Published: November 28, 2005 07:26 am      

Perseverance: Health problems can't slow local mayor

Richard Gladis may have lost his right leg in September, but he still is standing tall in his community.

The 67-year-old resident of Mine 40 is mayor of Scalp Level and has returned to his office on Main Street to pick up where he left off prior to his hospitalization.

“I don’t want to be old before my time,” said Gladis while seated in a wheelchair at his office at the borough building. “People are like cars. If you start it every day, the battery stays charged.

“Let it sit in the driveway for months on end and the battery goes dead.”

Gladis, a retired construction worker, could be the poster child for perseverance.

He was diagnosed with diabetes in 1981 and lost his leg to an infection as a result of his disease. He also undergoes dialysis three times a week and had a quadruple heart bypass in 2000.

Yet he insisted on running for a full term as mayor this year after serving in that capacity on a temporary basis since 2002.

Gladis was appointed interim mayor to replace former Mayor Thomas Waronek, who resigned before serving his full term. Council was hard-pressed to find a replacement following Waronek’s resignation, but Gladis answered the call.

He ran unopposed in the November elections.

No one can accuse Gladis of being in politics for the money. For $50 a month, the mayor is largely a figurehead, only voting to break a council deadlock.

Prior to his illness, Gladis could be found at the borough building five days a week, where he would work between six or seven hours.

But Gladis said he has learned a lot since taking office and is not afraid of confronting challenges.

He said his proudest accomplishment to date is obtaining a new municipal building, replacing the borough’s two-story outdated structure that was razed in 2001.

“When I took over in 2002, this was my biggest priority,” Gladis said. “We were meeting in Windber’s borough building, our records were scattered and we had no organization.”

Gladis and Richard King, council vice president, learned that a building along Route 30 in Jenner Township was for sale. It was being used as a field office by Bob Feather Home Sales.

The borough purchased the unit for

$39,000, with the help of state grants that amounted to $25,000.

“Now, if residents have a gripe, they can come right to the office and voice their concerns,” Gladis said. “We renovated the interior using borough labor and added decks and a wheelchair ramp to the building. I never dreamed that when we did that, I would be the first person to use the ramp.”

King, 80, and a councilman for 16 years, said Gladis has been most effective as mayor.

“If he puts his mind to something, he sees it through,” King said. “We have had many mayors in Scalp Level, and Richard Gladis is one of the best.”

Gladis’ leg became infected in October, and he underwent surgery two months ago to remove the limb above the knee.

“I was just fitted for a prosthetic leg, and it felt great to stand again, even though I had to hold onto some bars,” he said. “I promised my doctor I wouldn’t use the leg until I had the proper physical therapy, so I guess I’ll be in the chair for a little while longer.”

But he vows it won’t slow him down. He plans to expand the borough’s playground system.

“We have already improved a spot for tots at Jackson and Hugh streets,” Gladis said. “We have obtained $5,000 from the county and expect another $5,000 to create a bigger playground along Main Street. We also have applied for a $20,000 state grant for the project.”

Gladis said the borough’s financial picture is rosy. The municipality has purchased a

2005 pickup truck and a backhoe without incurring any debt.

Gladis said his focus will be directed to police protection, improving roads and building-code enforcement.

Scalp Level’s police services are provided through a contract with neighboring Windber Borough, and Gladis is satisfied with their effort.

He said he’ll continue to work with council in the best interest of the borough’s 850 residents.

“We had over $10,000 in unpaid garbage fees, and we took action to get the money,” he said.

“We have recovered $6,000.”

Gladis said he doesn’t have any intention of leaving public office as long as he is able to be productive.

“If God lets me walk this earth, I will run for mayor again in 2009,” he said. “There’s a lot of work to be done.”



Tom Lavis can be reached at 532-5054 or tlavis@tribdem.com.