Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, the Department of Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management and City of Springfield Department Heads held an appreciation luncheon yesterday at the John Shea Technical Training Facility in Forest Park to honor Sheriff Michael Ashe of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, his management team and the crews of the Community Service Program for their work on maintenance projects in parks, public buildings and throughout the City.
Mayor Sarno stated, “The legacy the Sheriff has created with his Community Restitution Program is everlasting. The program has a 22 year history with the City of Springfield, saving the residents millions of dollars and ensuring our residents that are part of the program vital skills to be active members of their community. We see the Community Service Program as a ‘win-win situation’. The offenders get the benefit of disciplined work as well as acquiring fundamental workplace skills, and the community receives the benefit of accomplished projects that may never get done. Sheriff Ashe, your tenure will continue to be modeled throughout the next century – ‘Rock’ I don’t give out the ‘Key to the City’ very often at all, but, no one deserves it more than you!”
Patrick Sullivan, Executive Director of PBRM stated, “I am grateful to Sheriff Mike Ashe for having the trust in our city and department to be part of this renaissance program. We started with one crew on terraces in the summer of 1994 and from this one crew we have developed ten to twelve daily crews. The crews work assignments include park maintenance, carpentry on park structures, cleaning, painting schools in the summer, and de-brushing across the city. The work of the Sheriff and his teams is very important to the City and the Park and Facilities Divisions. The work accomplished in parks and public buildings has enabled the department to ensure services are met in a timely manner.”
