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Mayo Praised For His ‘Care And Concern’ For Residents
One of the people most responsible for the success of Rockbridge County’s recycling program since its inception is stepping down after 31 years on the job.
John Mayo, among the first employees hired to work at the county’s first recycling center when it opened in 1993, was recognized by the Board of Supervisors July 22 with a resolution of appreciation for his service.
“John has been an integral part of the department; training new hires and helping to develop new policies and procedures,” said Daniel Miear, the county’s solid waste and recycling manager. “John has received numerous letters of commendation from citizens he has helped throughout his time with Rockbridge County. These letters all had one thing in common – John’s helpfulness and his cheerful demeanor.”
Mayo worked in the county’s first recycling center behind the former Peebles building in the College Square Shopping Center. Over the years, he worked at various centers as they opened around the county. He spent most of his years at the Fairfield Collection Center, then moved in 2014 to the Greenhouse Road Collection Center, where he worked the past 10 years.
A person who regularly brings her recyclables to the Greenhouse Road center, Joan Millon, said she “always appreciated his kindness, his generosity with his labor.” When she was hampered by medical issues, “he always helped me,” she said. “He does amazing work. I’m really going to miss him.”
“One thing that I have noticed about John is that he has a genuine care for the citizens that utilize the Greenhouse Road Collection Center,” said Miear. “The care and concern that he has for the residents of the county can’t be taught in a training class; it speaks volumes to the kind of person John is. I hope that John can look back over his years within the department and feel proud of the positive influence he has left.”
Supervisors chair Leslie Ayers commented that Mayo has been helpful in assisting her with sorting her recyclables whenever she brought them out to the recycling center. Spencer Suter said Mayo was one of the first people he met when he first moved to the county in the 1990s, and that he was glad to see Mayo was still working for the county when, a few years later, Suter was hired as county administrator.
The resolution adopted by the supervisors, read by Jay Lewis, states that Mayo “consistently provided excellent service to the citizens of Rockbridge County … he was an integral part of opening the first recycling site … he used his knowledge to provide training to others … ” Miear said everyone within the solid waste and recycling department wishes “John a happy retirement. Thank you for your 31 years of excellent service.”
