City of Rome Parking Enforcement Officer, Rick Waters was named Parking Staff Member of the Year at the Parking Association of Georgia Conference

Photo: Becky Smyth, parking services manager; Rick Waters, parking enforcement manager; and Don Walter, president of  parking association of Georgia.

Media release: City of Rome Parking Enforcement Officer, Rick Waters was named Parking Staff Member of the Year at the Parking Association of Georgia Conference held in Young Harris, Georgia last week. He was nominated for this award by his supervisor Mrs. Becky Smyth Parking Services Manager and she stated "As for customer service, Rick goes the extra mile to be a downtown ambassador.  Whether it's a flat tire, dead battery, or simply locked keys in a car; he is there to assist.  Rick exceeds expectations with enforcement and services.  His approach to enforcement is to follow the ordinance consistently and fairly. I was proud to nominate him and was thrilled he received this recognition."  

Other downtown businesses wrote letters of praise for Mr. Waters and the job he is doing for parking services. Mrs. Susan Gay, of Gingers Dollings, wrote "Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate Rick for going out of his way to help.  I know he has a tough job and deals with unhappy people, but I hope he knows that folks like me think he is a great asset to our safety!"

Joyce Greene Manning, of Greene's Jewelers, wrote of Mr. Waters "As a business owner in downtown Rome, I would like to commend Mr. Rick Waters on the exemplary way that he approaches his profession. Being in parking enforcement is a difficult task in and of itself.  The way that infractions are handled has an impact on the way our downtown is perceived.  Mr. Waters realizes this and strives to conduct his actions in a manner that will produce a positive outcome."

Mr. Waters has acquired certifications in Safety Coordinator I, II, & III, First Aid, and CPR during his five year employment with the city and is currently working to be a CPR instructor. Ricks motto, "Good deeds travel a lot slower than bad, so you have to double up on the good".