It is rare for an employees to work for the same employer for more than 45 years and even more rare for that employee to begin working at age 8. Earl Carter has been working in the maintenance department for Batavia Township since he was 8-years-old.

“My father, Victor, was the only maintenance employee for the township,” said Carter. “He started working for them back in 1961 and when I was 8, I started working with my dad. I drew my first paycheck from the township when I was 11. Back in those days we would blacktop the roads by hand. Dad would shovel on the blacktop and I would drive the truck for him.”

Carter says at 8 years old, he was able to see over the steering wheel, but he wasn’t too good at backing the truck.