Gail Franklin (Housing & Community Development)

Gail Franklin (Housing & Community Development) provides “excellent customer service!”

“Gail Franklin has been a tremendous help.  She is an amazing woman who is genuine and really looks after the well-being of her people, somebody who goes above and beyond to help others.  May God bless her and continue to give her all the health and happiness the world has to offer.”

San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital staff

From a client letter to the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital staff:

“Upon my admittance to EPU [Emergency Psychiatric Unit] on March 30, I was extremely intimidated with the fear of the unknown…I felt extremely alone and I thought nobody understood, better yet I felt nobody cared enough to help. Once I moved to the CRU [Client Recovery Unit] I felt a complete sense of calmness, and on my first day people were interested to know things about me and not my mental illness. Questions were proposed to me such as “What can we do for you to make you feel more comfortable?” It was all about me! For once people cared. If there were not a facility like this many people would not be here, including myself…Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"

Lisa Marquez and Paulina Bobenrieth (HHSA)

Lisa Marquez and Paulina Bobenrieth (HHSA) “have been a ray of light in our time of darkness.”

            “We are writing to express our most heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the job Lisa Marquez and Paulina Bobenrieth did in helping us find shelter.  We found ourselves homeless in January after I lost my job and fell behind in our rent.  My wife, Amber, was four months pregnant and we were sleeping in a local park.  It was a very discouraging situation, but with our persistent and diligent prayer, God led us to Lisa’s office, where we were introduced to Ms. Bobenrieth.  Together they were able to give us a second chance.  I have since found employment and am working toward getting us back on our feet.  We cannot thank Lisa and Paulina enough for all of the help they have given us.  They have shown us that there are some people left in our community that really do care and we will be eternally grateful for their service."

Tony Tapia (Probation)

Correctional Deputy Probation Officer Tony Tapia received a big thank you from a City of LaMesa employee: 

            "I just wanted to thank Tony for the awesome job that his Probation Crew did on Thursday April 14th. The crew had a really big and difficult area to clear and did everything we needed them to do and finished early! I appreciate their hard work."

Anna Guzman (Probation)

Supervising Probation Officer Anna Guzman was called “the best probation officer in the county, if not the country!” by a Judge.

            “This afternoon we had a very long, very intense hearing for a probationer.  SPO Anna Guzman’s name was mentioned several times by the parties in Court as being a resource the family can rely on for help with the defendant in the future given his mental challenges.  While on the Record, Judge Golstein told the parents that ’Anna Guzman is someone you should look to.  I say this in all honesty, she is the best probation officer in the county, if not the country.”



Curtis Butts (Probation)

Officer Curtis Butts (Work Projects) “starts each day on a positive note for all involved.”

            “You manage to achieve the goals of your job while maintaining a pleasant and respectful decorum with every participant, a task that is not always easy. Your polite and positive approach does not go unnoticed. Those that have worked with you all agree that you are the best work assignment available.  Thank you for your courteous, respectful treatment during my participation in the community service program.  It has been a pleasure to know you.”

Mike Anderson (Probation)

Deputy Probation Officer Mike Anderson and his drug dog Kilo were thanked following a presentation at a day treatment center.

          “Thanks again to the team for coming out to STEPS (Sexual Treatment Education and Prevention Services) last week.  Wow – the students were super involved and asked so many great questions! What a fantastic presentation! We appreciated all the time Mike and our friend Kilo, the dog, spent with the students. Thanks for all the support!”

Tim Viers, Jim Capewell, Roxanne Rodriguez and Larry Canicosa (Probation)

Officers Tim Viers, Jim Capewell, Roxanne Rodriguez and Larry Canicosa (Work Projects) do “Great work in the North!”

            “I would like to thank your crew here in the north county. I have worked with these people for years now and they take on any type of work that I give them and it is done with total satisfaction.  They take it as a challenge to get it completed.”

Officer Gabriel Tapia (Probation)

Officer Gabriel Tapia (Probation) received a letter of gratitude for his participation in one of our local school’s Law Enforcement Day.

            “I truly appreciate all that you do to serve our community and it was a treat for our students to learn firsthand about the job you do.  My hope is that our students will learn about some of the possibilities available to them in the community and realize the many choices they have to make a contribution with their lives.  Your willingness to partner with us in the education of our children towards this endeavor is greatly appreciated.”

Tammy Cervone (Animal Services)

Tammy Cervone (Animal Services) is “wonderful.”

            “I was on Gopher Canyon this morning and a little brown dog was in traffic and in real danger of getting hit.  I was able to catch his buddy, a big black lab, but I tried for an hour to catch the little brown guy. I called your number and an amazing animal control officer caught him.  She was so professional and did such an excellent job of getting the scared little dog.  She answered all my questions. I must say that I was very impressed and feel better knowing she is out there to protect our animals.  Thanks for the great service.”



Michelle Kout (Health and Human Services Agency)

Michelle Kout (HHSA, Self Sufficiency Eligibility) was thanked for all of her “unexpected kindness.”

            “Thank you for choosing to work our case.  I don’t know how or why you came to our aid, but we would have been lost without it.  We have a plan to reach financial independence – for now we are just weathering the storm.”



Traffic Engineering (Public Works)

Traffic Engineering (Public Works) received praise for their “extraordinarily quick response” in correcting a hazardous traffic situation.

            “They definitely heard our concerns about the safety of this intersection and have worked quickly to mitigate the dangerous conditions. Even before the Traffic Advisory Meeting last week, they had already installed three chevrons along the westbound curve and are now starting the process to add the larger warning sign.  What a fabulous group to work with!”



Julie Odlum, Barbara Canseco and Gail Straub (Housing and Community Development)

Julie Odlum, Barbara Canseco and Gail Straub (HCD) wowed another participant with the exceptional job that they did assisting with her relocation.

          “I have moved from New Mexico and I want to thank each and every member of the Housing Team who assisted in this process.  I was a client who always wanted to know what the next step was and if I was complying with the right things.  As busy as you all are, you took the time to respond to my questions and help me follow-up with all the requirements.  I am sure that it takes all of you to do this and you all certainly deserve credit for a job well done.  I hope that one day in the future I am strong enough physically and economically to turn in my voucher so that another client may benefit from it.”



Rosalinda Nalos (Housing and Community Development)

The Director of Housing and Community Development received a letter regarding the great customer service provided by one of his staff.

          “I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for my Housing and Section 8 Specialist Rosalinda Nalos.  She is an excellent worker, very compassionate and considerate as well.  She has gone above and beyond as a worker and a humanitarian.  She has helped me and my family a tremendous amount of times.  She is doing a great job!



Ruth-Ann Frisby (Health & Human Services)

Ruth-Ann Frisby (Health & Human Services) “showed more caring and compassion than anyone I’ve dealt with throughout this whole ordeal.”

          “I was recently a victim of violence and have been incapacitated for the last two months.  I came to the County in hopes of getting some sort of help. After a couple visits I was about to give up when God sent me an angel and I crossed paths with Mrs. Frisby.  I hope that more people could learn to care just a little more like she did, knowing that it can really make a difference.”