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Steve Mattke is volunteer of the year

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen City of Fort Dodge Electrician Steve Mattke proudly displays his Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance Volunteer of the Year award Thursday night during their annual dinner at the Best Western Starlite Village Inn & Suites.

A city employee who works largely behind the scenes was honored Thursday night by the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance as its Volunteer of the Year.

Steve Mattke, the city electrician, received the award during the alliance’s annual dinner at the Best Western Starlite Village Inn & Suites, 1518 Third Ave. N.W.

”He is known as someone who works his hardest to accommodate every request and works collaboratively to not only ensure that Growth Alliance events are a success, but all other community events are a success as well,” said Dennis Plautz, CEO of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance.

”He is regularly seen on his days and nights off walking the streets of Market on Central or Holiday on Central and our staff would describe him as someone who is always there when you need him,” he added.

Plautz introduced him to the audience with a bit of wry humor.

“I’m sure he’s shocked,” he said.

As city electrician, it’s Mattke’s job to maintain traffic signals, street lights and other electrical equipment.

Last summer, he put his electrical know-how to work to help rescuers at a car wreck scene. An Aug. 14, 2018, crash on Eighth Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues south left a live wire draped across a vehicle in which a man was trapped. Mattke got to the scene before MidAmerican Energy crews did, and shut down the flow of electricity to the downed line so that firefighters and paramedics could get to the trapped man.

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