Kingsport Employee Wins Statewide Award
Buster K. (BK) Addington has been an integral part of Wastewater Maintenance since 1990
The Tennessee Chapter American Public Works Association awarded BK Addington the 2022 Murphy Snoderly Award. Addington, an employee of the Kingsport Sewer Department for over three decades, has proven to be a constant resource when it comes to the knowledge, understanding and nuances of the city’s systems. The phrase city employees know him best by says it all –“If I can help you, I will.”
Addington was nominated for his instrumental part in developing the sewer program from a reactionary stance to progressive proactive maintenance. He has served as a Utility Worker, CCTV operator, and is currently the crew leader over CCTV inspections.
Through influencing and providing a positive role model, Addington has helped his coworkers to not only adopt good work documentation to continue to improve maintenance plans, but also learn and retain asset knowledge for troubleshooting and plan enhancements.
“I have been fortunate to work alongside BK since I began with the city,” said Deputy City Manager Ryan McReynolds. “He has consistently modeled exceptional customer service that will have lasting impact for years to come in Kingsport.”
Not only does he have vast and extensive experience for the City of Kingsport, he’s been called upon by neighboring cities to help get residents back in sanitary sewer service. Addington has also been asked to assist when needed through the City of Kingsport’s Interlocal Agreement process.
When he isn’t helping other cities, Addington can be found in the community inspiring the youth. During the city’s annual Public Works Day, he stationed at the CCTV inspection equipment. Over the years, his knack for recognizing interest has helped the sewer division grow with employees who have the same passion for their job as he does.
To view BK Addington’s story in the America Public Works Association magazine, please visit this site: http://tnpublicworks.com/magazines/Sept-Oct2022/mobile/index.html
The award’s namesake, Murphy Snoderly, was an engineering and public works consultant for the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service. He believed that the “working people,” who perform tasks like garbage pickup or pothole repair and without whom a city could not function properly, should be recognized for all that they do. Only operations level employees—working people—are eligible for the Murphy Snoderly Award.
