Each year, the City of Napa presents Outstanding Performers Awards to employees who go above and beyond their regular duties, exhibit exemplary attitudes and embody the values of their department and the City. Awards are given to both teams and individuals. The City is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Outstanding Performers Awards:
Teams
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for Human Capital Management & Utility Billing Implementations - The City’s ERP consists of the main business software systems including accounting, budgeting, payroll, utility billing, and human resources. While the ERP Team includes over 60 employees throughout the organization, the project team listed below consists of functional leads and staff who have been critical to the launch of the Payroll/HR Module and the Cashiering/Utility Billing Module in 2021. These new-and-improved modules increase internal workflow efficiency for both departments while also providing a more streamlined billing process for utility customers.
o Linda Zvarcova, Accounting Technician
o Morgan Simone, Accounting Technician
o Jennie Lathum, Payroll Specialist
o Ashley Titus, Management Analyst
o Anette Heun, Senior Accountant
o Prapti Aryal, Accountant
o Michele Huang, Accountant
o Owen Hershey, Systems Administrator
o Frank Herrera, Accountant
o Christina Pavao, Accounting Technician
o Miriam Betancourt, Accounting Technician
o Sara Vavricka, Account Clerk
o Tracy Thompson, Accounting Supervisor
o Elizabeth Cabell, Finance Manager
o Pat Costello, Water Resource Analyst
o Ken Hurst, Supervising Service Worker
Our emergency responders are highly-trained and prepared to assist our community on every call. The City of Napa recognizes two teams from the Napa Police Department for their quick thinking and swift actions last year, which resulted in saving lives.
• Officer Isabella Pinedo and Officer Adam Gilbert - Officers Pinedo and Gilbert responded to a fentanyl overdose call in December 2021, where Officer Gilbert issued Narcan and administered CPR and Officer Pinedo arrived soon thereafter and issued a second dose of Narcan. The person began to breathe, and medical personnel arrived and transported him to the hospital where he made a full recovery.
• Sgt. Garrett Smith, Officer Eric Koford, and Officer Nate Kistner - Sgt. Smith and Officers Koford and Kistner were first responders on scene of a reported stabbing at McPherson Elementary School in August 2021. After administering life-saving medical aid, the victim was transported to the hospital and survived his wounds and the officers were applauded by Napa Fire for their quick action and medical attention.
Individuals
• Frank Herrera, Accountant I - Frank took a lead role in the implementation of the new Tyler Munis utility billing system and continually looked for ways to make the system work better for the City.
• Linda Zvarcova, Accounting Tech - Linda joined the City in February 2021 and was dedicated specifically to the ERP project implementation, serving as a critical asset to the team during a time of limited resources.
• Josh Stokes, Water Conservation Specialist - Josh served as an integral part of the “Cash For Grass” Turf Replacement Rebate Program, regularly conducted water waste patrols to educate customers, and worked with Napa County Resource Conservation District to spearhead Bay-Friendly Garden Month (an online alternative to garden tours).
• Tim Kittel, Utilities Code Compliance Coordinator - Tim enthusiastically took on new challenges that stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic, proactively expanded his knowledge in critical areas to assist the department, and consistently maintained a positive can-do spirit during uncertain times.
• Bret Leuthold, Engineering Aide - When the Public Works Department was experiencing numerous staffing vacancies, Bret volunteered to perform the encroachment permit duties and learned the new role, taking the lead role for all aspects of the processing.
• Debi Johnson, Senior Engineering Aide - Over the past year, Debi served as the project coordinator for the implementation of new Construction Management software and ensured successful completion of the system set-up and testing, troubleshooting, and system training for the construction management team.
• Jay Gelardi, Equipment Mechanic Master - Jay served as an integral part of the Fleet Operations team by helping to improve procedures and policies that affect efficiency, effectiveness, and the positive experience of the end users.
“We are proud to honor the recipients of the 2021 Outstanding Performers Awards for their resilience, commitment to our community, forward-thinking attitudes, and collaborative spirits,” said City Manager Steve Potter. “Napa continues to thrive because of the hard work and dedication of these individuals and others like them.”
The City of Napa continues to advance its hiring and retention efforts, and the Outstanding Performers Awards serve as an important tool in that pursuit. To learn more about current job opportunities, visit www.cityofnapa.org/careers.