St. Augustine Beach spotlights long‑serving public works foremen, adds new trash truck

Mayor Dylan Rumrell used a Monday edition of his weekly update to mark Public Works Week and introduce long‑tenured staff in the City of St. Augustine Beach, and Public Works Director Russell Adams announced the city has taken delivery of a new trash truck.

The recognition and equipment update came as part of the mayor’s regular remarks. "This is a great staff that we have here at the City of St. Augustine Beach. They work hard and this is what you see, the hard work that you see as you drive the roads," Mayor Dylan Rumrell said.

Russell Adams, City of St. Augustine Beach public works director, said the truck arrived after about an "8 month wait," and that it should make daily refuse routes more efficient and give crews an extra vehicle for clearing storm debris. "It'll help us be a little more efficient on getting the routes done. And also during the storm events, we have an extra truck to to fill that storm debris up and and get those cleaned up faster," Adams said.

Adams introduced three long‑serving foremen who described their duties and tenure. "My name is Richard Gray. I've been here for 34 and a half years. I'm a sanitation foreman. I, deal with the public, when we have complaints from the office," Gray said, describing work on customer complaints and driving trucks to fill in when needed.

Tom Large, identified as a grounds foreman, said he has worked for the city for 32 years and that his crew maintains plazas, City Hall, the police department grounds, Lakeside and State Road A1A medians, and Ocean Hammock Park. "We make sure our plazas beautified, City Hall Police Department, Lakeside. We do State Road A 1 A with auto medians. Ocean Hammock Park, we make sure it's beautiful for the public," Large said.

Troy Jones, a foreman with 32 years of service, listed street signs, pothole repairs, mowing and vehicle maintenance among routine responsibilities. "We keep up with, the street signs, potholes, mowing, maintenance on a lot of the vehicles, just a few of the numerous things we do from day to day," Jones said.

No formal motions or votes were taken during the segment; the remarks were part of the mayor’s weekly informational update. The only operational detail announced was the truck delivery and Adams’s statement about its expected uses.

Mayor Rumrell closed the segment by reiterating the city’s appreciation for the crew and noting the weekly schedule: "...we'll see you next Monday with another edition of Monday with the mayor."