Middle Township Employee of the Month for January Named

COURT HOUSE – The first winner of the Middle Township Employee of the Month recognition program is Robert Matthews, the Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Whitesboro. Matthews received the award after Township residents supported his efforts in operating both the Center and the Clarence Davies Sports Complex during the middle of a busy winter recreation season.
“It’s truly rewarding because it was a challenge to take on the additional responsibilities in the Middle Township Department of Recreation”, Matthews said. “As a retired military man, I have the King Center structured and running efficiently and gladly accepted the additional challenge. After serving 21 years in the military you learn to embrace additional responsibilities. We have a very bright future in the Middle Township Department of Recreation, and I am glad I got the opportunity to take care of the entire department during a medical leave for fellow Director Tammy Devitt”.
Since late November, Matthews has taken over coordination and management of both of Middle Township’s recreation facilities and dealt with personnel and management issues. January is a very busy month for the Middle Township Department of Recreation as it manages a very active basketball program and prepares the community for spring sports including registrations for lacrosse, track and field, and baseball programs.
“We are excited to start this new employee recognition program as part of our broader Employee Wellness Program being rolled out in 2014,” Mayor Tim Donohue said. “We want to spotlight employees who exemplify our commitment to better delivery of services and going the extra mile for our residents. Robert’s performance the past few months certainly fits the bill. We look forward to celebrating outstanding contributions from a variety of employees in the months to come, culminating in the Darius Graham Employee of the Year Award in December.”
During the month of January, the Department conducted an in-house basketball program for children who did not make the traditional traveling basketball leagues. Children are able to play a full half of co-ed basketball without the pressures of a full game so they can learn the sport. The Monday evening games are well attended by families who support the program.
Matthews assumed operations of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in October, 2005. He was born and raised in Cape May, and is a 1976 graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School. He enlisted in the United States Army and served tours in Germany, Korea, and Fort Hood, Texas; he was trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Middle Township’s new “Employee of the Month” program is designed to acknowledge a Township employee who has performed his or her duties in an extraordinary manner. The new program will culminate with the Township’s Darius Graham Employee of the Year honor that is named after one of the Township’s beloved employees in its history.
Nomination forms for the Employee of the Month Program are available inside Middle Township Hall at three locations: Human Resources and Training Department, Township Administration Department, and on the bulletin board. Residents from Middle Township and surrounding communities who have had a very positive interaction with any Middle Township employee may pick up the one-page nomination form and fill it out in the employee’s behalf. Each month a Township employee will be selected; the winning nominee will receive a certificate at a future Township Committee meeting along with a photograph posted on the bulletin board.
For more information, please visit www.middletownship.com