Continuing the observance of National Public Works Week (NPWW), today Knox County wants to highlight the Fleet Service Center and outstanding employee Kaye Heatherly.
"By maintaining county vehicles efficiently, we're able to save taxpayer money," said Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. "The Fleet Service Department works hard to keep maintenance costs low and keep our vehicles on the road longer."
Kaye Heatherly celebrated her 31st anniversary as a Knox County employee on May 18. She began her tenure as a part-time employee writing job descriptions in the Purchasing and Personnel Department and working briefly on risk management issues in the once-titled OSHA Department. In 1982, Heatherly transitioned over to the Highway Department and was eventually promoted to her job as Fleet Administrator in 1988.
In her spare time, Heatherly enjoys participating in church activities and fundraising for the Knoxville Elks Lodge, specifically the Annual Poker Run to benefit Ben Atchley State Veteran’s Home and a Christmas party that raises money for the East Tennessee Children's Hospital Rehabilitation Center.
Along with managing accounting functions and financials for the Fleet Service division, Heatherly runs fleet maintenance and inventory control reports, updates maintenance vehicle database files, issues vehicle tab and employee fuel key numbers, administers the county’s gas management system and coordinates the transfer of vehicles.
"I am an integral part of the service center, but ultimately we are all a team," said Heatherly. "We are a great operation that is very efficient, and these guys are the ones that make it work."
The Fleet Service Center maintains a fleet of more than 1,500 on-road and off-road vehicles, ranging from lawn mowers and dump trucks to sheriff patrol cars, and is able to keep 97 percent of the entire Knox County fleet operating and ready for use at all times. Since 1997, Heatherly reports almost 100,000 repairs have been logged in her database. In most cases, the Fleet Service Center is able to have work completed within 24 hours of a vehicle or piece of equipment arriving for maintenance or repair.
Fleet Services has been recognized by several outside organizations for its outstanding quality of service, efficient repair turnaround and professional staff. Government Fleets named the Knox County Fleet Service Center one of the '100 Best Fleets' in the nation for 2011. In addition to this recognition, the shop recently received its 3rd Automotive Service Excellence Blue Seal award from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
For all the men and women who work diligently to maintain county vehicles, manage equipment inventory control and all the other countless aspects of public works, Knox County thanks you.
More information on National Public Works Week can be found at www.apwa.net/discover/National-Public-Works-Week
Knox County Celebrates National Public Works Week
