Council Employment Committee Meeting Date: September 15, 2025
To: Members of the Council Employment Committee
From: Michelle Mahowald, Communications/Human Resources
Title
2025 Employee Excellence Award Recipient
Body
Action Requested:
Select the 2025 Employee Excellence Award Recipient.
Summary Report:
The Communications and Human Resources Director received submissions for the 2025 Employee Excellence Award by the August 29 deadline.
The City of Northfield Employee Excellence Award provides recognition to a city employee for accomplishments of outstanding worth in advancing and improving public service in the City of Northfield.
Accomplishments that are eligible for consideration will vary widely in form and substance due to the many different jobs city employees perform. They will be evaluated against criterion that examines gains achieved, overall impact of the accomplishment, and the environment in which the achievement took place.
Award benefits
o $100 in Chamber bucks.
o Name inscribed on an “Employee Excellence Award” plaque that is located at City Hall.
o Certificate of recognition from the Mayor and City Administrator. A copy of the certificate will be placed in the employee’s personnel file.
o Employee Excellence Award recipient will be announced and awarded at the annual Employee Recognition Event by the Mayor, City Council and City Administrator.
Eligibility
To participate in nominations and be eligible for the Employee Excellence Award program, an employee must:
o Be a permanent, full or part-time employee.
o Have worked for the City of Northfield at least twelve months.
o The City Administrator, Department Directors, and Communications & Human Resources Director are not eligible to receive this award.
o Past recipients are eligible five years after previous award (ex. 2018 Employee of the Year will be eligible for the 2023 Employee of the Year award.)
Selection team
The Council City Employment Policy Committee, in consultation with the City Administrator and Communications & Human Resources Director selects the winner.
Selection criteria
An employee will be selected based on exceptional contributions to the City of Northfield, fellow employees, and the community in the following areas:
o Teamwork
o Customer service
o Professionalism and leadership
o Innovation and expertise
Teamwork examples
o Performs their job duties exceptionally well and takes initiative to go beyond expectations of their position.
o Proactively notices needs and takes the initiative to meet those needs.
o Participates and contributes on City committees.
o Shares resources and collaborates with others to help the team succeed.
o Willingly assumes additional responsibilities to advance the department’s/committee’s goals.
o Suggests and/or implements new ideas that enhance internal or external communications.
o Consistently shows support to colleagues.
Customer service examples
o Improves or enhances service and quality of work in ways that make a substantial difference for coworkers and/or the community’s citizens.
o Provides outstanding service at a consistently high level with coworkers, board and commission members, customers, and the public.
o Advocates for improvements that enhance customer satisfaction.
o Eliminates barriers for customers.
o Serves as a role model through positive interactions with customers.
o Demonstrates excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Professionalism and leadership examples
o Exemplifies professionalism, inter-departmental teamwork, and dedication.
o Leads by example, motivates/inspires others to excel.
o Serves as a mentor.
o Demonstrates professionalism, integrity, and ethical behaviors.
o Demonstrates significant organizational commitment.
o Improves own performance through professional development.
Innovation and expertise examples
o Develops creative solutions to problems that result in more effective and efficient operations.
o Consistently provides exceptional, accurate, and professional work on projects, tasks, and assignments.
o Takes initiative to make things better.
o Makes contributions to their field of expertise.
o Suggests and/or implements new ideas that reduce costs, increase quality, increase productivity or save time.
o Achieved a specific, extraordinary accomplishment in their field of expertise.
o Demonstrates resourcefulness in improving practices and procedures.
Past award winners:
Employee Year Department
Jesse Cordova 2024 Police
Andrew Prytz 2024 Public Works
Angelica Linder 2023 Library
Mikayla Schmidt 2022 Community Development
Steve Noreen 2021 Public Works
Mary Grant 2020 Finance
Steve Petricka 2019 Public Works
Steve Maus 2018 Library
Alternative Options:
None.
Financial Impacts:
Award is budgeted in the 2025 Human Resources budget.
Tentative Timelines:
Staff recommends the committee select the 2025 Employee Excellence Award recipient. The 2025 employee recognition program will be held at Spring Creek Park Shelter on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, from 11:30 am. - 1:00 p.m.