A longtime employee has retired and a new employee has joined the city ranks, it was announced during the Sept. 8 meeting of the Sumner City Council.

Parks operator Fred Japhet was honored with a retirement ceremony and a plaque for his years of service to Sumner. City Administrator John Doan presented him with the plaque, but before doing so, went through a list of a few facts from the time Japhet began working in Sumner, 1972.

Doan said the HP-35 calculator cost $395, a gallon of gas cost 36 cents, the Dow closed above 1,000 points for the first time and Pong was created.

Japhet accepted the plaque and thanked the council.

Mayor Dave Enslow mentioned Japhet’s dedication to Sumner’s parks and facilities.

“How many times have I gone by the sports complex and seen you out there working?” Enslow said.

Following the exit of Japhet, Sumner Police Chief John Galle took to the podium and called upon the police force’s newest officer to be sworn in.

Officer Jeff Miller previously served in Bonney Lake and was a commander in the Black Diamond department before leaving due to the city’s budget constraints. Sumner was able to hire Miller through a federal grant.

Also during the Sept. 8 council meeting, Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy addressed the status of some current projects and the next county budget.

“We are working quite diligently on the 2010 budget,” McCarthy said.

Enslow and other council members thanked McCarthy for attending the meeting.

“She cares what we think. That’s why she came here to see us tonight,” Enslow said.

Enslow said it’s important for Sumner to work with other groups to achieve its goals.

“We’re not islands out there floating around,” he said.