After more than 31 years of serving Craig County residents, Cyrus Artly Bowman, known to many as “Art,” has retired from county service.
Bowman began working for Craig County in September 1994. During his career, he witnessed the county’s solid waste operations evolve from “the Dump” into a modern transfer station.
In 2002, when the facility became a transfer station, Bowman earned certification as a transfer station operator. Over the years, he expanded his responsibilities by obtaining additional certifications and licenses.
In 2010, Bowman earned his building inspector’s license and assisted the county’s building official when needed. Four years later, he obtained his erosion and sediment control license, becoming the 11th person in Virginia to receive the certification, allowing him to inspect building sites.
The county continued modernizing its waste operations during Bowman’s tenure. A trash compactor was installed at the main transfer station in 2017, and Bowman also oversaw operations at the county’s “42 Site,” which transitioned from container service to its own trash compactor. He supervised three part-time employees at the 42 Site and three more at the main transfer station off Sand Plant Road.
Bowman credited the dedicated part-time staff at both locations for helping keep the operations running smoothly.
Known for his willingness to help others, Bowman assisted residents unloading trash in all types of weather and often went beyond the job’s basic duties. Whether keeping an eye out for a bicycle for a child or helping a resident protect the interior of her car from muddy shoes with a piece of cardboard, Bowman built a reputation for small acts of kindness.
County employees honored Bowman during a retirement celebration on June 18, thanking him for his decades of dedicated service to Craig County.
As for his retirement plans, Bowman has a simple answer: He’s gone fishing.
-The New Castle Record
