D S S P R E S S R E L E A S E
For Immediate Release:
May 27, 2008
Contact: Sara Anderson
(573) 526-0407
DSS Names Leslie Riney May Employee of the Month
JEFFERSON CITY —The Department of Social Services (DSS) has named Leslie Riney employee of the month for May 2008. Leslie is a County Manager for the Family Support Division (FSD) in Nodaway and Worth Counties.
Leslie was nominated for the recognition of DSS Employee of the Month for her work during the ice storm in December 2007. Nodaway and Worth counties were among the worst hit by the storm and thousands of people in the two counties were without power. Over the course of six days, with two overnights, Leslie, along with her staff, established emergency shelters in both counties. She not only established a general population shelter in these two counties but she also integrated a special needs shelter into a shelter in Maryville. Leslie coordinated medical and transportation resources with three different National Guard Units. She was able to make arrangements with local nursing homes and the county hospital to care for indigent, disabled persons in the community. And until The American Red Cross (ARC) was able to arrive, Leslie made arrangements for food to be provided for individuals in the shelters.
DSS is the coordinating agency for providing mass care in the wake of an emergency. FSD County Managers play a pivotal role in this designation by working with private agencies such as the ARC and The Salvation Army to set up and staff shelters when people cannot safely remain in their homes. In many counties of the state where the ARC and The Salvation Army are not stationed, County Managers must assist in opening and staffing shelters until support can arrive.
"During an emergency such as the ice storms last December we place a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of our employees, especially our County Managers," said FSD Director Janel Luck. "The work Leslie and her staff did during this disaster to help hundreds of people in the Maryville area is astounding. Coupled with the fact that they were able to maintain their daily duties at the office is a true sign of dedication to their community. I can't say enough about the gratitude I have for Leslie and I hope community members recognize how lucky they are to have Leslie and others like her there when disaster strikes."
Leslie has been employed with FSD for more than 18 years. She began her career with DSS as a caseworker in Buchanan County. She later transferred to Cole County before returning to Nodaway County. She was later promoted to County Manager and currently has supervision over Nodaway and Worth Counties.
The commitment and dedication Leslie demonstrated during the December storms is the reason she is being honored as the May Employee of the Month.
