A Long commitment

ROCKFORD - Village administrator Jeff Long announced he will retire on Jan. 3 after 35 years of service.

"There's been no better community to work for," he said with a tear in his eye during Tuesday's village council meeting. "The people have been great. I'm thankful."

Long began his career with the village in 1984, working as the water and sewer superintendent. He recalled believing at that time that a lot of work needed to be done to improve the village. He wanted to learn how to manage big projects and get the most out of grant opportunities.

So he began working as the wastewater superintendent for Mercer County. During that time, he served the village in other capacities by serving on council and as mayor in the 1990s.

After seven years of working for the county, he wanted to work for the village again and was hired as village administrator, Long said.

"We really needed everything. Now everything I envisioned has happened. There's a lot of work still to be done, and we are set up for it to happen," he said with a smile.

Long said he is proud of everything that's been done to improve residents' quality of life. One of the biggest projects he oversaw was the reconstruction of Main Street through downtown.

"That's when I think we started to turn things around," he said. "We redid all the sidewalks, curbs, streetlights, landscaping. That worked out great."

Long has secured about $6 million in funding for several other projects over the years. He said he has enjoyed seeing the village become a better place to live. Among the improvements were replacing all water and sewer lines, getting new water treatment and sewage treatment plants and establishing a new subdivision, which he hopes will take off soon.

He is working to secure funding to replace a water tower built in 1920. It will cost roughly $1 million to tear it down and build a new one to better meet the village's needs, but Long said he is confident he can secure Community Development Block Grant funding for the project, which he hopes will begin next year.

Long has been involved in the village's bicentennial commitee and is helping to build a veterans memorial next to the American Legion hall. No tax dollars will be spent on the project, and Long said he is proud of how the community has helped fund the roughy $100,000 project that will include five monuments honoring each branch of the military.

Long said he has been contemplating retirement for the past five years and decided the time is right.

"The job has been a great time, but I'm 60 years old, and you're responsible for a lot of things 24/7," he said.

Long recommended council members appoint employee Aron Temple as the new village administrator and Blair Shaffer as utility superintendent.

The two employees have worked for the village for about 13 years, and Long said he wouldn't feel comfortable retiring if he weren't confident in their abilities.

Long said he will help train them and will be available to answer any questions.

During his retirement, Long said he hopes to continue operating his water and wastewater consulting business.

"Jeff has been an asset to our village for 35 years," mayor Amy Joseph said.

"I've had the pleasure of working with him for 17 of those years. His community dedication, giving heart and extreme work ethic will be tough shoes to fill. I wish him the best of luck in his new adventures," she said.