Mike Hutto has spent the first four months of 2016 filling his trophy case.

“It’s been a very good year,” the Eudora Public Works director said.

In January, the Eudora Chamber of Commerce named Hutto its Citizen of the Year. At a March 30 banquet at its annual convention in Wichita, the Kansas Rural Water Association recognized Hutto as its Rural Water Manager of the Year. The association represents more than 300 municipalities and 200 rural water districts.

In making the award, the association cited Hutto’s efforts to improve water quality in Eudora. The citation notes that when Hutto started working for the city in 2010, water quality was “average at best” despite the use of large amounts of chemicals. Hutto and the department addressed the problem by testing all raw water and continuing tests throughout the treatment process, discontinuing the practice of treating water when no employees where present at the water plant and using a sequestering agent in finished water. The association also made note of Hutto’s efforts to protect the city’s well field from encroachment by a sand and gravel mining operation.

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The East Central Kansas Cooperative in Education is inviting patrons of the Baldwin, Eudora and Wellsville school districts to meet the candidates for the co-op’s director position at Eudora West Elementary, 1310 Winchester Road in Eudora. Daniel Wray will be at the building from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Jeff Price from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Raj Sharma from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday. Patti Bishop, the co-op’s current director, will step down from the position June 30.

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Baldwin City’s Lumberyard Arts Center will have a have a reception from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Lumberyard Arts Center to mark the opening of a show featuring the photography of friends Joyce Mitchell and Cat Rooney. Lumberyard vice president Sandy Cardens said Mitchell, of Baldwin City, trains her camera on animals, capturing birds, moose, alpacas and hummingbirds, while Rooney, of Eudora, specializes in photographs of the Milky Way and the night sky.

The show will continue through May 28 at the center, which is in downtown Baldwin City.

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The Baldwin City Police Department is looking for help from residents in returning stolen property to owners. The articles where found when the department executed search warrants in connection with a string of vehicle burglaries in Douglas County.

The recovered property can be viewed on Baldwin City Police Corp. Kim Springer’s Facebook page. People spotting their property among the recovered items should call Springer at 785-594-3850.

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The April meeting of the Eudora Chamber of Commerce will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 21 at PBJ Studios, 2 W. 10th St.

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Baker University will have its annual Big Event community service day Saturday, April 23. Student volunteers will assist with projects at Baldwin Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Baldwin City Public Library, CLO Terrace House, Harvesters Topeka, Homespun Hill Farm, Lawrence Humane Society and Willow Domestic Violence Center. For more information, students should call 785-594-8403.