Besides all that glorious sunshine and spending some time at the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Harbor, it’s been a terrific day today for so many reasons. Not the least of which is seeing once again just how hardworking and thoughtful all the Atlantic Highlands borough employees are. It just seems to come so naturally to them they don’t even realize when they’re going above and beyond.
My latest heroine for quick thinking and even faster action is Beth Merkel a Borough Hall employee. After seeing a woman with a walker struggling to open the main door to borough call, and being advised there was a switch she could have pushed to hold the door open, I went down to find the switch. OK, blame it on my stupidity or nonobservance, but I couldn’t find any switch on the door, on the exterior wall or any sign indicating where it was. So when I went upstairs again to find out where it was, Ms. Merkel immediately went down the stairs and outside with me to show me and explain why it’s where it is. For those as unobservant as I, there’s a post next to the sidewalk, about five feet from the door, with a switch. So Beth also explained to me why it is in that location, If it were on the building itself, she calmly and smartly explained, a person in need would have to go over to it, push the button, back up to avoid the opening door, then proceed. AH, convenience at its best, I said, thanking her.
But that wasn’t enough for the thoughtful Ms. Merkel. She wanted to show me how it worked! That’s when she realized there must be a short or something, since the door did not open as expected when she pushed the switch! Surprised at that, she immediately took out her phone and called Jimmy Phillips, the PW’s employee who knows how to fix everything and does it immediately.
With Beth’s quick thinking and action, Jimmy’s follow through with expertise and equally quick action, the problem was solved.
All part of a day’s work, they shrugged. It’s so much more than that. It’s pride in their jobs and dedication to the people for whom they work! We should all be appreciative of all the great employees that work for the borough
