Springfield Public Works assistant director steps down

Steve Meyer, the city’s superintendent of streets, will take over Schaefer’s office.

Schaefer, who leads the city’s environmental services division, will be recognized for his work 4–6 p.m. Tuesday in the lobby of the Busch Building, 840 Boonville Ave. A short program will begin about 4:15 p.m.

Schaefer began working for the city in 1974 as superintendent of sanitary services. He was promoted to assistant director in 1997. He is a professional engineer who received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

His areas of responsibility include the city’s waste-water collection and treatment services, the municipal landfill, the household chemical collection facility, recycling sites and the yard-waste recycling facility.

Schaefer’s accomplishments include expansions and improvements at the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant and Northwest Wastewater Treatment Plant to increase sewer capacity for community growth and to reduce phosphorous emissions. Springfield became the first city in Missouri to receive a permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program, which is the basis for the programs to reduce pollution in stormwater runoff.

Schaefer also has directed efforts to fulfill City Council’s goal of bringing sewer lines to 100 percent of the city. The number of parcels without sewer service remaining within the city is fewer than 800.

During Schaefer’s tenure, Public Works also instituted a biosolids recycling program, developed a joint-venture partnership with City Utilities to convert methane gas at the landfill into a renewable energy source, and instituted an integrated solid waste management system, which includes the recycling, yard-waste and household chemical collection programs.[[In-content Ad]]