Recycling Center Dedication Had Good Turnout

MAY 12, 2025 |

Photo – Placard announcing memorial – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99

Rawlins officials dedicated the city’s recycling center to the late landfill supervisor.

Rawlins Landfill and Recycling Center Superintendent Patrick Martinez passed away from a sudden health emergency on December 2nd, 2023, at the age of 42. Martinez worked for the city of Rawlins for over 16 years.

On Friday evening, current and former members of the Rawlins city council, along with city staff, assembled at the recycling center on Daley Street. More than 100 people attended the event. Public Works Director Cody Dill officially renamed the facility the Patrick Martinez Memorial Recycling Center.

Dill invited Patrick Martinez’s family members to cut the ribbon before unveiling the memorial plaque.

The plaque features a picture of Martinez in the upper left corner, with the Rawlins city seal in the upper right corner. The inscription reads: “Patrick’s vision was to make the recycling program bigger and better for the city slash community.” Beneath the dedication is Martinez’s catchphrase, well known among city staff: “We may get fired for this.”

After the memorial plaque was unveiled, Rawlins Buildings Official Mike O’Brien thanked everyone for their support of the recycling center project. O’Brien said that when the idea for the recycling center was first proposed, Martinez offered to help build it. However, his fear of heights limited his involvement in the project.

Additionally, O’Brien said Martinez was insistent the facility’s new baler, which compresses recyclable materials into a compact, easily transportable cube, be black rather than blue.

Next, City Manager Tom Sarvey explained that the recycling center was spearheaded by Martinez and Community Development Director Lou Lascano. Sarvey thanked the entire community for showing support for the city’s improvement projects.

Finally, City Manager Sarvey expressed his gratitude to Martinez’s family. Sarvey said everyone in the city is attempting to make Rawlins a better place to live.

With those remarks, the recycling center was officially dedicated to the former landfill supervisor, Patrick Martinez.