With more than 30 years of experience in road construction, a former Eureka graduate was recently hired to take on the role of Director of Public Works by the Eureka City Council, during a special council meeting on Monday, Feb. 17.
Chris Mitchell, a fifth-gene ration Greenwood County rancher, returned to the community in 2024 after spending 25 years with the City of Amarillo, 19 of which he served as the Street Superintendent.
As an adolescent, the son of the late Stan and Linda Mitchell spent his summers working at Triple 7 Ranch. He recounted it was during those summers, when he was able to operate equipment with Ted and Mike Larcom while at the ranch, that he became interested in construction. “I’ve always enjoyed working in agriculture,” stated Mitchell. “But when I was introduced to heavy equip ment, it flourished into construction projects and building things,” he continued.
After graduating from Eureka Junior/Senior High School, Mitchell attended Kansas State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Science and Management from Kansas State University. He worked for Smokey Hill Construction in Salina as a Project Superintendent.
Mitchell met his wife, Melissa, while working on a road project in Dodge City. After the two married, they moved to Amarillo, near her family. They raised two children, Christopher and Marissa, but ultimately decided to return to the Flint Hills to continue the family ranch with Chris’s sister and uncle, something they had been doing since his father’s passing in 2021. In May 2024, Chris retired from the City of Amarillo and moved to the family ranch approximately seven miles northeast of Eureka. In October 2024, he began working for the Butler County Highway Department.
In his spare time, Mitchell likes being outdoors, working with cattle and spending time with family, including his seven grandchildren.
As he plans to officially take on the role of Director of Public Works for the City of Eureka, Mitchell noted that his primary goal is to provide citizens with the necessary services they need on a day-to-day basis in the most cost-effective way possible.
Mitchell will officially take on the new position on Monday, March 10.
The council was unanimous on their decision to hire Mitchell at an annual salary of $67,500. During the special meeting, the council also discussed the purchase of a locator for the Water Department. The locator would locate lines and assist in creating maps of the lines in the city limits. The council wanted additional information on the cost and annual cost of the software and planned to revisit the topic at the city council meeting on Monday, Feb. 24. Details from this meeting will be included in next week’s edition.
The council meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. at the Eureka Public Library.
