John Zeeck (third from left) is the newest member of the county custodial staff. Congratulating him on his new job are: (from left) Jen Coleman of the Madison County Board of Developmental Disabilities; Jean Hughes, municipal court clerk; and (far right) Eric M. Schooley, municipal court judge.
(Posted Nov. 12, 2014)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
One of the newest additions to the county payroll is a hard-working young man who is well known and liked in the community.
John Zeeck, a resident of London, is now an official member of the custodial staff at the Madison County Courthouse. He earned the job following a 10-week trial period organized through the Madison County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD).
During the trial period, MCBDD used grant money to pay Zeeck wages and pay job coaches to guide him. The grants are for programs that integrate people who have disabilities into the workplace.
Eight weeks into the trial period, Zeeck and his team met with the county commissioners to fine tune expectations and duties for his position. Two weeks later, on Oct. 9, he joined the county staff permanently. He works on his own with supervision from Jamie Shirley, the county’s primary maintenance custodian.
“John is doing wonderfully. He loves being here. He’s always thorough,” said Jean Hughes, municipal court clerk and a member of the MCBDD board.
Zeeck works part-time and continues to participate in Special Olympics and other activities. His work hours will increase when he transitions from the main courthouse to the new municipal courthouse, due to open soon.
Zeeck said his favorite parts of the job are cleaning windows, taking out the trash and meeting new people. He puts his paycheck to good use paying bills and buying things he likes, including headphones and $5 footlong sandwiches at Subway.
While Zeeck’s trial period at the courthouse was 10 weeks, his road to employment was actually three years in the making, according to Jen Coleman of MCBDD.
While in high school, Zeeck participated in Bridges To Transition, a summer work program that connects local employers with young people who have disabilities. Later, through Pathways To Employment, he learned how to complete a job application, create a resumé, manage a checkbook, arrange his own transportation and other job development skills.
To learn more about services available through the Madison County Board of Developmental Disabilities, call (740) 852-7050.
