Congratulation to one of our Employees of the Year award recipients Blake Owens! Blake is a Master Electrician and 2nd in Command on our Maintenance. He has great leadership qualities, and has the work ethic of “Get the job done right” quality, and works well with everyone. Blake takes time to teach his crew and wants to make sure they understand all the intricacies with their task. He is a great young man and we are proud to work along side him. Congratulations Blake!
Congratulations to Megan Hatcher for being one of our Employees of the Year award recipients! Megan is a Lab Analyst at the Water Treatment Plant ensuring that our drinking water is clean and safe. Megan is very kind hearted and great at her job! We are very proud and appreciative to have Megan as part of our City Corporation team! We wish her the very best this year, thank you Megan!
Congratulations to one of our Employees of the Year award recipients Holli Hall! Renae Taylor, Human Resources Director, says, “Holli is our Public Information Specialist who fosters positive community relations and works hard to put together employee and community events. Holli is always eager to take on new challenges. Her positive attitude and work ethic have made her an instrumental part of the City Corporation team. We are proud to present her with this award. Congratulations, Holli!”
Keith Gray is the Lead Projects Coordinator of the Engineering Department. He has excelled in every aspect of his 30-year career here at City Corporation from Water Treatment Plant Manager, Construction Department Manager, now to his current position as part of the Engineering Team. Keith Gray is a licensed Class IV Water Treatment Operator, Class IV Water Distribution Operator, Class IV Wastewater Treatment Operator, Class III Collections Systems Operator, Licensed Plumbing Inspector and award winner of Employee of the Year. Zayne Bryson, Engineering Director, says, “I couldn’t think of a more decorated and dependable employee. We are excited to see what the remainder of his tenure at City Corporation brings.” Steve Mallett, CEO, says, “Keith has worked in and added value to many areas within City Corporation and is always willing to help whatever department needs it. Keith’s knowledge and dependability is exceptional and we are lucky to have had him for 30 years at City Corporation!”
Congratulations to Benda Austin for her 15 years service and of the behind-the-scenes work she does is incredible! Taryn Childers, CFO, says, “Most jobs Brenda does go unnoticed by many, but they are very vital to the continued success of City Corporation. Without Brenda’s ongoing leadership in the Accounting Department, our company would be struggling to adhere to all the regulations and requirements we must meet. We are so proud to have Brenda on our team and we are looking forward to see what her future holds!”
Congratulations to Joey Hanna on 15 Years of Service! Joey is our Maintenance Manager. Steve Mallett, CEO, says, “He is a critical piece of the team here at City Corporation and there is no job he won’t tackle and even if he doesn’t know exactly how to solve the problem, he will figure it out! Joey is also a great person and is well respected by all not only for his work ethic but also for his moral ethics. Congratulations Joey! Thank you for all you do throughout the year!”
Congratulations to Tyler Baker for 15 Years of Service! Tyler is the Maintenance Coordinator here at City Corporation. Joey Hanna, Maintenance Manager, says, “We have a bright future when you have young man that loves their job like Tyler does. He is a maintenance go-to person and always ready for a challenge. He is more valuable than most people think. We can count on Tyler in every situation. Congratulations Tyler!”
Congratulations to Julio Roque on a decade of dedication with City Corporation! Your 10 years of hard work and commitment have set a standard for us all. During Julio’s 10 years here, he has learned most all aspects on the construction end and has evolved into a jack of all trades, from working on water leaks or sewer leaks, mains or services, to running the camera for locates. His maturity and commitment to our team has made a big difference and we are proud to have him as part of the team!
Tanner Yarbrough has been an instrumental part of the Engineering Department team for the first 5 years of his career at City Corporation. Zayne Bryson, Engineering Director, says, “He has assisted in the implementation of our Collection & Distribution Department, made a complete swap of our GIS maps over to the leading ESRI GIS software, and other countless software conversions and updates to keep all departments of City Corporation informed. He is a licensed Plumbing Inspector, NASSCO Certified, Class II Collection System Operator and nearing completion as part of the Class 38 of Regional Russellville Leadership Academy. We look forward to many more years of knowledge and growth from him.”
Congratulations to Leonard Whitt on his 5 Years of Service at City Corporation. He’s an integral part of our great crew at PCW as a Wastewater Operator. Leonard is the latest recipient of the Water Environment Federation William D. Hatfield Award at the 2024 AWEA Conference in Hot Springs. Leonard is always the first to volunteer when needed and takes pride in being asked to take on a task and seeing it to completion. He is always laser-focused on providing outstanding customer service, and our haulers greatly appreciate working with him. Looking forward to many more years ahead with Leonard!
