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The City of Watertown has recognized four employees as part of its #WatertownWorks series, celebrating those who keep the community running. From keeping public spaces clean to managing city operations, these staff members make a difference every day. This week’s featured employees are: Peggy Hofwalt (Parks & Recreation), Alan Stager (City Hall), Renea Knudson (Library) and Terry Ingalls (Watertown Police Department).
Peggy Hofwalt, Parks & Recreation custodian
Peggy has been with the City of Watertown for almost six months. She helps keep three of Watertown’s most popular public spaces clean and welcoming: City Hall, the Watertown Regional Library, and the Prairie Lakes Ice Arena. She finds it rewarding to see how many people use and appreciate these community facilities and takes pride in her work.
When she’s not working, you’ll find her playing darts with the Watertown Pink Ladies, camping, or spending time with family and friends. She loves cats and enjoys organizing — something that certainly comes in handy both at work and at home. She would choose Wonder Woman as her superpower to help people that need it. She loves to visit Senior Max’s, Applebee’s, Paige’s Place, and The Wheel Inn.
Alan Stager — city manager
Stager joined the city in June as city manager, where he oversees the day-to-day administration of all city operations and services. He’s already seen how much variety there is in the issues the city helps residents resolve and is proud of how staff work together to meet those needs.
Outside the office, he enjoys reading biographies and political history. He enjoys Backroads Coffee, and one fun fact is that he prefers writing with wooden pencils. If he had a superpower, he’d pick the ability to control the weather.
Renea Knudson — circulation library specialist
Renea has worked at the Watertown Regional Library for 11 years full-time, after starting as a shelver in high school. She now serves as circulation library specialist, where she helps patrons check materials in and out, find what they need, trains staff, and manages billing for lost or damaged items. One project she’s especially proud of is helping add multiple Bramble Park Zoo passes for patrons to check out, made possible through the Friends of the Library.
Outside of work, Renea enjoys reading and studying new languages. She’s also a busy mom of four energetic boys. Her favorite local dining spot is Downtown Sushi, and if she could choose a superpower, it would be learning any language in a single day.
Terry Ingalls — code enforcement officer, Police Department
Terry has worked for the city as a code enforcement officer for four years after serving 21 years as a police officer. He handles ordinance enforcement and follows up on complaints from residents and other departments. He likes being out in the community and working through the tough problems that come with the job. He’s especially proud of being named Code Enforcement Officer of the Year for South Dakota.
Terry enjoys camping, hunting, and time with family and friends. If he had a superpower, it would be unlimited time to get things done. Favorite local stops are the Lone Pine in Watertown and Jeffrey’s in Kranzburg. For a fun fact, Terry jokes that some people think he’s a little grumpy.
Together, these employees show the dedication, service, and community spirit that make Watertown work.
