By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Bill Carpenter well remembers the Blizzard of ’78. At the time, he was reading meters for the City of Decatur.
Last Thursday, 48 years later, he retired as the city’s assistant water superintendent.
In all, Carpenter spent 49 years working for the city.
“You don’t see that every day,” Mayor Dan Rickord said before a resolution honoring and thanking Carpenter was read at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
“It’s pretty much all I’ve ever done, started at 17,” Carpenter said before council.
“Safe drinking water is a must for any community,” the mayor pointed out. “Bill has been a huge part of that and I personally want to thank him.”
“We work daily to keep our drinking water safe,” Carpenter said.
Joining the city full-time on June 27, 1977, Carpenter worked his way through various positions until assuming the assistant position – the top job in that department, as part of the overall utilities department – in 2013.
The resolution noted that Bill has overseen significant improvements to the water treatment facilities, including the construction of two new treatment plants.
He’s also overseen expansion of the city’s distribution and fire protection systems, and has continually monitored the city’s water supply and its quality to ensure its safety and compliance with federal state regulations.
The resolution also notes that his deep respect has been gained within the department due to his intricate knowledge of the city’s water systems and “his willingness to roll up his sleeves and get right to work alongside them (city employees), often under inclement or potentially hazardous conditions.”
It is also pointed out how Carpenter used a canoe to check on the city’s wells during the 2003 flooding.
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