Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell publicly recognized six employees, including the town manager, during the regular council meeting on Oct. 19, who are celebrating 10 years of dedicated service to residents during the months of October and November.
Mayor Bell will be presenting a Certificate of Appreciation, a gift certificate and a cake celebration during a staff meeting in November.
“It is important to make note of the employees that are still with us and helped us get started from the very beginning,” Bell said. “It is truly much like having a second family. We have approximately 32 key employees, and when we started in February of 2006 we started with a similar number, which is a testament to the town’s commitment to do as much as we can and as frugally as we can with the funds that we have. This is quite a milestone for our employees and I thank them profusely for their dedicated service.”
Each of the six employees has had a unique experience during their tenures with the town. Rafael G. Casals, town manager, spoke of his situation.
“Ten years ago, when I was hired as the town’s first Public Works director, I felt honored to serve the residents and provide an immediate impact to our infrastructure,” Casals said. “Today as town manager, I am still that same individual that continues to be honored and humbled to serve our great residents.”
Sandra Aronoff, Building & Code Compliance director, began to work for the town on Oct. 18, 2006, as an executive assistant to the town manager.
“I fondly remember my first day at work when our Town Hall was a big open space and each department consisted of two Rubbermaid desks that were neatly set up in rows,” she said. “That space became what we have affectionately come to know as ‘The Pit’ and it marked the beginning of an amazing journey that we embarked on as a team to start a brand new town.”
Robert Daddario, finance director, started his tenure with the town on Nov. 6, 2006.
“I was honored to have been hired as the town’s first finance director,” Daddario said. “Having served in that capacity over the past 10 years has been a privilege that I appreciate every day. I have worked with many good people over the course of these past 10 years and each person has contributed in his or her own way to making the town a better place to live, work and play.”
Elizabeth Deveaux, administrative assistant, Parks and Recreation Department, was hired by the town on Oct. 2, 2006.
“The first few months at the Parks Department were the most memorable because I was directly involved in taking inventory of all park assets before the handover from Miami-Dade County to the Town of Cutler Bay,” Deveaux said. “I have seen the department and the town grow over the years, striving to meet the current and emerging needs of our town residents. The Town of Cutler Bay is an excellent place to live, work and play and I am looking forward to many more years.”
Daniel Rodriguez, maintenance worker in the Public Works Department, also looked back with pride and amazement.
“Where did the time go?” Rodriguez said. “It has been fun to have had a role in the town’s improvement since the beginning. It has also been a great privilege to work with so many great people over the past 10 years. Hopefully we can achieve another 10 years!”
Dennis Santiago, code compliance officer, Building and Code Compliance Division, started working for the town on Oct. 4, 2006.
“From customer service representative to administrative assistant to the Planning Department and now a code compliance officer, it has been an incredible experience for me to grow professionally through my tenure with the town and take it from a simple opportunity for work and convert it into what is now my career,” Santiago said. “The town has been, and continues to be a great place to work and build great friendships while serving our community.”
