BETTER THAN HEARSAY - Pricelessness and the Price of Eggs

A ceremonial sendoff was given to town of Prattsville highway chief Bill Sutton, this week, after nearly 30 years of service.

By Michael Ryan

CORNWALLVILLE - Maybe the price of eggs has nothing to do with it but they’re different nowadays, so it’s a good time to mention a few other changes going on within local government.

A couple of towns are losing some good folks and before anybody calls me to complain that there are a lot of good ones still left, that isn’t the point.

Nobody is irreplaceable I’ve been told, but I’ve never bought into that because a job can be filled but sometimes it’s never the same.

That explains Bill Sutton, the highway superintendent in the town of Prattsville the past 29 years who was presented with a plaque and respectful sendoff, the other night.

“I’m getting tired, plus the way prices are going up is driving me crazy,” Sutton said, announcing his retirement in the fall.

He was talking about the cost of machinery and materials, not eggs, as he further said, “It’s been a good time,” expecting to stay busy with a slew of grandkids and a couple of great grandies.

Pastor Dewitt Olmstead was elected to the position in November so the town will be in good hands. My memory of Bill Sutton is him doing everything he did on one leg and never whining about it.

He lost the limb in a car accident 54 years ago. He says he was down and out about it until his heart was unexpectedly touched.

“They sent me to a clinic. I was sitting there when this little girl came running toward me. She was running kinda’ funny,” Sutton says.

“She was smiling and when I looked I saw she had an artificial leg and I thought, ‘if she can do it there’s no reason I shouldn’t,’” he says.

“And if you’re going to write something,” Sutton added, “make sure you thank the people in Prattsville for putting up with me this long.”

It’s a similar story of not-always-seen-anymore dedication in Windham where Gary Thorington is retiring after 31 years with the highway department, including the past decade as roads chief.

He’s a homegrown kid and isn’t much into talking about himself except maybe when it comes to the road de-icing program he brought to the department, increasing efficiency and saving taxpayer money.

It hasn’t done anything for the expense of eggs but, “we changed things around and, without beating my chest, I’m proud of the way it has all worked out,” says Thorington, fondly known as “The Gipper.”

And without saying it in so many words, The Gipper is proud to be part of the long, respected line of Windham roads chiefs.

As he talked about his successful career, he removed a plaque from his office wall showing the names of past highway superintendents.

He follows in the plowing bootsteps of his predecessor, Thomas Hoyt, who wisely modernized the department, and old school guys like George Mulford and Biff Andrus, mentioning them with dignity.

Mulford taught him the ropes, letting him figure stuff out on his own when need be, a sensibility The Gipper is passing along to his successor.

“BJ will be fine,” Thorington says of Robert “BJ” Murray, elected to the job in November. “He has a lot of roadbuilding experience. He has a ton of common sense. He’ll get his own rhythm, like the rest of us.”

The residents of Lexington are losing two deeply devoted public servants, town supervisor Jo Ellen Schermerhorn, going to greener pastures, and town clerk/tax collector Charlotte Jaeger, headed to Bluegrass country.

Schermerhorn has been supervisor for six years following eight years as a councilwoman. “If I could just spend all my time talking to people, it would be fine but I can’t keep up with all the computer changes,” she says.

Wanting to instead spend that time with her grandchildren, Schermerhorn says, “I feel a lot has been accomplished, but I couldn’t have done it without my two righthand women.”

Jaeger is one of them, stepping down from her double role to switch zip codes, moving to the State of Kentucky in the near future.

Schermerhorn’s other righthand woman is Peggy Rappleyea, who has retired as court clerk dating back virtually beyond memory, fortunately sticking around as assessor clerk.

And it is worth mentioning Richard Tompkins, retiring, although not really, as Ashland town supervisor after four decades of public service.

Tompkins is simply moving to the highway superintendent’s spot, having also been a town judge, a volunteer fireman and an ambulance worker. Now if he could only do something about the price of eggs.