You may not know his name, but you definitely know his work. Southlake is known for its well-kept streets and properly maintained parks, so it's no surprise that one of the city's most loyal employees received recognition for his efforts. The Texas Recreation and Park Society (TRAPS) awarded the city's parks manager Mike Reasoner “Parks Professional of the Year” for his dedication to his role, team and community at their awards luncheon in November. He was awarded this honor based on assistant city manager Ben Thatcher's nomination for his time spent making our town the beauty it is today. Reasoner's commitment to building up the city deserves to be noticed.
I HAVE BEEN WITH THE CITY… for 15 years this coming January. I started out with the department by taking a position as parks supervisor. Our team has grown so much over the years. We had about eight people to start out with and now we're at 28 people with three park supervisors. My day-to-day tasks involve going around and maintaining the parks, helping out the staff, driving around and covering the town and managing over the team with the supervisors. And as we grow, we keep getting better at what we do.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT … oversees maintenance and beautification of the Southlake parks system including neighborhood parks and community parks with fields for baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse and flag football. The department also maintains landscape, irrigation, and mowing throughout the city including Town Square Parks, medians and right of ways. We also oversee various special projects throughout the year that help to improve the parks system and Southlake environment.
PARKS ARE IMPORTANT… on many levels. Residents have a place to come outside to reconnect and enjoy everything from walking trails to playgrounds. In addition, sports complexes draw teams from all over the nation that support the city economically.
I THINK THE PARKS IN SOUTHLAKE STAND OUT BECAUSE …they are well maintained and our department takes pride in keeping them up to a high standard. Also, Southlake strives to add and enhance the parks to accommodate all citizens' needs.
WHEN I WON THE AWARD, I WAS… very surprised. It was something I was not expecting. I'm honored to accept the award on behalf of the Parks Department and to all the great staff that made it possible. They deserve all the credit for what we are able to do as a department.
IT IS VERY REWARDING TO… serve with these passionate people and to help accomplish the best for them and the city. We work alongside individuals, groups and associations that together want the best for the community. All the different groups we work with are really passionate about what they do, so it makes it easier to continue working hard day after day. They make it easy to continue serving the city.
I STAY MOTIVATED BY… looking around and seeing the results. You can drive around town and see the impact we've made and see what's been done. After you see everything we've been able to do, it's rewarding. I enjoy the process of working with staff to prioritize and solve complex issues. We have our routine schedules and responsibilities, but new challenges come up every day.
MY TEAM… is the one that does it all. They take a lot of pride in what they do. And it's that pride that makes everything look as good as it does. They are the ones out there doing the hard work that makes the difference at the end of the day. This is their award as much as mine.
THIS YEAR… we will be designing and installing a new playground/pavilion at the Bob Jones Park soccer complex. With the Bicentennial playground being the most popular for play and parties, this will offer a nice option on the north side of town.
WHEN I'M NOT WORKING, I ENJOY… cooking out, weekend getaways, vacations and spending time at RV resorts relaxing and enjoying life.