IT WAS STANDING ROOM only at the Kent Mayor’s monthly breakfast meeting in February. The reason: The City of Kent Employee of the Year was to be announced.

When the announcement was made that Local 2617 president Kathleen Senecaut had been selected for the honor, every employee stood and the applause was long and loud. She clearly was a popular choice.

Senecaut, a senior budget analyst who also serves on Council 2’s executive board, was chosen from among 772 people who were qualified for the honor.

“I felt overwhelmed to be standing in front of my peers and to receive the award,” she says. “I know most of the other candidates. I feel they are all qualified. What an honor to have been chosen.”

Among the reasons she was chosen—Cliff Craig, the City’s assistant finance director, said at an official award presentation April 19—is that Senecaut demonstrates the City’s six corporate values.

She is a person of integrity who will do the right thing even if it hurts; she cares about people, the departments and the City; she communicates, keeping everyone in touch; she is a team player, working with all departments, helping them to get their budgets together; she innovates; and she achieves.

The City is particularly impressed with the way in which Senecaut conducts negotiations between labor and management. “She has been seen as a voice of reason,” Craig said. “And that is an important role.”

Such a role is challenging. Negotiations are often adversarial and union members who lead them can be considered unlikely to receive “employee of the year” awards from management. Yet Senecaut, with her dedication to honesty and fairness, has shown that it is indeed possible to do so.

So much so that management has requested that she continue as president because they work so well together.

Employees in other departments with whom she works on budget preparation say she is courteous and kind.

Senecaut’s dedication to reaching out to others does not stop at work. She also conducts volunteer work for the City of Seattle’s Victims Support Team. Set up to assist victims of domestic violence, members of the team provide resources for victims, including setting up safe houses, talking to the children about a safety plan, arranging transportation, providing basic needs like food and clothing as well as emotional support.

“No one deserves to be abused,” she says. “I’m grateful I can be part of such a valuable program.”