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The City of Auburn DPW crew, from left, Blake Meylan, Nate Waibel, Supervisor Ashlie House, and Tim Adair are stepping up big for residents in the Western Bay County community. (Jon Becker/for the Daily News)

It's the Thursday before Labor Day at Auburn City Hall and the Department of Public Works supervisor is seemingly nowhere to be found. A city employee emerges from Ashlie House's office and tells the Midland Daily News scribe that she doesn't know where the new DPW leader is. That's because behind a desk tied to a keyboard is not the likeliest of places to find her.

A few minutes later House rolls up in a red city work truck. It's barely 10 a.m. but House and her crew are busy doing what they do to make sure essential services are provided, problems are fixed and beautification efforts continue. It's all in a day's work for a newly formed crew whose quality-of-life-enhancing efforts are becoming increasingly visible across the community.

From a newly positioned crosswalk aimed at safety in front of Bay City Western's campus and new curb and gutter at Auburn City Park, to the newly paved Midland and Garfield roads and student-created banners that line light poles along Midland Road, DPW workers have had a busy summer.

"Never a dull moment," House said.

"There's something different every day," said DPW worker Blake Meylan, a 2012 Harrison High School graduate. "I enjoy the environment with the crew and the office people."

Meylan and Nate Waibel started as temporary employees about four months ago. Following a successful probationary period, the Auburn City Commission, convinced by House of a need for sustainable staffing, approved moving them to permanent full-time employees.

"The question became do you want a fully functional department that is capable of doing everything that is required of it," House said. "I reevaluated the department for the city and in doing so, did a lot of research. To have a committed, cohesive staff we needed a more permanent structure. Nobody likes to bounce around, changing jobs all the time."

The departmental reorganization saw House get promoted from a DPW worker to supervisor in April, becoming one of, if not the only female DPW leader in the region. Full-timers Meylan and Waibel are joined by Auburn's Tim Adair, a part-time employee

"This is the best we've seen here," House said of her crew. "All have a strong work ethic. They are very respectful toward citizens, which is huge. "I don't have to worry about work not getting done."

In a few short months, a mutual respect has been formed. It helps when the boss isn't afraid to get her hands dirty.

"Ashlie is a very good supervisor," Adair said. "She works right with us. This is a good, cohesive group."

"She's hands-on," Meylan said.

As well as House now seems suited for a public works career, she had no inkling of it during her college days when she studied psychology and exercise science. During the summer of 2016, she took a seasonal position with the Auburn DPW. Before long "that was all she wrote," House said. "I liked it. I liked being active. What I was learning and incorporating appealed to me. You saw something that needed to be done and you did it. I thought to myself, 'I think this is really what I want to do.'"

As DPW supervisor, House reports to Auburn City Administrator David Haag. Her responsibilities include assisting with coordinating engineering and construction projects, as well as maintenance of city buildings and property, including parks. She's also responsible for managing and maintaining the city, water, sewer and recycling programs.

"Ashlie is hard working, cares about the city and its residents, and she clearly cares a lot about her crew," said Lee Kilbourn, Auburn mayor. "She is a good leader. I'm very happy with her work."

"She's a good person to work for," said Waibel, a 1994 Bay City Western graduate. "I started here this past spring and enjoy it. There's something new every day."

On this particular day, the DPW team was doing repair work on two crumbling storm sewer catch basins.

"We try hard to keep our infrastructure in great shape but it's costly," said Kilbourn. "The resurfaced Midland Road and the new park road are examples."

"A lot of what we've been doing involves appearance," House said. "It makes a difference to people."

Kilbourn agrees.

"Beautification is important," he said. "One needs to have pride in their home, their community. I would love to have a beautification committee form to help make Auburn better yet."

It's American workers like the Auburn DPW crew of House, Waibel, Meyland and Adair that the MDN salute today. As House said: "Labor Day is a time to get together with family, relax and reflect on the importance of workers. We work hard and help society flourish. I think we deserve a break."

