Johnson Selected as Safety Committee Chair

Jacob Johnson, a utility worker with the city's public works department, was unanimously selected as the Safety Committee chair on Thursday, October 24. Utility Worker Mark Basargin was selected unanimously to serve as vice chair.

The city's Safety Committee is made up of all of its employees. Its purpose is to ensure that the city maintains a safe environment for its workers. This is done through open conversations regarding conditions, possible hazards and ways in which the safety of the city's operations can be enhanced and improved.

"An emphasis on safety has caused the city to have and maintain a good track record of being an injury-free workplace," City Recorder W. Scott Jorgensen said. "The citizens of Aurora benefit from this, as it leads to lower insurance rates and greater morale and productivity from city staff."

As a result of the city's practices and the ongoing efforts of its Safety Committee, the city was presented with a Gold Safety Award during the recent League of Oregon Cities conference in Bend. The award is for an injury frequency rate of zero in fiscal year 2018-19 with six full-time employees.