EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER | FEBRUARY 2026
Cover Photo by Mayor Megan Cook
COLD FUSION
As we move through the winter months, this issue of the employee newsletter highlights the many ways our team continues to show up for one another and for the community—often through strong partnerships.
Inside, you’ll read about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Classic, a wonderful event that is a direct result of a true collaborative effort planned and executed by the Town, County, EPD, and many more neighboring partners.
We’re also highlighting leadership training conducted in partnership with Easton Utilities. The Town of Easton and Easton Utilities work together in many ways, and this training was another example of how that collaboration supports professional growth and shared learning.
We said goodbye to Mike Dickerson, who retired after 40 years of service to Easton. Mike has had a profound impact on how the Town has been shaped during his tenure, and his leadership and knowledge will be greatly missed!
Of course, before he could leave, one more snowfall had to come by to send Mike off properly. Our recent winter storm was a reminder of the behind-the-scenes coordination and teamwork that keep our town moving safely, and I want to thank everyone who played a role in that effort.
Finally, we’re sharing highlights from the employee appreciation breakfast—a small but meaningful way to say thank you for the work you do every day in service to Easton.
I hope you enjoy this edition, and as always, thank you for everything you do for our town and for each other.
Megan Cook
Click HERE to see Mike’s video interview!
Employee Spotlight
MIKE DICKERSON | DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
Meet Mike Dickerson! Mike serves the Town as the Director of the Public Works Department. He has worked with the Town of Easton for forty years, and retired at the end of January.
Mike’s role as director is expansive, overseeing the operations of three separate divisions (sanitation, construction, maintenance), ensuring overall operations go smoothly, and establishing the department budget each year. Mike and his teams are also responsible for snowfall removal, storm cleanup, and the creation and application of many of the Town’s decorations (holiday lights, banners, etc.).
In his free time, Mike enjoys spending time with his family, especially his granddaughters. He enjoys camping, trips to Disney, and rooting for his favorite sports teams (Capitals, Orioles, Ravens).
Parks & Rec
NOTHING BUT NET!
Easton Parks and Recreation, partners host 2026
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Classic
On January 19, we held our 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Classic in partnership with Talbot County Department of Parks and Recreation.
This event saw almost 70 middle school aged (5th-8th grade) youths from Dorchester, Talbot, and Caroline
Counties took part in the festivities — including fullcourt games, as well as 3-point shot, and half-court shot competitions throughout the day.
Games took place simultaneously on two separate courts at the Talbot County Community Center. In
It’s more than just a game, it’s about unity, growth, and investing in our youth. Positive mentorship truly matters . Proud for another year to be a part of something bigger than myself.
Officer Cordero Proctor
addition to the games and competitions, each player was given a free event t-shirt, a backpack, a participation gift and free lunch.
The Boys’ 3-pt shot contest was won by Davonte Deshields, and the Girls’ 3-pt shot contest was won by Brooklyn Copper — both of whom took home a $50 Walmart Gift card for winning.
After the games concluded, former Talbot County Council Member (and event MC) Corey Pack announced this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Image Awards — awards given to town/county leaders who exemplify the character of Dr. King by giving back to their communities.
This year’s Image award winners were: Easton - Mr. Otis Sampson
Cambridge - Mrs. Victoria Jackson-Stanley Denton - Mr. Terea Warner Federalsburg - Mr. Vernon Murray
Thank you to everyone who came out and showed their support, and thanks to our sponsors: Easton Utilities, Talbot County Parks and Recreation, Town of Easton Parks and Recreation, Easton - MD Police Department, Talbot County FOP Lodge #18, Cambridge Maryland Police Department, Hershel Johnson PAL, Talbot Optimist Club, Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, Chick-fil-A Easton, and Lions Club of Easton for helping to make this all happen.
We are so grateful for this community!
A NEW APPROACH
Town of Easton, Easton Utilities’ leadership teams enjoy joint training
For our latest leadership training session, we were lucky enough to be joined by our friends at Easton Utilities! Town and Utilities leadership joined together for an in-depth training session on building effective and innovative teams.
The lesson, held at The Tidewater Inn, was organized by Rick Farr, Town of Easton Chief Human Resource Officer, and was hosted by Nick Kittle, author, TEDx speaker, and CEO of Sustainovation.
“It was a truly enlightening experience. Nick Kittle was amazing in his delivery,” remarked Farr. “It provided a pow-
erful forum for reflection, allowing the leadership from the Town and Easton Utilities to think outside the box and to foster trust within their teams, building a foundation to push boundaries and stay ahead of the curve.”
Farr added, “I’ve personally learned that true innovation doesn’t just come from individual brilliance, but from collective wisdom and integration.”
It was an enriching experience, and we are always impressed with the skills, knowledge, and creativity that comes from the leadership of both of these great teams!
STARTING STRONG
Employee appreciation breakfast held at Fire Hall
“Our quarterly breakfast serves as a ‘thank you’ to our tremendous staff for their dedication and hard work. Events like this help ensure their efforts never go unnoticed — recognition for work that consistently exceeds expectations and makes the Town of Easton shine.”
