After 47-year career in public works, Wichita director Alan King will retire in March

Alan King is retiring after 11 years as Wichita’s director of public works and utilities.

Mayor Brandon Whipple praised the outgoing director for his service during his State of the City address Thursday evening.

“The city has benefited so much from Alan King’s knowledge, particularly as we are upgrading our aging infrastructure. Once in a while, we have a boil [water] order and Alan King is that steady hand, that steady voice that makes sure we get back to business as quick as possible,” Whipple said.

“Alan, I hope you enjoy your retirement, but I also hope just as much that you keep your cell number the same because there’s a chance that we may have to call you.”

King’s last day on the job is March 3.

“I’ve been at it for 47 years at other places, so it’s about time,” he told The Eagle.

King previously served as public works director for the city of Broomfield, Colorado, and assistant director for Bellevue, Washington.

On King’s watch, Wichita has embarked on the two largest infrastructure projects in city history, the new $553 million Northwest Water Treatment Facility and a $357 million upgrade to the sewer system.

King has said construction on the water plant will wrap up by late 2024 or early 2025, and sewage upgrades are expected to be completed by 2027.

Asked what he’s most proud of from his tenure, King said it’s more than just the big-ticket infrastructure projects.

“The most obvious one is the new water treatment plant that’s being built, but really the smaller things that you don’t see,” King said. “The way that we have developed models to help inform decisions on what infrastructure to invest in, what sorts of services and what levels to provide, the management tools that we’ve developed in the background that I think have really gone a long way in our success.”

And what does the next chapter look like for King?

“Family, doing projects on my kids’ and grandkids’ houses — that sort of thing.”