← Back to 2025

Servant to God and people

by Michael Baniewicz
Darin Spence, utility manager for the City of Maysville, right, used a water valve shut-off key to turn off the valve on a water main alongside Jeff Gopp, assistant utility manager, on Oct. 23 at the intersection of Forest Ave. and Carmel St. in Maysville. After shutting it off, both Darin and Jeff put their ear close to the water valve shut-off key to listen if the water was still running.

The name Darin Spence may not sound familiar to many residents in Maysville, but they most likely utilize the services that Darin manages for them on a daily basis. As the utility director for the city of Maysville, Darin helps lead the operation and maintenance of its water and wastewater system as well as operating water systems for Old Washington, Lewisburg, Mays Lick, Wedonia, Stonelick and Pinewood.

In addition to being a servant at home and in the community, Darin is also serves as an elder at Clarksburg Christian Church in Vanceburg.

Although he originally pursued a teaching career, Darin later realized that wasn’t the best fit for him. He was referred to an open position with the city through a conversation with former Comptroller Romie Griffey.

Darin’s career with the utility department began in December 1995 when he started working part time through a work-study program at Maysville Community and Technical College. Outside of teaching, Darin said his second career choice would have been a forest ranger because of his interest in environmental science. That interest was the reason he pursued the open job at the utility department.

“I ended up getting in the program and loved it,” Darin said. “We did a class called ‘air water and soil’— loved that class because you got to go outside and get samples. I’m just an outside person. I don’t like to be sitting in the same place all the time.”`

After graduation, Darin worked his way up to various leadership positions within the utility department including water plant operator and wastewater treatment plant operator. The lighthearted conversation and work ethic shared with his coworkers at the department is partly why he enjoys working there, Darin said

“It just seems like everybody works together,” Darin said.

While he did not pursue a formal teaching position in a school, Darin did end up as a teacher and leader in many other aspects of his life. He supports his wife, Megan Spence, with Imagine Foundation and serves as an elder at Clarksburg Christian Church in Vanceburg.

Darin and Megan are parents to a 19-year-old son with autism named Waylen. While Waylen was growing up and playing sports there was no opportunity for children with special needs to play sports in a league, Darin said.The nonprofit Imagine Foundation started by Megan helps provide that space in Maysville. According to the Facebook page, the foundation’s mission is to “provide opportunities for individuals with special abilities.” This includes offering seasonal sports, holiday parties and family fun events, all of which are free.

Darin says the foundation became a large part of the community.

“It gave special needs, not just children, but adults, something to look forward to,” Darin said. “And to see the looks on their faces when we’re having an event it’s just-it’s godly. I mean that’s the only way you can describe it.”

After visiting the Maysville Wastewater Treatment Plant, Darin Spence, the utility director for the City of Maysville, answered a phone call on Oct. 22 at the Maysville Wastewater Treatment Plant in Maysville. Darin went to the facility after learning that three out of the six vertical loop reactors were not working properly, which are mechanisms that treat wastewater using controlled biological processes.
From left, Ronnie Haas, laborer, Alix Flinders, laborer, Darin Spence, utility director for the City of Maysville, and Bradley Cooper, assistant distribution superintendent, monitor a service line on Oct. 23 at Old Main Street in Maysville. They were fixing a water service line leak.
Darin Spence (left), utility director for the City of Maysville, Alix Flinders, laborer, Charles Chandler, laborer and Ronny Haas, laborer laughed while sharing Chuck Norris jokes in an office on Oct. 22 at the Maysville Municipal Building in Maysville. “It just seems like everybody works together,” Darin said. “I try to communicate and be able to joke and cut up and I think everybody pretty much does that — we do that with each other. It kind of relieves a lot of tension.”
A bracelet that reads “Autism Awareness” with multi-colored puzzle pieces is worn on the wrist of Darin Spence, utility director for the city of Maysville, while he checks his emails on Oct. 23 at the Maysville Municipal Building in Maysville. Darin said he has not taken the bracelet off for six months.
Darin Spence, utility director for the City of Maysville (left) and Jeff Gopp, assistant utility manager, right, are reflected in water from a water service line leak on Oct. 23 at Old Main Street in Maysville. “I did get really lucky and blessed for landing this role here as I do have somebody that has 30 years of experience for one to train and teach somebody,” Jeff said. “It hasn’t even just been from aspects of knowing valve locations to water lines, but honestly…I look up to Darin. He’s been a fatherly figure to me now. The amount of knowledge and life experiences that I have learned from him have been great. I couldn’t be happier from where I’m at right now.”
After work, Darin Spence, center, played Connect Four with his son, Waylen, bottom right, while Megan, Darin’s wife, and Addlyn, 11, Darin’s daughter work on Addlyn’s homework on Oct. 23 at their home in Tollesboro. “If I could thing of one word for me – what I’d like to have on my gravestone is ‘servant’ because I’m a servant to God and a servant to people,” Darin said. “First thing, God, second thing, family, third thing, job.”
Darin Spence gave his son Waylen a kiss on Oct. 22 at his home in Tollesboro. Darin’s wife Megan runs the Imagine Foundation, which is a nonprofit that offers free events for children and adults with autism, and Darin says that he dreams of turning his farm into a special needs farm.
Tyler Applegate talks with Darin Spence while on a hayride during an event sponsored by the Imagine Foundation on Oct. 24 at R Farm Pumpkins and More in Maysville. The event offered attendees the chance to pet animals on the farm, a corn maze and a hayride.
A waxing crescent moon hangs in the night sky while Addlyn Spence, 11, left, Brooklyn Applegate, 11, center left, Darin Spence, center right, and Megan Spence, right, prepared to leave R-Farm Pumpkins on Oct. 24 at R Farm Pumpkins and More in Maysville. The event was sponsored by the Imagine Foundation.