The Chowchilla City Council read a resolution at their May 22 meeting recognizing 23 years of service by Chief Deputy City Clerk Cindy Balkan. Her last day with the city will be Thursday.</p><p>Balkan was born in Merced and raised in Chowchilla. She attended local schools and graduated from Chowchilla Union High School in 1989.</p><p>Balkan began working for the city of Chowchilla through the Chowchilla Union High School's ROP program.</p><p>On Oct. 31, 1988, she was hired by the city as a part-time clerk-typist and two years later went full-time.</p><p>It didn't take her long to move up the ranks. On April 30, 1991, she was promoted to secretary for the Administrative Services Department.</p><p>In August, 1992, she took on the responsibilities of administrative secretary-deputy city clerk with the Administrative Services Department.</p><p>Never afraid to take on a new challenge, Balkan accepted the position of payroll clerk on June 4, 1993.</p><p>She continued to demonstrate a superior work effort and was promoted to Secretary II.</p><p>On March 15, 2010, her classification changed from accounting-payroll analyst in the Finance Department to administrative services supervisor-chief deputy city clerk within the Administrative Services Department.</p><p>Balkan's last day with the city is Thursday. She recently married and will be moving to the Sacramento area to be with her husband.</p><p>The resolution stated: "Cindy Balkan is always willing to help others, always has a positive outlook, assists in conflict resolution, encourages employees to do their best, is a great mentor with a compassionate heart of gold and always thinks of others."</p><p>"I have always had so much pride in my community," Cindy said. "No matter where I move, Chowchilla will always be my home."