Marseilles celebrates retirement of long-time wastewater worker Brian Miller

The Marseilles City Council celebrated the retirement of Brian Miller, who has worked with the wastewater department since 1997 and with the streets department before that.

Wastewater Treatment Superintendent Jason Rix, who spoke at Wednesday’s City Council meeting, said there’s a lot that goes into the job.

“There’s a lot of dedication, a lot of time away from your family,” Rix said. “So not only is Brian retiring tonight, but so is his wife. No more calls at three o’clock in the morning that he has to come in to work.”

While a lot of people were evacuating their homes during the flood, Brian was right at ground zero.

—  Jason Rix, Marseilles wastewater superintendent

Rix said there were more good times than bad times but the bad times are the more memorable ones: He recalls standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Miller and many Illinois Department of Corrections inmates piling sandbags during the 2013 Marseilles Flood.

“While a lot of people were evacuating their homes during the flood, Brian was right at ground zero,” Rix said. “He was at work not knowing what was going on at home. There’s a lot of dedication that goes into this, and people should be appreciative.”

Commissioner Jim Buckingham presented Miller with a watch to commemorate his 35 years with the city.