Twenty-eight years ago, the Upper Perkiomen Valley lost one of its most tireless public servants, James E. Mullen.  The legacy of the respected and popular former

James E. Mullen

mayor of Pennsburg is one that we should all strive to achieve.

           Jim was born in Tamaqua, the son of a coal miner.  After earning a bachelor's degree at St. Joseph's University, serving a hitch in the Army Air Corps, and receiving a Master's degree from Lehigh University, Jim came to our community in 1950.

            He became a teacher in the old Pennsburg School that year, and three years later was named "Head Teacher" at the school.  He lived in Maude Kneule's Pennsburg Hotel during that time.

            After a stint as a guidance counselor in the North Penn School District, Mullen returned to the Upper Perkiomen Valley in 1967 as assistant superintendent of schools.  That same year he was named a trustee of the Montgomery County Community College, and would later serve 14 years as its chairman.

            With his roots firmly planted back in the region Jim entered local politics.  In

From left, Upper Pekiomen School Board Director Ed Mosheim, PA State Rep. Ray Bunt, Mayor James Mullen, and Montgomery  County Community College President Dr. Edward Sweitzer as the UPHS auditorium was named in Mullen's honor.

1969 he successfully ran for mayor of Pennsburg - a position he served for 27 years, until his death.

            Mullen's stock as an education and community leader continued to grow during the 1970s and 1980s.  In 1973 he was appointed by then Governor Robert Casey as a Trustee of the Kutztown University and in 1983, by Congressman Richard Schulze to a post on the Service Academy Selection Board - positions he held at the time of his death. 

            Over the years, Jim Mullen was formally honored locally, statewide, and nationally more than 25 times.  Included among them was Pennsylvania's Mayor of the Year and the National Schoolman's Medal.  The auditorium at the Upper Perkiomen High School, as well as the community room at the west campus of the Montgomery County Community College are named in his honor.

Mayor Mullen takes a seat at the new office of recently elected U.S. Congressman Paul McHale (left) as McHale's staff assis- tant Judy Edwards looks on .

            Mayor Mullen spearheaded many efforts that helped bring in several public services to the area.  He pushed projects with various Harrisburg officials, like the Route 663 changes from Pennsburg to Spinnerstown.  He helped to bring selected community college classes to the Upper Perkiomen Valley and then was the driving force behind the expansion of affordable education in the western section of the county with the new campus facilities in Pottstown.  He successfully petitioned utilities like Bell Telephone to extend the "no fee" call area for Upper Perkiomen Valley residents.

            When official surveys reported a shortage of medical care in the area, Mullen set off to meet with regional hospitals and doctors to lure them or their facilities into the area.  He championed the needs of the Upper Perkiomen and Pennsburg Manor facilities.

            To list all of his positions, honors, and accomplishments would take up far more space than this page allows.

            But there was more to James E. Mullen than what the public experienced.  He was genuinely concerned and cared about the people of the community.  I had the pleasure of serving as president of Pennsburg Borough Council for eight years during Jim's tenure as mayor. 

            Often he would say, "If we raise taxes by one dollar, you and I will reach into our pockets and pay it.  But, there are people in this community who do not have an extra dollar, and will need to go without something in order to pay."  That statement served as an incentive to seek out budget solutions other than raising taxes.

            I know of several occasions when, during cold winter days, Jim would secretly pay for oil to heat the homes of those who couldn't afford it.  I remember sitting in then Senator Ed Holl's Harrisburg office when Jim complained that the Commonwealth's senior citizens service office did not have a toll-free number, and folks had to pay for a long-distance call every time they had a question.  Upon hearing this, the Senator reached for his phone, and two weeks later senior citizens had a toll-free number to use to contact the office.

            Mullen often said, "Information is power."  He expected each council member to do their job and perform their responsibilities every day of the year, not just at meetings.  He required every issue to be discussed from the most basic to the most complex degrees.  He needed to understand every topic so that he could explain it to others, act upon it appropriately, and most importantly, ensure that you understood what you were talking about. 

            He abhorred "executive sessions" that were out of the ears and eyes of the public.  In more than 14 years of serving with Jim Mullen, I can only remember one of the non-public executive session meetings.

            I witnessed, what I felt, was the single most impressive display of his charisma in the late 1980s.  As representatives from Pennsburg, the birthplace of Dr. Frank N. D. Buchman who was the founder of the worldwide Moral Rearmament group, we were guests at the Mountain House in Caux, Switzerland.  Caux is the international center for the organization and we were there to help celebrate the founding of the group.  With us were visitors from over 30 countries.  During the five evenings of our stay, visitors would line up in the main lobby for an opportunity to sit and consult with Jim Mullen.

            Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and even members of the Palestine Liberation Organization wanted to meet the mayor from Pennsburg.  One might say they were just curious.  I would agree - for the first night.  But, these folks waited in line every night to talk to Jim.

            In his later years, you could find Mayor Mullen sitting in the gazebo in the park named after his late wife, Alma, who passed away in 1988.  During a time when Alma was losing her sight, it was her love of beauty that inspired the creation of the oasis on Pennsburg's Square.

            Mullen would listen to citizen complaints and suggestions, or just "chew the fat" with those who sat with him.  Perhaps, after Alma's death, the gazebo brought him closer to her and reminded him of the influence this gentle woman had on his life.  

            In all, Mullen held a position or served on the board of more than 23 banks, hospitals, educational, and volunteer organizations.  He was serving many of them when sickness began to weaken him in late 1996. 

            Jim became ill in November 1996.  His friends and family came to his aid, shuttling him back and forth to the hospital for treatments.  But in January 1997, as a cancer continued to weaken the local leader, he entered the hospital for a final battle – one he lost on January 22, 1997.

            In a lifetime of triumphant service to others, it was one of the few battles he lost.