The city council in Temple, Texas, voted unanimously in late May to approve a 5-year contract renewal with CH2M HILL OMI for O&M services – a vote that came 4 months early – extending our partnership to 2014.

“The early non-compete renewal for team Temple is another example of great leadership and continued hard work,” says CH2M HILL OMI Regional Business Manager Oswaldo Garza. “The strategy behind our success was building a strong client relationship and proving ourselves to a public works director who was against contract operations.  Project Manager Chris Parker, along with the entire Temple team, gained the director’s support and transformed his thinking only to hear him say that any other company would have to outdo what we do best, and that’s ‘great work.’”

“Our employees in Temple do an outstanding job,” says CH2M HILL OMI Director of Regional Operations Kirby Chaney. “Chris is a leader in many areas, especially safety.”

In fact, Temple employees recently earned five safety awards from the National Safety Council: the Perfect Record Award, the Certificate of Merit Award, the Safety Leadership Award, the Occupational Excellence Achievement Award, and the company’s first-ever Fleet Perfect Record Award for no vehicle accidents. In the history of the project, the Temple team has never had a lost-time injury accident. Employee longevity has contributed to the safety accomplishments of the Temple team.

“Our success is due to the values we took to heart early on. Employees Carrie Weir, John Petru and I have been here since the beginning, and we instill those values with other staff members who have come and gone through the years,” says Chris.

Temple, located in central Texas, began its partnership with CH2M HILL OMI in 1994. The city’s wastewater facility serves nearly 55,000 citizens. In addition to operating and maintaining the wastewater facility, a team of six associates operates 28 lift stations and administers the industrial pretreatment program.