HERO Spotlight: Lee Goddard – Leading by Service, Leaving It Better
Most residents never see the work it takes to keep clean water delivered promptly, safely, and reliably. When everything works, the system is invisible. But behind that “invisible” reliability are people like Lee Goddard, Public Works Water/Wastewater Superintendent for the City of Fate, Texas – steady, hands-on leaders who carry public health, safety, and trust on their shoulders every day.
Lee’s work spans everything from distribution monitoring and troubleshooting in the field to ensuring meter reading systems stay operational and residents get answers when they need them. As he put it, the best days are often the days no one has to think about public works because that means the system is doing its job.
The HERO Mindset: Lead Beside Your Team, Not in Front of Them
Lee doesn’t describe leadership as giving orders; he describes it as showing up.
“I don’t want to be the type of leader that just sits there and barks orders. I want to be there with my employees and show them the correct way and guide them.”
But Lee is also the first to say that the work in Fate isn’t about one person. He emphasized that everything their department accomplishes is because of the team standing with him.
“None of what we do would be possible without the team we have. I’m proud of them, and I look forward to seeing the leaders they become.”
That pride in his team and his belief in who they’re growing into is a defining part of Lee’s HERO story.
The “Extra Step” That Makes All The Difference
In water and wastewater, the work is technical, but the mission is deeply human. Lee consistently brings it back to how a team serves residents and earns community trust.
“One of my mottos that I like to teach all of my employees is that extra step… giving that extra step to somebody, even in the work they do every day, makes a big difference in how we’re perceived by the public.”
That “extra step” shows up in the way his team communicates, educates, and supports residents: researching answers when they don’t have them immediately, and taking the time to walk people through what’s happening and why.
Leaving The Community Better Than He Found It
Lee’s personal compass is service, and it’s also his standard for the work.
“I think it’s important to lead by your service. Protect the public and leave it better than you found it… Think of anything that you work on as your home.”
That’s what makes Lee a true HERO: he leads with ownership, pride, and care for the people who depend on the system, whether they realize it or not.
Cory Dobbie, Account Manager at HydroPro Solutions, has seen the difference Lee’s leadership makes firsthand:
“When Lee came in, he didn’t just say, ‘Yeah, everything looks fine.’ He took the time to really look at the system and see what needed work. He swapped out registers that weren’t reading right, pointed out areas where reception needed help… he just got in there and made things better. You can tell the system’s stronger because of what he’s done.”
The Invisible Work, Made Visible
Lee said it best – water teams do their work in the background, not for recognition, but to keep a community safe and healthy.
That’s why we’re telling these stories: because the people who protect public health deserve to be seen.
HERO Highlight
Coffee order of choice: Lee doesn’t drink coffee, but if you want his go-to, it’s a Dutch Bros Rebel “Electric Berry.”