Payne was recognized at the Oct. 22 Derby City Council meeting for his 35 years of service to the city. He began his career with the city in 1989 as an engineering technician with the engineering department. This was a new team created to design and manage smaller engineering projects and oversee larger projects. With computers just starting to become popular in the workspace, Payne spent a lot of time producing hand drawings based on surveys he would complete. Those drawings were provided to contractors who would submit bids to the city. This included the addition of roads and underground infrastructure for residential neighborhoods. Eventually, Payne would see the incorporation of computers and the specific software that allowed for hand drawings to be created digitally. After working in the engineering department for nine years, Payne accepted the Director of Public Works position. With advances in the technology, Payne was eventually invited back to the engineering department.
Source: Derby Informer | News
