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A civil engineer
PROFILE ON COUNTY GOVERNMENT: Rick West
Published 12:00 p.m., February 27, 2009
Rick West has served as county engineer for Otter Tail County the past 19 years. After nearly two decades he still enjoys designing and building Otter Tail County roads.
West was raised on a grain farm in rural Wahpeton. He’s the oldest child and has three brothers and sister.
“Our recreation was motorcycles and old cars,” he said. “We’d mess around with old motors and snowmobiles.”
He graduated from Wahpeton High School in 1970 and enrolled at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS), where he earned an associate of science degree in civil engineering technology in 1972. He then worked in Jamestown, N.D., as a civil engineering technician.
West went back to the family farm to help get the crop in the ground. One day, he hit a crossroad — wondering what to do next. His father persuaded him to obtain a four-year degree. West then enrolled in civil engineering at NDSU, Fargo.
He graduated in 1976 and went to work for Interstate Engineering in Beulah, N.D., 80 miles northwest of Bismarck. He managed the branch office there.
Interstate became involved with building a coal gasification plant and two smaller power plants. West performed civil engineering work for five of the surrounding counties. He spent 11 years with Interstate Engineering.
In 1986 he applied for a job as the highway superintendent for Mercer County, N.D. After that he became the county engineer for Hubbard County (Park Rapids) and in 1990 he became the county engineer for Otter Tail County.
He and his wife, Linda, have three children. He enjoys the outdoors, particularly snowmobiling during the winter months.
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