, and loss prevention. Consideration also may be given to nominations that demonstrate self-initiated accomplishments or those completed outside of the nominee’s job description. All City employees are eligible for the award except for elected and appointed officials. 

Individuals or teams can be nominated by supervisors, peers, subordinates, and the public.  Nomination forms are available at lincoln.ne.gov/awardofexcellence or from department heads, employee bulletin boards or the Human Resources Department, which oversees the awards program.

All nominations are considered by the Mayor’s Award of Excellence Committee, which includes a representative with each union and a non-union representative appointed by the Mayor.  Award winners receive a $50 gift certificate, a day off with pay and a certificate.  All monthly winners and nominees are eligible to receive the annual award, which comes with a $250 gift certificate, two days off with pay and a plaque.