Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Public Works director leaving June 30
DAVENPORT-Lincoln County Public Works director Rick Becker considered pushing for 40 years employed with the county, but decided 39 years was enough. Becker will head for retirement effective June 30.
He's leaving the director position that he's held since August of 2007 and a county he's worked for since 1983.
"I'm just ready to retire...maybe do some more golfing," Becker, a member of the board at Harrington Golf and Country Club, said. "I don't plan to work, except for honey-do's."
Becker started with the county as an engineering technician. He then moved to work in the design and construction department in 1993 before becoming engineering services manager in 1997.
He held that position for 10 years before the county commissioners appointed him to the director job that he holds to this day. At the time, the commissioners were Ted Hopkins, Deral Boleneus and Dennis Bly.
Becker oversees 50-55 employees depending on the season and has overseen countless county road maintenance and creation projects.
"They've all been very rewarding and challenging at times," Becker said.
The most public project tasked to Becker's crew was the Porcupine Bay landslide repair project after the April 2017 landslide, for which Becker won Project Manager of the Year in 2019.
"That the most money we've ever spent on a thousand-foot stretch of road," Becker said.
Becker also listed completing the Harrington-Tokio corridor, wrapping up work on Miles-Creston Road (for which work is in the final two phases), building a new mechanic's shop and crew facility in 2016 and the Lincoln boat ramp in 1990 as memorable projects in his tenure.
Becker was born in Odessa and grew up in Harrington. He graduated from Harrington High School 1976 and spent two years earning a civil engineering degree from Spokane Community College.
Prior to joining the crew in Lincoln County, he worked two stops in Franklin County, worked at the Hanford nuclear site and helped survey and design the St. Michelle Winery in Patterson.
He's lived in Harrington ever since moving back to Lincoln County. He served on city council for roughly 20 years while spending time with his wife, Max Becker, of 27 years, his grown two children and two step-children.
The county commissioners will be in charge of appointing Becker's successor. A decision had yet to be made as of press time.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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