Paty Maciel, Community Services department’s longtime secretary and primary administrative support person is retiring Jan. 15 after almost 20 years with the City. Paty started working for Menlo Park in fall 1995 as a teacher's aide when the Belle Haven Child Development Center expanded from 12 children in the program to 96 children. In the summer of 1997, the BHCDC program director asked her to work in the office because of her customer service skills and ability to remain calm and professional in any situation. Paty moved to the Arrillaga Recreation Center as the department's lead administrative support person in 2003. Paty's retirement leaves a major hole in the department and the recreation center, which still has a vacancy in the program coordinator position created when Noreen Bickel left to become the Recreation Manager in Brisbane after 10 years with Menlo Park. The City will host an open house luncheon in the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center’s Cypress Room Thursday, Jan. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate Paty's retirement.