OFFICIALS SEND OFF LONGTIME MANAGER JAKE ZIEGLER
Newly retired official sent off with gifts from council, departments
LANSDALE » In a career that lasted just shy of four decades, Jake Ziegler had a hand in nearly every major project done in Lansdale.
Borough and local officials recalled that career of service Wednesday night, sending off the now-retired borough manager with stories, jokes, a handful of tears and more than a few of his favorite catchphrases.
“He has just been a fantastic partner. I’m a little excitable, Jake’s not, and the only time I could know that I got him going was when he’d say ‘OK’ a lot,” said SEPTA General Manager Jeff Knueppel.
“Thank you, Jake, for all that you have done for Lansdale, for SEPTA, and just what an all-around great guy you are,” he said.
Ziegler announced in June his plans to retire at the end of 2017, closing out a career in town that began in 1978 as director of public works. From 1989 to 2015, Ziegler was director of utilities, overseeing the borough’s public works, sewer and electric departments, until he was named manager in February 2015.
Knueppel said he remembers working with Ziegler “prior to 2000, we’re not sure exactly when,” and said he helped grow the borough’s relationship with the transit agency by using Lansdale as a SEPTA destination during the 2015 Papal visit, and overseeing projects like the new Ninth Street SEPTA station, construction of SEPTA’s new parking garage behind the Lansdale station, and work to rebuild Railroad Avenue into a dedicated bus lane for SEPTA.
“He really understood what a sym-
biotic relationship it is, and how important SEPTA is to Lansdale, and Lansdale is to SEPTA,” he said.
In all those years, Knueppel joked, he only remembers Ziegler going into Philadelphia one time, and all of their other meetings were held in the borough, so the SEPTA manager gave Ziegler a set of round-trip tickets into Center City, along with a photo of the two at the opening of the SEPTA garage.
Council President Denton Burnell read a proclamation from the state Senate provided by state Sen. Bob Mensch, and said he recently found his firstever email to Ziegler, sent shortly after joining council in 2012.
“I’m sure you don’t remember that, but I learned tow things that day: he never takes a day off — it was Sunday, and within minutes I had a response from him — and he loves the Pennsylvania Farm Show. I think he still does — did you go this year?” Burnell asked, and Ziegler replied with a nod and a grin.
“He’s got quite a few days off now, which I’m sure he will use wisely,” Burnell said. “Jake is always gracious and respectful. He sees the best in everyone. He is dedicated, and reliable. He interacts with great empathy. But most of all, Jake is genuine: when you speak with him, you know he is speaking from the heart.”
Mayor Garry Herbert presented his own proclamation, and said he was honored to have gotten to know Ziegler over the past few months.
“Jake is honest, he’s caring, his life is this borough,” he said.
Carl Saldutti, longtime Parks and Recreation director, remembered when Ziegler was hired in the late 1970s to lead the public works department, “and he did such a fantastic job there, they said ‘Let’s give him all the utilities.’”
“He’s held almost every key position within the borough workforce. The one title that’s been missing is ‘Assistant borough manager,’ but anyone who has worked here has known that Jake has always been de-facto assistant borough manager,” Saldutti said.
He then read a list of some of Ziegler’s favorite sayings, heard in countless meetings over the years: “I guess what I’m trying to say,” “Don’t take this the wrong way,” “To be perfectly honest with you,” “Not to be stupid about it,” and one that Saldutti said had particular resonance.
“The one that really speaks to Jake’s character, and the person that he really is. If I heard him say it once, I heard it a thousand times: ‘Carl, we need to do the right thing. We always need to do the right thing.’”
Wastewater treatment plant superintendent Dan Shinskie said Ziegler was a “genuine good guy,” and Public Work Director Rick DeLong remembered behind hired by Ziegler in 1988, and working his way up to the position Ziegler once held.