Auburn mayor elected president of Michigan Association of Mayors

Jon Becker, for the Daily News Published 9:19 am, Friday, September 30, 2016

Photo provided Auburn Mayor Lee Kilbourn, left, and Baraga Village President Wendell Dompier shake hands after being elected president and vice president, respectively, of the Michigan Association of Mayors.

Auburn Mayor Lee Kilbourn has been elected president of the Michigan Association of Mayors at the organization’s annual meeting, which took place earlier this month on Mackinac Island.

Kilbourn, who previously served as MAM vice president, will serve a one-year term in the leadership post. He succeeds MAM President Frank Campbell, who has said he is retiring as mayor of Hastings.

“The Michigan Association of Mayors is an outstanding organization and I am pleased to lead the membership for the next year,” Kilbourn said. “Our goals include expanding our membership base and helping inform the public, business community and our legislators about the financial struggles of Michigan’s communities.”

Kilbourn has been mayor of Auburn since 2011 and has stressed park improvements and promoting the city as a family-friendly city to do business. He and his wife, Kathy, are second generation owners of Tri-City Furniture, a 59-year old family business launched by Kathy’s father, in 1957. The Auburn business recently earned a first place for home decorating and the top place for buying furniture in the Midland Daily News’ 2016 Readers Choice Awards.

Kilbourn previously served as Auburn mayor after being elected in 1981 and has continued to remain active in the community through the years. He’s been involved with the Auburn-Williams Fire District for 25 years and is currently a member of the Auburn-Williams Lions Club, Auburn Downtown Development Authority, and the Auburn-Williams Intergovernmental Committee.

City of Auburn Administrator Patricia Rayl said Kilbourn’s new statewide leadership post is well-deserved and will benefit residents of the western Bay County community.

“It’s been a distinct pleasure working with Lee Kilbourn for the past year,” she said. “The residents of Auburn should take pride in their mayor. He works hard for them. And, now as president of the statewide mayors’ association, he can work for Auburn residents on a grander scale.”

Auburn Commissioner Matt Charbonneau agrees.

“Lee getting elected is going to open up so many other opportunities for our community,” he said. “Networking with other communities will increase. One of the positive things I see coming down the road is having more exchange day events where mayors and commissioners from specific municipalities join in and visit each other’s cities. Auburn recently did one with Ithaca. Unfortunately due to work I couldn’t attend, but was told by Lee that it went extremely well and everyone gathered a lot of insight.”

In addition to Kilbourn being named president during the Michigan Municipal League Convention, Baraga Village President Wendell Dompier was selected vice president of the Michigan Association of Mayors.

Dompier has served as village president of Baraga, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, since 1998. He has an extensive record of community service and retired from the Ojibwa Casino Resort after a 26-year career there.

“It’s an honor to serve as vice president of the Michigan Association of Mayors,” Dompier said. “I look forward to working with Lee Kilbourn in the upcoming year to help serve our fellow mayors and village presidents.”

MAM is the official nonpartisan organization of Michigan’s chief elected officials, representing more than 100 of the state’s communities.

Auburn DPW team: 'This is the best we’ve seen here'

'This is the best we've seen here'

Auburn mayor elected president of Michigan Association of Mayors

Photo provided Auburn Mayor Lee Kilbourn, left, and Baraga Village President Wendell Dompier shake hands after being elected president and vice president, respectively, of the Michigan Association of Mayors.

Auburn DPW team: 'This is the best we’ve seen here'

'This is the best we've seen here'

Auburn mayor elected president of Michigan Association of Mayors

Photo provided Auburn Mayor Lee Kilbourn, left, and Baraga Village President Wendell Dompier shake hands after being elected president and vice president, respectively, of the Michigan Association of Mayors.​

Photo provided Auburn Mayor Lee Kilbourn, left, and Baraga Village President Wendell Dompier shake hands after being elected president and vice president, respectively, of the Michigan Association of Mayors.