SPENCER DEVAUL
GIS Coordinator, Planning Dept.



Delaware County Employee of the Month
January 2018
 

Spencer DeVaul was hired on 12/1/1997 as an GIS Technician for the Planning Department.  He was then promoted to GIS Analyst on 8/21/00, and later promoted to GIS Coordinator on 9/10/2007.

Spencer has been the corner stone for developing the enhanced GIS program that is now used by Delaware County Departments, municipalities and private entities; including surveyors, real estate agents and local engineers.  He has kept himself apprised of changes in the technology that have allowed the County GIS platform to be one of the most advanced in the state.  He has worked closely with the planning staff to develop advanced uses for GIS that have been duplicated in other parts of the region including the creation of the highway management inventory that set the foundation for highway management planning throughout the New York City Watershed.

Spencer had played a key role in many programs throughout the County.  These include using the GIS as a basis for research on the impact of land acquisition on local community development tends and long term sustainability.  His work has been the basis for blind siting studies to determine the best location for facilities based on property conditions, natural features and location.  He has made monumental advances in the way we evaluate and analyze land use impacts to communities based on data sets he developed.  He helped develop (and administers) the County COMIT site for public use. He played a critical role in the addressing for the 911 system as it was being developed.

Spencer is a true team member and has proven to be capable of working with any project team.  He works closely with DPW, Economic Development, Watershed Affairs, Real Property Tax Services, NYC DEP and Soil and Water on a regular basis. He provides mapping services to local communities, fire departments and on occasion school districts.  He has also provided project management and oversight on the development of source water protection plans, storm water management plans and highway management plans.  He has provided planning assistance for the TPAS program on numerous occasions when we have been short staffed and he excelled in that role.  Spencer has been essential to the Emergency Command Center during flood and snow events, as he helps DPW map road routes and provide mapping for closed roads.  He is flexible, easy to get along with and always willing to take on a new challenge. 

Spencer is a well-rounded and enthusiastic employee that commits himself fully to the task at hand. Spencer has worked around the clock helping put grant applications together, complete plans and provide assistance in any way possible to his fellow co-workers. There are no task he is unwilling to do often providing support by stuffing hundreds of envelopes for mass mailing, collating thousands of pages for report duplications and grant applications, pouring over spreadsheets to proof complicated budgets and even running for pizza during all nighters to get grants done on time.  Spencer is the type of employee we should all strive to be, liked and respected by his co-workers peers and supervisors.

Spencer’s family is his parents Albert and Mary Jean DeVaul and Sister Kady Jean Galusha.

Spencer’s Hobby is golfing.

Congratulations and Thank You, Spencer on a job well done.