Congratulations to Blake Baker for reaching the 5-year mark with City Corporation! Steve Reves, Construction Manager, says “His hard work and contributions have made our team stronger. Blake has never backed up from any task given to him. Whether it be in sewer up to his chest, or in very cold-water in subzero temps, with water blowing in his face he gets the job done. Great to have him on our team!”
Congratulations to Tom Sumners for his 5 Years of Service! Tom is one of two Senior Operators at the Water Treatment Plant. Tom came to City Corporation in March on 2018 after many years working as a manager in the food service industry. Tom’s knowledge in employee management and staffing has been a great asset to our staff. Tom holds a Level 4 Water Treatment license, a Level 4 Distribution license, and a Level 1 Wastewater Treatment license. Randy Bradley, WTP Manager, says, “Tom’s attention to details, constant search for new knowledge, and his passion for his job makes him a great guide for the plant tours that we hold each year.”
Congratulations to Bobby Green for 5 Years of Service with City Corporation! Bobby is our Field Service Supervisor. He is responsible for leadership in the Service Department and Coordination with our Customer Service Supervisor in the Business Office. Bobby has been employed with City Corporation since September 2018 where he began at the ConAgra Pretreatment under Kenny Lutz. Jeremy Myers says, “Bobby excels at problem solving and work ethic and is energetic and professional in everything he does. We are so glad to have Bobby on our team!”
Congratulations to Waylon Simmons for his 5 Years of Service! Waylon is our company Senior Purchasing Agent and has been instrumental in building out our purchasing department. Taryn Childers, CFO, says “We can’t wait to see how Waylon helps shape the direction of the company with his leadership in continuing to grow this vital area. He has done a great job over the years, and we are proud to have him here at City Corporation!”
Congratulations to Randy Defoor for his 5 Years of Service! Randy is a positive strength in this line of work. Tray Huddleston, C&D Manager, says “Randy’s attention to detail is key and sets the tone for precision over all department job duties. He is a huge foundation piece of the C&D Maintenance Department that is always striving to be improve and maintain the wastewater collection and water distribution system. Randy’s attitude, work ethic, customer and co-worker relations are outstanding at a minimum! C&D Maintenance could not produce its numbers without Randy’s high quality & quantity job performances.”
Congratulations to Megan Hatcher for her 5 Years of Service! Megan is the Water Lab Analyst at the Water Treatment Plant. She has a Level 4 Water Treatment license a Level 4 Distribution license, and a Level 1 Wastewater Treatment license. Randy Bradley, WTP Manager, says, “Megan is not only responsible for all the analysis on the distribution system, but also handles the daily lab duties that allow the operators to make necessary plant adjustments to meet Health Department requirements and ensure our plant continues to produce high quality drinking water. Thank you Megan for being part of our team!”
City Corporation is proud to introduce our new mobile Hydration Station Water Trailer to the River Valley Community. This mobile trailer, featuring six bottle filling stations holds 350 gallons of award-winning City Corporation drinking water chilled to a refreshing 40° F.
The trailer’s system installation was implemented and completed by our Maintenance Team under the leadership of Joey Hanna. The mobile Hydration Station made its debut on March 22nd, at the Downtown Russellville Food Truck Friday celebration marking the completion of the water and sewer infrastructure portion of the DIG Russellville Project.
The mobile Hydration Station is a fully equipped, self-contained unit that can travel throughout the community providing clean, purified drinking water to residents in need. This innovative solution aims to address emergency preparedness challenges as it is equipped to respond on site allowing accessibility to those without access to safe drinking water in the event of emergency.
For more information on how to request the Hydration Station for your upcoming event, please contact Holli Hall at hhall@citycorporation.com or at 479-968-2080.
Congratulations Leonard Whitt, our Wastewater Operator at PCW City Corporation, who was the recipient of the Water Environment Federation William D. Hatfield Award at the 2024 AWEA Conference in Hot Springs. This award is presented to a wastewater treatment plant individual selected by the Arkansas Water Environment Association in recognition of outstanding performance in works, operations, management, and advancement of knowledge in the field of water pollution control and professionalism. This award began in 1958 and Leonard is the 35th award winner in 66 years. Leonard joined City Corporation as an Operator in Training in 2018. Leonard is always the first to volunteer when needed and takes pride in being asked to take on a task and seeing it to completion. One of the great things about Leonard is his eye for detail. This has made him an excellent operator who is very attuned to his duties and responsibilities. Leonard is known as our “Eagle Eye” and has a knack for finding lost items that find their way into our plant operation systems. Leonard has found several lost rings over the years and has been able to reunite a few with their grateful owners. One of the most interesting finds has been an FBI badge! We had to contact the FBI offices in Washington, D.C. and go through several levels of security in order to return the badge to the correct office. Michael Hall, Pre-Treatment Coordinator, says “Leonard is an invaluable part of the wastewater team. He is our go-to operator when coordinating with our nine local haulers that remove an average of 63 tons of our class A biosolids every week and take it to farmers around the county. Leonard is always laser-focused on providing outstanding customer service, and our haulers greatly appreciate working with him.”
