April 11, 2012 —
Jobs can sometimes keep us away from family, friends and home; a sacrifice that is often beyond our control.
The situation gets a little trickier when you are the mayor of a town.
Olive Hill Mayor Danny Sparks knows this better than anyone, spending a number of years on the road while attempting to juggle the pressures of meeting the demands of the citizens in his community.
Sparks waved goodbye to a traveling life consisting of fast food and the sounds of truck tires resounding beneath his feet, trading up for an existence right next door to the place he holds so dear to his heart.
The recently opened JWI Restorations in Morehead provides a restoration service to the local area for homes that have seen the worst of times.
In need of a store manager, the local business sought the leadership of Sparks, providing the mayor of Olive Hill the opportunity to return home to devote more time to his family and community.
Reflecting on his new position, Sparks noted the positive impact being so close to home has made for his duties as mayor.
“Well, even when I was on the road, I was never really away,” Sparks said. “Every day I would do my best to check in back home, to make sure that everything was going smoothly. Working here locally, it does help a lot. I can stop by the maintenance barn early in the morning to get the lowdown on any problems we may be having, and I’m also able to stop by City Hall before I go to work in Morehead, which has been a great benefit.”
Since his first day on the Olive Hill Fire Department in 1975, Sparks has consistently been involved with the city. From a stint as fire chief in the 90's, to his 15 years of service on the Chamber of Commerce, public involvement has consistently been a mainstay in his life.
With home comes family, and for Sparks, there is nothing sweeter than having the chance to experience a rock solid family life.
“Being back home has meant the world to me,” Sparks said. “My wife Amy has been by my side for the past 11 years, and my daughter Danielle is now expecting, meaning I will have my first grandchild soon. This new job has no doubt made a positive impact on my family life, and I am grateful for that.”
In the past two years, the town of Olive Hill has seen its fair share of setbacks, most notably with the devastating back-to-back floods of 2010.
Sparks closed with a sentiment regarding the proud nature of the people of Olive Hill, expressing great admiration for the community he loves so dearly.
“To see a community bond, stay strong, stay encouraged, and have the heart to bounce back is just amazing,” Sparks said. “It makes me so proud to be the mayor of Olive Hill. The community is so strong, and I feel like our town has come so far over the past two years. I appreciate and admire all that our citizens do.”
Grant Stevens can be reached at gstevens@journal-times.com or by telephone at 1-800-2476142.
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