In late July, Allen County welcomed new Road and Bridge Director Jeremy Hopkins. He has served as the interim Road and Bridge Director since late-March after the former director, Mark Griffith, resigned.
The 47-year-old Wichita native previously worked for Smith & Chambers Salvage out of Fort Scott prior to moving to Allen County in 2004. “I was tired of being on the road for that railroad job all the time and wanted to be at home more,” he explained.
He began working for the Allen County Road & Bridge department at that time and has held that job for the past 20 years. Hopkins brings this experience to his new role as director.
“As the road and bridge director, it is more clerical work than what I’m used to,” he said. “I was used to being out in the field doing the blood, sweat and tears of the job. Now, it’s more office work.” This adjustment, along with doing a budget for the first time, is what Hopkins says are the main challenges of the new role.
Wasting no time, Hopkins has hit the ground running as the new director. He has goals that he would like to see his department achieve in the near future. “I’d like to see us get the county’s blacktop roads back up to standard,” he noted. He plans for the department to work on blacktop in Piquay, as well as the old highway going north out of Iola.
Under his guidance, the department has already completed the chip sealing of West Virginia Road from the town of Mildred to the east. “Currently, we’re working on chip sealing in Moran,” he added. “Then we’ll move to Gas and Humboldt. We’re in the chip sealing season right now, but we’re winding down because it is getting cooler.”
Hopkins has already become a well-known face in the county, attending the weekly county commission meetings as well as several community conversations. Serving the citizens of Allen County is what he looks forward to the most in his job. Engaging with the community is “where you hear the positive feedback and concerns,” he said.
At the end of the day, Hopkins says the work he does is really a team effort. “Working with the crew that I have, they are very good at what they do,” he said. “They make my job easier.”
