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Congratulations to Linda Maestre, recipient of the City of Coral Gables “Communications Operator of the Quarter Award,” for the first quarter in 2019.
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Operator Linda Maestre has been with the City of Coral Gables since July 2000. Prior to this, she was a dispatcher for the City of Homestead. Operator Linda has over 20 years of experience, which benefit the center. She constantly assists her co-workers when handling stressful calls, relieves operators when needed and makes every effort possible when assisting the City's residents. Although Operator Linda Maestre is an excellent operator with ample knowledge, the reason I am nominating her is for her selflessness, motivational and teambuilding efforts in the Communications Center.
Around the middle of November, Operator Maestre inquired if I was going to coordinate a Christmas
luncheon for our shift. I replied that since she asked me about it, she now "owned" it and she could take the initiative and arrange the gathering. Not only did Operator Maestre send out an invitation to our entire shift, but she also she invited the entire Communications Center, TSO Lieutenant Reinoso, Data Management Sergeant Cramer and the Radio Shop personnel. She created a list of food items for people to sign up. In addition, Operator Maestre coordinated a White Elephant gift exchange with an Ugly Sweater theme. Operators from all three shifts came, including some operators who were on their days off.
Operator Maestre did not stop there, as soon as we had our Christmas luncheon, she sent another email, this time to Day Shift, asking to see who was interested in taking part of a Birthday Club, where every Day Shift employee would give $5 every month so that we, as a shift, can celebrate everybody's birthday. She immediately started receiving money for the birthday fund. Operator Maestre bought decorations with her own money in order to create a "birthday celebration wall." She also asked the January birthday employees the types of cakes they preferred so that she can bake them each a customized cake.
During the months of January, February and March 2019, Operator Linda has baked two personalized cakes for every person who had a birthday. She also decorated according to the person's taste and preferences. This has brightened our operators' daily life in the Center. In addition to the birthdays, Operator Linda further promoted camaraderie. She organized an MLK luncheon, a St. Valentine's Day brunch and a St. Patrick's Day luncheon. She created a sign-up sheet and made sure operators and supervisors participated.
Also, during this first quarter of 2019, a couple of operators experienced family deaths. Operator Maestre took the initiative to pick up sympathy cards and distribute them amongst the operators to ensure that even through sadness, those operators knew they were being supported and they were always thought of.
Being a supervisor, I know first-hand how hard is to motivate people. Trying to get employees to become engaged and invested in the center can be very trying and challenging. Operator Linda Maestre has been successful in getting her coworkers more involved. She has also been instrumental in increasing the morale in the center. After a recent surgery, Operator Maestre had to utilize a brace and crutches. Although limited, Operator Maestre did not stop. She constantly decorated the center for birthdays and the holidays and cooked for the luncheons. I strongly believe that we lead by example, and Operator Maestre has done just that. She has taught the new operators that we are a family. She has also reminded the veteran operators that despite working long hours and under stressful conditions, we can and should always do something to make our work lives happier and brighter.