Served township for more than four decades, will remain on Board of Supervisors
By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com
Retring Roadmaster Eddie Caudill accepts an ovation from his colleagues on the East Marlborough Board of Supervisors after announcing his retirement.
EAST MARLBOROUGH — When Eddie Caudill started working on the township road crew, men were just landing on the moon, Nixon was president and America was engaged in a war in VietNam.
But for the first time since those days, Caudill will not have a role in keeping township roads smooth and clear of snow and ice, after retiring Tuesday from his dual roles of township Roadmaster and Building Inspector. Caudill, who will continue to serve as a Township Supervisor after winning reelection in November, had been Roadmaster for more than three decades.
“Eddie started at 17 working on the road crew,” said Supervisors chair Cuyler Walker, “and he served with incredible dedication to the township.”
Dennis Mellinger, who has served as assistant roadmaster and is a 32-year veteran of the township road crew, has been tabbed to replace Caudill, and will take over immediately on an interim basis, while details of his permanent appointment are finalized.
“I have some big shoes to fill,” Millinger said Tuesday night.
Robert Weer Jr., son of Supervisor Robert Weer, was tabbed as assistant roadmaster.
Replacing Caudill as the township’s building inspector will be United Inspection Agency of Ambler. The Board of Supervisors approved a 60-day terminal contract — the township has the right to terminate the deal within 60 days if it is unhappy with UIA’s performance — after picking them from among four companies that submitted proposals.
In less surprising news during the Supervisors’ annual reorganization meeting, Walker was again unanimously elected by his peers (Walker did abstain) to serve as Chair of the Board of Supervisors.
“It is a pleasure and a privilege to to serve,” he said, thanking his colleagues for their support immediately after the vote.
The only other change of note: board meetings will now start at 7 p.m. rather than the previous 7:30 p.m. — although the decision wasn’t unanimous. Caudill argued that later start times were better during the summer months, jokingly suggesting 8:30 p.m., but argued for at least some of the meeting times to remain at 7:30 p.m. His colleagues, though, disagreed, and the time change was approved 4-1. All meetings will take place on the first Monday of the month in 2012, except September, which will take place on the second Monday of the month, due to the Labor Day holiday.
