Mission Viejo's Employee of the Year Does Little Things that Save Big Bucks

He’s known as a proactive, hardworking and efficient team player. He’s a reliable guy who – no matter how busy – will drop what he is doing to help a resident or co-worker in need. On Wednesday, Chris Covellone also became known as Mission Viejo’s Employee of the Year.

Surrounded by co-workers, elected officials and friends, Chris was named the city’s top 2014 employee during Mission Viejo’s annual holiday luncheon.

Nominated for the award by multiple co-workers, Covellone has been working as a Senior Public Services Contract Administrator for the past 6 1⁄2 years. In that role, he is responsible for contract administration and monitoring city contractors to ensure quality performance standards are achieved with HVAC, electrical repairs and retrofits.

He provides daily inspection and maintenance service repairs to city equipment and infrastructure and conducts project research, among many other duties. He also helps the City with regular special event set-ups and event preparations.

Covellone always goes the extra mile and will often perform electrical repairs himself rather than outsourcing those duties. By taking the initiative, Covellone has saved the city thousands of dollars. In fact, in the last three years, he has saved the City $27,630 in contractor expenses by removing and installing more than 307 lighting ballasts within numerous city buildings. He has cut nearly $15,000 more in contractor expenses at City Hall and the library by replacing faulty hot-water heating valves and plumbing and electrical connections. Since he began his Mission Viejo post, Covellone has saved the city’s General Fund about $192,630.

“Chris performs all of his duties expeditiously and with enthusiasm as his fellow co- workers do as well, but Chris is the first that has taken the next big step forward in our group to initiate and document these cost-saving repairs versus the sole use of contracted resources,” said his supervisor Dan Sullivan.

City Manager Dennis Wilberg praised Covellone for his tireless efforts on behalf of the city.

“There is always one person who rises to the top, and the selection committee always makes the right decisions in the people they select for Employee of the Year, and they did so again this year by selecting Chris,” he said.

• Submitted by the City of Mission Viejo