(Riverton, WY) – The City of Riverton recognized two departing city employees during a meeting of the Riverton City Council this week.
The first to be honored was Keith Williams, who retired this year after working for the city since 2017.
Williams started as a custodian, City Administrator Kyle Butterfield said, and he was promoted to the job of Building Maintenance Technician in 2021.
“When we look around at the facilities that we have here at City Hall and our other facilities and we see the condition they’re in and appreciate the environment that we as staff and as council have an opportunity to work in, a lot of the credit goes to Keith Williams for what he’s done through the years,” Butterfield said.
Mayor Tim Hancock said most people “don’t realize the amount of work that goes into making sure that our buildings look how they do and making sure that things are working and functioning.”
“It’s really meant a lot – the work that you’ve put into the building (and) all of our properties,” Hancock said, addressing Williams. “Thank you for your years of service.”
On a personal note, Butterfield said he has “enjoyed getting to know Keith (and) working alongside Keith.”
“He was my bud,” Butterfield said. “I’d be working late and he’d come in and we’d swap stories, share hunting pictures, learn about his family.”
Williams was a pastor in Riverton for “a lot of years,” Butterfield said, and he has been “very engaged in the community.”
“One of the best compliments that I could give to any of our employees is that he’s a good human being,” Butterfield said. “Thank you for being a good person and serving the city.”
He offered the same compliment to former Community Development Director Mike Miller, who is “moving on from the city” because “he has found a new opportunity (that) works best for him and his family.”
“Mike is an incredibly good human being,” Butterfield said. “He’s a good person, and that’s who we want in government – and I’m thankful that we have many good people and good human beings on the city staff to help our community.”
Miller was hired as Community Development Director in 2021, and Butterfield said he has “been an incredible employee.”
“(He) has done a wonderful job working with our community members to build Riverton,” Butterfield said. “All the applications that come through our community for building improvements (and) new construction have basically gone through Mike Miller, and he’s done an amazing job facilitating peoples’ success. He also handles all the land use applications and has helped Riverton grow and helped Riverton develop over the four years that he’s been with us.”
For his service, Miller received a key to the city, a Riverton centennial watch and a copy of the book “Riverton: The Early Years.”
Butterfield said former city employee Dave Paskett will serve as Interim Community Development Director while the city looks for Miller’s replacement.
“We’re very grateful for Dave Paskett for coming back and assisting the city (to) ensure that we do not miss providing customer service,” Butterfield said. “The last thing that we want to have happen during this transition is to delay someone’s house from being constructed or someone’s business (from) being remodeled. We will do everything we can to ensure the customer service that’s expected of us, and Mr. Paskett will definitely assist in that regard, especially with his years of experience providing service to our community.”
For more information, call the City of Riverton at (307) 856-2227.