Dana Spruill and Gayle Melvin - Employee of the Quarter Team 2006

Dana and Gayle are recognized for their exceptional team efforts in supporting the Governor’s Magistrate Screening Committee from April 2005 until June 2006. During this period, they were responsible for carrying out all phases of this very unique appointment process to enable the Committee to obtain a qualified pool of candidates from which Governor Minner would recommend Justice of the Peace appointments.

The division was asked to conduct a wide search to increase the candidate pool. This was successfully accomplished through revising recruitment announcements, website materials and disseminating recruitment materials to a wide array of individuals, agencies and the media. As a result, 400 applicants, twice the number of candidates from the 2000 screening, applied.

Dana and Gayle responded exceptionally to this overwhelming response by arranging for an additional test site, coordinating with the test provider for additional examination materials, identifying co-workers to help in the administration and proctoring of the examination and organizing the scheduling of 400 candidates to test all on the same day. All in all, the test administration went smoothly and many applicants stated how impressed they were with the exam administration given the large number of candidates. The final two phases of the process included selecting the candidates that would advance to the interview process and coordinating the interviews over six separate dates in each county.

Their individual contributions and team effort was excellent given the magnitude of the work involved and the coordination with many individuals, i.e. 400 candidates, seven members of the Magistrate Screening Committee, the Governor’s Office, State Bureau of Investigation, Chief Magistrate of the Courts, the Director’s Office, media, legislators, testing provider and Delaware State University. It is notable that they provided these efforts while undergoing several renewals, legislative initiatives and staff vacancies.