Calling it a Career

Brian and Garth Frable

Our Bureau Chief, Brian Tormey, is retiring at the end of the year. I'm going to miss that guy. Today we had his reception at the Wallace Building - with a baseball theme. Brian is a baseball and a hockey fan. And I didn't know, he is a huge Mets fan.

Check out the clever centerpieces - recycled from a high school graduation

Angie Clark, a technical staff person in our bureau, took charge of the party planning. Man, I want Angie to plan my next party. She rocks! I should have known...as that's how she handles all aspects of her job. Angie is very thorough and competent. She had a team working with her to put the party together - steamed hot dogs, just like at the ball park, with nachos, chips, and cracker jacks! Plus we had some marvelous cake from Costco.

Bill Ehm (it's pronounced aim) and Brian

Creston's own Division Administrator Bill Ehm presented Brian with a plaque commemorating his time with the State of Iowa. Before that he had put in time with the US Postal Service. So his retirement will be double dipping!

I forget how funny Brian is, but he had it going today. He brought a bag of stuff from his cubicle - Show and Tell. Here is one thing he brought.

 

Brian said the "Nun" chucks were a result of 12 years of Catholic education. Note the little nuns at the bottom left - ready to be launched by the apparatus. Too funny. It was nice to see some faces from the past at the reception. My first supervisor, Al Goldberg was there. I started my job at DNR 4 years ago today!

 

On a sad note, I found out yesterday that a woman from our bureau, who had been awaiting a heart for a transplant - got called to come to Iowa City Monday. Sadly, she was receiving some plasma prior during the procedure and her body reacted. She didn't make it. I was at work early yesterday, and overheard the Section Supervisor, Cal tell the news to a few who get to work early as I do. I felt so bad, even though I didn't really even know her. Everyone went from the high of being happy that Sandy's new heart was here, to the low of her death - all in 24 hours.

 

At his reception, Brian mentioned that last Friday Sandy had come into his office to congratulate him on his retirement. She had been back working, part time. She had an external pump to assist her heart. She was only 51, but had a heart attack a year ago, and then had more problems a few months later. She had been in the hospital in Iowa City many weeks,  and then recovered at home for a while before she returned to work while awaiting the call about the donor heart.
 

Brian said last week, Sandy mentioned that through it all, her faith sustained her. Brian felt good about that. It was a somber note during a happy occasion - his reception. But I was glad he brought it up. He's no stranger to grief. Just 4 years ago, right before I started my job, his wife passed away from breast cancer. So he was out of the office for several weeks when I first started work.

 

Brian's son stopped by for the party. And his bro, Ed works as the Bureau Chief for the attorneys at DNR - so he was there too. Nice that he got the support of family for this day.

 

It's hard to believe he won't be sitting in that cubicle next to Angie in a couple weeks. I'm going to miss him. Good luck big guy! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SW Iowa work trip

I tried out my new camera on our work trip through Southwest Iowa Tuesday. It was my usual trip crew of Jim and Scott, but this time Angie came with us. Angie is our Bureau Chief Brian's Administrative Assistant (she's got some other official sounding title) - she's smart and proficient at many things around the office. She's worked at DNR since college (she's closing in on all of 30 now...) and is really good at getting stuff done. She's married with 2 young boys and lives in rural Monroe (where she grew up) - east of DSM.

Tim in red talking to Jim, Angie and Scott in Kellerton

Throughout her DNR career, Angie hasn't had a chance to get out of the office much, so this year Brian suggested she go along with staff members as they go out in the field. That way when she takes minutes at meetings describing staff activities, she'll have a better idea what she's writing about. Angie was a nice addition to our travel party.

Our first stop was Kellerton where we visited Divine Waste, a trash hauling company that is starting up a curbside recycling program in rural Iowa. Tim, the owner has purchased the carts and is getting the building ready to install a baler. (It's a machine that smashes the materials together into nice big cubes to sell). Tim's plan is to sort material and bale it, then market it in various locations - paper, plastic and metal. Tim's a big dreamer and talker - I am hopeful he can show others how a small hauler can make this model work.

I couldn't resist - had to stop on our way out of town, snapping this shot of Neon Jesus and the bike sculpture across the street - East Village DSM has nothing on Kellerton!

After Kellerton, we headed back east on Highway 2 to the Wayne, Ringgold, Decatur (WRD) Landfill located just south of Grand River. Doug, the all-around guy there filled us in on what was going on. We talked to him about shingle recycling - working with roofers to deliver them to a separate area where they can be recycled into asphalt. It's been very successful in other areas - especially when oil prices are high.

Doug shows DNR staff a product used to "cover" at night - it's mixed with water and sprayed on trash at closing time.

Next we were off to Clarinda, home of Glenn Miller the big band guy. I spent a bit of time in this town - during my own sports career (I was an Atlantic Trojann-yes it's spelled right) and then following the kids. Amy stomped around there during her brief stint in marching band (before she figured out it would interfere with volleyball tourneys). We ate lunch on the square at a place we all thought was quite good - at least until Angie saw the guy who took our cash touch the food he was cooking. Icky! She and I had spaghetti and Jim and Scott each ordered a small pizza.

The town of Coin was our next destination. Alas the town decided they don't quite have enough of it to accept the grant they've been awarded to demolish this derelict building - the former school building. When we drove in we weren't quite sure where the building was, but in a small town like Coin we found it pretty quickly! We were greeted by a posse of small dogs running loose.

Looking for the reported ghost...just kidding. There are still some lightbulbs in the joint.

Coin is a small town with a sense of humor though..

town bar/lunch place

On mainstreet

bales of metal cans

Last we headed north to the Page County Landfill run by Myron Magwitz. I think that's a cool name. Page County received a large grant/low interest loan that helped them build a large recycling facility with a baler. They utilize low cost prison help (non violent offenders - we don't let real bad dudes around our commodities) at the facility. I talked to Myron about shingle recycling too and they filled us in about their operation. This stops are a good time to share information.

Guys in orange shirts - prison dudes

Myron in red with his assistant Mike in bibs.

Jim took Highway 71 back up to Atlantic on the way back - we went by Villisca, resisting driving into town to see the Axe Murder House. We jogged over on 6/83 through Anita and then on up to I-80 arriving back in DSM about 4:15 p.m. It was a good trip with a great team. Fun folks to travel with - providing value to our stakeholders.