Building super Buddy Fallon reflects on 43 years of service to Canton

After 43 years of service to the town, Buddy Fallon, the superintendent of buildings and grounds, retired July 23.

The Canton that Fallon experienced when he first began working for the tree department in June 1967 was different from the town that residents know today. Open space was abundant in the sparsely populated town of 12,000, and the department lacked a bucket truck, so trees were trimmed and cut by men who climbed the trees using ropes and their shear strength.

Buddy Fallon

Still, when reflecting on his four decades of work in the town, Fallon said that much has stayed the same. “There weren’t really many changes, except maybe for the faces I encountered on a daily basis,” he said.

Fallon began working for the town’s tree department after he graduated from Norfolk County Agricultural High School, majoring in agriculture and landscaping. Five months later, however, Fallon departed for Vietnam for a two-year stint with the Marine Corps.

After being wounded six times, he was discharged in June 1969 and returned to Canton. He continued to work at the tree department for seven years before taking the position of chief senior custodian at Canton Town Hall. His job parameters continued to expand until he became the superintendent of buildings and grounds, a position he held for the past 30 years.

As superintendent, Fallon worked to help maintain the 13 municipal buildings throughout the town. Some buildings, like the library, did not fall under his immediate supervision, but he still offered help when needed.

It was the library, in fact, where he completed his last job as a town employee. Along with a staff from the DPW, Fallon oversaw the construction of the structure on which a digital sign will be placed. Fallon had intended to retire July 9, but he and his colleagues ran into “mountains of ledge,” so he stayed in place for two more weeks to complete the job.

Reflecting on his three decades as superintendent of buildings and grounds, Fallon said he liked the unique challenges presented by each project he undertook. Asked about his most memorable project, Fallon quickly answered the renovation of Town Hall. In 1998, Fallon led the meticulous renovation of the historical structure.

Fallon has always been conscious of the historical significance of many of the town’s municipal buildings.

“I tried my best to save the older facilities if it was possible, and I think I did pretty well on that account,” he said. “There still were a few buildings, like the shovel shop [located at 160 Bolivar Street], that were in dangerous condition and needed to come down.”

With Fallon’s newfound spare time, he plans to visit his two sons who live in California and continue his favorite pastime: fishing.

Fallon said the thing he will miss most about working for the town is the camaraderie he felt with the other employees.

“Not seeing them on a daily basis will be the hardest thing to deal with,” he said. “Of course, I will stop by to say hi, in between fishing trips.”

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Posted by Jeffrey Cattel on Aug 19 2010. Filed under Features, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.