As we celebrate National Employee Appreciation Day on Friday, March 6th, I am
reminded of a very insightful quote from NBA legendary coach and player, Phil Jackson:
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is
the team.” As Town Supervisor, I very quickly learned that it takes a talented and caring
team to successfully run a town. Leadership depends on the ability of the team to
execute, and the team depends on effective leadership to succeed. As Town Supervisor
of Clarkstown, I am extremely fortunate to have an amazing team working together
across all the town’s departments.
It’s sometimes easy for residents to think of “the Town” strictly as a faceless
government entity, especially when they have a complaint, as dealing with any level of
government is often challenging. Filling out complicated forms, deciphering unfamiliar
terminology, and simply having to take time out of one’s day to come to Town Hall are
all inconveniences that most of us would prefer to avoid. I’ve certainly never met anyone
who was happy to be standing in line to pay their taxes. But for every resident who
comes in or calls the town for whatever reason, there is a town employee (and
sometimes a team of them) working hard to resolve issues and keep the town running
smoothly.
Some of these workers are those you rarely see, sitting at a desk in a back office doing
important work that is often overlooked. Others have public-facing jobs, such as those
who deal directly with residents who come in for permits or to pay taxes. Both types of
jobs are challenging in their own ways, but each plays a vital role in the town’s daily
operations. It is this team of competent and dedicated workers who do so much to help
make the Town of Clarkstown a great place to live and do business.
Every day, I witness the unwavering commitment of our town staff to serve our
residents. Whether it’s our police department or fire inspectors responding to
emergencies, our DEFM and highway staff maintaining our public spaces, or our
professional staff providing essential services, I am grateful for all their efforts that have
made a tangible difference in the lives of our residents. It’s a tremendous source of
pride for me when someone says they had a great experience at Town Hall and how
helpful our staff was in dealing with an issue. I’m especially thankful that I hear these
types of compliments frequently.
I am also particularly proud of how our teams work together across the numerous
departments we have in the town. In any large organization, it’s common for any one
department to focus only on itself and sometimes forget about its greater role. I meet
with our department heads on a weekly basis, and I am always impressed by their
willingness to support one another and put the best interests of our residents first. To
me, this truly exemplifies the spirit of Clarkstown.
I invite everyone to join me in expressing our gratitude to Clarkstown’s employees. Take
a moment to thank a town worker you encounter, whether it's a friendly and familiar face
at a community center, a helpful clerk at the building department window, or a hard
worker in a maintenance crew. Your appreciation goes a long way in boosting their
morale and willingness to go above and beyond in the services they provide to us.
We are stronger as a town because of the individual efforts of our amazing staff
members.
Happy National Employee Appreciation Day!
