Dawes County “Steals Away” City Street Supt

       Dawes County conducted a nationwide search for a new highway superintendent after the retirement last year of Larry Hankin, but it turned out the person they were looking for was only a couple blocks away.

       Chadron Street Superintendent Wade Yada was hired earlier this month and starts work June 1st. Yada had been in the city post only about a year, following the retirement of Terry Birnbaum.

      County Commissioner Jake Stewart says the board wanted to make sure it picked the right person and took its time with the search process, temporarily expanding the role of road crew foremen. With Yada, they feel they’ve got the right man.

Stewart says the job of highway superintendent requires a wide range of skills and experience from operating heavy equipment to completing required state reports.

In addition to hiring Yada as superintendent, Stewart says the county has also been filling other vacancies in the road department.

Chadron now needs to find a new street superintendent, but filling the vacancy may take a little longer than normal because the city still hasn’t named a successor for Public Works Director Milo Rust, who retired last June.