Congratulations to Randy Bradley, our Water Operations Director at City Corporation, who was the recipient of the AWW & WEA Water Manager of the Year Award at the 2024 AWEA Conference in Hot Springs. Randy has served as the Recorder, Vice Chairman, and Chairman positions in the River Valley District of AWEA. He works to ensure the production of quality drinking water and plant operations for the City of Russellville and the surrounding area. Last year Randy was the recipient of the Mike Thomason Wastewater Manager of the Year Award and has maintained his licenses for 27 years. Randy and his wife, Denise, have been married for 41 years. They have two children and four grandchildren. Randy is retired with 37 years’-service from the Arkansas Air National Guard where he served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 188th Wing in Fort Smith. Randy and Denise attend Russellville First Assembly and serve the district as directors for Royal Rangers and Girls Ministries. Steve Mallett, CEO of City Corporation, says “Randy Bradley has been an integral part of the City Corporation team for almost 34 years and has served in many roles on his way to managing both the water and wastewater facilities. Randy has been a steady, dependable, and well-respected employee and leader for both his knowledge of the industry and unwavering moral and ethical values. His selection as Water Manager of the Year on the heels of last year’s Wastewater Manager of the Year are both well-deserved and a confirmation of his commitment to providing safe and reliable water and wastewater services to the River Valley.”
Congratulations to Tray Huddleston, our Collections & Distribution Manager, who was the recipient of the AWEA Collection System Award for 2024 conference in Hot Springs. The AWEA selects an individual that has demonstrated abilities that include outstanding performance in works, operations, management, and advancement of knowledge in the field of water and wastewater treatment. Tray manages the field investigation services in sanitary sewer systems, valve exercising, and maintenance of our system infrastructure. He also performs the collection of GIS data for our system updates for the Engineering Department. He has also been a crew leader for countless water and sewer main line service and repairs along with new installations during his career. Tray also volunteers his time in our community reaching out to students in our area by participating in the high school Skilled Trade Fairs which host over 1000 students. These opportunities give Tray the chance to connect with students so they know the kinds of careers they can pursue in the water and wastewater industry. Zayne Bryson, Engineering Director, remarks “Having an operator like Tray has been a blessing for the ten years I’ve been a part of the City Corporation Team. His dedication, talent, and hard work have truly paid off, inspiring us all to reach for greater heights. We are celebrating Tray’s remarkable achievement and his bright future ahead! Tray’s devotion towards the work he provides, and his positive attitude never disappoints.”
Best Tasting Water in Arkansas 2022!!!
The Arkansas Rural Water Association (ARWA) annual conference was held at the Hot Springs Convention Center on September 11-14, 2022. Our City Corporation Ambassadors, Larry & Judy Collins, collected and delivered our water for the Best Tasting Water in Arkansas competition. The water was kept cold, and then judged on quality, industry standards, and taste. City Corporation was voted the Best Tasting Water in Arkansas 2022! This is a two year running sweep for us and a total of five wins since entering this competition in our state! The next step is our water will be entered into the National Best Tasting Water competition which will be at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. in February 2023. The ARWA CEO Dennis Sternberg says, “Because of the quality of this water, Arkansas has a good chance at the national taste test in Washington, D.C.” City Corporation serves water to not just Russellville residents but to our local region through our partnership with Tri County. Steve Mallett, CEO City Corporation says “We are once again very excited to have been selected as the state’s best tasting drinking water at the Arkansas Rural Water Association annual conference. We value our long-standing partnership with Tri-County water which allows us to qualify for this contest through our wholesale customer agreement. We also appreciate the continued support of our customers and the mayor and city council that allow us to serve our great community at an award-winning level!” John Choate, CEO Tri County: “Tri County Regional Water would like to congratulate City Corporation on their achievement of producing the best water in the state of Arkansas. Having the best water in the state to distribute to Tri County customers is a major win for our entire community in the city and county.”
