Note: Most every month Parkesburg Mayor John Hagan uses the 5 minutes allotted to him during Borough Council meeting to weave a yarn about someone or something unique and distinctive about Parkesburg. His messages give all those in attendance a chance to forget about the night's business, relax for a moment and remember what we like about this tough, gritty Western Chester County town.
Office of the Mayor
Borough of Parkesburg
329 West First Avenue
Parkesburg, PA 19365
June 20th 2011
By Mayor John Hagan
Commemoration - something (such as a special ceremony) that is intended to honor an important event or person from the past.
In my twenty years of service to this fine borough I have had the privilege working with many fine individuals.
I mean not imply that privilege and cooperation were inexplicably linked. In many cases it was and is the contrary. The quiet resolute and sometimes boring meetings we experience today were born from tumult, and if you believe what you hear, physical violence.
My “eyes on” experience began on All Saints Day 1991, some say more appropriately All Fools or April Fool’s day. Appointed by 6 Republicans, this Democrat was excited to change everything and that right soon.
In addition to my fellow councilors and Mayor Bill Wilson there was this team serving as employees. Our current manger Jim Thomas was our Chief of Police, Joann Reynolds was our Borough Secretary, Richard Klingler our Fire Chief, Norman Pine our solicitor. But at the center was our keeper of the books, Harold White.
Anyone doing business with the Borough ran the gauntlet of Harold White. I know this - I was having my parent’s row home on West Main St. resided in the late 80’s and never applied for a building permit.
Harold seeing me in line at Jamesway and knowing me quite well from the environs of the Fireside Inn, (he a regular customer me an irregular bartender) thought I should know that soon someone from the Borough would halt the work until I got a permit.
I was a non-resident of our fine town then, and to say I was oblivious would be an understatement. Harold, who smoked Winston cigarettes then, stood there with three or four cartons under his arm and resting his right hand on my shoulder told me to see him the next day and he’d get me on the right track, wink, wink.
It was not improper - I certainly appreciated the heads up - and the next day I was put on the right track-work was stopped- I played by the rules and the job finished in a timely manner.
Years later I move to town -and in a scene reminiscent of the Jamesway story- I did not know anything about water and sewer bills and missed 3 quarters assuming they were like property taxes and were being paid by my mortgage holder.
Harold called me and asked I stop by the borough office soon and by the way “bring your checkbook.”
Not too subtle but it worked. The education I received, over the next couple of years spurred my interest to get involved in local government. Not local politics. Harold told me there is a difference.
There were times when less was more and in the environs of those heady days where meetings would last until midnight-Harold began recording the meetings on a cassette tape recorder - Partly for accuracy but mostly so Joann could go home. He didn’t ask. He just pushed record.
Sometimes the tape would stop requiring it be turned over or a new tape inserted and if the hour was late a nudge was needed to revive the acting secretary.
I am to this day not sure if anyone’s rights were being violated but as I said sometimes less is more. That applied in how he conducted business but did not apply when he expressed his opinions.
We lost contact after he retired from Borough service and he lost interest in our meetings.
Not enough going on to keep me awake he would say.
Harold George White, the boroughs longtime treasurer, auditor, part-time antagonist and sometime sage has passed form this life to the life eternal, as my former pastor Oscar Allen was fond of saying, on June 14th.
I will miss him.
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