North Bend receives Well City Award for health practices
April 23, 2008
By Ed Farrell
The city of North Bend will join 27 other communities throughout the state to receive a Well City Award from the Association of Washington Cities.
“What it means is the city, staff and administration are promoting wellness and good health among employees,” said Mayor Ken Hearing. “We’re assisting them in staying healthy.”
City Clerk Cheryl Proffitt said the award “recognizes we’ve achieved a standard of excellence in employee health promotion,” and receipt of the award “encourages continued commitment.”
Well City Award winners become eligible for a number of benefits, Proffitt said, including matching grants from the AWC.
“It’s a pretty special award,” she said.
Proffitt said the city implemented its employee wellness plan in the early 1990s, with the plan’s goals being to enhance employees’ quality of life and their use of health care services.
Among the benefits, she said, are reductions in employee health care costs over the long run.
“A healthy workplace and healthy employees is good for everyone,” Proffitt said.
Among the activities the city promotes are a Fruit of the Day activity, which focuses on healthy work time snacks, and an Employee of the Quarter program, which recognizes a city employee that embodies the goals of the program.
Public Works Director Ron Garrow is the most recent winner, and received a $50 gift certificate.
“The program encourages all employees to demonstrate performance excellence, increase morale and to recognize an employee’s exemplary work performance, achievement, and service to fellow employees and citizens,” Proffitt wrote in the city’s application for the award.
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