Port City Honors Retired City Engineer

Kevin Hill, left, chats with Tony Leotta before the dedication ceremony

A large crowd turned out Saturday to honor Oswego’s former city engineer.

James Cloonan, left, chats with Tony Leotta after the ceremony.

Seventh Ward Councilor Robert Corradino congratulates Tony Leotta on behalf of the city.

Kevin Hill applauds everyone who helped make the park a reality – and have maintained it, also.

James Cloonan shares some of Tony Leotta’s accomplishments.

Councilor Robert Corradino reads the inscription on the plaque as Tony Leotta looks on.

Tony Leotta and Robert Corradino unveile the plaque in front of the Guardhouse/Switching Shanty.

Tony Leotta points toward the train station benches in the Peace Garden.

OSWEGO, NY – His fingerprints can be found on just about every single major project the Port City has seen in nearly the past half century. Now, his name will forever be a part of the city landscape.

The Oswego City Veterans Council recognized (now retired) City Engineer Anthony “Tony” Leotta as the Veteran of the Year for 2003. And, in April 2003, the Oswego Common Council added to Leotta’s honors.

In recognition of his many years of service and dedication to the city, then-Mayor John Gosek and the Common Council conveyed their “heartfelt appreciation” to Leotta by announcing they would officially dedicate the new park, located at the easterly end of the Harbor Rail Trail as “Leotta Park.”

The mayor read a special resolution citing Leotta for “loyally, dutifully, and unselfishly” serving the city for more than 34 years.

On Saturday (August 12), Leotta’s plaque was unveiled on the eastern edge of the park along East First Street, which is also home to the Port City’s Peace Garden. The monument recognizes Leotta “for 45+ years” of service to the city.

“I’m really not deserving of this honor. But I accept it with great, great humility,” Leotta said.

The retired city engineer received a proclamation in his honor and two other plaques were also unveiled. One recognized the Peace Garden and the other cited the Guardhouse/Switching Shanty, installed in the East Rail/Trail Park, on the western edge of the Peace Garden. It was a community project of the Oswego Sunrise Rotary Club and the Interact Club of Oswego.

The concrete structure was built more than 75 years ago, based on a model developed by a railroad in Pennsylvania during World War II, to replace wood being used for other war-time purposes.

The large crowd was welcomed by Kevin Hill, president of the Oswego Sunrise Rotary Club, which not only spearheaded the ceremony but also acts as caretakers of the park. Rotarian Don Todd “has spent an unbelievable amount of time on this park; each and every day, watering it, weeding it. If you drive by at 7 in the morning or 6 at night, chance are you’ll see Don in that garden making sure that everything’s perfect,” Hill said.

He thanked them as well as the DPW for taking care of the area. Warren Shaw’s student Rotary club was cited for its work in helping restore the old guardhouse.

James Cloonan, Rotary past president, highlighted some of Leotta’s accomplishments.

Prior to the ceremony, he asked Leotta what he should say.

“He said, ‘just be brief.’ And, he hands me this (piece if paper) with about four lines on it,” Cloonan said. “What that is, that’s a reflection of Tony’s modesty. I’m sure he’s pleased with what we’re doing today. But anyone who knows Tony knows that’s not what he’s all about.”

Leotta served in the US Air Force in Germany from 1956-58 and in the Air Force Reserve until his honorable discharge with the rank of captain in 1969.

He earned a BS degree in civil engineering in 1956 from Syracuse University.

He worked in Washington, DC, for 10 years before moving back closer to “The Granby Garden,” according to his resume, Cloonan pointed out.

From 1969 until his recent retirement, he was the city’s engineer and zoning officer.

He has surpassed Fire Chief Monty Lass who served for 38 years. Leotta, serving 45 years, is the longest serving city department head.

Among things that Leotta is responsible for, Cloonan said, are the Westside (and Eastside) Sewage Treatment Plant, the eastside fire station, the Gallagher Pool (which had its grand reopening Sunday), Simeon DeWitt, St. Luke’s apartments, the east and west riverwalks, the Civic Plaza, the Harbor Rail Trail and many others.

“You talk about expanding out tax base. Tony was involved in the lead on most of these projects,” Cloonan said.

Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow was away on business and Seventh Ward Councilor Robert Corradino spoke on behalf of the city.

“This is a very special day for all of us,” he said. “(The mayor) wants to congratulate Tony on this well-deserved honor. I think we need a bigger park to really adequately recognize this man.”

It’s not the size of the park that matters, “It’s the size of the accomplishments that Tony had and gave us here in the city of Oswego,” he added.

Future generations will come to the park and read all about Leotta and recognize all the good work Leotta did for the city, the councilor said.

Leotta said it was “a shock” to receive such an honor. He could think of others who were more deserving, he added.

He thanked the mayor and current Common Council “as well as the past councilors and mayors” for the recognition.

“All of the mayors in my tenure have contributed to the progress of the city of Oswego,” Leotta said. “Without their foresight, working with the councilors, this would not have been possible,” he said. “I also want to thank the Sunrise Rotary.”

He applauded (Rotarians) Hill, Cloonan, Todd, George and Carol Reed and Charles Young who among others were responsible for facilitating the dedication ceremony.

He also thanked his associates in the City Engineer’s Office as well as former community development directors Dave Turner, Mary Vanouse and Eugene Saloga

“Without their help, I would not have succeeded,” he said. “Robert Johnson was my right hand man in the development of this park. I thank you.”

“It was a pleasure, Tony!” Johnson replied from the crowd.

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