Each city has its share of priceless employees.

One of Auburn’s most valuable players is Julie Brewer. Innovative, hard-working, creative, she sets the tone by bringing to life the city’s crowded lineup of recreation special events.

Brewer’s versatile role demands a mix of outreach and marketing skills, abilities she clearly understands. Holding such a demanding job with the community brings out the best in Brewer. Apparently, her colleagues have noticed her many qualities. She recently was honored as the City’s Employee of the Year for 2009.

The award overwhelmed her.

“I was completely shocked,” said Brewer, recreation special programs and marketing manager for the Auburn Parks, Arts and Recreation Department since the summer of 2006. “I’m a humble kind. I like to work behind the scenes, and I like to make the community better by working with other people. … I work with such great people. And the great thing about the job is we work with other people in other departments.”

Brewer said she’s only as good as those around her.

“She’s very deserving,” said Daryl Faber, Parks, Arts and Recreation director. “She’s a hard worker. She’s really good. She’s a great partner with the community.”

Another supervisor offered praise: “She is intensely motivated, creative, independent and innovative. If attitude makes a difference between getting tasks done and making them fun, then she is the epitome of what a great attitude can do in helping a department forward its mission.”

Brewer is responsible for marketing and special recreation programming, including KidsDay, Petpalooza, Fourth of July, Veterans Day, Santa Parade, along with many arts programs and recreation activities.

Most recently, Brewer helped raise money for the soon-to-be-completed Barrier-Free Playground at Les Gove Park. Brewer and City Councilmember Lynn Norman led a community task force that raised $300,000, its targeted goal, for the unique playground project, which is scheduled to be dedicated on KidsDay, June 25.

“Being part of that is exciting,” Brewer said of the 32,000-square-foot playground and sensory garden. “In this region, there is nothing like it.”

For Brewer and the city, May is one of the busiest months. It begins with Clean Sweep on Saturday, a volunteer project that will beautify 21 project sites throughout Auburn. It will continue with the popular Petpalooza and Dog Trot at Game Farm Park on May 22, a growing event evidenced by the attraction of a record 150 vendors.

“I love people … and to work with them in this community is such a benefit,” Brewer said. “This community works very well together to accomplish great things. People want to be involved, and that’s unique.”

The fact that the department is always searching for new ideas keeps the job challenging.

“We bounce a lot of creative ideas out of here, and some of it takes shape,” Brewer said. “We can always do the same thing, but we like to keep it fresh for the people who are coming. Something new to see, something new to do.”

Brewer previously worked for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and the City of Renton, where she was a community relations manager for 15 years. Her experience working with local governments has served her well in Auburn.

A Renton native, Brewer is a graduate of Washington State University. She is a single mother of two boys, one graduating from high school this spring, the other college bound. She lives in the very same Renton home she grew up in, purchasing it from her retiring parents.

She enjoys golf, the beach, swimming and spending time with family.

And she enjoys the role she plays for the city.

“I get to wake up in the morning, and I love going to work,” she said, “And I hope my kids will find that someday.”