Several City employees were recognized during the City Council meeting Tuesday. Pictured are, from left, Vice Mayor Jim Curd, Mayor Dale Copeland, Police Cpl. Brandon Meyer, Fire Chief David Topping and firefighters Chance Nissen, Bo Formby and Justin Butterfield. Bartlesville Area History Museum Collections Manager Debbie Neece was also recognized by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. “These employees have gone above and beyond their duties to do what was necessary in the moment to preserve life, and to preserve history,” said City Manager Mike Bailey. “I am proud of each and every one of them and would like to publicly thank them for their heroic actions and everything they do on a daily basis to make our community better.” See below for more information.
Debbie Neece
BAHM Collections Manager
SUVCW’s Founder’s Award
Bartlesville Area History Museum Collections Manager Debbie Neece was awarded the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War’s prestigious Founder’s Award for 2023 during a City Council meeting held Tuesday. Also pictured are SUVCW Department Commander Clint Anderson, right, and GAR National Commander Brian Pierson, left.
Bartlesville Area History Museum Collections Manager Debbie Neece has been named the recipient of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War’s prestigious Founder’s Award for 2023.
SUVCW is a fraternal organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of veteran heroes who fought and worked to save the Union in the American Civil War. The Founder’s Award is presented once a year to a group or person “who performs outstanding service in the memory of Union Civil War soldiers,” according to SUVCW Department Commander Clint Anderson, who nominated Neece for the award. Anderson and Grand Army of the Republic National Commander Brian Pierson presented the award to Neece during the Tuesday City Council meeting.
“Mrs. Neece is a fine choice for the Founder’s Award due to her effort to preserve (Grand Army of the Republic) records that were abandoned in a building in downtown Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Because of her efforts, we have the complete list of charter members of the GAR Post in Oklahoma, Indian Territory in 1893, and their complete ledger of ‘Minutes of Meetings’ for over 14 years,” Anderson wrote in his nomination.
BAHM Director Shellie McGill said Neece has been diligent in helping to preserve Washington County’s history since she joined the museum staff in 2010.
“Debbie is a person who has a profound passion for history and its preservation,” said McGill. “She loves to research and share her knowledge while dedicating her time to preserving the history that is happening now. We are pleased that she is being recognized for her hard work and enthusiasm preserving and sharing Washington County history.”
Fire Chief David Topping, right, presents life saving awards to Police Cpl. Brandon Meyer, left, and Firefighter Chance Nissen.
Chance Nissen
Firefighter
Silver Life Saving Award
Brandon Meyer
Police corporal
Life Saving Award
Firefighter Chance Nissen was presented with the Fire Department’s Silver Life Saving Award and Police Cpl. Brandon Meyer was presented with the Life Saving Award for their role in helping to save the life of a man who had collapsed at an outdoor event in Ramona.
Meyer nominated Nissen for the award, saying he and his girlfriend, who nominated both Nissen and Meyer, attended an event in Ramona on Aug. 4 and observed Nissen administering CPR to a man who appeared to have had a sudden cardiac event.
“Chance was gassed and needed a break because he had been doing chest compressions for nearly 10-15 minutes,” Meyer wrote in his nomination of Nissen. “I just happened to show up at the right time to be able to assist him. He should be recognized for all he did with close to 100 people standing around watching him, looking for him to do something extraordinary. He was awesome in every sense of the word.”
Topping, right, presents the Silver Life Saving Award to Firefighter Bo Formby.
Bo Formby
Firefighter
Silver Life Saving Award
Firefighter Bo Formby earned the Fire Department’s Silver Life Saving Award for rushing to the aid of two people involved in a traffic accident near Hominy Lake on July 1.
Formby was nominated for the award by fellow Firefighter Eric Bevins, who said Formby was on days off with his family at Hominy Lake on July 1 when he witnessed an automobile accident. The vehicle had rolled and was partially submerged in water, Bevins said.
“Bo, without hesitation raced to the scene and was one of the first to arrive. Without a second thought, he climbed onto the vehicle to assess patients,” Bevins said.
Formby rendered aid to both accident victims, placing a tourniquets on a woman whose foot had been amputated in the accident.
“The Hominy fire chief stated if it was not for Bo’s selfless act, the outcome for both patients would’ve been much worse,” Bevins said.
Topping, right, presents the Meritorious Service Award to Firefighter Justin Butterfield.
Justin Butterfield
Firefighter
Meritorious Service Award
Firefighter Justin Butterfield received the Fire Department’s Meritorious Service Award for helping to evacuate residents from a Dewey apartment complex after seeing smoke coming from the building.
“On July 26, probationary Firefighter Butterfield was returning home from his 24-hour shift (and) noticed smoke coming from an apartment complex in Dewey,” wrote Bevins, who nominated Butterfield. “He stopped to see if he could assist.”
Bevins said Butterfield quickly realized the Dewey Fire Department was not yet on the scene, so “he
immediately started assisting residents with evacuations.”
“After he helped with getting everyone out, he then used a dry chem fire extinguisher to slow the growth of the fire until Dewey Fire arrived,” Bevins said.