Employee Spotlight: Otis Mallory
Published on August 31, 2026
Name: Otis Mallory
Job Title: Operator II
Department: Department of Transportation
Years with the City: 3 years
Starting at the Ground Level
When Otis Mallory joined the City three years ago, he started as an Operator I. His days often involved weed eating, shoveling and walking the steep banks of ponds to help maintain City property and drainage areas.
Today, as an Operator II, Otis primarily operates specialized mowing equipment, including remote-controlled mowers and zero-turn walk-behind mowers. He also operates excavators, boats, front-end loaders and dump trucks as needed.
“As an Operator I, it was a lot of weed eating and walking around steep ponds all day,” Otis said. “Weed eating and shoveling.”
That hands-on experience became the foundation for his career with the City. In just over a year, Otis progressed from Operator I to Operator II.
Building a Career One Skill at a Time
For Otis, moving up wasn't about skipping the beginning. It was about learning the job, building his skills and being willing to take on more responsibility.
“Take things one step at a time,” he said. “As an Operator I, it’s good to master being the best Operator I.”
Otis believes mastering the fundamentals prepares employees for the responsibilities that come with moving into a higher-level position. It also gives employees an understanding of what their coworkers experience as they learn the job.
He credits his own progression to staying motivated and maintaining a willingness to learn.
“If you have the hunger to learn and your heart is in it, it’s easy and time goes by fast,” he said.
For those considering an Operator I position, Otis encourages them to view it as an opportunity to build a career, not simply a starting job. The position provides experience with manual labor, equipment, ditching, vegetation management and other hands-on work while helping employees learn the City's procedures and expectations.
“It might be hard adjusting to it if you’re not familiar with this,” he said. “Don’t give up so easily on yourself. Push through it because there’s a lot of options for you to move up.”
More Than Mowing
Mowing is one of Otis’ favorite parts of his current role, but his experience as an Operator I has changed the way he approaches it.
“When I mow, I try to get as close as I can to the water because I want the weed eaters to have less to do,” he said.
Having spent time weed eating himself, Otis understands the work required to maintain the areas larger equipment cannot reach. That experience gives him a different perspective when operating a mower and reminds him of the importance of every part of the job.
The Department of Transportation’s operators perform a wide variety of work, from mowing and vegetation management to mechanical ditching, pond maintenance and excavation.
Work That Keeps Water Moving
Much of the team’s work happens behind the scenes, but residents can see the benefits throughout the community.
Otis and his team maintain ditches and ponds, remove vegetation and sediment, and help keep drainage systems functioning properly. When sediment builds up around pipes and drainage areas, water has a harder time flowing where it needs to go.
Maintaining these areas helps reduce drainage issues and flooding while also keeping public spaces looking their best. Some of the ponds maintained by the team are located in City parks, where regular mowing and maintenance help create clean, welcoming spaces for residents and families.
Taking Pride in the Work
One project Otis is particularly proud of was the Eastwind Road ditch project.
The team dug ditches along both sides of the roughly 1-mile stretch of road. Each side took about three weeks to complete, making it one of the longest ditch projects the team has taken on.
For Otis, projects like this are rewarding because the results are visible.
“I take a lot of pride in my work. I enjoy taking something that doesn’t look so great and, by the time my team is finished, making it look beautiful.”
That pride extends to the team around him. Otis said having good morale and a positive attitude makes a challenging job more enjoyable.
For Otis, the job is about more than operating equipment. It is about seeing the results of his work and knowing that what he and his team do makes a difference.
Whether he is mowing a City park, clearing a ditch or maintaining a pond, Otis takes pride in leaving an area better than he found it.
His career also shows what can happen when an employee is willing to start at the ground level, learn the fundamentals and keep pushing forward.
The Department of Transportation is currently looking to add more operators to the team. For those interested in joining, Otis’ advice is simple: come ready to learn, work hard and find satisfaction in the work.
Thank you to Otis for three years of service and for the work he and his team do to maintain Wilmington’s public spaces and help keep our drainage systems working for residents.