Award for Excellence in Salt Storage

---

County Engineer of the Year - 2005
Awarded to:  Ed Meixner  

 

     The County Engineers Association of Ohio (CEAO) honored Ashland County Engineer, Edward J. Meixner, as their Engineer of the Year in January of 2006.  This award is the highest form of recognition and is given by the CEAO to the Ohio County Engineer who has made the largest contribution in the area of county engineering.  Seneca County Engineer, James R. Nimz nominated Mr. Meixner for this year’s award.  Mr. Nimz’s nomination is based on Mr. Meixner’s work as Co-Chairman of the Policy & Procedures Committee of the CEAO.  This committee’s responsibility was to revise the current Policy & Procedures Manual in an effort to standardize practices within County Engineering departments across the state as to engineering, maintenance, personnel, and operational practices.

Safety Person of the Year - 2005
Awarded to:  Jeff Dziak

    Ashland County Highway Department employee Jeff Dziak was  recognized in March of 2006 as the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce Safety Council’s Safety Person of the Year for 2005.  He was chosen from a field of nine candidates.

    Nominees are employees of Safety Council Members and are named for consideration by their employer or a fellow employee.  Dziak was nominated by Sherry Eichelberger, Ashland County Highway Department Safety Officer.

    Dziak leads the tree cutting and brush cutting crew.  This is very hazardous work involving the use of chainsaws.  Compounding the inherent danger of chainsaw use is the fact that Dziak and his crew do this work in emergency situations that often occur at night and/or under adverse weather conditions.

    In 2005 Ashland County experienced heavy winter storm damage resulting in the need to clear a lot of trees and brush from the roadways.  Despite the large amount of tree removal done under icy conditions there were no lost-time accidents reported.

    According to Eichelberger’s “Jeff is very safety conscious and watches out for his fellow workers….He is a natural teacher, and doesn’t hesitate to stop what he is doing to show his co-workers how to do something in a certain way.”  There is no doubt Dziak’s attention to proper procedures and his suggestions to improve procedures have made the Ashland County Highway Department a safer place to work.