MADERA COUNTY — Twenty-eight County employees were honored on Tuesday for their more than 20 years of service to the citizens of Madera County.
Tuesday’s presentation marked the 25th annual presentation of Service Credit Awards. Each year’s awards are given to employees who achieve five-year milestones of twenty years or more of County service, and the Board of Supervisors gives special recognition through an awards ceremony.
Well known throughout the mountain area for his 25 years of service to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office is Sergeant James Bernardi, who was presented with his award by Sheriff Jay Varney.
“Jim was originally hired as reserve deputy so he did really start at the base of everything,” said Sheriff Varney. “He was then brought on full time as a patrol deputy.”
Sgt. Bernardi has worked for the Sheriff’s Office as a K9 handler, a member of the SWAT team, and a firearms instructor, a position which he still holds. He has served as a leader of the Search & Rescue Unit, and for a long time as supervisor of the Bass Lake Boat Patrol.
With the re-forming of the Sheriff’s K9 unit this year, Jim was assigned back to one of his first loves, and is currently the K9 Unit supervisor and day shift patrol sergeant in the mountains.
Another mountain area honoree was Lloyd Green, who has served 20 years in the Public Works Department.
Green began his career with the County on Feb. 1, 1996, as a Utility Worker 1 at the Bass Lake waste water treatment plant. In September of 1999, he transferred to the Oakhurst treatment plant and was promoted to Licensed Utility Worker 2.
In 2007, Green was promoted to supervisor of the Oakhurst shop. He has also supervised the Valley district shop and “knows all the wells and shops throughout the county very well,” said Brad Phillips, Deputy Public Works Director as he presented Green’s award.
“In his ‘spare time’ Lloyd is a little bit involved in Madera County,” said Phillips. “Some of the things he volunteers with include the Sheriff’s Office as a Citizen On Patrol, he is vice president of the Yosemite High School FFA Booster Club, is the parliamentarian of the Yosemite High Football Boosters, a committee member of the Coarsegold Rodeo Association, and is a parent volunteer with the Coarsegold 4H. So apparently we’re not keeping him busy enough!”
Commander Bill Ward also has roots in the mountain area, and was honored by Sheriff Varney for his 20 years of service.
Ward was originally hired as a deputy sheriff, and was promoted to Sergeant in 2002. In 2007, he earned the rank of Lieutenant, and was in charge of the detectives and coroner activities. He also served as commander of the SWAT team.
In 2016, Lt. Ward was promoted to Commander.
“I often say that Bill is the smartest person in our office,” said Varney. “He is usually the guy who gets things delegated to him, and he is one of my two right-hand guys.”
Congratulations to all the County employees honored for their service:
30 Years of Service
- Kenneth Tharp – Assessor’s Office
- Rita Rodriguez – Child Support
- John Fisher – Corrections
- Gerald King – Corrections
- Martin Duvall – Public Works Engineering
25 Years of Service
- Mark Taylor – Central Garage
- Rebecca Beavers – CED Planning
- David Naranjo – Corrections
- Beverly Borjas – Health
- Marshal Stone – Information Technology
- Richard Deorian – Probation
- Richard A. Hansen – Public Works Roads
- Cindy Chandler – Social Services
- James Bernardi – Sheriff
20 Years Of Service
- Iris Gonzales- Reynoso – Auditor-Controller
- Hilda Espinoza – Behavioral Health Services
- Pedro Martinez – Corrections
- Melissa Meras – Corrections
- Veronica Fuentes – Juvenile Hall
- Lisa Childers – Probation
- Sharon Sampaulesi – Probation
- Lloyd Green – Public Works Engineering
- Patrick Watson – Public Works Roads
- Valerie Breedlove – Sheriff
- Stephanie Clark – Sheriff
- Beronica Garza – Sheriff
- Luis Padgett – Sheriff
- William Ward – Sheriff
