We will be celebrating Labor Day the first Monday in September, which is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of the American worker. It is a tribute to the workers who have contributed to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. It also marks the end of summer vacations and activities. For some parents it is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day!

On this Labor Day, I would like to pay tribute to the great employees in our City. We appreciate the great recorders and administrative assistants throughout the departments who keep us on task and assist us in numerous ways. Their cheerful attitudes always brighten our day. We acknowledge our City Administrator who oversees the operation of the city. We recognize our Planning and Building Departments who handle difficult assignments and maintain the quality of our neighborhoods.

We have a great financial staff that monitors our finances and makes sure our tax dollars are spent wisely and in the best interest of our citizens. Our Parks and Recreation Department maintains the beautiful parks in our city that provide recreational opportunities for our youth and a place for family activities. They take care of the beautiful flowers that adorn the entrance to our city.

Our Police Department is one of the finest in the area. We appreciate and value the dedicated officers who are constantly on call to protect and assist us in emergency situations. They sacrifice much in monitoring our City 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

Our Public Works Department is there to assure our comfort and daily well-being. They provide an array of services that sometimes we take for granted. You have water when you turn on your tap and you have sewer facilities to take away your waste. They also manage garbage collection and monitor storm water when it rains or when there are heavy snows so that it is contained and moved out of our neighborhoods. We have a streets department to maintain our streets for safe travel throughout the City, both summer and winter. We have a skilled maintenance staff that makes sure all our equipment is operating efficiently.

We as citizens appreciate these dedicated employees. I encourage everyone to express your appreciation as you have the opportunity to visit them and thank them.