Photo 8122: (front row l to r) Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard C. Desiderio, Louis J. Vitiello, Evelyn (Lynn) M. McAnaney, Willie D. Smith, Marcie E. Hughes, Mary Ann Morano, Virginia Gandy, Violet M. Dickinson, Maria I. Fernandez, Diane Decollewaert and Freeholder Ralph E. Sheets, Jr. (back row l to r) Eric P. Watson, Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel, Freeholder M. Susan Sheppard, Sheppard (Shep) W. Taylor, Clifford J. Bartlett, Robert E. Hedley, Jr., Michael P. Owen, Joseph DiEduardo and Freeholder Gerald M. Thornton
Cape May Court House, NJ – The Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders recognized fifteen county employees with twenty-five years of service at their meeting on Tuesday, November 22, 2011. Employees acknowledged include Marcie E. Hughes, Mary Ann Morano, Sheppard W. Taylor, Virginia Gandy, Clifford J. Bartlett, Robert E. Hedley, Jr., Michael P. Owen, Eric P. Watson, Louis J. Vitiello, Joseph DiEduardo, Diane Decollewaert, Maria I. Fernandez, Violet M. Dickinson, Willie D. Smith and Evelyn M. McAnaney.
Marcie E. Hughes was hired as a Clerk Typist in the Cape May County Purchasing Department in September 1986. Marcie transferred to the County Treasurer’s Office in 1989 and has worked there ever since. Marcie has served as Senior Clerk Typist and Principal Clerk Typist. Marcie’s duties over the years have expanded to include ordering supplies, keeping equipment maintenance contracts, preparing the daily deposit, reconciling the Park and Zoo, Library Commission and Audio Visual Accounts. Also, she assists with budget document questions, entering salary and wage transfers for Grants, processing Workers’ Compensation checks, entering revenue and Accounts Receivable information as well as providing clerical support to the Chief Financial Officer.
Mary Ann Morano, an employee in the Purchasing Department since 1986, currently holds the title of Principal Purchasing Assistant. Mary Ann earned her Registered Public Purchasing Specialist Certification in 1992 and has worked in many aspects of the Purchasing Department during the past 25 years. At one time or another, Mary Ann has been the buyer for almost all departments in the County. Also, she was part of the auction process at the County airport for 12 years. Currently, she is the buyer for Facilities and Services, Aging, Health and Human Services Departments and for the Animal Shelter. She is responsible for contract management and specification writing for those departments plus monitors P-cards and Purchase Order expenditures and updates State Contracts.
Sheppard (Shep) W. Taylor began his career with Cape May County in April of 1986 in the MIS Department as a Computer Operator Trainee and in 1988 Shep was promoted to Director of MIS.
Shep has overseen many technical changes including migrating from the System 34 to a Honeywell System to the IBM AS400 series, conversion from home grown system to New World Systems to Infinium (now Infor) for Human Resources and Payroll and changes from hand written requisitions to computerized processing of Purchase Orders.
Of all departments, the MIS Department has gone through the most changes in the past 25 years. For example, when the MIS department was formed there were 5 personal computers in the County; now there are over 650. There were 2 modems which increased to 24 before the conversion to a wireless network.
Virginia Gandy began her career with the County as a Clerk Typist with the Division of Economic Development and moved to the Department of Tourism in 1991 where she has spent the last twenty years working. Throughout her tenure, Virginia has served as the Secretary of the Cape May County Revolving Fishing Loan Program. Through her diligence and knowledge of the program, the Cape May County Revolving Fishing Loan Program is considered one of the most successful in the State. More than $2 million in commercial loans have been processed and repaid. She has assisted dozens of commercial and party boat operators successfully apply for and receive loans.
Also, Virginia is a key player in the operation of the Tourism Department. She handles most of the financial operations as well as being the first to answer calls from potential visitors to Cape May County and has responded to the request for tourism information from hundreds of thousands of callers.
Clifford J. Bartlett was hired in April of 1986 as a painter for the Cape May County Department of Facilities and Services. He was later assigned to the Crest Haven Nursing Home maintenance shop where he continued to paint and complete various maintenance tasks. Currently, Cliff works in the Grounds Shop where he is responsible for various grounds and maintenance tasks.
