When a parked car popped out of gear and started rolling toward another vehicle in downtown Santa Fe one day last fall, Parking Enforcement Office Stephen Chavez and parking maintenance technician Jerome Mondragon jumped between the two vehicles to try and stop the rolling car — Chavez's own vehicle — from hitting the other car.

But it was too heavy to stop. While Mondragon was able to leap to safety at the last moment, Chavez became pinned between the cars. Immediately, Mondragon climbed into the driver's seat and gently eased it forward to free his co-worker. Then he called paramedics and police and stayed with Chavez, offering comfort until EMTs arrived.

Mondragon's actions helped keep Chavez's injuries and suffering to a minimum, noted Parking Division Operations Manager Albert Martinez.

His quick response also earned the 24-year-old Santa Fe native the honor of being named the city's January employee of the month. Mondragon has worked for the Parking Division for almost three years.

Trudy Cole and Mario Gonzales are the latest top monthly employees in the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department's Protective Services Division.

Cole is a social worker in the agency's Southeast Placement Unit. She manages a large caseload in a unit that has been short staffed for more than two years, her nominators said. She is described as having a "special gift for working with children and establishing safe, comfortable relationships with those she serves."

Gonzales has been a Children's Court attorney for 10 years. He received the award for his "impeccable work in preparation and presentation (of cases), for his positive and contagious attitude and for his willingness to assist Children's Court attorneys in other areas due to vacancies," his nominators said.

In the department's Juvenile Justice Services Division, Renee Garcia, Eileen Kelley, Gary Moore and Daniel Muller are the latest employees of the month.

Garcia, a secretary at Albuquerque's Youth Diagnostic and Development Center, was singled out for her continuing "extra efforts" in such areas as scheduling teacher and substitute interviews and helping teachers and students as they transition with other schools.

Kelley, Moore and Muller are youth-care specialists. Kelley was praised in particular for her exceptional performance in preparing required documents for Medicaid certification, her nominators said.

Moore, known to spend extra hours with clients, was recognized for his "dedicated duty and unselfish commitment to both the staff and clients he works with." Muller is part of a team that performs physical plant maintenance at two youth facilities in Albuquerque. He was honored for his "performance and dedication."

If you have news about a public employee, contact Fauntleroy at gussie7@fairpoint.net.