City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison presented Recreation Coordinator Tracy Habiger with the January City Manager Leadership Award at the monthly Meet and Greet on Thursday Jan. 23.

“When her team found out she was selected as this month’s City Manager Leadership Award recipient, they were not surprised,” Farrell Harrison said. “Tracy is one of the leaders in the department, and a role model for many of her peers. Her work ethic, dedication, and commitment to excellence are what make her such a great colleague.”

When the Parks & Community Services Department became responsible for animal services in 2017, Habiger paved the way to establish procedures within the department and developed a strong rapport with contractors to create the new Animal Services Division.

Her efforts in the transition were instrumental to develop and foster a positive working relationship with both the Animal Shelter Operator, Newport Center Animal Hospital, and the Adoption Center: The Orphanage (Priceless Pets Rescue).

Additionally, Habiger is the staff liaison for the Animal Services Committee. The committee, under her direct oversight and leadership, has accomplished nearly all of its goals in less than 18 months of existence, which is a remarkable effort given the novelty of the overall division in the City of Costa Mesa.

Recently, she helped fill a new vacancy at the Balearic Community Center, which houses all of the City’s youth programs and took on the additional responsibility of supervising a program that’s responsible for more than 1,200 school-aged children.

Her skillset and success at managing multiple projects simultaneously has been evident in her ability to take on new challenges and successfully ensure smooth program operations without any drop in the level of service, despite a significant increase in her volume of work and overall responsibility.

Habiger arrived at Costa Mesa in 2006 as a Recreation Leader II and was quickly promoted to a Recreation Leader IV, then to Recreation Specialist and finally as Recreation Coordinator in 2015.

In addition to honoring Habiger, Farrell Harrison recognized several new City employees and newly promoted employees.

She introduced Susan Price, the new Assistant City Manager, Irene Rosendale is the new Permit Processing Specialist working in the Development Services Department and

Cinthia Contreras and Giselle Gayosso the two new Community Services Leader II working in the ROCKS program.

She congratulated Stacy Bennett who was recently promoted to Deputy City Clerk and

Victoria Castillo who has been promoted to Sr. Community Services Leader assigned to the ROCKS program.