Robert E. Hedley, Jr. started his career with the County as a mechanic in the Fleet Maintenance Department in 1986. Currently, Robert is a Building Maintenance worker in the Facilities and Services Department. In the Road Department, he performed maintenance on a variety of passenger vehicles and equipment. As a Building Maintenance worker he performs various maintenance tasks in all County facilities.
Michael P. Owen began his career with the County as a painter in the Facilities and Services Department in 1986. Through the years, Mike has worked throughout the Crest Haven Complex maintaining buildings and the grounds.
In 2008, Mike was promoted to Maintenance Superintendant and later promoted to Service Division Manager. In this position, Mike oversees housekeeping services, grounds crews and fleet maintenance for the County.
Eric P. Watson started his employment with the County in Fleet Maintenance in 1986 as a mechanic and is currently Senior Mechanic Diesel. Through his career, he has performed mechanical maintenance on passenger vehicles, heavy equipment and Fare Free Transportation buses. In addition to mechanical repairs, Eric fabricates and welds metal parts. Also, he operates the County’s tow truck for vehicle recovery.
Louis J. Vitiello began his career with Cape May County as a mechanic in the Fleet Maintenance Department in 1986. Currently, Louis is a Supervising Mechanic. He performs maintenance on Fare Free Transportation buses and vehicles for transporting our special needs population. High frequency of maintenance and scheduling of these buses are essential in the services that Fare Free performs. Louis’ mechanical ability has assured that Fare Free buses are at the ready.
Joseph DiEduardo was appointed to the position of Corrections Officer on February 12, 1986. Over the years, Officer DiEduardo was assigned to various locations within the correctional center and conducted himself with dedication always maintaining a professional demeanor.
In 1999, he was recognized for his dedication and involvement with inmates and for completing the Visitors Envelope Assembly Program. Also, during his tenure, Officer DiEduardo received three Honorable Service Awards and one Unit Citation.
He is a Police Training Commission certified police and corrections academy instructor, as well as, a Field Training Officer for the correctional center. Additionally, Officer DiEduardo assisted in implementing the Professional Visiting and Video Court programs now in place at the correctional center.
Diane Decollewaert started her employment with the County in May of 1984 as a part-time seasonal Health Investigator. In December 1986, Diane became a full-time Account Clerk working with the Family Planning Program and was promoted in November 1990 to Senior Data Entry Machine Operator.
Diane is an important part of the Family Planning Program. Her duties include scheduling appointments, patient intake and collecting revenue. As a result of her diligence, the last 2 years have produced the highest revenue collections from the Family Planning Program since its inception.
Maria I. Fernandez came to work for the Health Department in October of 1986 as a Clerk Typist and was promoted to the Senior Clerk Typist/Bi-lingual in 1994. Maria, a Cuban born American who immigrated to New York with her husband in the 1970’s, has been translating and interpreting for the Health Department’s Spanish speaking clients for the past 25 years. Maria’s heritage and cross cultural understanding, as well as in-depth knowledge of the health programs often help the nursing staff identify needed services for clients. Maria will retire from the County on February 1, 2012.
Violet M. Dickinson started her career with the County as a housekeeper at Crest Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in 1986. She was promoted to Housekeeping Supervisor and later became Ward Clerk at Crest Haven. She has been responsible for all clerical services for the sixty bed nursing unit from auditing medical records to setting up appointments with consulting physicians.
Willie D. Smith started working for the Park and Zoo in 1986 and has spent the last 25 years working there. Willie holds the title of Park Maintenance Worker and has been involved in every aspect of the Park and Zoo’s operation. He has seen and assisted with the development and changes that have occurred over the past 25 years. He has watched the zoo grow from a small petting zoo to a first class AZA accredited facility.
Evelyn (Lynn) M. McAnaney started at the County library as a Library Assistant in 1986. In 1992 she earned a Masters in Library Science from Rowan University. Currently, Lynn is head of the Cataloging Department. When she started in cataloging, catalog cards were manually typed and she has assisted in fully automating the library. Also, Lynn has shown her management skills by helping staff adapt to the many changes that have occurred in the Library during the past 25 years.
The Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders presents all twenty-five year employees with a plaque recognizing them for their years of service to the county as well as a commemorative pin.
A photo presentation and information on each employee will be available on the county website capemaycountgov.net.
