Heath is inheriting a capable highway crew
I recently read the comments attributed to newly appointed North East Highway Superintendent Avery Heath in your article about his appointment. One statement in particular caught my attention:“I believe that the person coming into the job should know what the job entails.”
I have to admit, I agree with him. In fact, I think that is an excellent standard. So let’s talk about the people who already know what the job entails.
When Highway Superintendent Robert “Bob” Stevens died unexpectedly on March 30, the Highway Department did not stop. His crew showed up the next morning. They showed up while grieving a coworker, supervisor, and mentor. They maintained roads, responded to emergencies, operated equipment, dealt with storms, and kept the department functioning while the Town determined what came
Mr. Heath was also quoted as saying that he hopes to “do what Bob did.” I sincerely hope he does. But I also think it is important to recognize that no one is ever going to “do what Bob did.”
Bob was a singular person who spent decades building relationships, knowledge, trust, and a legacy in this community. His successor should certainly strive to serve North East well, but attempting to replicate Bob is not the same as succeeding him.
To speak of simply “doing what Bob did” without acknowledging the people who worked beside him, learned from him, and helped him do that work for decades risks diminishing what Bob actually left behind.
He left behind a capable crew.
He left behind people who knew his roads, his equipment, his standards, and his way of serving the community.
And after his death, they showed up.
I understand that the Town Board considered Mr. Heath’s outside experience and vision valuable. I respect the Board’s authority to make that decision. I also disagree with it. Those things are not mutually exclusive.
And I sincerely hope Mr. Heath succeeds. But I hope that as he comes into this department, he recognizes that he is inheriting something: Bob’s crew, their knowledge, their history, and a department that continued functioning because those employees showed up when their friend and mentor died.
Because Mr. Heath was right about one thing: The person coming into the job should know what the job entails.
Fortunately, the people in the Highway Department have been demonstrating that knowledge for years.And since March 31, they have been demonstrating it under circumstances most of us can only imagine.
Kristin McClune
Millerton
