After over 30 years of service, Water Operator in Charge Don Goettl will retire on May 31.
Graduating from Stanley-Boyd High School in 1980, Goettl immediately entered the workforce before starting his career with the City of Stanley in February 1994 when he was hired as the assistant water and sewer operator at the water department. In 2003 he become the Operator in Charge at the water department, a position that Goettl describes as complicated. “My job as operator in charge is to make sure the city is compliant with all the DNR regulations and the EPA regulations.” He continues, “The operator in charge is a liaison with the DNR and the City. You make sure the city is compliant with whatever the DNR wants.” Goettl has been the unsung hero behind the scenes, tirelessly working to ensure that clean, safe water flows freely into the homes and businesses of Stanley. Through early mornings and late nights, weekends and holidays, he has remained committed to serve the Stanley community.
“It’s interesting. An eight-hour day is not enough,” Goettl remarks on why he chose to remain in his position instead of transferring to another department. “Water is very interesting, and Stanley is really unique. We’re a small town but what we do for our water, we have to treat every bit of it. Other towns don’t. It’s demanding at times. Just like anything else, it doesn’t run smooth. There’s been a lot of hiccups.”
He explains, “Our water is high in iron manganese, so we got to remove that. We got two full-blown water treatment plants to remove iron manganese. Not every town has water treatment plants like we do.”
Goettl mentions that the biggest challenge in his career with the water department has been the growth and water production that came with the construction of the Stanley prison and Ace Ethanol. “The way the growth came in 2003 when the prison and ethanol plant were coming on. It grew so fast.” Mentioning that the 1,600 person prison is like another small city that the City of Stanley supplies with water, he added, “Stanley grew a lot, definitely grew a lot.”
Goettl explained that before the new treatment plant was put online in 2003, the city just had the central treatment plant and up to 2,000 gallons were pumped a day. With the arrival of the prison and Ace Ethanol, now well over a million gallons are pumped per day in the summertime. “We’re close to maxed out right now,” he commented and shared that the City and Water Department are in the process of doing a systems study, replacing the ozone system, and upgrading the PLC system.
Yet, in spite of the challenges, Goettl has risen to the occasion time and time again, employed his knowledge and skill to overcome obstacles and ensure the uninterrupted flow of clean, safe water to every corner of our town. Goettl shared that his goal was always to keep cost down for the consumer.
Goettl plans to enjoy the next chapter of his life with Sherry, his wife of 42 years, and his children and grandchildren. He also plans to tackle some home projects while enjoying some peace and quiet. “Not having to be the responsible one takes a lot of responsibilities off. You take it to heart. I did.”
The residents of the City of Stanley share their deep appreciation and gratitude for Goettl who has shown his dedication and commitment to our city and faithfully served as the water operator in charge for the past three decades.