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2006 Regional Award Winners     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     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     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     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     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     Search   Kern COG Poll What alternative energy source do you think has the most potential to replace oil? Wind energy Solar power Hydrogen fuel cells Nuclear power Get ready to pedal, baby! View Results

Copyright © 2004-2006 Kern Council of Governments. All Rights Reserved This page was last updated March 11, 2008 2:24 PM