Kudos to Friend, longtime DPW leader

As the Village of Empire prepares for a transition in its Department of Public Works leadership, council members are also taking the time to recognize the longtime service of outgoing superintendent John Friend.

Friend, who has spent 25 years with the village, is retiring this spring, leaving behind what officials describe as a deep well of experience and institutional knowledge. “He knows the village,” council member Maggie Bacon said. “He knows the intricacies and the ins and outs.”

That kind of knowledge, built over decades on the job, is not easily replaced. Bacon noted that Friend has spent the past year working to document systems and processes to help ease the transition for whoever steps into the role next.