Since 1990, Jimmy Groves has worked on every kind of vehicle for the City of Sikeston. But after 32 years, Groves is putting away his tools.

“It’s time to go,” Groves said. “The new generation needs to take over. The new generation is a lot more savvy with the computer stuff than I ever was. I don’t really like that computer stuff at all but it’s something you have to work with.”

Groves said vehicles have changed quite a bit since he started, including the number of vehicles in service.

“When I first started here, I could service everything in one day. I service something every day now,” Groves said. “I think (DPS) had three patrol cars for around town when I started. Now they’ve got 40. They’ve come a long way.”

Some of Groves’ fondest memories are working with law enforcement. He said he would often be called out during a car chase when law enforcement would employ spike strips on the road to stop the car.

“We’d have to go out there because the pursuit car always would run over the (spike strips too),” Groves said. “You’d have to go out there and change flats. I’ve done that more than once.”

One of his favorite memories came about 10 years ago when he was called out on Christmas Day to help the DEA and SEMO Drug Task Force.

“Together with Chris Hensley, he’s a New Madrid County chief deputy now, we found $180,000 in a car,” Groves said. “It was in the floorboard. They had put a floorboard on top of a floorboard, and it was between there.”

He added that the car is still in possession of DPS.

“Working with public safety was very interesting,” Groves said. “They always have something going on and you usually know all about it because you have to work with everybody.”

Despite enjoying his work, Groves feels it is time to step away and call it a career. And he added that his plans include doing nothing.

“I’m not going to do anything. I may do a little at my house, but that will be about it,” Groves said.

Still, it is bittersweet for Groves to leave the co-workers that he has become close with over the last three decades.

“The City is a very good place to work,” Groves said. “It’s the best place I’ve ever worked.

“They’ve meant a lot to me. There are a lot of kind, nice caring people and they treat you like family here and they always have.”