August 31, 2011
Avon Lake –
"The Kniep" accepts the appreciation of board chair Chuck Whitmer and the crowd at the John W. Kniepper Municipal Utilities administration building dedication ceremony.
City officials, board members, employees, and the family and friends of John Kniepper gathered Wednesday afternoon at 401 Miller Road for the re-dedication of the John W. Kniepper Municipal Utilities Administration Building.
The 20,000 square-foot facility, dedicated as the Avon Lake Municipal Utilities Office/Garage Complex in May 2004, will now be the namesake of John W. Kniepper, who retired as Chief Utilities Executive in December 2010. Kniepper’s career spanned 43 years of service, first as the Utilities Assistant Director in 1968, then as Director in 1971, and finally as Chief Utilities Executive in 2003. John continues to serve as the Utilities Special Projects Advisor.
During John’s tenure, Avon Lake Municipal Utilities expanded from a water and wastewater treatment operation that primarily served the 12,000 residents of the of Avon Lake to a $70,000,000 operation that now sells water and sewer services to over 188,000 people living in a 600 square mile area of Lorain, Medina and Huron Counties. His currently serving as ALMU’s advisor to the Lorain County Rural Wastewater District, which is completing a $27.7 million dollar sanitary sewer system to provide sewer service to rural Lorain County.
Chief Utilities Executive Todd Danielson unveils the building's new name.
John said, “We’re just a bore away from completing this project.” He attributes most of his success to – “The support I received from a dedicated staff, board, and city council, who always treated me well and helped us move the utility forward.”
Board Chair Chuck Whitmer noted that “John Kniepper’s active involvement in the community made the ‘Kniep’ one of the best known and respected government officials in Avon Lake.” John served as President of the Library Board when the new Avon Lake Library was built, President of the Greater Years Organization that built Beach Park Towers, and still actively serves in Kiwanis.
Chief Utilities Executive Todd Danielson participated in the unveiling of the building’s new name, “The John W. Kniepper Municipal Utilities Administration Building.” Board members Dave Marquard and Tony Abram attended, along with Mayor Karl Zuber, and Council President Greg Zilka.
Retired Chief Utilities Executive John Kniepper expresses appreciation to a crowd of city officials and employees attending the ceremony.