Three Monee staff members were recently recognized by the village board with the presentation of the semi-annual CREW Awards.
Caralyn Collins (Finance), John Jones (IT), and Elise Bednarczyk (Monee Police Department) are the recipients of the prestigious award, given for their outstanding work ethics and dedication to the village.
CREW is an acronym representing Credibility, Respect, Equality/Fellowship/Identity, and Work Commitment/Personal Performance. Nominees are chosen by village officials and staff members.
“The CREW Award,” Village Administrator Ruben Bautista explained, “was established to recognize members of our village team who consistently go ‘above and beyond, in their work performance, attitude, leadership, and care for their fellow employees.
“As Village Administrator, it is with great appreciation and gratitude that I share in the recognition of these outstanding individuals. This evening, we will be presenting words submitted by their supervisors and co-workers. Their words reflect the hard work, professionalism, team-first mindset, and genuine care the recipients have for the Monee residents, co-workers, the general public, and themselves.
“While we are proud to honor this group tonight, it is important to acknowledge that many of our employees demonstrate this same level of dedication every single day. Unfortunately, we can only recognize a select few at any given time.” he noted.
“Preserving the integrity of the CREW Award ensures it remains meaningful and continues to represent a true distinction, something earned, respected, and deeply appreciated.
On behalf of all CREW Award recipients – past and present, it is our great honor to share these words of recognition with the residents of Monee. Our staff’s commitment to serving this community is something we are very proud to highlight.”
Caralyn Collins – Finance
Trustee Chuck Rakis praised Caralyn Collin’s “outstanding contributions as a central member of the Finance team:
“Caralyn consistently manages Accounts Payable and Payroll, ensuring the village’s bills are paid promptly and every employee receives their pay on time. Her responsiveness, attention to detail, and commitment to the day-to-day financial workflow are truly exceptional.
“As the village has grown, Caralyn has become an essential asset to the Finance Department. I can confidently assign projects to her knowing she will take ownership and complete them efficiently. For example, during the recent tax rebate distribution, Caralyn stayed late to ensure all checks were printed accurately and delivered on schedule, preventing any delays for our residents. This dedication is not limited to a single occasion. Caralyn regularly goes above and beyond to ensure all tasks are completed, even if it means working extra hours.
“Payroll is a precise responsibility where even a minor error can impact every employee throughout the village. Having someone as detailed and reliable as Caralyn in this role has helped maintain employee well-being and team morale. I deeply value Caralyn’s dedication and the positive impact she has on our village.
“Thank you, Caralyn, for all you do,” he said. “Your ongoing commitment and professionalism make a significant difference every day.”
John Jones – IT
Rakis also spoke about John Jones, who heads up Information Technology for the village.
“John is truly a critical component to keeping the village running,” Rakis said.
“As the IT Manager, John always makes himself available to every person that requires assistance. Even when he has to juggle many things and appointments, you always know that in a matter of moments, John will make sure he is able to provide the assistance you need to keep on task. John takes the time to listen to each individual and works hard to serve others’ needs even before addressing his own. This often requires John to travel from building to building to address issues. Even when he is working on something else in a different village office or department, John will field calls and assist at a distance. John is a very valuable part of the team here at the village.
“We are truly grateful for John’s unwavering commitment to the village. John ensures transparency by making himself available to oversee that all village board meetings are recorded and promptly posted on the village’s website and YouTube page. In addition to this, John provides critical guidance to staff regarding system patching, maintenance windows, and device readiness. He currently is supporting large-scale communications migrations, such as the implementation of Office@Hand, and is dedicated to ensuring address accuracy during this process,” Rakis continued.
“As the village’s primary technical point of contact, John’s efforts have been essential to the technological advancement of both our team and the wider community. We appreciate how his expertise and dedication continually benefit the village and foster a collaborative environment for all.”
Elise Bednarczyk – Monee Police Department
Trustee Scott Youdris gave the narrative of longtime employee Elise Bednarczyk’s many contributions to the village.
“The Police Department recommends MPD Records Clerk Elise Bednarczyk for the semi-annual 2025 CREW Award,” he said.
“Elise has been with MPD since April of 2010. She joined the department as a part time clerk and transitioned into the clerk position full time shortly thereafter. Elise wears many hats in her role, from answering phones, to taking care of the public when they walk into the PD needing assistance.
“Prior to joining us, Elise worked as a dispatcher for multiple police departments. Because of that experience, it became apparent she was built for the multi-tasking that’s required to be able to keep the records department and front office running smoothly and efficiently.
“Elise is always quick to volunteer to help any member of the department in any capacity. She also treats the public in a professional manner that brings great credit to the department and the village.
“Elise is often sought out by Officers when they need assistance with paperwork or court issues, and she’s more than happy to go the extra mile to make sure the problem they are having is resolved. Elise deals with the Will County States Attorney’s office daily in her role, and on more than one occasion, they have praised her ability to fulfill their requests quickly and accurately putting other departments to shame – their exact words,” Youdris said.
“Over the years, Elise has also had citizens send in cards, letters, and emails thanking her for going above and beyond when trying to assist them, whether it be for a parking issue, lost pet, or walking them through how to pay a ticket on-line step by step by step.
“In addition to being an exemplary employee, Elise goes out of her way to be a good friend to her coworkers. You can often find her bringing in home cooked meals for everyone, just because, or lending a listening ear if they are having a bad day.
“For all these reasons and more, we are so lucky to have Elise as a part of the MPD family.”