By Debbie Adams
The Town of Vinton Public Works Department has designed a new logo for their department representing the services they provide to the community. Public Works Director William “Bo” Herndon presented the concept for the new logo to Town Council at their meeting on May 18.
The logo is based on the Town of Vinton seal and includes several of its features. The top half of the circular logo continues the traditional colors of the town seal—maroon and gold. The bottom half of the logo is gray and gold, featuring the gray the department has adopted in its new paint scheme at its facility on Third Street. The logo is encircled in gold.
Herndon says the department came up with the logo to establish its own identify within the town, similar to what the Vinton Police Department and Vinton War Memorial have done.
Symbols on the new logo represent the Core services provided by Public Works:
- Trees represent the grounds work and landscaping completed by the Public Works crews and town arborist
- A faucet symbol signifies the town’s water system.
- Refuse and recycling containers symbolize those vital services provided to the citizens and businesses of the town.
- The fourth symbol is an excavator, representing the construction projects Public Works crews complete—replacing and maintaining lines, streets, sidewalks, and other building projects.
While the official Town Seal is labeled “Town of Vinton, Virginia, 1884” the new department logo will include “Town of Vinton Public Works” in the design.
Herndon said the town and department have talked for years about establishing their own symbol or logo which will be placed on employee uniforms, vehicles, and letterheads.
CARES Act funding allowed improvements to the Public Works facility in the past year, and it seems an appropriate time to adopt the new logo as well. Especially since new uniforms are being purchased for the first time in ten years.
Herndon, graphic designer Sherri Winkler of Nite Owl Artz, and Chasity Barbour, Vinton Director of Community Programs, “bounced around ideas” about the design of the logo. They decided they wanted to keep parts of the Town of Vinton seal, but add some elements exclusive to Public Works.
Herndon says that the new logo will contribute to building morale among employees, giving them recognition as their own department providing their own vital and specialized services to the community.
“Our Public Works crews are special because they get to touch nearly every aspect of the Town,” said Assistant Town Manager Cody Sexton. “From roads and sidewalks to water and recycling, the job that Public Works does every day makes Vinton a community of which we can all be proud.”
The Vinton Public Works Department is currently advertising for new employees. They are especially interested in hiring operators with CDL licenses.
Herndon points out that working for a government body has many attractive benefits for employees not found in private industry, in particular the free ($0 monthly premium) health insurance option for employees.
Human Resources Director Donna Collins lists benefits for Town of Vinton Public Works employees as:
- Free health insurance coverage offered for employees, which includes medical/dental/vision
- Automatic enrollment in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). The Town currently contributes 12.46 percent per pay period to the employee’s retirement fund.
- 2x salary in life insurance coverage–free to employees
- 24 days of Paid Time Off (PTO)—which increases after one year of service
- 12 Paid Holidays
- Starting Pay: Equipment Operators–$14.32/hr; Crew Leaders–$18.27/hr; Assistant Mechanic Position–$16.58/hr
- Sign on bonus
- Tuition/Certification Reimbursement Programs
- Additional optional benefit programs
- Uniforms and safety boots provided
The town will also provide training and pay to assist employees in obtaining their CDL’s that might be helpful as well. Contact Collins at 540-983-0604 or email her at DCOLLINS@vintonva.gov for more information on employment.
