NATCHEZ — After years of service and dedication, Natchez Water Works Superintendent and City Engineer David Gardner is retiring.

Gardner expects his retirement from both positions to begin in the early part of June, but he knows the City of Natchez will be in good hands.

“I felt like it was time,” Gardner said. “This is a good time for young people to get in. I’ve done this for 32 years, and I feel good about what we have done and where we are going.”

Following his graduation from Mississippi State University, Gardner began working with the Mississippi State Highway Department in 1983 for 10 years where he did highway and bridge construction.

In 1993, Gardner became the City Engineer in Natchez and would later take the added responsibility of Water Works Superintendent in 2005 — working both positions simultaneously.

Although Gardner said there are a number of people who would like to work with him on several projects after his retirement, he would like to take a much-deserved rest.

“What I would like to do is sit back and relax for at least a few months,” Gardner said. “I worked since I was 11. My dad had a construction business, and I would work for him.”

Gardner said although he loves his job, the time to consider retirement finally came.

“I feel like we got some good programs in place,” Gardner said. “I get to sit back and watch others do it their way, and it’s going to be fun watching them.”

Throughout his 32-year career, Gardner worked on several projects including the Buffalo River Bridge in Wilkinson County during his time with the MSHD — the Natchez Visitors and Reception Center as City Engineer — and decreasing the city’s water lose as Water Works Superintendent.

“We had a 40 percent water lose so we got that number down to 11 or 15 percent, which is fantastic,” Gardner said.

As Water Works Superintendent, Gardner and his staff also lowered the cost of energy bills and producing water.

Gardner said most of his staff for both of his entities receive recognitions on state levels.

“I’m proud of all those things we did,” Gardner said. “Working with excellent people made the years fly by. It’s not just me, everything has been a team effort and that’s why it’s gratifying.”

As City Engineer, Gardner also placed retaining walls on the lower end of Martin Luther King Road, which he said sparked a chain reaction.

“I looked around and saw the people on the street painting their houses,” Gardner said. “Now you start to see the city looking better.”

Looking back on his work, Gardner thinks all three positions shared similar aspects, but working for the city provided Gardner with the ability to be creative.

“When I was with the highway, everything was already planned out,” Gardner said. “When the job offer came to me for the city, I took it, and it was really gratifying. You got to actually plan and dream up the project.”

Gardner said it’s going to be hard to leave behind great staff members and projects, such as the Community Alliance.

“You want to do more, but I think it’s time for me to start anew,” Gardner said.”

Gardner said he was unsure of who would take over his positions.

Natchez Mayor Butch Brown said Saturday he was unaware of Gardner’s decision to retire.