Union County Water Maintenance Supervisor Adam Baker has been selected as Union County's 2025 Caught in the Act Employee of the Year for his leadership and innovation that helped restore critical utility operations.

In 2025, Baker was one of four County employees recognized with the County's quarterly Caught in the Act Award, a recognition program that encourages employees to nominate peers who go above and beyond their expected job responsibilities in service to residents, customers and fellow employees. Baker was selected as the overall Employee of the Year for his exceptional efforts in diagnosing and resolving a significant issue impacting the utility’s radio telemetry system — a system critical to monitoring and operating remote sewer and water pump stations and water tanks throughout the County.

The outage created substantial operational challenges and required daily manual checks and extended on-site staffing to maintain proper system functionality. Recognizing the urgency and complexity of the issue, Baker led troubleshooting efforts, coordinated resources, and developed a reliable and cost-effective solution to restore operations. Throughout the process, he mastered new technology, guided his team through implementation, and developed temporary workarounds that helped restore automation and improve operational efficiency.

“Adam’s technical expertise and dedication were instrumental in restoring reliability to an essential system,” said Water Administrator Hyong Yi. “He approached this challenge with creativity, professionalism and a solutions-oriented mindset that benefited both our operations and our customers.”

In his role as Utility Maintenance Supervisor, Baker oversees maintenance activities and mechanical staff supporting the County’s wastewater treatment plants and lift stations. His responsibilities include supervising mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and control maintenance activities; troubleshooting complex equipment issues; coordinating with engineers, contractors, and operations staff; managing budgets and personnel; overseeing safety training; and maintaining work order and asset management systems.

County leadership surprised Baker with the Caught in the Act of the Year Award at the Water Operations Center on May 19. County leadership said Baker’s initiative and commitment exemplify the values behind the Caught in the Act program.

"Adam demonstrates extraordinary leadership, persistence and problem-solving - not just during this operational issue, but consistently throughout his nine years with Union County," said County Manager Brian Matthews. “His willingness to step up, learn new technology, and guide his team through this process reflects the public service we strive for every day.”

As part of this prestigious recognition, Baker received a $1,000 bonus and an additional vacation day in appreciation of his outstanding service. 

Each year, the County's Management Team selects one of the four Caught in the Act recipients from the previous year for the Caught in the Act of the Year Award. Other Caught in the Act recipients in 2025 include School Social Worker Katie Hockley, Parks Ranger Kevin Mager and School Social Worker Montana Phillips.