- Chief Human Resource Officer Rick Farr
A big thanks to our awesome HR team for setting up
another wonderful employee appreciation breakfast yesterday! Delicious food provided by The Omelette Guys included made to order omelettes, Belgian waffles, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit and fresh coffee.
It was a great way to start the day, and an important opportunity for different departments across our organization to interact and get better acquainted with each other.
LAST RIDE
Public Works Director Mike Dickerson retires after 40 years
On Monday, February 2, friends, family and colleagues gathered together at the Easton Volunteer Fire Dept. Fire Hall to say farewell to Mike Dickerson, Public Works Director for the Town of Easton. Mike retired on January 31, 2026 after serving with the Public Works Department for over 40 years.
Over 80 people came out to enjoy some food and cake while wishing Mike well in retirement and recognizing his service to the Town.
During the party, Mike was given several commemorative gifts to honor his service, including a shadowbox from the Town, a Public Works retirement banner, and a historic style street sign encased in a wooden box emblazoned with the Baltimore Ravens background, one of his favorite sports teams.
Several people spoke at the event, including Town Manager Andy Kitzrow, Town Engineer Rick Van
Easton is better because of you. We are incredibly grateful — and we wish you nothing but the best.
Mayor Megan Cook
Emburgh, Alan Conaway (retired Public Works), and Mayor Megan Cook.
“Mike, Easton is better because of you,” said Mayor Cook. “Thank you for your dedication, your leadership, and your love for this town. We are incredibly grateful — and we wish you nothing but the very best in your retirement.”
In his 40+ years here, Mike has seen both the Town and the responsibilities of his department grow, and he has risen to the challenge every time.
In addition to the numerous ongoing services, infrastructure improvements, and maintenance routines handled by Public Works, Mike has also been in charge for countless Public Works projects, including: the construction of Rails to Trails sections, bringing back the traditional Holiday Lights to Easton’s Downtown, snow and ice removal for all of our major winter storms, and much, much more.
Mike managed all of this while also being a lifetime member (and a still active member) of Easton Volunteer Fire Department.
Thank you Mike for your 40+ years of service to Easton, and enjoy your well-deserved retirement!
Note: If you’re out in Downtown Easton, be sure to check out his retirement banner hanging across from Town Hall on S. Harrison St.
PRESSING ON
Pedestrian crossing safety work continues on Dover and Aurora Sts.
Our Public Works Construction team is out upgrading more intersections in 2026, continuing to execute on drafted plans from our Engineering team to make each of our signalized intersections safer and more efficient.
This past month they’ve wrapped up work on two of four corners at the intersection of Aurora and Dover Streets. When their work here is completed,
new pedestrian crossing signals and push buttons will be added to each corner of the intersection, and the groundwork and wiring channels for new traffic signals will be in place for installation at a later date.
Great work by our crew of Matt Cordrey, Colton Insley, Jake Towers, and Supervisor Justin Conaway (along with an assist from Garey Fike) on this important project. Stay tuned for more to come!
Congratulations to Nick Johnson for winning the Employee Newsletter Cover Photo Contest!
Nick now has a $25 gift card to U-Sushi for his submission that landed on the January cover of the Town of Easton Employee Newsletter.
You could be the next winner by submitting your potential cover photos to gmueller@ eastonmd.gov. If your submission is chosen, you too will win a $25 gift card!
Birthdays
FEBRUARY
Carolinne Kahane
Cody Bland
Drequan Stevens
Dustin Otto
George Larrimore
Joseph Schinault
Joshua Maxwell
Larry Wroten
Nicholas Lange
Rashida Perry
Tyquan Beckett
Vincent Barnett
Anniversaries
FEBRUARY
Alan Lowrey - 4 years
Brandon Watkins - 4 years
Daniel Farmer - 20 years
Gavin Whitby - 1 year
Kody Cario - 7 years
Milton Orellana - 24 years
Rick Van Emburgh - 11 years
GAME DAY DIP
Win Your Watch Party with a Fan Favorite
(Family Features) From the pregame party to kickoff and the final whistle, game day hosts know savory snacks are the key to victory. Celebrate the big game this season with a simple yet tasty spin on a football staple with this 7-Layer Game Day Dip. Featuring layers of refried beans, mashed avocados and seasoned sour cream topped with cheese, tomatoes, scallions and black olives, you can tackle a winning spread in next to no time.
Visit Culinary.net to find more strategies for serving victorious game day recipes.
7-LAYER GAME DAY DIP
Recipe adapted from Love & Lemons
Prep time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
3/4 cup salsa
2 avocados
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
16 ounces sour cream
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 tomato, diced
1 bunch scallions, chopped (optional)
1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced black olives, drained (optional) tortilla chips, for serving
In medium bowl, stir refried beans and 1/2 cup salsa. In separate medium bowl, mash avocados with remaining salsa. Add bell peppers and lime juice; stir to combine. In third medium bowl, stir sour cream and taco seasoning.
To assemble, spread refried bean mixture in bottom of baking dish. Spread avocado mixture evenly on top then spread sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese then top with diced tomatoes.
Top dish with scallions and black olives, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.