Streets Supervisor Chet Jackman retires

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

After nearly 25 years of keeping Sandpoint’s roads clear, patched and safe, Streets Supervisor Chet Jackman is hanging up his safety vest. Jackman’s leadership and commitment have been instrumental in keeping Sandpoint safe and well-maintained through every season, and his contributions to snow removal, asphalt maintenance, striping and mentoring crew members leave a lasting legacy.

The city of Sandpoint honored Jackman’s years of service in a recent release, stating, “We thank him for his outstanding service and wish him the very best in retirement.”

Since he started in 2000, Jackman has cleared some 1,090 inches of snow, used over 16,500 tons of asphalt and maintained 86 miles of roadway. He earned his Traffic Control Supervisor Certification, completed Roadmaster training and rose through the ranks to become streets supervisor, serving under seven city mayors. 

Chet Jackman. Courtesy photo

Jackman told the Reader his favorite part of the job has been the “camaraderie within the ranks. Working with the water department, the sewer department, whether it be water treatment or water distribution or sewer treatment or collection, I’ve really enjoyed the people I’ve worked with.”

Jackman said, by far, the most difficult part of his job over the years is wintertime.

“You never know what Mother Nature’s gonna throw at you,” he said.

When the snow flies heavily, Jackman said the logistics and costs of hiring rental equipment to remove snow made his job more difficult. 

“I can remember winters where by October or November, we had already used these rental trucks to haul away snow 12 to 14 times in just one month clearing snow downtown,” he said. “Those years, the hardest thing about the job is not knowing what’s coming next day during the winter. Summertime, the crew can basically  take care of itself; everybody knows what to do, and they do it, but in wintertime, you get that thousand-yard stare.”

Jackman remembers some winters where it would take 12 hours to clear snow from downtown. Once, he remembers, his crew worked during a heavy snowfall for 16 hours straight.

“The only thing you can do is go into the winter completely prepared, as we do every single winter,” he said. “When it’s heavy, you’re prepared for it. When it’s light, you have extra resources.”

Jackman’s final day with the city was March 31. He plans to dedicate his free time to building street rods through his business, Jackman’s Rod Shop.

“My dad built street rods when I was a kid growing up, and he taught me and my brother, so now we build high-end street rods,” Jackman said. “These are $250 thousand-plus cars.”

Jackman doesn’t mess around, either. One of his trucks won grand champion at the annual Lost in the ’50s vintage car show and one was named in the top 7 in the nation by the Goodguys Rod and Custom Association.

“I have a lot of fun doing it,” he said. “I’m going to take it on and do it for other people now. You don’t want to retire, then sit down and do nothing and wither away like you always hear the stories about. I don’t want that to be me.”

The city of Sandpoint announced that Wes Albin has been promoted to streets supervisor. 

“Wes brings a wealth of experience in equipment operation, utility systems and field leadership, most recently serving as a utility operator for the city,” the press release stated.

“With over a decade of experience in street operations and a clear dedication to public service, Wes is well-prepared to carry forward the high standards set by Chet.”