Lansdale honors electric line workers

 They keep the lights on in storms, are always on call, and Lansdale wouldn’t be the same without them.

Borough officials congratulated a unique group of workers this month, honoring town Electric Department staff to mark national Line Worker Appreciation day.

“I just wanted to introduce my gang of folks that keep the lights on every day and have dedication to our community,” said Electric Superintendent Andy Krauss.

The annual electric line worker appreciation day typically falls in early April before spring storms that can keep those workers busy, Krauss told council on April 15, before outlining the responsibilities and duties the department handles each day, calling them “quite simply, the backbone of our community’s daily life.”

“It’s not just their technical skill, though that alone is exceptional. It’s their commitment, their resilience, and their unwavering sense of duty to the people that they serve,” he said.

    (Redesign by Tony Di Domizio/Lansdale "L" owned by Lansdale Borough)
  

“Whether it’s a summer storm rolling through at midnight, or icy conditions in the dead of winter, always burning the midnight oil, our line workers answer the call,” Krauss said. “They leave their families, they step into challenging and often dangerous conditions, and work tirelessly to restore power safely and quickly.”

In addition to responding quickly to emergencies, those line workers constantly upgrade aging or failing equipment, from extra-large transformers to meters on houses, and everything in between, all while passing down knowledge from generation to generation.

“Their work is not just a job, but a vital public service that often goes unseen, and underappreciated,” Krauss said.        

He and councilman Andrew Carroll, chairman of the electric committee, handed out a series of certifications to electric department staff to thank them for their work, starting with Office Manager Donna Markley who acts as ‘den mother’ of the department and plans to retire this summer. Utilities administrator Maria Lohan was honored for doing similar work for the town’s code department and for now helping with similar duties for electric, public works and wastewater treatment.

Next recognized was town utility billing coordinator Grace Trail, whom Krauss said handles utility billing for both the sewer and electric departments, totaling roughly 10,000 customers. Several linemen were honored together, including Revenue Metering and Communications head Joe Green and Safety and Substations head Anthony ‘TJ’ Giampa.

Lead electrician Steve Pulli is currently the town’s longest-tenured employee, starting with the town in 1974 after graduating from North Montco. Also honored were linemen Jeff Horvath and Sam Baruffi, as well as line foreman Matt Hamilton.

Lineman Raiden Neuman is the department’s latest apprentice, and Matt Bladek is another lineman currently taking college-level courses and certifications, while learning on the job.       

    Raiden Neuman with his mom Lizzy Fantini (Submitted photo)
  

Lineman Josh Greaf has worked for the electric department for eight months after a prior stint at the town’s wastewater treatment plant, and line foreman Ben Curran runs a truck crew.

Lineman Harry Chapin is also a member of the department’s truck four. Linemen Joe Gaburon and Ed Lindenger couldn’t attend the ceremony, but were honored by Krauss, both thanked for their years of service to the department.

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