Over the past few months, there has been an influx of temporary citizens in Allen County. They are drawn from across the state and even the country, a seen but unheard minority working in the community. “SOMETIMES you get attached to these little towns,” Randy Brown said while taking a break from work at Koss Construction headquarters in LaHarpe. THE FLANAGAN South Pipeline began groundwork in August; it runs 600 miles from Illinois to northern Oklahoma. It’s employees’ homes are scattered across the country. FOR THOSE who live on the grounds during their work, the atmosphere begins to meld into somewhat of a community.
The U.S. 54 construction and Enbridge pipeline construction began during the summer in Allen County — the former affecting roadways from the east side of Iola through the east side of LaHarpe, and the latter cutting diagonally across the county, just east of Humboldt.
Numerous workers employed by the companies live a life on the road, sometimes moving three or four times in the span of a year. It’s a life often unrecognized, for its difficulties and its advantages.
Brown is a quality control technician with Koss, based out of Topeka, and has worked for the company for over 22 years. His father has worked for the company for 35 years.
“I guess Topeka is where I call my home now,” he said. He already has lived in multiple locations in 2013, in an RV on site.
“Everyone has their own niche,” Jamie Lalicker, Brown’s co-worker and field office administrator for 12 years, said. She swiveled around in her office chair in the main office. “Some stay in hotels, apartments, a lot of people stay in trailers. We actually have very little turnover.”
Brown said most employees live within 25 miles of the work site, due to the daily commute. It’s a “dawn to dusk” type of job, so the hours don’t lend to much free time during the week.
Lalicker’s husband works for Koss as well — they live in a trailer on site. Brown is not married. They said many of the employees travel to see their families on the weekends, or bring them along if their children are younger or old enough to be on their own.
Brown said he has been around the construction scene he was a small child, and he never took the time or had the chance to settle down with a family.
“It was kind of hard to settle down,” he said. He will spend the winter in Hawaii, visiting his sister and her family.
“You’ve got to be able to rough it,” Lalicker replied.
She said she and her husband ride motorcycles in their free time. Other workers spend time fishing, exploring the area and relaxing, among other things.
“Getting away from the hotels is a good idea sometimes,” Lalicker laughed. “You get every type of personality.”
Brown said the freedom of the job is a temptation for some. He compared the lifestyle to that of a rock star on tour — an interesting comparison to make for those who work so hard, day-in and day-out.
“It’s tough, it’s not for everybody,” Matthew Burns, senior safety inspector for pipeline construction, said. He has been working on pipelines since 1987, and is a contracted employee with Enbridge. He calls Baton Rouge, La., home.
“A lot of people have to leave their families behind,” he said, while sitting in his LaHarpe office, next to Diebolt Lumber on Nebraska Road.
He said he was attracted to the job in the beginning by the pay and options for travel. The job lends itself to traveling, and he gets around two months off per year. But, the job doesn’t come without sacrifices.
“My girlfriend at the time said if I go (work for the pipeline), it’s goodbye,” he said. He chose the pipeline.
Burns now has a wife, Kimberly, and two children, Skylar, 13, and Brody, 3.
“Sure I miss them when I’m gone,” he said. “But I get to spend a lot more quality time with my family.”
He said his family visits him on the job, and has even lived with him for extended periods of time. He and his family lived in Saint Eustatius, a small Caribbean island, for one year while he worked a job building oil tanks.
“That’s the allure for a lot of the people that do this,” he said.
“It’s easy to make it home,” Lalicker said. “Sometimes it’s convenient to stay in a long-term job, it has a campground atmosphere.”
Jobs range across the entire state for Koss, Brown said, and they can last anywhere from several days to years. Currently, Koss Construction has multiple crews working in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Working in a small community, such as LaHarpe, Humboldt or Iola, has advantages and disadvantages. Lalicker said some seem to be reluctant to their presence, they know that with them comes torn-up roads, detours and change in general.
“You’re either welcome or your not,” she said. “It goes with the territory.”
“If you can just explain to people that it’s not your decision,” Brown added. “And it really makes the roads safer in the long run.”
Burns said the pipeline workers have been “nothing but welcome” in southeast Kansas since they began their work in August. They will be in the area until next summer. He said small-town living may not appeal to some, but to others on the pipeline, it’s home.
“It’s kind of a shock,” he said with a chuckle, referencing small-town living. Burns grew up in Columbus, Ohio. “Other people grew up in small towns.”
He said he and his employees try to spend as much time as possible in the community, supporting local businesses. Like the Koss Construction workers, many on his crew camp in RVs. However, he is currently living at Crossroads Motel in Iola.
“I’m kind of a homebody,” he said.
In any case, the lifestyle can lend itself to time away, or back, for those who want to hit the road. Brown said most of their time is spent working during the active months, making it easy to save money. Most workers have several weeks off in the winter, Brown said — he has eight weeks off this year, Lalicker has four.
Lalicker will be in Washington state while Brown is in Hawaii, to “weather out the winter.”
Burns said the pipeline workers will continue working through the winter, at an “expeditious, but safe pace.” The pipeline work ends in Cushing, Okla. There are around 385 pipeline employees in southeast Kansas.
He said he is frequently asked how someone can get a job on a pipeline, and he said to check with the local chamber of commerce. While it may not be for everyone, he said it’s a job that can pay off in the long run.
“It’s probably one of the few businesses where you can get rewarded for working hard,” he said.
The Koss crews will cease their work in early December, and will return at some point in the spring to continue. The deadline for the construction on U.S. 54 is fall 2014. The construction workers will scatter for the time being, heading to their families, friends, pastimes and vacations — and then regroup next year.
“Sometimes you’re just ready to get back to your work,” Brown said.
AT HOME ON THE ROAD Workers live nomadic life with freedoms, challenges
