Well-earned retirement
Athree-month relieving contract as a traffic officer turned into 41 years of service at Horsham Rural City Council for Maurice Rudolph, who retired from the organisation on Thursday.
Mr Rudolph started working for the council in May 1976 aged 19 after seeing a temporary position advertised.
He was appointed over three other applicants.
Mr Rudolph said things were ‘very different back then’.
“By that June, I was allocated the peak cap similar to what the police were wearing at the time and a grey dustcoat,” he said.
“The only training I got was to walk around with the traffic officer I was set to take over from, Gerry Hawkins, on a Friday night when the meters would operate until 9pm,” he said.
“Gerry started his long-service leave and I was ‘thrown to the wolves’ as it were.
“It didn’t take me long to work out that not all the motorists parking in Horsham were of a friendly nature.”
When his three-month tenure came to an end, Mr Rudolph approached the city engineer and asked if there was any chance of the council keeping him on.
A position was created at the former Park Drive depot, now the location of Horsham Plaza’s back car park.
“My tasks included collecting garbage, painting public conveniences and even reading water meters,” Mr Rudolph said.
“I eventually became the storeman, but still worked overtime as a traffic officer on the occasional Friday night or Saturday morning.”
When Mr Hawkins retired, the council offered Mr Rudolph the traffic officer position full time .
However, Mr Rudolph felt he was not yet ready and continued to work as storeman.
When the job came around again a couple of years later, Mr Rudolph said he was not offered the position, but told he had to take it.
“So in late 1981, I became a full- time traffic officer on a rate of about $4 an hour,” he said.
By 1989, Mr Rudolph was the senior bylaws officer, taking care of a team of three staff, who remained in their roles for the next 18 years.
“When the ranger, Wally Ballinger, retired in mid-2007 we’d had a total of two arguments since 1989,” Mr Rudolph said. “It was a good team.” Tomorrow will mark 41 years, one month and 10 days since Mr Rudolph started work at Horsham Rural City Council.
Council’s planning and economic director Angela Murphy said Mr Rudolph would be sorely missed.
“Maurice has achieved a great deal in his time with the council, including leading the recent installation of the Easypark system in Horsham’s central business district,” she said.
“He has been a tireless worker and a well-respected member of staff, and he will be missed by many.
“The council congratulates Maurice on his retirement and wishes him all the very best for the future.”