Nic Dovi. (Photo from The Cortland Voice photo files/taken by Kevin L. Smith).
Nic Dovi looked back at the days of being a seasonal and summer employee for the City of Cortland Department of Public Works and how far he’s come in the past couple of decades.
Fast forward to this year, Dovi has held the position of DPW superintendent for the past few years. Dovi noted he’s held almost every position possible for city DPW, including the role of deputy superintendent.
Now, after over 22 years of working for the city, Dovi is retiring and ready to take on a new adventure.
“I just really felt like I needed a change of scenery,” Dovi said.
Dovi’s retirement, which is effective June 21, was announced via a letter by city mayor Scott Steve sent to Cortland council members last Tuesday (June 4).
Mayor Steve’s message in the letter written to Dovi is as follows:
“It is with regret that I received your notice of retirement (effective June 21, 2024). While I would like to retain your experience as superintendent of public works, I respect your decision and wish you the best in all you do.
“During your time as superintendent, the city has undertaken transformative public works projects, which have placed unprecedented responsibilities on you and the department. Speaking for the city, we are appreciative of that and all your accomplishments during your 22 years of dedicated service.”
“People keep asking me ‘What happened?” …nothing really happened,” Dovi said. “It was basically that I worked here for a long time. I think that I’ve valued everything I learned here.”
With retirement less than two weeks away, Dovi will miss his staff with DPW, as well as the water department, the most.
“They’ve been great,” Dovi said. “That lifelong friendship and camaraderie is what I’ll miss the most. The hardest part of my decision to move on was leaving them.”
Dovi thanked the community of Cortland for putting its faith in him over the years.
“It’s been quite a ride and quite an experience,” Dovi said.
Once his time with city DPW comes to an end, Dovi said he has some opportunities in the pipeline. Dovi declined to comment further on those opportunities.
“I have things in the works that will still allow me to serve my community, just in a different organization and in a different fashion,” Dovi said.
Aside from the soon-to-be vacant DPW superintendent position, Steve said in a note to council members that the city is also looking to fill the positions of DPW deputy superintendent and the director of administration and finance.
