The long-time engineering secretary at the city engineering department will be retiring from the city after 25 years.
Nancy Barnett’s last official day is today, Oct. 14.
Barnett said she has enjoyed her time with the city.
“I really don’t have any complaints — It’s been good,” she said.
“When I first started I was just a temporary at the engineering office because the secretary that they had was on sick leave, so I filled in,” she said. Then after six months off for her kids, she got a call from the department again and asked when she should come in.
“He said be here tomorrow morning,” she said.
Briefly she had to work in the finance department as the job was reposted, but then in November 1991 she started her career in the engineering department.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years. It’s gone by really fast. My kids were 3 and 4 years old and now they are 28 and 29.”
Barnett also spent time as a civilian member of the RCMP straight out of high school.
“I was city and federal, but I worked for the RCMP, so I’ve been in the workforce for a long time,” she said. “It’s going to be a huge change for me, but I’m looking forward to it.”
She said her replacement Leslie is going to be great as well.
Barnett has taken care of interning residents in the cemetery as well as part of her job the last few years.
“I do all the administrative part of it, all the paperwork,” she said. “I also do some arrangements and things for people who want to bury loved ones.”
She said her mother was born in Cranbrook in 1921 and so she has a history in Cranbrook.
“A lot of times when older families come in there will be a connection,” she said. “So the history goes back.”
She is looking forward to retirement.
“People say, ‘what are you going to do now?’ and I say, ‘whatever I want,’” she laughed.