Pratt is ‘Employee of the Quarter'

 Tioga County's Employee of the Fourth Quarter for 2004 is Ellen Pratt, who has been the Solid Waste Manager for Tioga County since March 2001. 

 Shortly after beginning her career with the county, Ellen expanded the tire program in order to accept any size tire on or off the rim and the Freon Removal Program, where any unit with or without Freon is taken for $5.00 per unit. She has developed programs which enable the county to accept household and auto batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and light ballasts that contain PCBs.
 Since 2001, Ellen has increased the tonnage by 30% (1,588 tons) and the recycling revenue by 67% ($37,701). She has done this by providing a user-friendly facility and collecting more recyclables and receiving more money for the recycling commodities (i.e. scrap metal, tires, etc.). She has been the facilitator and Chairperson for the Environmental Management Council (EMC) since its inception in 2003. The EMC has organized and conducted four environmental seminars and co-sponsored a gas-drilling seminar, the first annual river paddle and a compost bin sale.

 Ellen was born and raised in Tioga County and comes from a very close family of four sisters and a brother. She has degrees in Chemistry, Geosciences and Environmental Science. She enjoys hiking and is a member of the Triple Cities Hiking Club. Some of her new interests are throwing pottery and soap making.