At their meeting on Monday, commissioners declined to renew David Mahoney’s contract. Commissioner Joe Daniels said there were no hard feelings involved on the part of commissioners.

“We think very highly of David,” Daniels said. “David’s a good engineer.”

Mahoney will stay on the job until Jan. 23, when his contract expires, Daniels said.

As to what prompted the commissioners’ decision to not renew Mahoney’s contract, Daniels said: “I think he was thinking about leaving and so we just kind of agreed.”

When contacted Tuesday, Mahoney, who is 45 and has worked for the county for more than 10 years, said he wasn’t retiring.

“I’m tiring,” he quipped.

Next on his agenda is a hunt for another job. He and his wife, Donna, who works as a chemist for the Kansas Department of Transportation, plan to stay in the area, Mahoney said.

For the most part, Mahoney said, his work with the county has been rewarding.

“I’ve enjoyed a lot of what has been accomplished as far as replacing deficient bridges and improving the roads and trying to maintain the roads we’ve got to good or better condition,” Mahoney said.

One of the major projects completed since he was with the county was the widening of U.S. Highway 24-40 from the Wyandotte/Leavenworth county line through Tonganoxie.

Mahoney, a civil engineer, grew up in the Turner area. He said he’s looking forward to moving on in his career.

“I feel like I could find something better,” he said. “I look forward to finding that.”

Daniels, who said Mahoney’s salary was $62,000, said commissioners may start looking for a replacement.