Nashville native Jonathan Roquet has been hired as the City of Nashville’s new Public Works Director.
Roquet, 35, was hired during a special Nashville City Council meeting on Thursday, Sept. 3 with his first day on the job Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Roquet is a 2009 graduate of Nashville High School, who played football under Coach Billy Dawson, and is a 15-year veteran of the railroad business. He has worked as general manager and train master for various short line and regional companies. His railroad job – most recently based out of De Queen – required him to be on the road constantly, “living in airports” and away from his family, including his wife and young daughter, Grace.
Roquet said his new job will be a “new chapter” for him that will allow him to finally return home to stay and work.
“I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life and see what I can give back to the city that gave me so much,” he said about his return.
“At this point in my life, I really wanted to get back home to be around my family more and raise my daughter where I was raised.”
The public works director duties will also be new to him, but the former Scrapper said he confident he can get the job done.
“I know how to run a crew and set expectations,” he said.
The new job will require a Class 3 water license and Roquet will immediately get to work on obtaining the license and will spend this week getting acquainted with his crew.
