Luverne Public Works Supervisor John Stoffel is leaning on old friends this winter to stay ahead of city snow removal
Retirees Butch Hatting and Fred Boll have tallied dozens of “stand by” hours for the city, filling in for staff who are sick, vacationing or following their kids’ hockey games.
Dubbed the “Super Senior Division,” Hatting and Boll have their Class A driver’s licenses and can handle most of Luverne’s street equipment — including snowplows and dump trucks.
“These two have saved us many times this winter,” Stoffel said Friday. “Either one of them can do anything I need them to do.”
Hatting and Boll joke that they’re more “tired” than retired lately, especially after helping with last week’s blizzard cleanup.
But they clearly enjoy their status on the Public Works staff.
“I don’t know about you,” Hatting said. “But I don’t go to coffee shops, and this way I stay in touch with what’s going on a little bit socially.”
Boll is in his fourth year working part time with the city. He previously was a buyer for 37 years with M-M until Bomgaars bought the business. He will be 70 this year.
Hatting worked for the city from 1991 until his retirement in 2018. Prior to 1991 he worked with Shorty Siebenahler in construction. He’ll be 79 in June.
When asked how they might rather be spending retirement, the two seniors said they usually prefer working over watching TV or relaxing at home.
“They grew up workers, and they can’t shut it off,” Stoffel said. “We’re lucky to have them.”
Hatting joked, “I’ve been married 57 years, but that’s only because I’ve been out of the house often enough.”
While they like to be called on for city work, Boll and Hatting said they also like having the option to say, “no” if they want to.
“I have grandkids, and there are great-grandkids we watch once in a while,” Hatting said. “We help them with day care if they need it.”
Stoffel said, “Our main competition for getting them to come to work is their grandkids.”
Boll and Hatting work for the city part time year-round, but they’re especially needed in the winter months when the summer part-timers are at school or other obligations.
That’s why the “Super Senior Division” is so essential to Luverne Public Works, Stoffel said.
“Both of these guys have made themselves available to me,” he said. “For us to have a full crew wouldn’t happen without them.”