For Immediate Release:  February 18, 2022

Frank Stratton, Executive Director
800-285-5461 | fstratton@sdao.com

Special Districts Association of Oregon (SDAO) Honors Special Districts and Individuals
Three Oregon special districts and five individuals were recognized on Saturday, February 12th at the 2022 SDAO Annual Conference which was held virtually. Each year, the SDAO Awards Program honors member districts for accomplishments which allow them to provide better service to the public and gives recognition to individuals who have greatly contributed to the success of their special district.

Nominations were collected throughout the year and reviewed by the SDAO Awards Committee, and the winners were selected using a scoring matrix. The 2022 award categories and recipients include:

Outstanding Special District Program Award
Special districts are recognized for innovative projects and programs, outstanding safety, public information, public involvement in a district decision-making process, and outstanding achievement.

• 5 or Fewer Employees: Mist-Birkenfeld RFPD
• 6-25 Employees:  Rainbow Water District
• 26 or More Employees:  Lebanon Fire District

Howard Terpenning Lifetime Achievement Award
This award is presented to an individual who has shown an outstanding commitment to Oregon special districts and to SDAO. 

• Retired Fire Chief George Dunkel

Outstanding Special District Service Award
This category recognizes an individual board member, manager, staff member, or volunteer who has contributed substantially to the improvement and successful operation of his or her district.

• Board Member:  Trudi Sthen, Ophir RFPD
• Manager:  Fred Schatz, Crystal Springs Water District
• Employee:  Donn Bunyard, Clackamas River Water
• Volunteer:  Thomas Maddock, McKenzie Fire & Rescue

The spring issue of the SDAO News and Risk Management Review will cover each award recipient and their achievements in greater detail. Videos of each award recipient are available at www.sdao.com/sdao-awards-program.

Special Districts Association of Oregon represents over 920 special districts in the state of Oregon assisting them in providing cost-effective and efficient public services to the people of Oregon. For more information, please visit www.sdao.com.

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