Madden takes over as Wellsburg public works director

As he transitions into a new job with no prior experience in the field, Jamie Madden isn’t pretending to have all the answers. But he knows how to fix stuff, and in the world of public works, that skill alone can go a long way.
           
“I think I’ll like it here. I really do. There are lots of things in town that need fixing,” he said.  “I’m pretty ambitious yet, so I can get some things done. I like the variety.”
           
Madden, who has lived in Wellsburg since 1990, graduated from W-SR High School in 1996 and is now raising two children of his own with his wife, started as the city’s public works director on June 25, replacing Nathan Vogel—who left for the same job in Ackley. He spent 20 years at Phelps Implement (now Van Wall) in Grundy Center working in both maintenance and sales but decided it was time for a change.
           
With a shorter commute and a whole new set of duties, Madden is hitting the ground running.
           
“Everything’s new to me,” he said. “The water and sewer stuff is all new to me, but I look at it as (an opportunity to) learn new things.”
           
Whether it’s tree trimming, street work, water testing or manholes, Madden and his cohort Randy Hippen will undoubtedly stay busy in town. Due to his relative inexperience, Madden hasn’t been afraid to reach out to former public works guys Leon Abels and Merrill Lindaman—both of whom still live in town—and ask for advice when he needs it. 
 
Read the full story in this week's Grundy Register. Subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here.