2009 Regional Awards
Written by Spencer Schluter   
Thursday, 05 November 2009 16:50

On March 4, 2010, Kern Council of Governments honored 13 individuals and organizations for making significant contributions to this area’s quality of life through innovative, cooperative efforts during its 21th annual Regional Awards of Merit Program.

2009 Regional Award Recipients

Regional Award of Merit for Local Government

City of Tehachapi & Tehachapi Community Theatre

Brent Green, Economic Development Director - City of Shafter


Regional Award of Merit for Community Involvement

Virginia "Jinny" DeAngelis - Desert Area Resources and Training (DART)

Diane Duran - Chevron

Keep Bakersfield Beautiful - Highway 99 Tree Planting Subcommittee


Regional Award of Merit for Transportation

Mehran Akhavan - Caltrans

Ted Wright - City of Bakersfield


Regional Award of Merit for Environmental Resources and Conservation

Kern Water Agency's Improvement District No. 4

City of Maricopa

 

Regional Award of Merit for Distinguished Leadership (Public Group)

Judge Gary Ingle - Kern County Superior Court

 

Regional Award of Merit for Lifetime Achievement (Private Citizens)

Jan Bennett - Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce

 

Regional Award of Merit for Lifetime Achievement (Public Official)

Michael D. Avery - City of Ridgecrest

James D. Movius - City of Bakersfield

Cheif William R. Rector - Bakersfield Police Department
Last Updated on Monday, 08 March 2010 19:16
 
2008 Regional Award Recipients
Written by Administrator   
Monday, 26 October 2009 19:23

On March 5, 2009, Kern Council of Governments honored 16 individuals and organizations for making significant contributions to this area’s quality of life through innovative, cooperative efforts during its 20th annual Regional Awards of Merit Program.

Kern COG will celebrated its 39th anniversary in 2009, and it is the 20th year the agency has recognized those programs and people in our region whose ideas and hard work have made life in Kern County better for us all.

 Journalism
 
  • Nathan Ahle, The Ridgecrest Daily Independent.
    		•  
     Community Involvement
     
  • Peggy Breeden, Ridgecrest
  • Patricia V. Gorden California City
    		•  
     Local Government
     
  • Kern County Board of Trade
    		•  
     Transportation
     
  • Cliff Thompson, City of Taft.
    		•  
     Ken Volpe Environmental Resources and Conservation Award
     
  • Kevin Crosby Sunset School/Kern County Superintendent of Schools.
  • Greening Arvin
    		•  
     Richard A. Maxwell Award for Public Safety
     
  • A Life Interrupted, Bakersfield Police Department.
  • Chief Charlie Fivecoat, Shafter Police Department.
    		•  
     Distinguished Leadership (Public Group or Individual)
     
  • Greenfield Walking Group, Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program (CCROPP)
    		•  
     Distinguished Leadership -Elected Official
     
    • None
    		 
     Distinguished Leadership – Public Official
     
  • Malcolm X. Dougherty, California Department of Transportation, District 6
  • Stuart Witt, East Kern Airport District
  • Sgt. Elizabeth Stark, Kern Valley State Prison
  • Sgt. Lori Sobe, Kern Valley State Prison
    		•  
     Lifetime Achievement – Public Official
     
  • Dr. Pierre Saint-Amand, Indian Wells Valley Water District
    		•  
     Lifetime Achievement – Private Citizen
     
  • Donna and Duane Pockrandt
    		•
    Last Updated on Thursday, 05 November 2009 17:03
     
    2007 Regional Award Winners
    Written by Administrator   
    Monday, 26 October 2009 19:27
      Journalism
     
  • Laura Dobbins with The Ridgecrest Daily Independent, for her series on the Base Realignment and Closure program at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, and another series on water rates in Ridgecrest.
    		•   
      Community Involvement
     