“I didn’t know a whole lot about anything public works-related, I was 25 years old, and I want to say ‘Thank you’ for mentoring me through my career. It’s been an honor, it’s been a privilege,” DeLong said.
Electric superintendent Andy Krauss gave Ziegler a photo of the borough’s former power plant that was taken down in the 1970s, and said a quote from Thomas Edison described how Ziegler’s work ethic will always stay with him.
“‘Being busy does not always mean real work. The objective of all work is production, or accomplishment, and to either of these ends must be forethought, system planning, intelligence, and an honest purpose, as well as perspiration,’” Krauss said, quoting Edison.
“Jake should be proud tonight, knowing that he came to Lansdale for the last 39 years, and gave us so much forethought, system planning, intelligence, and an honest purpose — as well as perspiration,” Krauss said.
Acting Police Chief Mike Trail said he worked most closely with Ziegler during the construction of the new borough building and police station in 2013-15, and leaned heavily on him when developing the department’s budget this past winter.
“I know that you and the Mrs. will be very busy in retirement. I know you’re not just going to relax, so make sure that you plan those dates and activities, and that you have the ability to write it all down,” Trail said, as he handed Ziegler a 2018 calendar featuring Lansdale Police Department officers.
John Ernst, who was named Manager last month and took over at the start of January, joked that he and Ziegler would no longer be “joined at the hip” as they had been for the past eight years, and cited “his patience, his perseverance, and his true leadership for doing exactly what is right, whenever he can.”
He then gave Ziegler several one-of-a-kind gifts, on behalf of borough staff: a plaque thanking him for his years of service, a license plate in the borough’s blue and yellow color scheme reading “Live, work, play in Lansdale,” and an ID pass for the borough building Ziegler helped build, that reads “Retired” but will never be deactivated.
“He will never, ever be restricted from coming back into this building,” Ernst said.
Lansdale Public Library Director Tom Meyer gave Ziegler a similar gift, after thanking Ziegler for his help with various library projects and events over the years.
“You told me that you’d see more of me at the library after you retire, so I hope that’s true,” Meyer said. “I’m sure it’s true, because it came from you. So I have for you your lifetime membership library card.”
Council members each shared their own stories and memories: Mary Fuller said he was “the most fair, and honorable, and dedicated, and honest person I’ve ever worked with, and ever known.”
Councilman Leon Angelichio said he was only surprised by Ziegler one time: in early 2015, when Angelichio asked Ziegler if he would be willing to take over as manager.
“It’s the one time you surprised me, when you said ‘I don’t know if I can.’ It’s the only time I have ever heard you unsure, of your abilities, your knowledge, or just wanting to do something.”
“I had never heard that before, and it took me quite a bit by surprise. To your credit, you have done an amazing job. You’ve made us all look much better than we probably are, in many, many ways. You’ve completed projects that were monumental, and I am a better person for knowing you.”
Councilman Jack Hansen said he remembered Ziegler fixing a road problem on Knapp Road in early 1986, and countless personal interactions over the years since the.
“There’s never been a time that you didn’t either answer the pone, or call me back as soon as you were available. Anytime something came up, you would call, you would explain the entire procedure — I’d be at work, and on the pone with Jake for 45 minutes,” Hansen said.
Councilman Steve Malagari recalled a thorough and detailed tour Ziegler gave of the borough wastewater treatment plant soon after Malagari arrived on council, and councilman Rich DiGregorio said he hoped to see Ziegler at Lansdale Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings.
Council Member Carrie Hawkins Charlton asked Ziegler, “don’t be a stranger,” and Fuller said Ziegler was always welcome to volunteer cleaning up the borough’s freight station.
Ziegler thanked his family and council for their support, and said residents may still see him at the freight station, library, or walking around Main Street. He never envisioned becoming borough manager, “but I can say without a doubt, that it was the greatest honor of my professional career, to be able to be the borough manager here.”
“I think the future is really bright for Lansdale, and I’m just so thankful to be able to have been a part of that.”