You know you're from Burlington if you knew Al Fay.
One of the great benefits of getting old is the privilege over the years of meeting and befriending unforgettable people in your hometown. Al Fay was such a person for me. I met him 40 years ago through politics and then encountered him endlesslessly through all walks of Burlington life.
For the fire union he was a tough negotiator, in fire prevention he was a stickler for safety. He came on when the department was only 6 members and gradually grew to include many iconic figures in Burlington. Herb Crawford, Cliff Skelton Phil Pollicelli, George Clark, Doug Hyde, Lee Callahan, Steve Yetman, Wally Decoste, and Gary Cauldwell just to name a few! It was a sleepy department in the 50"s but oh my how quickly things changed!
For children, he was a source for thousands of fire truck rides and endless bell ringing. He was a constant participant in the 4th parade as well as Pride Day or any of the elementary school carnivals. All kids play with trucks but for 25 years Al made sure they played and held in awe really big trucks by contacting every major player in the region to provide equipment!
He once said one of his greatest joys was taking the Special Olympics kids for ice cream. It was such a simple thing but he knew how much joy it brought them each time.
Fun and games were only one side of Al. As a Planning Board member and Selectman Al's influence has been felt all over Burlington. Al's support for economic development was unabashed. He told me, "Tax money solves problems" and he knew residents like to talk about quality of life issues but they are frequently reluctant to pay for them.
Much development has passed through town hall over the past couple of decades and Al had a hand in all of them. I am kind of a Luddite when it comes to development in Burlington, longing for the days when nobody knew we were here. But Al knew the challenges of an economic dynamo and he knew what was necessary to meet the future.
He will be greatly missed.
