How do Roads Scholars get their start, and what inspires them to go the extra mile? MnLTAP is pleased to share the journeys of recent graduates. This month, we meet Shane Meyer, public works and facilities supervisor at the City of Le Sueur. He earned the Maintenance Operations and Technical Certificate.
How did you get interested in public works/transportation?
I’ve been a resident of Le Sueur for my entire life and have always been interested in doing what I can to help the community. At 16, I was hired as a part-time employee at the community center. When I turned 21, I became a member of the fire department. Then, I was hired in public works in 2019. Since I’ve started with the city, we have made some great improvements within the Public Works Department, and it has been a wonderful experience watching and being part of them.
Who are/were some influential people in your career path? People you admire? Who inspired you?
Previous bosses, managers, and fellow employees all have, but the person I admire and who inspires me the most would be my father. He has taught and shown me from the time I was a child that no matter what life throws at you, you must keep going, work hard, and never make excuses.
How does the Roads Scholar certificate help you in your current job & career plans?
By working to attain the Roads Scholar certificate, I have been able to learn valuable information about operations in public works. Now that I have received the certificate, it will be a great tool to use for future advancement.
What’s a typical day like?
Our days start with the morning meeting, where we discuss the daily plan and look for input from other staff members on the best ways to complete our desired daily goals. We then typically complete some of the smaller daily tasks before we move on to our larger ones. As we start winding down, we evaluate what we have completed, what needs to be wrapped up before we leave, and what we need to accomplish the next day. After the staff leaves, my manager and I review the schedule and adjust as needed. Then I head home to spend the evenings with my wife, two daughters, and our dog.
What is your favorite accomplishment?
Serving with the Le Sueur Fire Department—I have been a member of the department for 23 years and currently serve as the department’s first assistant chief.
What can other people learn from your path?
Don’t give up. Even if you’ve been denied in the past, all it takes is one person to take a chance on you. I applied for a position at Public Works twice before being hired. Once you get that chance, don’t stop working on improving—take the LTAP training and any others that are available. Public works is continually changing with different processes and technologies—there is always something to learn and improve upon.
What makes you feel proud at the end of the day?
Being able to provide for my family and give my daughters the opportunity to try different activities and travel.
How has your job changed over the years?
When I started in public works, I was an operator. After a couple years, I became the lead operator, which put me in charge of the crew while on projects. I am now the public works and facilities supervisor. I do the scheduling, assist in future capital improvement planning, plan out future equipment purchases, and maintain the city-owned facilities as well as assist with our local airport maintenance. I spend more time in the office now than I used to, but I also still like to get out and help the crew.
Any funny or surprising incidents while working at a site/on the road/talking to citizens?
Working for and with the public, there always seems to be some sort of element of surprise. One resident would stop us every time we were working around his home. He wanted a speed limit sign installed in his front yard to slow traffic down. After we told him that we would not be doing that, he proceeded to paint “25 mph” across the entire road in the middle of the night. Of course, it happened to be the Friday before our town celebration—and on the parade route. We had to spend extra time removing the graffiti on the road.
What do you do for hobbies/fun?
I enjoy spending time with my family. I like watching my daughters perform in their activities. In the summer, we love to camp. We mostly travel around Minnesota but are looking to do some longer trips starting this year.
If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be? What would you do?
I’ve always wanted to stay in an overwater bungalow. I’m hoping to take my wife to one for our anniversary some year!