City Corporation Inspections: This is a notice to residents in the Basin 24 area of Central Russellville. City Corporation is conducting a smoke testing survey to assist our inspection crews in locating breaks and defects in our sewer system. The smoke is a non-toxic, non-staining, odorless smoke, white in color, and creates no fire hazard. The inspection will be ongoing for 1-2 weeks as part of our continued maintenance to serve our community. The smoke should not enter your home unless there is defective plumbing or dried up drain traps. City Corporation will notify the property owner if any defects are identified on the property. If smoke is detected inside the home, please take note of the location and contact a licensed plumber. For any questions or concerns please contact us at 479-968-2105.
City Corporation Inspections: This is a notice to residents in the Basin 26 area of Skyline Mountain. City Corporation is conducting a smoke testing survey to assist our inspection crews in locating breaks and defects in our sewer system. The smoke is a non-toxic, non-staining, odorless smoke, white in color, and creates no fire hazard. The inspection will be ongoing for 1-2 weeks as part of our continued maintenance to serve our community. The smoke should not enter your home unless there is defective plumbing or dried up drain traps. City Corporation will notify the property owner if any defects are identified on the property. If smoke is detected inside the home, please take note of the location and contact a licensed plumber. For any questions or concerns please contact us at 479-968-2105.
Congratulations to Randy Cossey for being one of our three Employee of the Year award recipients! Randy is a Construction Supervisor at the Construction Department and helps to keep our construction crews on track and facilitate repairs. Randy is well respected and leads by example. We are very proud and appreciative to have Randy as part of our City Corporation team! We wish him the very best this year, thank you Randy!
Congratulations to Brenda Austin for being one of our three Employee of the Year award recipients! Brenda is our Senior Accountant at the Main Office and helps to keep us on track. Brenda has a heart of gold and is a hard worker. We are very proud and appreciative to have Brenda as part of our City Corporation team! We wish her the very best this year, thank you Brenda!
Congratulations to Megan Hatcher for being one of our three Employee of the Year award recipients! Megan is a Lab Analyst at the Water Treatment Plant ensuring that our drinking water is clean and safe. Megan is very kind hearted and great at her job! We are very proud and appreciative to have Megan as part of our City Corporation team! We wish her the very best this year, thank you Megan!
A big shout out to all our employees who took their time to work on and participate on our float for the Russellville Christmas Parade! The float was themed the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and was awarded the Grand Prize!
Boil Water Notice LIFTED: At 8:00 P.M. the Arkansas Department of Health released all areas affected by the November 27, 2021 “Boil Water Order” issued in the City Corporation service area.
The area of 4th Street to 7th Street between South Boston Avenue and South Erie Avenue was issued a “Boil Water Order” as a precautionary measure from the Arkansas Department of Health which is served by City Corporation in Russellville, located in Pope County, Arkansas.
This “Boil Water Order” was issued as a precautionary measure because of the possibility that contaminated water may have entered the distribution system as the result of temporary loss of water pressure due to a water main leak.
Bacteriological samples taken on Saturday, November 27, 2021 and were found safe for human consumption and the “Boil Water Order” is hereby lifted.
City Corporation would like to announce that we are launching a new mass notification system called RAVE Alert to keep our customers informed of any construction that might disrupt their service as well as any boil water orders in effect. For more information about this system or to add your name to the call list please go to https://www.citycorporation.com/rave-alert-system/ for more information on how to join.
UPDATE: Construction is complete and all customers should have a full return of services!—NOTICE: Monday, November 22, 2021, City Corporation Construction Department and Blackstone Construction will be performing the shutdown and abandonment of an old cast iron water main. City Corporation customers between West 4th Place and West 8th Street and South Glenwood Avenue & South Independence Avenue may be temporarily out of water service between the hours of 8:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. First State Bank and the 500 Building on South El Paso Avenue will also be included in this construction. We are taking all necessary measures to avoid a precautionary boil order. If required, residents will be notified via door hanger or automated message if a boil water order is issued.
City Corporation donated approximately 1000 reusable water bottles to the Russellville School District this morning. As part of the school’s COVID mitigation strategies, the school’s drinking water fountains are closed to students directly taking a drink from the fountain. Student’s are only allowed to refill a water bottle from the fountains. In order to help provide water for student’s that don’t have a reusable water bottle City Corporation decided to donate our race water bottles to serve this need in our community. These bottles are reusable, recyclable, and BPA-free!
We made the local news! City Corporation recently competed at the state level for best tasting water and we won! Now we get to take our water to the national competition in Washington D.C. in the spring. We are officially the Best Tasting Water in the State of Arkansas 2021! A huge shout out to our Water Treatment Plant team!
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Lead non issue for City Corp Customers article