Every day throughout the year, over one thousand City employees perform various functions that, when isolated, may not seem significant. However, collectively, the tasks performed provide a backdrop for more than 128,000 lives. They keep traffic lights operating, toilets flushing, water safe for drinking and playgrounds safe for playing. They work behind the scenes to handle all the things you don’t think about so you can spend your life concentrating on the things you want to think about.
The Cedar Rapids Heroes campaign shines a light on many municipal positions that you might not be aware of—the chemist who tests your water, the dispatcher who connects you to emergency services, the planner who maps out Cedar Rapids’ future, and many more. We hope that our Everyday Extraordinary Heroes Campaign will allow you to get to know the people who serve you a little better and let you learn more about how your City works for you.
Name: Cari Pauli
Title: Traffic Engineer
What I Do: I study traffic and make sure our traffic control devices are helping everyone move as safely and smoothly as possible. I also help make sure our streets have enough light, and the streets are marked to make it easier for all modes of transportation to use them, including pedestrians and cyclists. My Secret Super Power: I give safety the green light! We are always looking for ways to help ensure people stay safe on the roads while driving, walking, or biking.
Name: Bryan Hemphill
Title: Lead Sewer Worker IV
What I Do: I use a variety of equipment and tools to maintain the sewer system including televising, which takes video of the lines and identifies any issues or blockages. In the winter, I also help plow snow.
Favorite Part of My Job: I enjoy helping people who lose their keys down a storm grate or rescuing animals who enter a pipe or storm grate and can't find their way out. I have saved baby ducks, cats and dogs.
My Secret Super Power: Super strength--the machines I use and the team I work with need super strength to break up concrete and expose pipe that needs repairs, dig trenches for new lines, and to place large, heavy pipes in the ground.
Name: Samuel Reicks
Title: Streets Concrete Worker
What I Do: I am part of a crew who removes broken sections of streets and sidewalks and replaces them to make it safe and smooth to drive, walk, and bike on.
Favorite Part of My Job: The physical workout involved with my work, and getting the chance to visually see the improvements we make on a particular job.
My Secret Super Power: Super human strength! It takes a physically fit and strong person to perform the task of pouring concrete.
Name: Art Anderson
Title: Housing and Healthy Homes Specialist
What I Do: Help keep families safe in their homes by reducing health risks of lead-based paint. I work with other organizations to help make sure families know how they can get help, and I help families take care of the details when their home is being repaired.
Favorite Part of My Job: Knowing I am making a difference to families and helping our community keep homes safe.
My Secret Super Power: I'm a Hazard Hunter! I help find and eradicate health risks for our families.
Name: Heidi D'Arcy
Title: Public Safety Telecommunicator
What I Do: I am a first-line public safety professional that assists as a first responder, responding to every class of emergency for which public safety services are requested. My primary responsibility is to receive, process and dispatch emergency and non-emergency calls for police officers, fire fighters, emergency medical and other public safety services.
Favorite Part of My Job: I love that every day is different.
My Secret Super Power: Invisibility! You can't see me, but I'm always there helping.
Name: Daryl Carson
Title: Building Inspector
What I Do: I inspect homes and businesses as they are being built or remodeled. It's important that all our buildings follow the code so they are safe for all who enter.
Favorite Part of My Job: Working with homeowners and contractors; I love seeing their projects come to life. They put hard work and pride in their projects, and I enjoy helping make sure the buildlings are safe and sound.
My Secret Super Power: X-ray vision! I can see inside buildings and spot safety concerns that other people miss.
Name: Curt Buckles
Title: K9 Officer
What I Do: K9 Narco and I patrol the streets of Cedar Rapids to keep the citizens of our community safe. K9 Narco is used to apprehend fleeing criminals, protect officers and locate illegal narcotics. We help people when they are in need of assistance and provide them a better quality of life.
Favorite Part of My Job: Being a K9 handler! Having a K9 is the greatest position in the department. Everything I do with Narco is a game to him, and he loves to play games. We get to go to all the big calls, assist other officers, attend community events, and visit kids at schools.
My Secret Super Power: With Narco's help, I can sniff out illegal narcotics even when the human nose can't sense them.
Name: Kirsty Sanchez
Title: City Planner
What I Do: I help ensure our city has beautiful artwork and design that reflects our history and culture. I make sure neighborhoods are connected and informed, and share information on economic development programs offered by the City to encourage continued growth and investment. I talk to high school students, teachers and business leaders about what they want Cedar Rapids to look like, and help plan for our future.
Favorite Part of My Job: I love the variety of tasks and the fact that I get to interact with members of the community and hear their dreams for our city.
My Secret Super Power: I can see the future! I imagine creative ways to use spaces, buildings, and neighborhoods.
Name: Dallas Hyke
Title: Sewer Worker III
What I Do: I operate large equipment to maintain and repair the City's sewer systerm. I occationally rescue ducks, dogs, cats and other wildlife from the sewer system, and I'm on call if citizens have issues with the sewer system.
Favorite Part of My Job: I love helping people out and being a public servant. We respond to citizen concerns seven days a week, 365 days a year.
My Secret Super Power: Protector of the environment and public health. If sewer waste and runoff goes where it shouldn't it can cause damage to property and the environment.