  • Bakersfield High School CEO Academy and Kern Veterans Memorial Foundation for their work in establishing the Kern County Veterans Memorial at ‘S’ Street and Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield.
  • Elizabeth Babcock of Ridgecrest for her volunteerism with a variety of community-based organizations and non-profits in eastern Kern.
  • Barbara Lucas of Wasco for her role as that city’s unofficial historian and for her work in transporting elderly patients to and from medical appointments.
  • Roger Willams of Bakersfield for his volunteer service as a 4-H leader.
    		•   
      Local Government
     
  • The City of Tehachapi for its community design charette process.
    		•   
      Transportation
     
  • Ahron Hakimi, Caltrans District 6 engineer, for his work on the Route 58 Connectors Improvement Project at the State Route 58/99 interchange in Bakersfield.
    		•   
      Ken Volpe Environmental Resources and Conservation Award
     
  • Lucinda Sue Crosby of the Indian Wells Valley Water District for her involvement in a variety of water conservation projects and activities.
    		•   
      Richard A. Maxwell Award for Public Safety
     
  • Jim Grundt of Wasco for his service with the Kern County Search and Rescue Team.
  • Lt. Steve Colerick of the California City Police Department for designing and implementing the agency’s Special Enforcement Team and Desert Incident Response Team.
    		•   
      Distinguished Leadership (Public Group or Individual)
     
  • Dennis Shoffner of Rosamond for his efforts to formalize the Rosamond Town Council from a social organization into an active voice for the community.
    		•   
      Distinguished Leadership -Elected Official
     
  • Kern County Supervisor Michael Rubio for promoting regionalism through programs such as the Gang Violence Strategic Plan.
  • California City Councilman Mike Edmiston for his pervasive involvement with a wide range of community organizations and activities.
    		•  
      Distinguished Leadership – Public Official
     
  • Chief Bert Pumphrey, Taft Police Department for his service to that agency.
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement – Public Official
     
  • Harvey Michael Rose, Ridgecrest city manager for his efforts to negotiate a fire protection agreement between Ridgecrest and the Kern County Fire Department, and for his 40+ years in the public sector.
  • Bob Jasper, former director of the Tehachapi-Cumming County Water District for his service to that agency.
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement – Private Citizen
     
  • David Mechtenberg, CEO of Ridgecrest Regional Hospital, for his generosity of time and service to the health care needs of Indian Wells Valley residents.
    		•
    Last Updated on Monday, 26 October 2009 19:33
     
    2006 Regional Award Winners
    Written by Administrator   
    Monday, 26 October 2009 19:34
      Journalism
     
  • Eric and Kim Kauffman with KZIQ/Sunset Media in Ridgecrest for their station’s support of community activities.
    		•   
      Community Involvement
     
  • Ridgecrest resident Kathy Armstrong, for her myriad activities throughout the city,including involvement with the American Cancer Society, decorating city council chambers, the Armed Forces Day celebration and the Sweet Adeline's.
  • James H. Quiggle for his tireless efforts to promote California City by shepherding multiple housing developments, and a golf course to completion, along with many volunteer activities.
  • The steering committee for the American Red Cross’ (Kern Chapter) first Disaster Preparedness Academy, held on Oct. 27 in Bakersfield. The academy drew more than 250 participants who were briefed on how to prepare the community for a large scale catastrophic event.
  • Julia Linfesty of Bakersfield for her work as a representative with the League of Women Voters
  • Terry and Mary Reed for their support and efforts on behalf of the Main Street downtown Tehachapi revitalization project.
    		•   
      Local Government
     
  • The Shafter Healthy Start Program, for helping families in need find the right mix of government and private services while reducing duplication of services among multiple organizations and agencies.
  • The Park at River Walk. The Park at River Walk in Bakersfield marks the first time a new park has been opened next to the Kern River since Yokuts Park in 1994. The 32- acre parcel was inaccessible for commercial development, but became an recreation center for the city.
    		•   
      Transportation
     
  • Luis Peralez with the City of Bakersfield’s streets division for his decades of work keeping the city’s roads paved and in good working condition.
    		•   
      Richard A. Maxwell Award for Public Safety
     
  • Chris Hayes, formerly with the California City Fire Department, for his efforts at fire prevention and dedication to the city’s arson investigations unit.
    		•  
      Distinguished Leadership (Public Group or Individual)
     
