(Wo)man power

RANDOLPH - Adriona Buchanan can rock a frilly dress, heels and makeup, but during the day, you might find her in overalls and an old hoodie sweatshirt pumping sewage or handling trash.

The Osmond woman recently started working in the City of Randolph’s public works department - the first woman ever to fill the role.

“When we do our training, very rarely do we ever see a female,” said Public Works Supervisor John Dickes.

When it came to hiring Buchanan, gender made no difference.

“As long as she’s willing and able to do the job, we were more than happy to have anybody,” he said.

Dickes said he wanted to hire Buchanan on the spot after her interview highlighted her mechanical aptitude and knowledge along with her energetic personality. He waited a few hours to tell her she was hired as not to appear overly eager, he said with a smile.

Now, she’s filled the role for a few months with the opportunity to do many different tasks, from working with water, sewer, trash and other everyday responsibilities to keep the town running.

“Every day has a different task and she fits in wherever we need her,” Dickes said.

Dickes started at the city in September 2018 and was promoted to supervisor nearly a year ago. Buchanan joins Kurt Focken and Pat McFadden to fill out the public works team. Louis Herley will start as a full-time lineman later this month.

Working in an all-male environment is not for everyone but Buchanan handles the guys pretty easily.

“I can just dish it right back. I’m not complaining,” Buchanan said. “All the guys are awesome.”

But she may always feel like she has something to prove.

“I wish I could show people what I’m capable of. There’s more to me than just pretty hair,” she said. “I’m going to ask questions. As soon as they’re answered and I know what’s going on, I’m going to jump in and help as much as I can.”

She credits her grandmother, Twila Mazer of Randolph, for influencing her to be a strong, independent woman.

“She always says, ‘I don’t need a man. I can do the yard work. I can change my own oil. I can do this and that. That doesn’t scare me. If a guy can do it, why can’t I? I’m just as capable.’ So that made me think, let me show them what I can do,” Buchanan said.

Her parents, Kelly and Ryan, instilled in her a strong work ethic, she said.

It was holding the flashlight for her father while he restored a 1991 Mustang convertible that led her to pursue and achieve an automotive technology degree from Northeast Community College.

“It was so interesting to see him take it all apart and then one day it was altogether,” she said. “It was also my first car so that was special to me.”

She completed her internship as a lube technician at Cornhusker Auto Center in Norfolk and was working as a waitress prior to joining the City of Randolph. It was Mazer and Focken who both encouraged her to apply.

“I thought, why not? It wasn’t necessarily for just the mechanics but for the fresh air - something different,” she said. “I like that there’s something different to do every day, that I get to learn something new every day and meet new people every day for that matter.”

She has enjoyed even the most dirtiest and smelliest of jobs - from pumping sewage to hauling trash but sometimes struggles to clean the city auditorium bathrooms, she said with a smile.

Co-workers get a kick out of her excitement and enthusiasm for the little things.

“It’s so fun. I’m constantly saying, ‘That’s awesome. This is so cool,’” Buchanan said.

She will be pursuing a wastewater and water operator certification next month.

Buchanan said she hopes that seeing a woman on the trash truck or working under the hood of a car goes from extraordinary to just ordinary.

“I understand some women come from households that still think that women belong in the kitchen. And that’s OK that some people think that way,” she said. “But no, I’m out in the garage. I do think it should be normalized yes, that women can do these things.”

When you see her dancing on the side of the trash truck, don’t be alarmed - it’s an expression of pure joy.

“I like where I’m at right now,” Buchanan said. “This isn’t exactly where I pictured myself but it’s about the journey and the steps you take.”