Hume City Council Roads team member, Howard Mitchell, has clocked up five decades working with the Council.
“The service milestone of 50 years as a Hume staff member is truly one to be celebrated, not only because it’s a rare feat for any person but it’s also a chance to reflect on the incredible contribution Howard has made to the community,” Council said in a statement.
Starting out in the Council rates department, Mr Mitchell later moved into Customer Service, before becoming a Building Asset Inspector and finally landing in his current role as a Team Leader of Works Delivery.
As a depot worker for the last 15 years, he oversees a team that inspects local roads and footpaths – many of which didn’t even exist when he started with the Council back in the 70’s.
“I like getting things done and sometimes there’s hurdles…I’m a doer. I like getting things finished, seeing the end result, seeing the before, seeing the after,” he says.
“Whether it’s regarding line marking or getting the road patches repaired, footpaths getting repaired….signs… the community; they always have good feedback when they see visually see what’s changed for the better.”
While helping the community keeps him driven, he admits the secret to staying at a company for so long is the culture.
“The main thing (about staying with Hume Council is) I’ve always had good bosses.”
“I’ve always had bosses that took an interest, not only workwise but socially and vice versa.
“If I had a really bad boss, I don’t think I’d last, I probably wouldn’t have made the 50. But I’ve been lucky. Really good bosses and really good work colleagues.”
Outside of his monumental service to Hume Council, there’s no slowing Mr Mitchell down. On top of staying active with gym, golf, surfing and time with family, he also makes regular contributions to other men’s health initiatives through the Movember campaign – for which he’s raised upwards of $15,000 in recent years – as well as fighting for gorilla habitat protection and donating goods to children in neighbouring countries.
And he’s looking forward to doing one of his most important jobs as a dad when he watches his daughter get married next year.
Congratulations from the Inside Local Government News team, Howard!
