LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday evening the Lakeport City Council presented proclamations to the city's retiring fire chief and longtime police records supervisor in honor of their service to the city and community at large.
Ken Wells, who is retiring after serving as fire chief since 2007, and records supervisor Ellen Dills were given the public show of thanks by Lakeport Mayor Kenny Parlet.
Wells, who grew up in Lake County, has spent 44 years in the fire service.
He's been a volunteer firefighter, became a paramedic in 1980, worked for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection – now Cal Fire – as well as fire districts in Clearlake Oaks and Lucerne, was an EMT instructor for Mendocino College, and was a Kelseyville Fire Protection District captain and field training officer before taking over as Lakeport Fire's chief on Jan. 8, 2007.
The council's proclamation honored Wells for his numerous contributions to the Lakeport Fire
Protection District during his years as chief.
He's been president of the Fire Chief’s Association, vice president of the successor agency board, changed ambulance billing companies which generated more revenue for the district, and pursued grants and additional funding sources for the district.
Wells, wearing not his old uniform but the new one for retirement – a Hawaiian shirt – received a standing ovation.
While he said he's not much of a speech giver, Wells, paused to note the many local changes he's seen during his career, thanked the city, and said it has been wonderful working with city staff.
“I'm going to miss you guys,” Wells said.
Parlet next presented a proclamation in honor of Dills, who began her career with the Lakeport Police Department on June 1, 1980, as a parking enforcement officer. On Jan. 1, 1985, she was promoted to records supervisor, a job she has held ever since.
During her tenure, Dills has worked with four police chiefs, seen numerous policy changes and received many commendations for her performance, which in one case resulted in her preventing a suicide when a man called in who wanted to kill himself.
“Due to her calm demeanor, gift for speaking and compassion, she stalled the subject until law enforcement could arrive,” the proclamation read.
Dills’ job has included some of the police department's most critical functions, including dealing with the integrity and security of police records, handling all records and audits of the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, or CLETS, and Criminal Offender Record Information, or CORI, through the California Department of Justice.
She also has been responsible for reviewing, approving and submitting reports for filing to the District Attorney's Office; has properly handled the agency's Public Records Act requests in order to protect the city against liability; and overseen the parking enforcement and warrants division.
Over the years Dills has been commended by the Department of Justice regarding her outstanding CLETS and CORI audits and has a records supervisor certificate from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
When she was named 2003's employee of the year, then-Police Chief Tom Engstrom said in a report to the council, “Her years of experience with the police department are invaluable; we would be lost without her. I can’t begin to count how many crimes have been solved because Ellen has the ability to read a report and think that sounds like something so and so would do.”
The proclamation also noted, “Ellen never failed to do an outstanding job in any of the duties she performed.”
She was praised for being a friend and mentor to current and former Lakeport Police employees, and for her kindness, as she's often known to bake a pie or a cake for every member of the department on his or her birthday.
Dills has even filled in as a last-minute babysitter when staff couldn't find child care, welcoming in the children with the stash of coloring books and crayons she kept on hand just for that purpose.
Police Chief Brad Rasmussen joined with Parlet in thanking Dills for her work and wishing her a happy retirement.
In other news on Tuesday, Rasmussen took to the council plans for the city's second annual National Night Out event, to be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
The council approved staff's proposal to host the event at the Natural High School property on N. Main Street.
Parlet thanked staff for a thorough report, noting that each of the proposed locations had been carefully considered, mapped and presented.
The council on Tuesday also opted to gather more information regarding a five-year contract with Mediacom for dedicated Internet access and a fiber agreement, at a cost of $1,034 per month before making a decision; and accepted a budget amendment of $34,500 for contract services to prep Parallel Drive for chip sealing.
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