Snider Closes A 37-Year Chapter
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Retiring Water Valley City Clerk Vivian Snider (right) received a standing ovation during last Tuesday night’s public hearing on the city budget in recognition of her nearly 37 years of service to the city. Pictured with Snider are Alderman-at-Large Herbie Rogers (left) and Mayor Tommy Reynolds.
WATER VALLEY — After nearly 37 years at Water Valley City Hall, Vivian Sanders Snider can sum up what it takes to serve her community in five words.
“You’ve got to love people.”
Snider has.
She has loved them when they walked into City Hall happy and when they came in hurting. She has helped families untangle cemetery records, listened to parents worried about children in court and worked with residents struggling to pay fines a few dollars at a time. She has worked for a succession of mayors, watched generations of families come through the doors and built lasting relationships with employees in virtually every city department.
Now, for the first time since 1989, Water Valley City Hall is preparing to carry on without her.
Snider, who began working for the city Oct. 9, 1989, will retire Sept. 30 after nearly 37 years of service. She has been city clerk since July 1, 1995, and believes her 31 years in that position make her the longest-serving city clerk in Water Valley history.
“I hope I have helped a lot of people,” Snider said.
A retirement reception honoring Snider will be held Friday, Sept. 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Base Camp Academy building, Everest, the former Big Yank facility.
The location makes the celebration especially fitting.
Before beginning her career with the city, Snider spent 12 years sewing there. Her father, Hubert Sanders, was plant manager at Big Yank and also worked approximately 37 years before retiring.
“I never would have thought that building would look like it looks now,” Snider said. “I can still remember exactly how it looked back then.”
A Career She Never Planned
Snider was 29 when her life took an unexpected turn away from Big Yank. She enjoyed the work and had no plans for a career in government when longtime city clerk Doris Cox contacted her about an opening at City Hall.
“I was kind of afraid, can I do this?” Snider remembered.
Her family had the answer.
“My parents said, ‘Of course you can do it. You’ve always sold yourself short,’” she said.
Her husband, Ronnie, agreed.
“He said, ‘Go to City Hall. You need to do this.’”
She did, beginning Oct. 9, 1989.
“I’ve never regretted it.”
Cox remained clerk until 1995, giving Snider several years to learn from her before Snider took over the position.
Over the next three decades, Snider became one of the constants at City Hall as administrations changed around her. She began during the administration of Garland Maynor, who was already in declining health. She went on to serve with mayors Larry Hart, Bill Norris, Hart again, Donald Gray and current Mayor Tommy Reynolds, along with Herbie Rogers during a brief period as mayor.
The personalities changed. Snider adapted.
She developed friendships with many of them that lasted long after they left City Hall. That ability to get along with people — even some whom others found difficult — became one of Snider’s trademarks.
She has seen generations of some families pass through municipal court and watched people scrape together whatever they could toward a fine.
She always insisted that City Hall employees respect the privacy and dignity of the people they served. Even when information was technically public, Snider saw no reason to turn someone’s troubles into gossip.
“You have to be good to people,” she said.
Perhaps no example better illustrates her approach than a city employee who had difficulty managing his paycheck.
With the blessing of his family, Snider took responsibility for helping him manage his money for several years until his death. She kept records of what he received, made sure his bills were paid and that he had spending money, and helped ensure the rest did not disappear.
“I just had to help him,” she said. “And I’d probably do it again if I had to.”
Over nearly 37 years, Snider said the people she worked alongside became much more than co-workers.
“I have worked with some amazing people that I will always consider my forever family and friends,” she said.
That is what will make Sept. 30 difficult.
“I’m going to really miss my work family,” Snider said.
Retirement will also bring a new routine for someone who has spent most of her adult life at City Hall.
“It’s all I’ve known, is working,” she said.
Snider plans to spend more time with Ronnie, attend her nephews’ ball games and eventually do some traveling, including trips to the beach. For now, she wants to slow down and enjoy having fewer demands on her time.
She also doesn’t plan to completely sever her connection to City Hall.
“I’m always as close as the telephone,” Snider said. “I’m not leaving them high and dry. If they need me, they can call me.”
After nearly four decades of public service, Snider hopes whoever follows in her footsteps understands the lesson that guided her through it all.
“You’ve got to love people,” she said. “No matter who they are, what they are, you’ve got to love them.”
For Snider, that was never just part of the job. It was the reason for doing it.
Retiring Water Valley City Clerk Vivian Snider (right) received a standing ovation during last Tuesday night’s public hearing on the city budget in recognition of her nearly 37 years of service to the city. Pictured with Snider are Alderman-at-Large Herbie Rogers (left) and Mayor Tommy Reynolds.