  • Sandra Larson for her volunteerism with the Valley Fever of Americas Foundation, as well as with several other professional and philanthropic organizations.
    		•   
      Distinguished Leadership -Elected Official
     
  • Kern County Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider for his dedication to opening a new, public compressed natural gas fueling station in Bakersfield for school buses and other vehicles.
    		•  
      Distinguished Leadership – Public Official
     
  • Bill Wilbanks, retired head of Kern County General Services for his years of service with that department.
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement – Public Official
     
  • Wasco City Manager Larry Pennell for his nearly 13 years of service to the City of Wasco.
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement – Private Citizen
     
  • Former Bakersfield City Councilman Walt Heisey for his work in helping the City of Bakersfield acquire water rights to the Kern River.
    		•   
      Chairman’s Award of Regional Cooperation
     
  • Golden Empire Transit Board member Howard Silver for his vigilance and service to transportation issues throughout Kern County.
    		•
     
    2005 Regional Award Winners
    Written by Administrator   
    Monday, 26 October 2009 19:35
      Journalism
     
  • John Ciani of the Ridgecrest Daily Independent for his dedication to
    transportation and civic issues in Ridgecrest.
    		•   
      Community Involvement
     
  • Lois Chaney, for her volunteer work with the League of Women voters, California State University, Bakersfield and the Kern Transportation Foundation.
    		•   
      Local Government
     
  • Larry Adams, California City Mayor, for his work to bring jobs and better education to Southeast Kern.
    		•   
      Transportation
     
  • Chester Moland, chief executive officer of Golden Empire Transit, for his tireless work to convert GET’s bus fleet from diesel-powered to compressed natural gas.
    		•   
      Ken Volpe Environmental Resources and Conservation Award
     
  • John O’Gara, an environmental planner with the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) at China Lake, for his role in developing the station’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
    		•   
      Richard A. Maxwell Award for Public Safety
     
  • Linda Lunsford, California City Police Chief, for her dedication to the city’s police department.
    		•   
      Distinguished Leadership (Public Group or Individual)
     
  • Phillip Arnold and William Porter for their volunteer efforts to 1) spare China Lake NAWS from the latest round of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, and 2) to form an alliance of community leaders and local and state governments from six southwestern states to develop a unified complex of military bases to better serve national defense.
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement (Public Official)
     
  • Bud Bankston, transportation director for the Kern High School District, for having the largest compressed natural gas bus fleet of any school district in the nation.
  • Patricia Ebel, engineering manager for the Kern County Roads Department for her dedication to the Kern region’s transportation network.
    		•   
      Distinguished Leadership – Elected Official
     
  • Fran Florez, Shafter mayor, for her guiding leadership on the Shafter City Council and as chairwoman of the California High-Speed Rail Commission.
  • Mike Maggard, Bakersfield City councilman, for his efforts to protect the bluffs near Lake Ming for recreational and quality-of-life purposes.
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement – Public Official
     
  • Randall E. Scott, director of plans and programs with the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) at Edwards Air Force Base in recognition of his contributions to enhancing our air and water quality, and improving transportation effectiveness.
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement – Private Citizen
     
  • Bill Cooper and Rich O’Neil, who helped establish the Kern River Parkway Foundation.
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement – Elected Official
     
  • Barbara Patrick, Kern County Supervisor, for being a careful and well-informed manager of county resources.
    		•   
      Chairman’s Award of Regional Cooperation
     
  • The Honorable Bill Thomas for helping to secure $726 million in transportation funding from the federal government for the Kern region.
    		•
     
    2004 Regional Award Winners
    Written by Administrator   
    Monday, 26 October 2009 19:36
      Journalism
     
  • The Mojave Desert News
    		•   
      Community Involvement
     
  • Friends of Panorama Park, Bakersfield
  • Michael Dulle, In-Home Supportive Services Advisory Commission
  • Pat Wilson and Gretchen Kirk, The Green Hotel, Shafter
  • Margarita Chapman, Creating Healthy Lives Program, Ridgecrest
    		•   
      Transportation
     
