Gene Burns has guts.
At least that’s what his first manager, Don Brewer, at Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority, said when Burns showed up on his doorstep on New Year’s Eve in 1975 asking for an interview.
Less than a month later, Burns began what would become a 50-year career at the authority.
The beginning
Burns, of North Apollo, had been working in construction for a couple of years.
As the authority was being built, Burns had been hired to help build Brewer’s home. Throughout the project, he heard about the authority and the jobs it would offer upon opening. He decided to apply, wanting a career change.
Burns said he considered applying to one of the area’s mills, but his friends and family talked him out of it.
“A bunch of people told me steel mills weren’t going to last, and that a water pollution plant, a municipal job, could be a lifetime job,” Burns said.
Burns didn’t hear anything back from the authority after submitting his application, leading the then 19-year-old to end up on Brewer’s doorstep asking if the authority was still hiring.
“(Brewer) told me, ‘if you have the guts to come here, come down and we’ll give you an interview,’” Burns said.
He was hired on Jan. 26, 1976.
A career, a second home
Burns, now 69, started off working in labor at the plant.
He was charged with equipment maintenance and operations. A year later, he was promoted to shift operator where he learned how to run the authority’s incinerator and vacuum filter.
About six months into the promotion he decided to go back to the labor department. Being a shift operator meant less hands-on work and less person-to-person interaction, both of which Burns enjoys.
“(Shift operator) wasn’t for me,” Burns said.
In 1978, he was promoted to mechanic and stayed in that role for nearly 15 years, thriving in the environment. He took care of pump stations and sewer lines. He also cleaned manhole covers and handled community relations when the authority was called out on a job.
An unexpected perk of the position was that Burns memorized where almost all the manholes were located in the 13 communities the authority serves. Burns said all someone had to do was describe the general area of the manhole and he knew exactly where to go.
“I still do to this day,” he said.
In 1992 Burns was promoted to lead mechanic, where he oversaw maintenance at the main plant and pump stations in addition to his responsibilities in his previous position. Burns enjoyed being able to collaborate with community councils and supervisors, he said.
“I could talk to people and I’d troubleshoot their problems with them,” Burns said. “I enjoyed that.”
It was almost 20 years later when Burns was promoted to his current title, operation and maintenance supervisor. He said the other option was to become a manager. Much like the shift operator position, the job isn’t for him.
“I didn’t want a manager slot,” Burns said.
Being on the job has taught Burns how to adapt. He has learned how to work the old equipment, the new equipment the plant’s 2016 renovation brought, and everything in between.
According to Burns’ manager, Dennis Duryea, Burns is an irreplaceable part of the team.
Duryea said he has been working at the authority for 12 years and Burns’ support helped make his transition into a managerial role easier than he expected.
“Gene possesses much knowledge regarding all aspects of the plant operation and conveyance piping that carries the wastewater to the plant,” Duryea said in an email to TribLive. “This wealth of knowledge is invaluable on a daily basis, as we rely on it to resolve many issues.”
The appeal
Working in any field for 50 years is an impressive feat and has become a rarity.
While he has always enjoyed the work, Burns said it’s the connections that the job created that has kept him coming back.
“I enjoy getting up to come to work every morning,” he said.
His team usually starts their shifts at 7 a.m. Burns is there about an hour earlier brewing a pot of coffee for everyone. He sang the praises of his coworkers and bosses, saying the company has treated him well in his 50 years there. He compared his crew to a family.
“I just enjoy it,” he said. “The employees are great and my manager is great to work for.”
Burns’ admiration is not one-sided.
“Gene’s demeanor, calmness in any situation, positive attitude and ability to relate to coworkers has made him a great supervisor of the operators and mechanics,” Duryea said. “All of these attributes have made my job easier, as I’m confident all matters will be handled well.”
What’s next?
Burns will celebrate his 50th work anniversary on Monday and his retirement later this year.
As he prepares to leave the place he loves, Burns said he’ll miss the people the most.
In his 50 years, he was able to watch the fish return to the Kiski River, he said. While he knows that wasn’t all due to the authority’s work, he said he likes to think they played a role in the restoration.
A bitter-sweet decision, he’s looking forward to spending time with his wife of 49 years, Barbara, and spending more time with his sons Jason and Christopher and his grandchildren Owen, 11, Jackson, 9, Mason, 8, and Parker, 4.
“I got to the point where I’m 69. I have grandkids,” Burns said. “I figured it was probably time to retire and enjoy something else for a while.”