Congratulations on a Fantastic Career, Mark Nemec!

In 2000, when Mark Nemec was hired to serve as New Albany’s first public service director, New Albany’s population was around 3,300, the Public Service Department consisted of three employees and had an annual department budget of about $320,000. When Mark retired in 2022, New Albany’s population was more than 11,000, he oversaw 32 staff members and the public service budget was $4.8 million.

In addition to his daily departmental responsibilities, Mark was an innovator. He implemented many green initiatives to lower New Albany’s operational costs and simultaneously improve the local environment, including the use of bio-diesel fuel in heavy trucks, experimentation with electric fleet vehicles, conversion of traffic signals and street lights to LED fixtures, and the utilization of recycled asphalt products for road resurfacing projects.

A year prior to his retirement, Mark coordinated the installation of a solar panel system on the public service department roof. This $230,000 project is now fully operational, and the solar panels are expected to produce slightly more than half of all public service department power needs for decades to come. The alternative energy produced by the solar panels is projected to remove 112 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air every year – the equivalent of planting 2,800 new trees in our community. And speaking of trees, as a result of Mark’s initiatives over the years, New Albany has been designated a Tree City USA community each year since 2009, with our staff maintaining 25,000 street trees today. Mark always carried out his daily duties with integrity and attention to detail that benefitted New Albany’s entire senior leadership team. He was the consummate team player and servant leader, always ready to lend a hand, and we thank him for his service.

INFRASTRUCTURE ITEMS THAT HAVE VASTLY INCREASED DURING MARK’S TWO DECADES PLUS OF SERVICE

329 lane miles of roadway (94 in 2000)

278 miles of water, sanitary sewer lines and storm sewers (106 in 2000)

22 signalized intersections (7 in 2000)

55 miles of leisure trail (10 in 2000)

23 bridges (11 in 2000)