Faces of Rural Water

Lila Foster – Lila is the City Clerk at Osceola. She began her career at city hall as a part-time employee, and has continued serving the community for the past 16 years. Her prior public service included West Central Community Action Agency. Lila is a Missouri-licensed public notary. Her hobbies include quilting, gardening, plants, antiques and history. Lila instituted exhibition of local artifacts at city hall, reflecting her appreciation for Osceola’s historical past.

Terry Stuck – Terry has worked at the city of Hawk Point for six years. He holds WW-D and DS-II certifications. Terry stated that he enjoys “piddling” on his time off. His colleagues conveyed dedication, flexibility, and willingness to provide a helping hand at any time. Coworkers noted the depth of his responsibilities as the lead public works employee and shared that Terry provides guidance and insight to others in a laidback, respectable manner. Tom Wright – The Vandalia water department hired Tom in March 1980. He began his career as a laborer, repairing main breaks and installing water and wastewater services. He moved to backhoe operator within five years. Tom trains new employees, sharing his experience and knowledge of Vandalia’s infrastructure systems. Tom maintains DW-D and DS-III certifications. He noted that water industry products (fittings and anchor couplings) have improved significantly during his tenure. Prior to water industry service, Tom attended Gem City College to become a watchmaker, which is now a hobby. Other interests include golfing, fishing, and traveling with family to entertainment destinations.

Faces of

Rural

Faces of

Water

Marie Bounds – The city of Farber will celebrate its 150th birthday in 2022. Marie Bounds has been the city clerk for the past 50 years (1/3 of the city’s history). She retired in February 2021. Marie has been the foundation for the city and leaves a legacy of integrity, fairness and hard work. In her retirement, she plans to pursue her hobby of gardening and have more free time to visit family and friends. When asked what she will miss the most, she said it was the bookwork and accounting functions. When asked what has changed the most in Farber over her tenure, she said the population is much more mobile than in the past. There are more renters moving in and out than ever before. Marie is one of the unsung heroes of small communities and she will be greatly missed in City Hall! Ricky Blundell – Ricky has been in the water industry since 1984, and maintains DW-A, WW-A, and DS-III certifications. He also served in the US Air Force and was stationed at Cheyenne Mountain Complex, or NORAD. Ricky has worked for defense contractors and municipalities in Texas, Colorado, and Missouri. He is currently employed by, and enjoying, the city of Archie. His hobbies include deer hunting, fishing, camping, and the outdoors.

Roger Moyer – Roger holds a WW-C certification. He has worked for the city of Glen Allen for 2 years. His background as a machine tool service technician required extensive travel throughout the country. He has lived in Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. Roger is recognized for fairness, diligence, and dedication. He has a positive can-do attitude, using knowledge from his mechanical expertise and recent water industry training.If you’d like to share a colleague, co-worker, or your own face and story with the readers of MRWA’s Missouri WaterLines, contact Mark Klaus by phone at 816-349-2670 or by email at mklaus@moruralwater.org.