Chapel Hill's longest-serving current employee receives service award

The Town of Chapel Hill’s longest-serving current employee, Richard Terrell, was honored with the Cal Horton Service Award in a ceremony on Oct. 4.

The award was founded in 2007 per the wishes of former Town Manager Horton. Along with the recognition, honorees receive a cash prize. The funds are supplied by the Foundation for a Sustainable Community, Inc., under the management of the Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro. 

“That award is intended to go to the Town of Chapel Hill employee who most embodied each year the values of our organization — respect and integrity and service to the community,” Chapel Hill Town Manager Chris Blue said.

Terrell is currently the assistant director of public works for Chapel Hill. He’s been with the Town for 47 years.

“Richard is unique because of his long record of service,” Blue said. “I don’t know that many local governments or many local organizations of any kind can expect to have a 47-year employee come along very often.” 

This year, there were 15 nominees for the award. The recipient is chosen based on service, longevity, contributions to the Town, cooperation with teammates and more, Blue said.

Nominees must meet several criteria to qualify for the award, including having been a Town employee for more than 10 years, routinely going above and beyond job expectations and being a mentor to coworkers, especially new employees.

“I’m deeply honored to receive this award named after [Horton],” Terrell said in an email. “I’ve been fortunate to work with so many talented, hardworking and dedicated employees.”

Horton was in attendance at the ceremony, which Terrell said was special to him — they worked together closely when Horton was still town manager.

Blue said there are few issues Terrell doesn’t know how to tackle, and he said Terrell's institutional memory and knowledge of the Town's operations is unparalleled. 

“It’s a comfort to have him at the table when you’re trying to solve a community problem,” Blue, who has worked for the Town for 26 years, said.

Terrell was nominated for the award by his colleague Lance Norris, the Town’s public works director, who has worked with Terrell for 22 years. The Public Works department handles infrastructure issues like sidewalk maintenance, leaf and waste collection, drainage problems and other support within the Town’s facilities.

Norris said in an email that Terrell is detail-oriented and aware of the responsibility that comes with his work. He said Terrell prioritizes resident experiences with road and pedestrian safety and is quick to point out flaws in town infrastructure.

“The exceptional service that Richard Terrell had provided and continues to provide to the Chapel Hill community and the Town is something to be commended and celebrated,” Norris said in the email. “He is an irreplaceable Town employee, a valued colleague and friend to all, and is highly deserving of this recognition.”

“I’m looking forward to keeping him around for another 47 years,” Blue said.

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