High Praise, Magazine Cover for Malverne's DPW

Joining the ranks of celebrities, sports stars and "Persons of the Year," Malverne's Superintendent of Public Works Paul Jessup graced the cover of a magazine last month.

He stood proudly, next to a "Welcome to the Village of Malverne" sign, on the front of the September 2011 issue of "Superintendent's Profile," a trade publication that is read by elected and appointed Highway Superintendents, Public Works Directors, NYSDOT and NYS Thruway Authority Officials throughout New York State.

The humble Jessup told the reporter:

"I'm very fortunate because this department, for the most part, is quite capable of running itself. I have a great bunch of guys and that makes my life easier."

In the eight-page feature, Jessup talks about his working relationship with local officials, saying, "The village board knows I am not quite the conventional standard jacket and tie superintendent. I won't wear that to work. I do get my hands dirty still. They understand that. They work with me.."

He also spoke of the closeness and cooperation of village workers, volunteers and residents. He discussed the many responsibilities of the DPW crew from sanitation and tree removal to parks and building maintenance, adding, "There is almost nothing we don't do." 

A long-time resident of Malverne, Jessup also proudly pointed out the improvements that the D.P.W. has played a part in, including sprucing up the local Little League fields.

"These are all places I grew up and there was nothing but a sandlot and now they are gorgeous," Jessup told the reporter.

But what Jessup spoke most highly of was his men, explaining how they are not only hard working but also willing to make sacrifices in light of the tough economic times such as changing around their holiday times.

"We are small and closeknit," Jessup said," [They] understand the situation."

The comraderie among the D.P.W. team was also evident Wednesday night, when many filled the courtroom of Village Hall to watch one of their senior members receive a citation.

Mayor Patricia Norris McDonald and Deputy Mayor Joseph Hennessy recognized Mark Elowson for reaching a major milestone, 30 years with the village's D.P.W.

"Mark is a pain in the butt, any of these guys will tell you," Jessup said during the presentation. "That only tells me that he's doing his job. He's very dedicated, he's always there for everybody and he puts up with me and some of my crazy ideas."

What Jessup, Elowson and all the men of the D.P.W. do each day is essential to keeping Malverne beauitful and maintaining a high standard of living for each resident, village officials pointed, including former Mayor Joseph Canzoneri, who spoke at the meeting.

"The men at the D.P.W. deserve a great deal of praise," Canzoneri said, holding a copy of the magazine that featured Jessup, who he hired in 1995 while in office.

The job is not glamorous. It can be thankless. You may not even notice them as they haul away your trash or clear the snow during a blizzard while you sleep.

But when you do shine a spotlight on this crew, they sure do shine very bright. (With or without their neon work shirts.)