The Quiet Engineer
Joe Matthews opens up about his career in engineering, his love of music, and his faith.
Words by Terrell Manasco | Images by Ryan McGill
Joe Matthews is sitting in a conference room adjacent to his office in the City Hall Annex. Affable and pleasant, he begins the conversation by confessing he’s a reticent, low-key kind of fellow and that people often mistake his low-keyness for hubris. “I’m an introvert. A lot of people think I'm arrogant and aloof, and I understand that,” Joe says. “I just try to see problems and solve problems.”
For the past 20 years, Joe has worked with the City of Jasper on numerous projects, the last 12 years as City Engineer and Public Works Director. Problem-solving is in his DNA. Ironically, he almost chose a different career.
“I thought I was going to go into music…band, choir, etc., but I married a music teacher,” he explains. “My nature is problem-solving. I have a pretty good feel for math and science. It was just a natural for me to get into engineering.”
Joe’s father, Joe Matthews, Sr., known affectionately as "The Commander," served as a Naval commander for 27 years. During that time, the Matthews lived in San Diego, California; Norfolk, Virginia; and, finally, Danvers, Massachusetts. "Commander” who was originally from Vernon, Alabama, wanted to retire to a small town here. When Joe was 12, the family moved to Jasper.
Joe graduated from Walker High in 1973 and earned his degree in civil engineering from The University of Alabama in 1977. He then worked with a private consulting firm in Birmingham
He later returned to Jasper in private practice, served as county engineer from 1984-1992, and worked with Barge Waggoner in Dothan. When that company was bought out a year later, Joe did private consulting work for the City of Jasper. He recalls a few early projects.
“In 2002, there were no walking trails in Jasper, except for the Penn Woods Trail at Swann Gym,” he says. “We designed and put in the walking trails at Gamble Park, Eagle Point Park, and North Jasper. There was no Murphy Woods Field, just an old armory and a practice field. We closed 14th Avenue and turned three ball parks into five ball parks.”
A few years ago, city officials began evaluating the number of traffic lights downtown. Any found to be unnecessary according to ALDOT guidelines were removed. The change initially resulted in a few ruffled feathers.
“We had 60 traffic signals—Hoover had 58,” Joe says. “When we started removing traffic lights and putting 4-way stops downtown, a lot of people were not happy...but now traffic flows downtown.”
Other past projects, like adding a third lane on Viking Drive, and a second left-hand turning lane on Airport Road, have been in the planning stages for years, proof that the wheels of progress grind slowly. “We had some funding in 2004 and it took until 2019 to complete it—that’s just the nature of the beast,” Joe says. “Having that (Airport Road) intersection with the double left-hand turn has been a game-changer.”
There are more projects in the works: construction to improve the sidewalks from 19th Street to 20th Street is scheduled to begin this fall. The City also plans to use ALDOT funds to correct misaligned and dangerous medians on Highway 118 near Sonic and Wendy's. A third project will repair water service issues in the West Jasper area.
Although Joe never pursued a career in music, he became a founding member of the Jasper Men's Chorale in 1985. After a 20-year hiatus, the popular group returned in 2016 to great success. No performances are currently scheduled, but Joe hopes to remedy that in the future. “I'm going to pray through,” he says. “Perhaps in 2022, we will be meeting again.”
For Joe, prayer is as vital an activity as breathing; it is an extension of what he calls “the most important thing in my life”—his faith. Besides teaching a Sunday school class at Jasper First United Methodist Church, where his wife, Tamara, is the Children’s Minister and Preschool Director, Joe hosts a devotional and time of fellowship at Warehouse 319 every Tuesday at 6:45 a.m. Many may not know that he has also served as president of the Hope for Women board for the last 10 years.
“The way I operate is pretty covertly,” he laughs.
Soon, Joe will have more free time to share his faith and indulge his love of music. After 44 years in the business, he is hanging up his engineering hat and retiring. “I’m looking forward to just being a citizen of the city,” Joe says.
He will be trading his 4th Avenue office for a spacious one with a carpet of luxuriant green grass and a ceiling of cerulean blue sky. He plans to spend time with his four children, seven grandchildren, and Mother Nature.
“I enjoy yard work. I enjoy having everything blocked out and spending time with Jesus,” Joe says. “They allow me to help with their yards and I'm happy to do that. It gives them time to spend with their family. That’s part of the blessing for me.”
Sounds like the perfect, low-key kind of job. 78