David Jurgens resigns after 21 years with the city of Fayetteville

David Jurgens discusses the upcoming downtown parking deck during a town hall meeting held at Butterfield Trail Village last year.

Photo: Todd Gill

David Jurgens, Fayetteville’s utilities director, has resigned after 21 years of work for the city.

Jurgens said he recently accepted a job as director of public utilities for the city of Chesapeake, Va.

“For most of my life, I planned to retire to an ocean when I reached age 55,” Jurgens wrote in a resignation letter submitted Tuesday. “As my life’s path has changed, especially now with six children, the retirement portion of that dream is not possible. I can still, however, move close to an ocean, expand my children’s potential for the future, and make part of that dream come true. My family all love the ocean.”

Jurgens’ last day is tentatively set for Jan. 10.

He has served as utilities director since 2005 when he was promoted from superintendent of water and sewer maintenance. Before that, he was a staff engineer.

Aside from overseeing the city’s water and sewer utility for the last eight years, Jurgens has managed major sewer system and water tower developments. He also oversees the city’s paid parking program, and is project manager of the downtown parking deck set to be built just south of the Walton Arts Center in spring 2014.

“We’re obviously very sad to see David go,” said Don Marr, Mayor Lioneld Jordan’s chief of staff. “He has a wealth of knowledge and is a very long-tenured employee of the city. But it is never our intent to hold people back from their dreams or from opportunities to make more money.”

Jurgens’ annual salary is $113,734, according to Missy Leflar, the city’s human resources director. That’s a $9,400 increase since he was appointed project manager of the downtown parking deck in late 2011. Leflar said Jurgens’ most recent salary increase was March 18, 2013.

Marr said a search to fill Jurgens’ position would begin after the holidays.