The City Hall Commission Chambers were packed full on Thursday as the City, Mayor, and Commissioners honored Community Services Superintendent Richard Sarver for serving the community for over 30 years.
Sarver started at the Southernmost Waste to Energy Plant right out of high school and worked there for nine years before the City took over operations in 1994. So, although he was awarded a plaque for 30 years of service, it’s really 39 years.
Sarver started as an Auxiliary Operator, operating overhead cranes and heavy equipment. He was promoted to Plant Operator after being there for five years and promoted to Supervisor in 1996 the position he held until the plant was shut down in 2004. Sarver lit the first fire at the plant and was there when it went out for the last time.
Sarver was an integral part of the creation of the Facilities Maintenance Team and was the Supervisor of FMT when the department opened in 2004. In 2010, he was promoted to the Superintendent of General Services which later became the Superintendent of Community Services Department, the position he holds today.
“Richard is an official cert-master: he holds more certifications than anyone in the history of certifications,” said Community Services Director Marcus Davila. Those certifications range from Resource Recovery Operator, Landfill Operator, Mold Testing, to Playground Inspection.
Sarver was very involved in the Boy Scouts of America, serving as a Scoutmaster for over six years. He also enjoys paintballing, RC car racing, gem mining, and is a drone afficionado.
“Richard has an irreplaceable amount of knowledge and experience about the City of Key West,” said Davila. “Any project we handle in house could not exist without Richard Sarver. His hurricane planning and preparation facilitates all the efforts to clean up after a storm. If there was an MVP for the City it would go to Richard Sarver. He is the model of City in and out of work and no one works harder and cares more than he does. We are fortunate to have him here and hope he stays another 30 years!”
 In the photo on the dais: City Manager Al Childress, Commissioners Lissette Carey and Jimmy Weekley, Mayor Teri Johnston, Superintendent Richard Sarver, Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman, and Commissioners Clayton Lopez and Billy Wardlow. Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover is in attendance on Zoom. In the foreground: Sarver’s colleagues in the Community Services Department
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