Nathan Hovick has joined the City of Nevada staff as a water operator II with the City’s Water Department. Hovick fills the position vacated by Scott Walkner, who transferred to the City Street Department.
A native of Roland, Hovick comes with a wealth of experience and licenses that give him a good foundation of knowledge for the position in Nevada. He’s worked for the City of Roland for 14 years. He started as a water and wastewater superintendent in Roland, moving his way up to public works director. While on the job in Roland, he earned his Grade II water treatment license, his Grade II water distribution license, and his Grade II wastewater treatment license. He also was a certified as the pool operator for Roland.
“I did a little bit of everything there,” he said. Now, his focus will be on the water operations in the City of Nevada, and he’s interested to learn all there is to learn about a bigger, more modern water facility with many more complexities than he’s had in the past. “There will be a learning curve,” he said.
Hovick graduated from Roland-Story High School in 2005, and attended DMACC, where he studied fire science and earned an associate of arts degree. In high school, he participated in chorus, band and FFA, and in adulthood, he’s continued to be active as a rural resident of the Roland area. He serves on both the Roland and McCallsburg Fire Departments. “I started on the Roland Department while I was in high school, so I’ve been a member for almost 20 years. I’ve been on the McCallsburg department for nine years.”
Hovick also serves on the Story County Board of Adjustment, a position he enjoys. “I like being informed about the different things going on in the county that I otherwise wouldn’t know about,” he said.
He and his wife, Sarah, who is a cook at the Roland-Story elementary school, also have a side “traveling petting zoo” business, which includes llamas, alpacas, miniature cows, miniature donkeys, miniature horses, sheep, goats, potbellied pigs, rabbits and chickens. “We started getting a collection of animals on our acreage and decided why not do something where other people can enjoy them too,” he said. For about 15 years now, they’ve taken their petting zoo animals to festivals, nursing homes, daycares, corporate events and more.
A few other notes of interest about Nathan Hovick:
He and his wife have two children, Walter, 5, and Bridget, 1-and-a-half.
His parents, Harold and Vicky Hovick, live in Roland. He has a brother, Steven, who lives in Nevada with his family. He has a sister who lives in Ira.
He’s been described as being “brutally honest. Whether that’s good or bad depends on the situation,” he said with a chuckle.
His favorite thing about the fall season, which is coming up, is the cooler temperatures.
His favorite meal is pizza, without vegies on it.
If he had an hour to watch TV, what would he be watching? “Probably the news. I really don’t watch much TV.”
–Written by Marlys Barker, City of Nevada
