Hometown Helpers: Lead operator for Public Works says he loves working for the city of Idaho Falls

IDAHO FALLS — EastIdahoNews.com is kicking off a new feature called Hometown Helpers. Every week, we’ll introduce you to a firefighter, police officer, city worker, snowplow driver and others who quietly keep our community running. We want to get a taste of the work they do.

This week, we are featuring Travis Steele, a lead operator for the Idaho Falls Public Works Department in the Street Division. Steele is an Idaho guy at heart and takes a lot of pride in the city he was born and raised in. Working for the city of Idaho Falls runs in his family.

“My grandfather was a foreman at the street division, my dad worked for the water department, my uncle worked for sanitation and another uncle worked for parks so I figured I would join the family business and come work for the city,” said Steele.

He has been working for the Public Works Department for almost 25 years. Steele and his crew put a lot of time and dedication into the streets of Idaho Falls. He operates a road grader during the wintertime and clears the roads from snow. He makes sure the streets are safe for everyone to use and sometimes his crews even help the Idaho Falls Fire Department respond to emergencies.

“The crew that we have – they are very dedicated to what they do,” said Steele.

Steele said it’s a unique job. In the summer, he builds roads and installs storm drains.

“Every time I drive on (a road I’ve worked on), I can say, ‘Hey, I built that.’ It’s just a sense of fulfillment for me. I don’t really want recognition but I think it’s kind of cool that I can provide a service for people and try and make their lives a little bit easier by turning out a good product for them. So it makes me proud that I can do that sort of thing,” he said.

Steele said he is grateful to be working for the city and he proves every day that he’s a Hometown Helper.

“Our crew here is unbelievable and I think that’s one thing that makes us a unique place to work is the people that I get to spend my days with. We can laugh and joke but at the end of the day, if it’s go time, it’s go time,” Steele said.

If you know a Hometown Helper that we should feature, please email andrea.olson@eastidahonews.com.