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“The membership was really scared the first two months,” Kovar
continued. “They didn’t know us and didn’t know what direction the
PBA was going in.”
And, oh by the way, the first two weeks presented two line of duty
deaths and a renowned event bringing together the firefighters and
teachers unions with the PBA to make a stand against the governor.
Within the first two weeks, Colligan and Kovar met with the state
executive board members and chairs of the county conferences, and
told them theirs were not ceremonial positions and that they had to
take action. They told them right then and there that the charge
would be to start dealing with political issues and start cultivating
positive relationships.
“I think people saw the writing on the wall that we couldn’t have
the stance that we deserve this because we’re the cops and that’s
why,” Brick Township Local 230 State Delegate James Burgess said
after the state meeting this past June 23. “What has happened since
then shows a lot of hope and shows progression. It shows we are leaps
and bounds from where we were at this time last year.”
Wieners-Dunn have big impact post-retirement
When President Tony Wieners and Executive Vice President Keith
Dunn announced in June 2014 he was doing likewise, a void was left
in the state PBA the size of the Delaware Water Gap. Wieners had 11
years of executive leadership when he ascended from EVP to president.
“It was tough to replace six years in a lower office, knowing how this
place functions,” Colligan admitted. “But Keith and Tony were always
taking our phone calls and were always happy to help. They still do
and still are.”
Year One for Colligan-Kovar has been filled with phrases like
“better than we were last year” or “doing what we have needed to do.”
But Colligan and Kovar would be the first to declare that no single
achievement of the past year would have been possible without the
relentless effort and groundwork that Wieners and Dunn put forth
and built.
Going the distance and beyond to get the job done
Some points worth noting about the road to the Year One achievements:
Colligan and Kovar tried to go to as many places as possible across
the state to make presentations, have meetings and attend dinners
to support Local events and political actions. +