The City of Hollister invites you to join them on Thursday, March 26th, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Community Center/Historic Train Depot to celebrate the retirement of Water Specialist Daren Solomon.
Mr. Solomon joined the City of Hollister team in October of 1999 as a Dispatcher for the Hollister Police Department after having served as a Deputy with the Taney County Sheriff’s Department for three years. The following month, he was sworn in as a Reserve Police Officer and served with the Hollister Fire Department. Daren transferred to the Maintenance Department, now known as Public Works, in May of 2002. He progressed through their positions, earning his Water and Sewer (Wastewater) certifications, operating equipment, and in March of 2015 was promoted to Water Specialist. In this role, Mr. Solomon maintains the five wells that provide drinking water to our community and works closely with our partner agencies. In addition to his typical day, Mr. Solomon will also be seen volunteering at community events, assisting other departments as needed, and capturing images with his drone. When Mr. Solomon retires on March 31st, he will have served Hollister for 26 years and 5 months.
“I would like to personally thank Daren for his 26 years of outstanding service in our Public Works Department,” Mayor Long shared. “His professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment to excellence have made a lasting impact on the City of Hollister and the citizens we proudly serve. Daren’s work behind the scenes has helped keep our community running smoothly, and we are deeply grateful for his years of faithful service.”
City Administrator Lamar Patton added, “Daren Solomon has dedicated a great portion of his 26-year career to ensuring the residents and businesses of Hollister have a safe and clean water supply. He has set the standard for Hollister for many years to come. We wish Daren the best in his retirement, which by our account is well deserved.”
Working alongside Daren for over 20 years has been an honor.” Director of Public Works Kelly Burgess stated. “I’ve learned so much from you, and I truly appreciate your patience, wisdom, and willingness to always help. Beyond being a great co-worker, I’m grateful for your friendship.”
When asked about his career with the City of Hollister and upcoming plans during retirement, Mr. Solomon said, “Watching Hollister grow and become the community that it is today during my career has been overwhelming. The progress our Administration has made from a shop building next to City Hall, Court in the Depot, to our current Police Department and Public Works building has been huge. I have really enjoyed and valued the opportunity to build relationships with our residents over the years. Learning about our history from them and becoming friends, I’m very thankful for them. As for retirement, I’m looking forward to this new chapter to begin. Spending time with family, returning to service with the Masonic Lodge of Forsyth and Shriners, and remaining a part of Hollister. It will be tough at first to step away, but I’m excited for what is next.”
Beginning this past November, Mr. Solomon began training his successor, Mr. Dustin Reece. This demonstration of leadership resonates with the dedication Mr. Solomon has shown during his career and the commitment he displays to ensure continuity in the Water Specialist’s role in serving Hollister upon his retirement.
Please contact Deputy City Administrator Denise Olmstead at 417-337-8315 or by email at dolmstead@hollistermo.gov with questions or for more information.