City of Watertown Spotlights Four Employees Maintaining Essential Services

Todd Kaasa, Airport Maintenance - Bradley Forman, Parks Maintenance Technician - Kasey Steiner, Laboratory Technician - Mitch Halling, Network Administrator

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The City of Watertown has continued its employee recognition initiative. This #WatertownWorks series aims to highlight the individuals responsible for maintaining the community's core services. This week, the spotlight features four employees working in areas from transportation infrastructure to technology.

Todd Kaasa, who has served on the maintenance team at the Watertown Regional Airport for over five and a half years, is recognized for his work caring for vehicles, repairing equipment, and maintaining the airfield. His key contributions include repainting runway lines and ensuring the proper function of equipment and electrical systems. Outside of his role, Mr. Kaasa enjoys racing and would select the ability to stop time as his superpower, due to how quickly time passes.

In the Park and Recreation Department, Bradley Forman, a Parks Maintenance Technician, was featured. Since joining the City a year and a half ago, Mr. Forman has handled essential, hands-on tasks, including mosquito spraying, equipment maintenance, park cleanup, and general repairs. He stated that the variety of his work is what he enjoys most about the job. In his free time, Mr. Forman enjoys golfing and riding motorcycles.

The City's wastewater operations are represented by Kasey Steiner, a Laboratory Technician who started in July 2023. Ms. Steiner is responsible for collecting and analyzing samples at different stages of the treatment process to ensure system efficiency and compliance with regulations. She noted that she is proud of building her skills as a lab technician outside of a healthcare setting and appreciates that her role provides constant learning opportunities. Originally from Michigan, Ms. Steiner enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. Her preferred superpower would be teleportation, allowing her to easily visit loved ones and explore new places.

Finally, Mitch Halling is recognized for his role as Network Administrator in the Information Technology Department. After beginning as an intern in 2019, Mr. Halling returned full-time in 2021. His duties involve designing and maintaining the City's computer network infrastructure, providing help desk support, and managing the audio/visual systems for public meetings. Mr. Halling stated that he values the opportunity to give back to the community in which he grew up through public sector work. He also contributes to the next generation of professionals by teaching cybersecurity at Lake Area Technical College (LATC). Like Ms. Steiner, his preferred superpower is teleportation, which he would use for quick travel to a beach destination.

The City concluded the spotlight by noting that the employees featured highlight the breadth of work involved in keeping Watertown's daily operations functional.