Whatever Happened to the Michael J. Kardoes Excellence in Community Service Award?

Update (July 21, 2026)

At the July 21, 2026 City Commission meeting, I asked City Manager Grant Gager what happened to the Michael J. Kardoes Excellence in Community Service Award.

His response confirmed what the public record suggested.

According to Gager, after arriving in 2023, the City conducted an internal solicitation for nominations. He said there was only one nominee and that there was not enough enthusiasm to continue the program.

Gager then acknowledged what happened next:

"We did make a decision to curtail... that award every year."

He also stated:

"That was... just an internal decision that was made."

Commission Chair Melissa Nootz added that the City Commission was intentionally excluded from the award process and had no role in the decision to discontinue it.

What stands out

The Michael J. Kardoes Excellence in Community Service Award wasn't created as a one-time recognition. The original proclamation established it as an annual award presented each September to honor citizens who demonstrated integrity, service, and excellence.

Yet, according to the City's own explanation, the annual tradition ended because there wasn't enough internal enthusiasm and there weren't enough nominations.

That raises an obvious question:

If an award created to honor community service receives too few nominations, shouldn't the response be to promote it better, invite public nominations, and encourage participation rather than quietly discontinue it?

For an award created to preserve Michael Kardoes' legacy, ending it without any public announcement, explanation, or Commission discussion seems inconsistent with the purpose for which it was established.

In September 2022, the City of Livingston created something special.

The Michael J. Kardoes Excellence in Community Service Award was established to honor the legacy of former City Manager Michael J. Kardoes and to recognize individuals and organizations who demonstrate Integrity, Service, and Excellence in our community.

It wasn't intended to be a one-time event.

The proclamation establishing the award states that it would be presented annually each September by the City's executive branch.

The City held the first award ceremony in 2022 and celebrated members of our community who embodied those values.

Then the public trail appears to stop.

During our review of City records, we have not located public announcements, proclamations, or ceremonies for the award after 2022.

If additional ceremonies have been held, we'd be happy to update this page.

Why does this matter?

Awards like this are about more than a plaque or a certificate.

They remind us that public service matters.

They celebrate neighbors who quietly make Livingston a better place.

They reinforce the values that city government says it wants to encourage:

• Integrity

• Service

• Excellence

Those are values worth recognizing every year, not just once.

Questions Worth Asking

• Is the Michael J. Kardoes Excellence in Community Service Award still active?

• If so, when were the 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 recipients recognized?

• If the award has been discontinued, why?

• Will the City continue honoring community members through this award in the future?

The Bottom Line

The City established this award to create a lasting tradition in memory of Michael J. Kardoes and to recognize exceptional community service every year. Based on the public records we reviewed, that annual tradition is no longer visible.

If the award has simply continued without public announcement, we'd welcome the opportunity to include that information and recognize those recipients as well.

Communities are strengthened not only by the people who serve them, but by taking the time to recognize those who do.