Ryan McFarland

Yesterday and nine years ago I started working for the City of Petersburg.  I was 25.  It was my first year-round full-time position.  And I have just started my 10th year.  I remember celebrating the completion of one year in the position.  I felt like i really had made it.

Thinking back isn’t too difficult to see what i have accomplished.  Yesterday i went to a wedding ceremony at Outlook Park.  A beautiful shelter is there because of a grant i wrote.  I put a fair bit of labor into completing the shelter too.  It was nice to stand back and watch all the people there enjoying Dave McFadden’s beautiful creation during a break in the weather.  More people seem to use it for weddings than sit and watch the wildlife — its intended use.  But unforseen benefits are definitely a perk of my job.

I like to think that i’m making the community better.  I’ve definitely been big on facilities and projects and not focused as much on programs and activities.  Coming into the position programming was my strength.  I had never overseen any significant projects.  I had never managed a budget or written a grant.  But i had plenty of experience working with youth, providing activities, and providing recreation.  I’ve gotten away from my roots in a way.

Looks like i can retire when i’m 56.  That’s so far away!  (Sorry mom and dad.)

Today was Sam Bunge’s last day with the city.  His retirement party featured a few of us with eyes taped to goggles, sunglasses or glasses.  It was my idea.  Sam seemed to doze off during meetings and i thought this would be a funny way to razz him about it.  This is what i look like after clipping Heath Ledger’s eyes from the cover of an Entertainment Weekly magazine.

If i put in 30 years with the City of Petersburg i can retire on February 1, 2030.  It will be a few days before my 56th birthday.  That’s 22 years away or approximately 5,724 work days.  Perhaps early retirement will become part of my financial plan after crawling out of debt.