JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — After decades in the role and even longer serving the city, the director of Johnson City Water and Sewer Services (WSS) will retire near the end of the year.

The City of Johnson City announced Friday that Tom Witherspoon will retire from his role as WSS director on Nov. 6.

Witherspoon has worked for the city for 44 years.

He started as a civil engineer in 1981, moved up to assistant WSS director in 1982 and rose to director in 1987.

According to the city, Johnson City's population was 48,000 when Witherspoon first took over WSS. The population has grown to more than 73,000, and WSS now serves roughly 130,000 people in four counties.

WSS's workforce has also grown from 117 to almost 190 under Witherspoon's leadership.

“While building on the strong foundati

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