Ocean City Public Works Director Named MML Employee of the Year

Ocean City, Maryland – (June 26, 2017): The Maryland Municipal League (MML) has chosen Town of Ocean City Public Works Director, Hal Adkins, for the distinct honor of the Roland B. Sweitzer Employee of the Year Award. Adkins, the sole recipient of the award, was selected from numerous nominees submitted from participating MML municipalities from across the State of Maryland.
“Hal is dedicated, driven and determined to make Ocean City a better place to live, work and visit,” commented City Manager Doug Miller. “He demonstrates the qualities that any organization want to have in an employee and he is very deserving of this award.”
Adkins has been an employee of the Town of Ocean City for over 33 years. With a career that started on May 28, 1984, just days after graduating from college, he has held numerous positions with the Town. Starting in the Department of Planning and Community Development, Adkins transitioned to the Engineering Department, and finally landed in the Department of Public Works where he was appointed Public Works Director in 1989. A Credentialed Manager with ICMA, Adkins manages a staff of roughly 180 full time employees that then explodes to a staff of nearly 500 in the summer months due to the seasonal nature of Ocean City.
“I keep a series of significant quotes on the walls of the Public Works Conference Room,” commented Adkins. “The one that best sums it all up reads: Excellence can be attained if you care more than others think is wise, risk more than others think is safe, dream more than others think is practical, and expect more than others think is possible. I live by that statement daily when it comes to my work ethic and so do the many men and women that have chosen to work side by side with me on a daily basis.”
With an annual operating budget for the forthcoming Fiscal Year that approaches nearly $52 million dollars, Adkins areas of management covers the Divisions of Public Works Administration, Aviation, Construction, Fleet Services, Maintenance, Solid Waste, Transportation, Water and Wastewater. Outside of his professional successes, Adkins has been married to his wife Alison for 32 years, and together they have raised four children, spanning ages 19 to 27.
“Receiving this award is an honor, but I certainly didn’t achieve this success alone,” Adkins finished. “There have been a lot of people who have worked side by side with me over the last 33 years. My success is their success and I share this award with them.”