Cynthia Biedenkopf, who is retiring after 28 years as Bethlehem city clerk, was lavished with praise by members of City Council Tuesday night.
Biedenkopf will be replaced by Louise Kelchner, who unanimously was approved by council during its meeting.
Kelchner’s appointment begins Dec. 15.
Council president J. William Reynolds, who announced Biedenkopf’s retirement, said she temporarily will continue to work during the transition period after Kelchner starts.
“Filling Ms. Biedenkopf’s shoes, even though they are small, will be very, very difficult,” said the council president.
He added: “We’re confident Ms. Kelchner will do an excellent job.”
Biedenkopf thanked everyone for the opportunity to serve City Council, but added: “Tonight is Louise’s night. I welcome Louise as city clerk and congratulate you.”
Council member Michael Recchiuti said Biedenkopf has been employed by Bethlehem for 30 years, 28 of them as city clerk. She later said she was assistant city clerk during her first two years in City Hall.
“She could write a book about the city of Bethlehem and it would be a best seller,” said Recchiuti.
“No books; that’s off the table,” said Reynolds.
Recchiuti said Kelchner is no stranger to City Hall because she was executive secretary to former Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan and also worked for former Mayor Don Cunningham.
“A lot of people will want to thank Ms. Biedenkopf for her contribution to the city,” said Reynolds. He described that contribution “as truly unbelievable.”
Bryan Callahan said when he got on City Council, he was stunned by the amount of work Biedenkopf does.
He told her: “The professionalism, efficiency and accuracy of what your job is astounding. You’ve been a big help to everybody on City Council.”
“She’s such a fantastic worker for such a long time,” aid council member Eric Evans.
He said she is valued, not only by members of council, but also by other city employees.
Council member Cathy Reuscher said her first year on council would have been much more difficult without Biedenkopf’s help.
“No request that you ever sent Cindy would go unanswered or unfulfilled,” said council member Adam Waldron. “Usually you’d get more information than you would even think was available.”
Mayor Robert Donchez said assistant city clerk Nanette Snyder also is retiring.
Donchez, who was a member of City Council before being elected mayor last year, described Biedenkopf and Snyder as wonderful people who have served the city with integrity, professionalism, hard work and dedication.
Donchez said many times, council members would call the city clerk’s office at 7 or 8 p.m., expecting to leave messages on the answering machine, “only to have the phone picked up by Cindy. She was still in the office working at 7 or 8 o’clock at night. That was her work ethic.”
Reynolds said the current City Council and the administration are in a period of cooperation regarding what is best for Bethlehem.
But he added that wasn’t always the case. He said a decade or so ago, there was a lot of disagreement between City Council members and the administration, as well as between individual council members.
He said about the one thing those City Council members could agree on “was how good Cindy Biedenkopf was at her job.
“One of the greatest things you can say about Ms. Biedenkopf was she may have been the only person that was able to stay universally popular with people,” said Reynolds.
“I think she was universally popular among every member that has ever served on city council.”
from 69News:Home http://ift.tt/12sLMNX
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire