Perry’s city workers were recognized Wednesday for their public service at the third annual Safety and Employee Appreciation Day banquet, held in the hall of the Perry Volunteer Fire Department at 908 Willis Ave.
About 60 of the city’s civil servants attended the event, with numerous certificates of appreciation awarded to city workers at the gathering, including a certificate to Randy Tarlton for his 40 years of service as manager of the Perry Municipal Airport. Tarlton was unable to attend the ceremony.
The Safety and Employee Appreciation Day will also included a presentation by Perry Finance Officer Susie Moorhead, who told the collected laborers that the rate of on-the-job injuries in 2015 is half what the 2014 rate was by this point in the year.
City workers also heard from two representatives from the  Iowa Municipalities Workers’ Compensation Association (IMWCA). Scott Smith, IMWCA loss control representative, and Tim Kirgan, IMWCA marketing manager, commended the Perry workers for their safety record and urged them to continued vigilance with sobering tales of death and dismemberment suitable to the Halloween season.
The City of Perry has significantly lowered the rate of on-the-job injuries to its employees over the last nine years. The city now pays less than half what it was paying in 2006, when the city was threatened with loss of coverage.
After eating lunch, sponsored by the Perry Hy-Vee, the city employees received refresher training from Clint Lutterman, physical therapist with 21st Century Rehab at the Dallas County Hospital, who demonstrated proper lifting techniques. Dallas County Emergency Medical Services Director Mike Thomason then gave first-aid training.
The following city employees received certificates of appreciation to mark their career milestones:
- Randy Tarlton, Perry Municipal Airport, 40 years
- Dan Ruggle, Water Department, 30 years
- Billy Annear, Garbage Department, 20 years
- Jeff Hix, Water Department, 20 years
- Wayne Schuttler, Police Department, 20 years
- Mary Vander Naald, Police Department, 15 years
- Sergeant Jim Archer, Police Department, 15 years
- Jose Arceo, Street Department, 15 years
- Pam Ballard, Water Department, 15 years
- Brian Eiteman, Recycle Department, 15 years
- Cherie Hellman, Recreation, 10 years
- Mike Landals, Street Department, 10 years
- Phil Stone, City Council, 10 years
- Richard Marriott, Parks Department, 5 years
- James Moreland, Fire Department, 5 years
- Mary Murphy, Library Director, 5 years
- Charles Schott, City Council, 5 years
- Corey Eastman, City Clerk, 5 years
- Matt Gilmore, Water Department, 5 years
- Maritza Saldana, Water Department, 5 years
- Ron Owens, Cemetery Department, 5 years
