Longtime Public Works employee Steve Kendall honored with key to the city for 38-year career

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A stalwart of St. Joseph's Public Works Department was honored Monday with a prestigious key to the city for a dedicated career of service spanning nearly four decades.

Steve Kendall, a veteran city employee with 38 years of experience working in St. Joseph's Public Works and Street Maintenance department, was honored with a key to the city by Mayor John Josendale and City Councilmembers during Monday's City Council meeting, paying tribute to the man first hired back in 1988.

Kendall, a senior field supervisor with the department, oversees a key position supervising and coordinating with pothole patchers who make their way across 440 miles of streets in St. Joseph, among other responsibilities.

Kendall also assists with the city's snow removal operations and training of new snowplow operators.

Kendall has come a long way from his early days in the department when he first started off as a temp before earning his stripes in various roles, moving from custodian to laborer before being promoted to operator, senior work leader and then supervisor.