Town of Greeneville Public Works Director William Barner is retiring after 44 years with the town department, including the last three and a half as the department’s director.
Barner did his first work in the department as a high school student for three months during the summer of 1972. Barner joined the Marine Corps upon graduating high school. Once he came out of the Marines, he started working full-time for the Public Works Department in 1982. He’s been with the department ever since.
Barner said that he has done a little bit of everything during his time with the department. During his early years at the department, when there was less automated technology, he rode a trash truck with three other people and loaded garbage by hand. He also helped collect brush, and spread salt by hand out of the back of pickup trucks during the winter months.
After working in a variety of roles, Barner became a supervisor in the department in 2008, and then assistant director in 2010. In June of 2022, he assumed the role of Public Works Department Director.
He noted that he had seen a lot of changes during his time in the department, particularly when it comes to technology. He said that automated garbage and brush trucks have allowed Public Works to operate more efficiently, with fewer men on each truck.
“The technology has come a long way,” Barner said. “It’s really been something to see in my career.”
Public Works now has a computer system for work orders to keep things organized, rather than just jotting things down on a legal pad with a pencil when receiving calls from the public.
He also said that the department used to contract out nearly all sidewalk and asphalt work, but now the department has its own crews and can carry out some of the work themselves.
Barner called his career with Public Works as “rewarding” and that he has seen his work with the department through to the end.
He noted that it had been “an honor” working with the “quality people” at Public Works more than anything, which he refers to as “family.”
Barner said that he tried to lead by example and would never ask a Public Works employee to do anything that he would not do himself. He noted the people of the department had “been a pleasure” to lead and to work with.
While sometimes public works departments may go unrecognized in some towns, Barner said the department was vital to a community such as Greeneville.
“It’s important to have a good Public Works Department to be able to assist the other departments and to serve the citizens of the town, and that’s what I’ve always strived for is for the department to be the best that we can be and to help the public,” Barner said. “Sometimes people don’t really see the work that goes into things. We do get our share of complaints, but we get a lot of compliments and see those as well.”
He noted that sometimes there are misunderstandings, but that he has always felt supported as a member of and as the leader of Greeneville Public Works.
Barner said he was proud to have seen his career through to the end, and to have served the community for over four decades.
A retirement reception for Barner will be held immediately following the Greeneville City Council meeting on Tuesday, which begins at 4:00 p.m.
