Dave Lotz is moving on after 33 years as a mechanic for the village of Homewood. The village board honored Lotz at its June 27 meeting with a proclamation. His retirement was official June 30.
retirement from Homewood Trustee Barbara
Dawkins while Trustee Lisa Purcell looks on.
(Photo by Quincy Crump/H-F Chronicle)
Dave Lotz is moving on after 33 years as a mechanic for the village of Homewood.
The village board honored Lotz at its June 27 meeting with a proclamation. His retirement was official June 30.
“It hits you deep in your heart (to be recognized),” Lotz said. “I’ve worked here for 33 years and I’ve always enjoyed the mayor and the village. It hits you really hard, and it means a lot to me.”
Public Works Director John Schaefer made a statement to the board.
“I can honestly say it’s been a pleasure working with you through all those years,” Schaefer said.
Lotz started with Homewood in 1984, working his way up the ranks until being named a fleet supervisor in 2014.
“I remember when I started out, older mechanics saying how things had changed over the years, and I would say ‘Well, no, this stuff has always been around,’” Lotz said. “Now I’m realizing that it hasn’t always been that way.”
He worked at a Shell gas station and repair shop before applying for the job with Homewood. Lotz said he was nervous about taking on a gig that would require work on trucks and plows that he’d never encountered before.
“Over the years, I was able to pick up on everything else that goes with auto repair and truck repair,” he said. “You have mechanics that work in dealerships and they’re always doing the same things. To be in public works, you have to be mechanical, have to be able to work on every make and model.
“I guess I enjoy the challenges. If you can accept those challenges, you can do pretty well.”
He pioneered a program to change the lights, electronics, cameras, radar units, radios and cages from old to new police squad cars and motorcycles, saving the village untold dollars. Homewood once paid an outside shop to make the transfer and there were sometimes problems.
“I asked, at the time, if that was something I could take a look and he said if I could find the problem, sure,” Lotz said. “It was something that came pretty easy to me and I was able to find the problems.”
Friends suggested he go into private business, doing the changeover for other communities.
“I’m sort of glad that I stayed here. This is a nice place to work and there are good people here,” Lotz said. “It would’ve been an option (to open a private shop), but that’s just a big undertaking.”
He said he’ll miss the people and the variety of the work. He won’t miss being called out for emergency repairs in the middle of the night.
“I’m not just a mechanic. I’ve mowed grass. I’ve plowed snow. I’ve worked on water mains. There are situations where that has to happen,” he said. “It’s not the same old thing every day.”
Lotz said his future plans include helping his daughter, Catherine, get ready for college and then maybe look for some part-time work.