First Posted: 7/16/2014
The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs recently announced the 2014 Distinguished Service Award winners. Dupont Council President Stan Knick is one of three chosen statewide to receive the honor.
The award is made to “an individual performing distinguished meritorious and exceptionally outstanding service to the citizens of his borough and to promote better borough government.” Knick was nominated by members of Dupont Council.
Knick accepted the award at the 103rd Annual Awards Luncheon in April at the Penn State Conference Center at State College.
Pina Hansen, Dupont Council member and Crime Watch president, attended the luncheon. “It was a pleasure to watch one of our own honored,” she said. “I congratulate Stanley. He does a great job for the community and as a newly elected member of Council I look forward to working together for Dupont’s future.”
Knick has spent nine years on Borough Council and is currently serving his seventh year as president.
Under his leadership Dupont became one of the first communities to acquire a natural gas powered recycling truck; constructed a natural gas fueling station; and established a Regional Recycling Facility. Construction of a new borough garage on Commerce Road is scheduled to be completed later this year.
Working with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Knick and Dupont council helped clear onstacles for a $50 million airport connector construction project, which is now well underway. The new highway will allow traffic movements from a nearby industrial park to Interstate 81 thereby significantly minimizing traffic hazards in the borough.
Under knick’s guidance, Dupont Borough partnered with state officials and the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce to secure over $1 million in funding to reconstruct Commerce Roadway in Grimes Industrial Park securing future growth. This project resulted in Dupont Borough being named the winner of the Community Progress Award from the Chamber of Commerce. The annual award sponsored by PNC Bank recognizes community progress which improves the quality of life in surrounding communities.
“None of this would happen if it were not for the support of the residents electing me to serve this community for all these years and Council members working hard together to improve our town,” Knick said of the award. He also complimented the hard work of Representative Michael Carroll, and Senators John Blake and John Yudichak in helping Dupont achieve some of its objectives.
He also expressed gratitude to Borough Manager Patty McDonald. “She is by far one of the hardest workers which helps our jobs in the borough a little easier,” Knick said.
Knick said the Regional Compost Recycling Facility is the project of which he is most proud. Two years in the making, Knick helped develop a proposal to turn yard waste into an asset. In May of 2011 Dupont Borough was awarded $461,000 in gambling grant funds to purchase machinery and in August 2012 the doors opened on the first of its kind facility.
Currently seven municipalities represent this unique consortium: Dupont, Avoca, Jenkins Twp, Duryea Borough, Pittston City, Yatesville and Hughestown with the future open for other municipalities to join.
Knick serves on community organizations, such as the Dupont Lions Club where he has been a member for 11 years serving two terms as president and serves as co-chair of the Dupont Lions Food Drive. He is also an active member of the Polish American Citizens Club currently serving as financial secretary.
He has volunteered to work on a Dupont Lions project, the placement of flags honoring the five branches of service on the Memorial Lawn adjacent the Dupont Municipal Building for the annual Memorial Day Parade.
Mayor Daniel Lello said, “Dupont is deeply enhanced to have Stan Knick as council president. Stan has an undying love for our town and citizens. But if you do have the opportunity to speak to him, Stan will just say, it was not just for him but it was for all of us.”
Former Council Member Stan Golembeski, who served on Council for eight years, commented, “The community should be very proud of our Council President winning this honor and bringing this prestigious award home to our town.”
Knick is member of Holy Mother of Sorrows Parish in Dupont and a member of the YMS of R.He is a life-long resident of Dupont. He is married to the former Maureen Flynn of West Scranton and they are the proud parents of three children: Thomas Cook, Carissa Knick and Stanley Knick, III. He and Maureen celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in February.
Knick is the owner and operator of Knick Fencing.
When asked, what now? The man who rarely smiles simply stated, “Do what I always do: help serve the community.”
