Page 12 - Work Force July-August 2020

Village outdoor spaces
thrive due to CSEA
members
MEDINA — Village of Medina Unit President Jason Watts is quick to admit residents he serves absolutely love their hometown and will do
just about anything to help sustain their quality of life in this idyllic community.
The village, located in Orleans County, has a population of just over 6,000 residents. The community blossomed after
construction of
the Erie Canal,
which bends as
it passes through
the village,
creating a basin
that served as a
stopover point.
The village is also
about a one-hour
drive from both
Rochester and
Buffalo.
“The residents of Medina love their public services, especially our parks and outdoor spaces,” Watts said.
Watts, a motor equipment operator at the village’s Department of Public Works, also said that over past few months, villagers have been flocking to the downtown
parks and spending time at the local cemeteries, partially due to the health care crisis and a need for exercise and outdoor recreation during the summer months.
Co-worker Kyle Morgan said the immediate focus on sprucing up pocket parks is a welcome sight for outdoor lovers in the community.
“Right now, we are in the middle of installing a new
sidewalk, a new splash pad with five ground spray elements at Pine Street Park,” said Morgan. “The splash pad will be the first of several improvements, with a new playground and a butterfly garden to follow.
The kids are going to absolutely love this.”
“We have to be a jack-of-all-trades, so to speak,” said Watts. “Every job we tackle requires us to use a variety of skills, including electrical work, masonry, excavation, plumbing and so much more.”
Community members enjoy the results of our members’ hard work.
From left, Village of Medina workers Jason Watts and Kyle Morgan look over a newly-poured concrete sidewalk that will soon be a new splash pad.
‘I take care of the parks like it’s my own home’
GLENVILLE — A lot happens in town parks, especially large, multi-acre, multi-purpose parks such as Indian Meadows in Glenville, Schenectady County.
Jamie Galante, a parks supervisor for the town, takes pride in the work done to keep the grounds
in top shape for residents’ use. Indian Meadows Park is just one
of 39 properties that Galante and a small crew of full-time and seasonal workers maintain.
Normally, this time of year, Indian
Meadows would be packed with baseball games, tennis lessons, kids’ camps, softball tournaments and families packing the pavilion for a birthday celebration. Indian Meadows also offers miles of trails, acres of sports fields and batting cages.
But with so many events and activities cancelled or delayed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parks employees like Galante are missing the action.
“Seeing everyone here, using the
parks, is the best part,” Galante said. “The playground is not even open.”
Galante said workers have followed the additional guidelines
for cleaning and sanitizing, while
still doing their regular maintenance work and are just looking for a return to normal.
“I take care of the parks like it’s my own home,” Galante said. “I love the work and the people appreciate it.”
— Therese Assalian
Jamie Galante mows the lawn at Indian Meadows park.
12 The Work Force
July-August 2020
“The splash pad will be the first of several improvements, with a new playground and a butterfly garden to follow.
The kids are going to absolutely love this.”
“I know village residents appreciate what we do,” said Watts. “The folks who live here are also very proud of where they come from.”
The many services that Medina residents enjoy is the result of maintaining a village government structure. In 2015, village
residents voted to keep Medina an incorporated village, defeating a proposal to dissolve the village into
the nearby towns of Shelby and Ridgeway.
CSEA led an informational campaign to make sure voters had accurate and detailed knowledge of what a dissolution would have entailed. Dozens of village jobs, including DPW workers and public safety officers, were saved in the process.
— Ove Overmyer