By Mike SieversSOCORRO – Billy Wells joked he was afraid his boss was going to ask him to retire. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Socorro County Board of Commissioners handed Wells a certificate of appreciation Tuesday night for his 30 years of work with the Socorro County Road Department.
“If I had all employees like Billy, I wouldn’t have too hard of a job,” his boss, county Road Superintendent Marty Greenwood said at the commission meeting. “I told him he couldn’t retire until he had a replacement as good as him.”
Commission Vice Chairman Danny Monette, who chaired Tuesday’s meeting, presented Wells with some wrapped gifts.
“Here’s a couple of gifts, but don’t open them in front of Marty,” Monette joked.
Wells maintains about 245 miles of road, the last time he measured, in the Claunch area of eastern Socorro County, all dirt roads. Claunch is a two-hour drive from Socorro.
Billy said his son Wendell Wells lives in the Claunch area as well.
“Basically, he takes care of himself out there,” Greenwood said of Billy. “He’s really reliable. He checks in with us, but we don’t usually check on him. We never have any complaints about the roads out there.”
Greenwood has been with the road department off and on since 1989, taking over the road superintendent position again after the departure of Leroy Anaya this past January. Billy said the road department has always helped him when he needed help.
“I appreciate the county being there for me for all these years,” Billy said. “They come and help me if I get in a jam; they help me clear out cattle guards and things like that. My main job is working with the grader.”
Billy said the population of the Claunch area has dwindled over the years, but there are still roads to maintain, and he has good neighbors there, as well as family.
Greenwood said Billy has been a bit suspicious about the road department’s motivation for bringing him to a county commission meeting.
“He thinks we’re trying to get him to retire, and that’s not the case,” Greenwood said.
“I did joke with him that they’re probably going to give me my walking papers,” Billy said.
Greenwood said Billy will be hard to replace
“I don’t know how we’re going to fill his shoes,” Greenwood said. “I hope it doesn’t come (Wells’ retirement) for a while).”
Arthur Gonzales of the road department agreed.
“He’s one of the best workers we’ve ever had,” Gonzales said.
Greenwood said there have been other employees who have put in many years with the department, with Vincent Peralta and Leroy Anaya working more than 25 years.
Photo 1 caption: Billy Wells and his granddaughter Rebecca Wells pose in a recent photograph. The Socorro County Board of Commissioners honored Billy for his 30 years of service to the county Road Department during Tuesday night’s county commission meeting. Courtesy photo
Photo 2 caption: Billy Wells at the county commission meeting with his gifts from the commissioners. Photo courtesy Socorro County Manager Delilah Walsh
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