In 1983 Terry Perkins, the longtime owner of the Farmer’s Korner gas station, took a job as the fleet maintenance supervisor for the town of Breckenridge. Two years later he became the public works director and would remain in that position for the rest of his career, overseeing some of the busiest decades of development for the town.

Perkins retired in 2012 and to honor his years of service, Breckenridge officials Tuesday dedicated a new public works facility to him. The building on Airport Road, which houses the engineering, facilities, streets and parks, water and administration departments, bears Perkins name and, he says, his legacy.

“Forty years ago I could never have imagined the honor bestowed upon me today,” he said at a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It’s just a great legacy for my kids and my grandkids to come back and remember things that were accomplished during the 28 years I worked for the town.”

Breckenridge leaders said the building was named for Perkins to recognize his years of dedication and work for the town during his lifetime.

“(It honors) his outstanding service since he moved here and started being involved in the public works; we thought it was a fitting tribute,” Councilwoman Jen McAtamney said. “The town has had a long tradition of honoring people while they’re still here.”

The Stephen C. West Ice Arena was dedicated to the former Breckenridge mayor while he was still alive and just across the street from the new public works building, a road called Tassels Loop in the Valley Brook neighborhood is a nod to former Councilman Mike Millisor, who earned the nickname tassels from his fellow council members by frequently wearing loafers to meetings.

Perkins and his wife still live in Breckenridge.

Construction on the $1.1 million public works office, which sits on the public works yard alongside the Free Ride headquarters and other departments, began in August of last year and the doors opened in March. The building provides office space as well as planning, training and meeting rooms for the department.

“It’s a simple building, so it was quick to go up,” current public works director Tom Daugherty said.

For the town of Breckenridge, the project was part of a reorganization of staff locations and facilities that will include consolidating some public works resources with Summit County government for the south end of the county and freeing up space near the 7-Eleven stor, where a recycling facility is currently located, for affordable housing.

With the engineering and public works employees now operating out of the new office, the town hall building that was once thought to be too small for Breckenridge’s staff, is now an adequate size and will be renovated to continue to serve the community into the future, officials said.