Masters named City employee of the year

The City of St. Augustine announced to local Historic City News reporters that they have recognized 10 year Public Works Department employee Chris Masters with the City of St. Augustine Employee of the Year Award.

Masters has climbed the ladder of responsibility in the Public Works Department

Masters, a St. Augustine native, started in Transmission and Distribution, and learned the importance working quietly and quickly especially in times of urgency. Problem solving is his specialty — doing “work-arounds” if emergencies happen.

Working for the past nine years in Pump Stations, his prior experience before coming to the city became invaluable.

Much of the mechanical work is performed in a confined space at the bottom of the pump container which is normally circular either 6 feet or 8 feet in circumference and 15 to 18 feet deep.

Not a great environment for performance, however Masters always rises to the occasion.

For the layperson, pump stations, which are placed throughout the city, collect sewage and pump it to the wastewater treatment plant, located on Riberia Street.

Sure it can be a dirty job, Masters says, “You never know what you’ll find in there! But I like, really enjoy the work and I’ve got to have the retirement. Dad always said that’s important!”

Before coming to the city, Chris worked as an auto mechanic at a few well known St. Augustine companies. Since his responsibilities now call for electrical and mechanical experience, he fit right in with his present work.

As an example of his ability to resolve problems, one pump station failed and Masters was able to set up a bypass system to keep the utility in operation until permanent repairs could be made to the broken pump.

As Foreman II, Masters oversees the other workers and is generally the lead person in the field.

However, on his down time, he and his wife, Michelle, spend time football season watching son Mark, 11, play football. Daughter Nikki, 18, is a senior at St. Augustine High School.

Outside of football season, he still enjoys working on and the painting of vehicles.

Fishing, both salt and fresh water, are on his list of hobbies and things he loves to do and when asked the last time he went fishing, he laughed and said “I spent New Year’s Eve fishing and it was a wonderful fireworks display at St. Augustine Beach from under the Vilano Beach Bridge! Fishing…anytime I can do it, I’m gone.”