Protecting the public

Just as 2021 came to a close, the town of Medicine Bow received news their Public Works Director, Charlie George was retiring after 16 years of service with the town. It was the first time a town employee had actually retired. Prior years had workers leave on their own and at request of the town.  

He will be missed.

"Charlie has been great to work with," Mayor Sharon Biamon said. "He really cared about the town and the people that lived here. He set a bar that will be tough to match. Everyone will miss him."

George came to work for the town 16 years ago, but his ties to the town go back much further.

"I went to grade school and junior high in Medicine Bow. I left when I was in 8th grade," George said. "The years went by and I was back in Wyoming and the opportunity came up to work for the town and I took it."

George said the public works has you working for the entire town.

"In small towns, you don't just work for the mayor and the council, you work for the entire population," George said. "It is hard to please all the people all the time, and it is a tough job because it isn't the sort of occupation you can leave the work at the office. You find yourself thinking about the town and its residents all the time."

George said during his years in public works he tried to be fair and do his best to address every resident's concern.

"I didn't do something for somebody, that I wouldn't do for everybody," George said. "It is a hard and you don't do it to hear people say thanks. You do the job for the self-satisfaction of knowing that your actions are helping the residents."

George said there is a lot of work to be done when it comes to small towns.

"Little towns have it a lot worse than big towns like Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne," George said. "All the bigger towns have departments that take care of certain areas of the public works. Small towns have to do it all. We are involved in sanitation removal, street grading, snow plowing, helping parks and rec stayed mowed, building maintenance, water treatment and water distribution, waste water treatment; you name it, public works was likely involved in some way."

George said there are many things to be aware in the job he was in, because public works is protecting the public.

"We have to make sure water is safe to drink and that sanitation guidelines are being met because the residents are depending on this in their day-to-day life," George said. "A stop sign has to be put up if it is knocked down. There a thousand different things public works is involved in and people don't realize. They might see us do one thing and not know that we have done a dozen things before the thing that they do see. In public works, you have to be satisfied that are contributing to the good of the town and understand that most of what you do, people just are not aware of."

He said it is important for a small town to have a good mayor and good council that understand funds have to be allocated and set aside for all the different tasks that are required to keep the town's infrastructure running smoothly and safely.

George said that small towns have gotten hit hard by price increases of fuel over the years.

"We use a lot in different ways," George said. "For instance, to plow streets in Medicine Bow, I have said it costs about $1,000 dollars every time you plow with wages, fuel and wear and tear on the equipment. That is a lot of money and we have to be careful, meaning that we didn't snowplow every time it snowed. A lot of people didn't understand how expensive it was. Blading the roads is the same. One time can have you go through a whole set of cut edges. Being on a budget makes public works careful how it spends money and to do so effectively."

George said if a town had an unlimited budget, it would be one thing, but most small towns have to be careful to not go into the red. 

"Thank God for Karen (Heath-the town treasurer and town clerk) because she kept me appraised of what we had and the clerk is equally as important as public works," George said. "They keep you on the straight and narrow. Honestly everyone that works for a small town, has a very important job that I don't think gets the recognition that we as residents should give them."

 George has heard plenty of residents say public works does a good job and another group say, 'I wish they would do this or what aren't they doing this.'

"We don't always get a lot of public input such as council meetings. That is where if there are questions a resident should come, not just complain throughout town," George said. "I am not saying this is just Medicine Bow. This is all small towns. Town councils are important to attend for this reason. It does no good to just complain on the street, not when there is an opportunity for public works, the mayor and council to hear and understand a particular problem. This is where everyone should put in their two cents."

George said when a public works big project got done, he felt great satisfaction. He is glad that the town now elects mayor for four years instead of three. He said it gives time for the mayor to accomplish goals that three years didn't always allow. He also gives credit to the residents who are on the council (some multiple times) and are dedicated to the town because there have been years when no person would run.

"I can think of several now in Medicine Bow who stepped up and ran because nobody else would," George said. "These people deserve so much respect for how much they care about the town."

The respect runs both ways. All the council members said George would be missed and that he had helped the community tremendously over the 16 years.

"With Charlie, what you see, is what you get," Heath said. "There was nothing hidden and he was always honest. We didn't always agree on everything, but then we would talk it out. He was one of the nicest, most supportive co-workers you could ever ask for. If Charlie said he would do it, it was his word."

There are memories of his years in public works that brings a smile to him. That was working with his dog Bo. This pup was entrenched with the town and public works; that he even had a mailbox that residents could drop off doggie treats. Bo lived and worked with George for 15 years. According to Heath, they were a package deal.

"People appreciated Bo. They would always ask Karen where he was, but seldom asked where I was," George chuckled. "The acceptance he got was really heartening. I also enjoyed working with all the people in town. It was always nice to get the thank you."

George said probably the most difficult part of the job was digging graves for friends that he had known for years.

"We take care of the cemetery and dig the graves," George said. "It can be overwhelming to some people, but I took it on as saying farewell to my friends. It is a part of the job, but it a lot on your shoulders as you put this person you knew and cared for in their final resting place. I was to do it for the friends I knew versus it being done by someone that didn't know them."

George said he admires all the public works guys in other small towns.

"Sometimes it is hard to go out in the public sometimes, and all public works personnel have to just take pride they are doing the best they can, given the circumstances," George said. "It boils down to, if you take care of the public, the public will take of you eventually. Residents just have to understand that public works doesn't have just one job and they don't have just one boss. It isn't a 9 to 5 job. Giving a pat on the back to these guys goes a long way."

George said he retired because it felt like the right time. He is looking forward to visiting his children and grandchildren. He did have a funny moment with his wife Mary, who is secretary at Hanna Elementary.

"I don't really have an agenda with retirement," George said. "So Mary asked if she should make a list things to do, I told her I would go back to work. What I look forward to is going fishing, like probably everyone who retires and having the whole summer to visit my kids and grandkids when Mary is off." 

"I was glad to be able to help Medicine Bow over the years the best way I could," George said. "That is a great way to go out. I wish Medicine Bow the best."