Lansdale Council Bids Farewell to Three of Its Own

This is a story of three leaders, four years and one goal.
On Wednesday night, Lansdale Borough Council President Matt West picked up the gavel for the last time inside the meeting room at North Penn's Educational Services Center—now serving as the temporary home for council, as borough hall is undergoing preservation and renovation at the municipal complex, one of the regime's biggest accomplishments since 2009.
To his left sat Councilman Dan Dunigan, another council colleague who would be saying goodbye that night by chance, not choice, having been voted out in the 2013 Republican Primary in Ward Three.
Joining West and Dunigan in their bittersweet goodbyes was fellow Councilman Mike Sobel, who too lasted four years on council, before being voted out by Republicans in Ward Two.
The "All For One, One For All" battle cry that was the most recent Lansdale Council is hoped to be one that will echo into the future, and that hope was voiced by West, his colleagues and residents alike Wednesday.
No sooner had West banged his gavel to start the meeting, he made it clear his intentions from the past four years and his plea to the incoming council in January.
West said he made decisions for the good of council, not for what the political machine told him to say. He did not care about any of that.
"And I can say, I speak for a majority of us up here: that’s not what we are about. We are about what's best for Lansdale," he said. "You can take me out of the equation. I don't care. This incoming council, all I ask, is you make good decisions for what's best for Lansdale. We set the shop up for you. We've set the table. It's going to be easy work for you. We've done a lot of the heavy lifting. Now, it's your turn to take what we've worked so hard to do and have fun with it, because there's a lot of fun stuff ahead of us." 
Sobel thanked West for being the town's leader and for being a friend.
"I'll reserve any other comments I have for January," he said.
Mayor Andy Szekely thanked West, Dunigan and Sobel for their service to Lansdale. 
"It certainly isn't easy and isn't always fun being up here, attending seemingly endless meetings away from family, but we do so in order to make Lansdale a better place," Szekely said. "Dan, the public got its money's worth with our discussions. I wish you and your families the best in the future." 
Solicitor Mark Hosterman said it was truly a pleasure to work with the three outgoing council members.
"Your philosophy to make Lansdale a better place and put Lansdale first truly has been inspirational," he said. "You have an extensive list of accomplishments these past four years." 
Councilman Jack Hansen told the trio, "While every one of us that serves on council comes to do the best they can do for the borough, I want to take a moment, and thank you for your service."  
Councilman Steve Malagari reflected on his last two years he has been on council, and thanked West, Dunigan and Sobel for their advice and leadership.
"I learned a lot. You taught me a lot. We spoke a lot. I can only thank you for what you've done, giving the time and efforts and talents to help the borough out and move us in the direction forward," Malagari said. "As a lifelong resident, this is the most I've seen being done in this ton since I've been alive." 
Councilman Rich DiGregorio thanked the trio, but especially thanked their families for letting them serve.
"It's a big sacrifice for your family to be up here and helping out the community," he said. "It's been a pleasure serving with all three of you. Each one brought something to the table to help out the community." 
Councilman Denton Burnell said he had Dunigan and West to blame for having him run successfully for council in the first place.
"The thing I harken back to is that you guys really didn’t do this for any other reason than to make the town we live in a better place. You saw that need and you stepped up and did that. You took your hits. It wasn’t easy, but you stood in there and did it to the best of your ability," Burnell said. "I'm grateful for that. You inspired me to become part of this. I hope that those of us here, when we're done, can live up to that legacy."
Councilman Jason Van Dame said one of the things that led him down the path to council is the one that West, Dunigan and Sobel set and took first.
"I appreciate that," he said. "The borough is going in a great direction and I hope it continues." 
Councilwoman Mary Fuller, never one for a loss for words, told the three that it was a difficult night for her. Almost five years ago, she was approached to run for council, and at the time, she did not know any of the three councilmen and admitted her naivety and cluelessness. 
"When I first began to be introduced to people who were running for council at the same time, Dan Dunigan came up and I said, 'Oh shit. I don't know about that.' However, I certainly know I'm his biggest fan. He's my favorite 'R' of all time," she said. "It feels like I'm the last man standing. There were five of us elected together (including ex-Councilman Paul Clemente) and we are down to three and then one." 
She said they have all done a lot and they have been successful. 
"People may not understand today how effective you were and important and moving this change is, but they will," she said. "If they do not realize it today, they will realize it maybe in a month, maybe two."
She said all three have heart, courage and brains for the job. 
"I am proud and honored to serve with you. I pledge that I will continue what is best for Lansdale, whether an army of nine or an army of one," she said. 
Resident Bob Willi, of West Fourth Street, said the present council, four years ago, was elected promising to make Lansdale a better place to live and work.
"I'd be lying if I said here today that I wasn't a little bit skeptical," he said. "Fast forward to the present, and I am no longer a skeptic. This council four years ago has done everything they had promised and more: They put aside partisan politics and worked together to make Lansdale a better place," Willi said. 
Willi said more improvements have occurred in the last four years than in the 20 years he has lived in the borough. Of those improvements, two major ones, in his opinion were the hiring of borough Manager Timi Kirchner and putting Lansdale on solid fiscal ground, citing its A+ bond rating.
"Not only has (Kirchner) done an excellent job at getting grants, but she is respected and liked, if not loved, by borough employees," he said. "How many bosses can sit there and say they have the respect and admiration of their employees?"
Lansdale fiscal responsibility is something that was recognized by both county and state, which, he said, is an achievement within itself. 
"I think State Rep. (Bob) Godshall said it best when he said 'Lansdale is doing more than any Montgomery County municipality as far as revitalizing the town.' When you have a State Representative saying that about this borough and not about any other place in Montgomery County that he represents, that speaks volumes," Willi said.
Willi wished West, Dunigan and Sobel would stay involved in some way in the borough in the future.
"Thank you for your service and commitment to Lansdale," he said. 
Willi continued, saying he was scared with the incoming council, specifically that the progress from the last four years would disappear.
"Certain incoming council members, as well as present council members, have voiced displeasure on certain projects," he said. "My fear is, four years from now, we will be asking and wondering what happened to all the progress we once saw."
Resident Doug DiPasquale, of Delaware Avenue, who acts as president of the Lansdale Business Association and ran unsuccessfully for mayor on the Democratic ticket this year, outlined his personal progress since 2010, with going to LBA meetings, becoming active in that organization, meeting Council Vice President Mary Fuller, becoming LBA president and getting things moving. 
"For most of you on council who helped me both in my business realm, personally and professionally, and for what I did this year ... you have all been great and I can't thank you enough," DiPasquale said. "You three (Dunigan, West and Sobel) have helped tremendously. Matt, on your leadership, thank you. To the council I've worked with, keep with what's going. The business community needs you to echo them. We all still believe in you just as much as you believed in us."