DIXON – When Josh McNitt started working at the old wastewater treatment plant as a summer job in high school, he didn't think he would be running the department some 20 years later.

At the beginning of the month, the 40-year-old Dixon native was hired as the city's new wastewater manager to oversee the 80 miles of sewer system that leads to the wastewater treatment facility, which processes an average of 3 million gallons a day.

It's not the most glamorous job, but it's one that McNitt has been building up to for the past decade he has worked there as an operator.

"This is a major part of the city, but people don’t usually think about it until something goes wrong," he said. "There’s a lot more to it than people think."

For his new role, McNitt said his main goal will be to develop a plan to perform proactive maintenance on the city's aging sewer collection system to help prevent back-ups.

The work would include cleaning sections at a time, checking for blockages or trouble spots with a camera on tracks, and cutting away at roots that have grown into the sewer lines.

He also plans to host an open house during the summer, in June or July, for anyone wanting to know how the department operates.

With the transition of city departments being consolidated under the Public Works Department, McNitt said they have started cross-training employees to make operations more efficient, such as showing a street department worker how the department functions.

McNitt was one of four finalists in the city's interviewing process for the position, which had been filled by former superintendent Dan Mahan for 36 years.

In order to run a wastewater treatment facility, the state requires a Class I license, which can be pursued only after working at a plant for 8 years. McNitt received his license in 2013, shortly after hitting his 8-year mark.

"I think Josh was the right choice for the job, and he has worked extremely hard to get there," Mahan said. "He has done a fine job and will continue to do so."

Mahan retired at the end of April, but he will stay on at a part-time basis to train McNitt on managerial duties, such as filing reports to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

In his spare time, McNitt coaches a variety of sports teams in the community including T-ball, football and soccer.

Flea market

The Park District is looking to put together a flea market that would start June 11, but the event could be stymied by a lack of vendors.

The park board began talks about hosting the flea market in January and charging $5 admission as a fundraiser to help repair Lowell Park Road, but so far, only three vendors have signed up.

Board President Ron Pritchard said they'd like at least 25 vendors.

During their meeting Wednesday, board members discussed nixing the event but decided to wait until their May 25 meeting before making the cancellation final.

The vendor fee is $30.

Those interested in participating in the flea market can contact the park district, 804 Palmyra St., at 815-284-3306.