Meinders tackles FD city engineering work
Part of the city’s effort to do more work in-houseBy BILL SHEA Messenger staff writer
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A recent day on the job for Scott Meinders involved prying open manhole covers and inspecting the dark realm below the streets of Fort Dodge.
The proper technique for manhole cover removal wasn't exactly emphasized in any of the college engineering classes he took. But that doesn't bother Meinders. He describes himelf as ''more of a jeans guy'' who likes to get outside to examine all the pipes and roads that make a modern city function.
His new job will give him plenty of chances to do that.
Meinders is the engineer-in-training for the Fort Dodge city government. He works closely with City Engineer Chad Schaeffer, gathering data, preparing designs, inspecting city projects and interpreting construction drawings for contractors.
His position was created this year as part of an effort to beef up the city Engineer's Office. With Meinders and Schaeffer on the job, City Council members hope to reduce the need to hire expensive private firms for engineering work on public projects.
Meinders started his city career on June 16.
''I kind of like the idea of working for a municipality because you get a lot of variety,'' he said.
He added that he came to Fort Dodge because ''this seemed to be a community that's trying to do big things in the future.''
''I wanted to be part of something that's important,'' Meinders said.
So far, he's found plenty of the variety that he was looking for when he took the city job. Each day, Schaeffer gives him a ''to do'' list. Some days the tasks on that list send him from the office to the outdoor work he loves. On other days, he works on his computer, surrounded by construction blueprints.
Although he has a degree in engineering, Meinders is called an engineer-in-training because he hasn't earned his professional engineer's license. He must work at least four years before he can take the test for that license.
Meinders grew up on a farm near Buffalo Center. He graduated from Woden-Crystal Lake-Titonka High School, where he played football, baseball and ran on the track team. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in May.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net
