City Council takes time out for recognition
The Tehachapi City Council kicked off its March 20 meeting by taking time to recognize a city employee and three local businesses.
Police Technician Rae Budge was chosen as Dispatcher of the Year by Tehachapi Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12114, and the award was to have been given during an event in Bakersfield. Weather disrupted that event, and the award ceremony was moved to the council meeting, according to Key Budge, community engagement manager for the city.
VFW members and others presented certificates to Rae Budge.
Cmdr. Ed Keefe said the VFW believes in public service.
“We believe in police officers, firefighters and obviously, dispatchers,” he said. He noted that Rae Budge deserves recognition for work performance above and beyond expectations.
“She’s an exceptional individual with numerous skills and talents,” he said. “She possesses a great capacity to meet new challenges and has eagerly taken on multiple new assignments such as communications training officer, records clerk and property clerk. Throughout these different positions, her intelligence and enthusiasm have been a valuable asset to the department and to the community.”
Budge was nominated for the award by Karrie-Anne Ritchie, communications and records supervisor for the city.
Tehachapi Mayor Michael Davies also presented Budge with a certificate. And certificates were also presented to her on behalf of
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, State Sen. Shannon Grove, Assemblyman Vince Fong and Supervisor Zack Scrivner.
Laura Lynne Wyatt, a field representative for Scrivner who presented the certificate, said she was very excited when she learned of Budge’s award.
“I was a dispatcher for eight years,” Wyatt said. “I understand the job, I understand it is a difficult job, and many many times we’re behind the scenes, and we don’t get the recognition that is well deserved. (Dispatchers) save lives every day — just like everyone else that’s outside on patrol — and
they’re the lifeline, in many cases, to the community and the officers.”
BUSINESS RECOGNITION
Following that activity, the council recognized three local businesses.
Husband and wife Bill Lee and Virginia Sheridan own Kelcy’s Restaurant and Sheridan’s Boutique Home Consignment in downtown Tehachapi. They were present and received certificates from the mayor and other dignitaries.
Sheridan said they opened the antique and consignment business about 10 years ago and
were one of the first businesses in recent years to help push for a revitalization of downtown. It was first located just east of Kelcy’s Restaurant and later moved two doors west to its current location. Then, in 2019, they had an opportunity to reopen Kelcy’s Restaurant, a long-time mainstay of the downtown business district.
Wyatt, who presented certificates for the businesses on behalf of Scrivner, also offered a comment about Sheridan.
“She is truly a leader and pillar of this community,” Wyatt said. “I see her everywhere and she’s always at all the events downtown; she’s at the Chamber of Commerce
and the economic development council. So she really is all hands on deck, and we really, really appreciate her.”
Members of the council and mayor also congratulated the couple and thanked them for their investment in downtown.
Shield Pacific Insurance Agency, owned by Vanessa Villanueva, was also recognized by the council. Villanueva was unable to attend the meeting.