  • Mojave Airport District
    		•  
      Ken Volpe Environmental Resources and Conservation Award
     
  • Donna Thomas, Mojave Desert Mountain Resource Conservation and Development Council
  • Dwight Deakin, Edwards Air Force Base
    		•   
      Richard A. Maxwell Award for Public Safety
     
  • Golden Hills Fire Protection Committee
    		•   
      Distinguished Leadership (Public Group or Individual)
     
  • Edwards Community Alliance
    		•  
      Lifetime Achievement (Public Official)
     
  • Thomas N. Clark, Manager, Kern County Water Agency  
  • Jack Hardisty, Community Services Director, City of Bakersfield
  • Eric Matlock, Chief, City of Bakersfield Police Department
  • Scott E. Jones, Chief Administrative Officer, County of Kern
  • Lloyd Norton, Engineer, Kern County Roads Department
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement (Elected Official)
     
  • Art Armendariz, City of Delano
    •  
    2003 Regional Award Winners
    Written by Administrator   
    Monday, 26 October 2009 19:37
      Distinguished Leadership: Public Official
     
  • Jim Movius - Principal Planner, City of Bakersfield
  • Jack Stewart - City Manager, California City
    		•   
      Distinguished Leadership: Elected Official
     
  • State Sen. Roy Ashburn
  • Cathy Prout - Councilmember, City of Shafter
    		•   
      Distinguished Leadership: Public Group or Individual
     
  • The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce
  • Alan McCuen - Deputy Director for District 6, Caltrans
    		•   
      Environmental Resources
     
  • Christopher J. Rush - Natural Resources Manager, Edwards AFB
    		•  
      Journalism
     
  • Matt Weiser - Reporter, The Bakersfield Californian
    		•   
      Transportation
     
  • Nancy Bass - Manager, InyoKern Airport District
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement: Elected official
     
  • Mark Salvaggio - Councilmember, City of Bakersfield
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement: Public official
     
  • Gene Bogart - Water Resources Manager, City of Bakersfield
    		•   
      Lifetime Achievement: Private Citizen
     
  • Dale Hawley - Kern Transportation Foundation
  • Dale Mills - Kern Transportation Foundation
    		•   
      Community Involvement
     
  • Guild of the Tehachapi Hospital
  • Transition Through Independent Living Program at Taft College
  • Shafter Community Chest
    		•   
      Local Government
     
  • Connecting Kern County Project, Kern Economic Development Corporation
    		•   
      Public Safety
     
  • Dr. B.A. Jinadu - Director, Kern County Health Department
    		•
     
    2002 Regional Award Winners
    Written by Administrator   
    Monday, 26 October 2009 19:37
    Local Government
     
    • Marilyn Bergman, Administrative Assistant - City of Shafter
    • Kern County Fair
    • Rosamond Community Services District
    Journalism
     
    • Jim Scott, KGET - Channel 17
    Community Involvement (Group or Organization)
     
    • Alpha Zeta Beta Sorority, Gamma Beta Chapter
    Community Involvement (Individual)
     
    • Vance Mingus, California City 
    • Jack Cote, Mojave
    • John Enriquez - (Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Committee)
    Transportation
     
    • Ray Bishop, Kern County Airport Department
    Ken Volpe Environmental Resources and Conservation Award
     
    • Golden Empire Transit District , for its fleet conversion to compressed natural gas.
    Richard A. Maxwell Public Safety Award
     
    • None
    Distinguished Leadership (Public Group or Individual)
     
    • Jim Burke
    • Sheryl Barbich - (Bakersfield's Vision 2020)
    Distinguished Leadership (Public Official)
     
    • John Nilon, Employer's Training Resource
    Distinguished Leadership (Elected Official)
     
    • Steve Perez - former Kern County Supervisor
    Lifetime Achievement (Private Citizen)
     
    • None
    Lifetime Achievement (Public Official)
     
    • Norma Robinson, former Taft City Clerk
    • Dan Clark, former Kern County Fire Chief