MITCHELL BRADLEY KELLER
From the East Coast, to the Rockies and up in the Northwoods, Tim Kingman has lived just about everywhere, and now he can add the Horicon Marsh to his list of impressive destinations as he looks forward to his new role as the City of Horicon’s Supervisor of Public Works & Utilities.
Kingman grew up in New England, but around the age of 18, he followed an ambition to move west, settling in both Wyoming and Montana while piecing together different jobs like working in the oil fields or as a ski instructor.
“At about the age of 24 or 25, I decided I wanted to not have to work with my hands the rest of my life,” said Kingman, who added that a relationship with a Wisconsin girl led him to Madison where he decided to enroll at the University of Wisconsin.
He graduated a Badger in 1995 with a civil and environmental engineering degree, and he has been practicing those learned concepts ever since.
Kingman was a project engineer for Town & Country Engineering, Inc., based in Fitchburg, Wis., until 2010, at which point he decided to “try something new” and pivoted his career to the public sector. From 2011 to June of this year, Kingman served as Director of Public Works for the City of Rhinelander.
In 2018, Kingman’s wife lost her battle with cancer. After her passing, as a single dad of a teenager (Kingman has three other adult-aged children), he decided a change of scenery could be advantageous.
“Our family has been in transition,” said Kingman about the past year without his wife. “These things happen to people. We go a whole lifetime imagining it just happens to other people... Very significant change in our world.”
In an effort to make something good come from a tragic situation, Kingman pursued the open City of Horicon supervisor job. The city’s Common Council approved his hiring in August 2019. So far, Kingman is still getting caught up with the operation here in Horicon, but he has liked what he sees.
“Very much enjoy the new layout and the people involved here,” said Kingman about his brief time as supervisor in Horicon. “People have been very forthcoming and helpful. I’ve been having a good introductory time period here to the city.”
Kingman spoke highly of the state of Wisconsin, specifically with regard to its environmental policies, something, as an environmental engineer, that he values.
“Wisconsin represents one of the more progressive states environmentally,” said Kingman, saying the state’s initiatives align closely with his career passions. “I’ve spent a lifetime trying to figure out ways to clean things up.”
Clean water and effective wastewater treatment plants have been principle concerns for Kingman over his more than 20-year career, and he’s hard at work, roughly four weeks into his new job, figuring out how he can maintain those priorities, especially with his specialized expertise.
“All indications are that I’ve fallen into a well-organized group,” said Kingman of the City of Horicon and its public employees, who said the biggest future investment his department and the city will need to make is upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant, which was built in the 1980s.
“The regulations change, and now there’s a need to do things a little differently,” said Kingman, who said his background in environmental engineering make him uniquely qualified to handle the coming- years upgrades.
“It’s just progress,” said Kingman, acknowledging that Horicon has several years before it needs to make major changes to its facilities. He also noted that past management did a tremendous job keeping up with the times.
Kingman also said that changes to the allowable amounts of phosphorus and perfluoroalkyl/ polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) will be the main catalysts for future water facility upgrades.
Until then, Kingman is getting to know his employees, the city and is educating himself on Horicon’s brine system, which it uses in the winter instead of salt. Kingman said Horicon’s use of brine is very innovative for a small city, and he believes that investment will pay huge dividends for Horicon in the long run.
On a personal level, Kingman says he is an avid fisherman and hunter, and, at the time of this interview, his chocolate lab was due to give birth to a litter of puppies any day. Safe to say, Kingman should feel right at home near the Horicon Marsh.
“I never seem to have a lack of things to do no matter where I live,” said Kingman with a laugh. “I don’t think I really have taken time to think about all the neat things I’m going to be able to do again.”
Tim Kingman can be reached by e-mail at tkingman@ cityhoriconwi.u s or by phone at 920485-3540. Please welcome him to the community!
New City of Horicon Supervisor of Public Works & Utilities Tim Kingman. (Mitchell B. Keller | DCP)
The moments after the fire on Clark Street was put out. Five area fire departments, Horicon EMS and the Horicon Police Department responded to last Thursday’s early-evening fire. (Mitchell B. Keller | DCP)
BELOW: Horicon fire fighter Noah Oestreich runs the connecting end of a fire hose to a hydrant during a home garage fire at the corner of Joanna and Clark streets in Horicon. The flame, which engulfed the entire garage, was quickly extinguished by the Horicon Fire Department. (Mitchell B. Keller | DCP)
Horicon Police Department Officer Matthew Howell delivers a rescued pet to its owners after a fire was extinguished at the property at 604 N. Clark Street. All pets and human occupants escaped uninjured following the accidental fire last week. (Mitchell B. Keller | DCP)
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