Last night was the City’s first-ever STAR Awards celebration.  STAR, an acronym for Special Thanks and Recognition, was developed to recognize the many citizen volunteers who support our Senior Services Department, and to also recognize the great work of our Police and Fire Departments.  Two hundred forty guests filled the Noah’s Event Venue here in Auburn Hills. 

For years, these three groups celebrated their successes at three different events.  This year, the City decided to combine these events into one with the idea that having citizen volunteers and a number of employees together celebrating each other’s achievements would be a worthwhile endeavor.  It certainly appears to have been a success.  The venue itself was excellent and provided some very nice accommodations.  Food provided by Crank’s Catering was exceptional.  And finally, the recognition given to our many volunteers and employees for the commitment they have made to this incredible Auburn Hills community, was delivered by department leadership with sincerity and appreciation.  Watching it all unfold is a great source of pride for me as City Manager.  Everyone that was recognized last night plays an important role in what makes a City a “community”.  I was particularly impressed by some of the more recent hires we have made.  I have been around for fifteen years, and in the last two or three years, we have experienced a flurry of retirements which means we have a number of newer employees.  Our newest members of the staff are poised to have long and successful careers with the City.  Of course I know I’m getting older because Police Officers and Firefighters who are in their 20’s now look soooooo very young to me.  But their maturity, enthusiasm and commitment to their respective professions prove to me that we made some very good decisions when we selected them.  

Congratulations to everyone last night who was recognized at this event.  And to everyone who attended, whether an award recipient or not, THANK YOU for all that you do day in and day out to make Auburn Hills the very special place it has grown to become.

Tom Tanghe, City Manager