Robin Bobzien, city manager of Aberdeen, was recognized earlier this month with the prestigious Excellence in South Dakota Municipal Government Award. The award is presented by the South Dakota Municipal League (SDML) each year to a municipal employee or elected official who has made significant contributions to their municipality and community. Bobzien has proven to be a trusted leader and voice for city staff, elected officials, and their community. For over 30 years, he has provided professional, courteous, and careful management for various departments within the City of Aberdeen and has contributed to the success of many projects and processes. Bobzien played a key role in creating and executing city-wide capital improvement plans that have renovated century-old buildings, built and improved state-of-the-art culture and recreation facilities, and set aside capital to enhance and expand utility systems and improve streets to allow the system – and community – the capacity for growth. Under his leadership, the City of Aberdeen implemented a 24-hour snow removal process that removes snow from city streets within one day of a snow event. Additionally, following a major flood event that impacted large areas of the community, Bobzien led the effort for considerable investment in storm water management systems including the installation of numerous storm water retention ponds and system upgrades to better handle storm water events. Bobzien is also a leader in his community, serving on multiple boards over the years including the American Public Works Association, various SDML committees and boards, and the local YMCA. Bobzien was nominated by his colleagues at the City of Aberdeen for his many contributions to the city and his outstanding leadership to those around him. The nomination indicated that “when he retires, [Bobzien] will leave behind a legacy of careful and meticulous planning and strong leadership.” “I am both honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Bobzien. “I have had the pleasure to work with many fabulous co-workers over the years, which has made my job easier. I have also had tremendous support from the city council/commission – past and present – which makes future planning easier to implement. It takes a lot of dedicated people to run the various city departments, and we’ve got the best! I truly enjoy serving my community!” The award was presented to Bobzien as part of the South Dakota Municipal League’s annual conference, held Oct. 8-11, 2024, in Sioux Falls.