A sad day for City Hall as Sylvia McCann takes a Covid-19 related early retirement

There really wasn't a dry eye at City Hall this past Monday when the much loved and respected Sylvia McCann came in to say her goodbyes to fellow workers and to accept her early retirement from City Hall. Now on a walker and with oxygen, she slowly worked her way around everyone to say goodbye.

"She is the most amazing person," said close friend Sandra Thompson. "I used to regularly have to go to City Hall to try and work out some people's rent, or to get it put on again, and always I would talk with Sylvia. She could handle and do everything, and I don't remember any time during those years that she didn't solve the problem. She was a true problem solver."

Sylvia nearly didn't have the job, "I came to City Hall nearly twenty years ago as a janitor or cleaning lady," she said, "In fact, I cleaned at the Post Office as well as the school most days to pay the bills and raise my family."

"She never stopped working," said Sandra, "just going and going." That was until one of the four mayors she worked for, Bob Burklow, sat down and spoke with Jane Wayland and Peggy Dye and said do you know it would be really nice to put Sylvia on the staff here.

"It happened just like that," said Sylvia. "For two years I worked part-time before they put me on full-time and I slowly worked my way up the ladder until I became a Utility Billing Clerk and finally over the past few years had my own little office, desk, computer and a place to put pictures of my kids, grandkids and more. All of this from being the cleaning lady."

Sylvia worked for four different mayors during this time, Bob Burklow, Don Jones, Johnny Clayton and Danny McKnight.

Johnny Clayton commented, "I leaned on Sylvia so much during my time as Mayor. In my book she was the tops, and don't forget this was before everything was computerized. She had the most amazing way of talking with people, and just solving things in her wonderful manner that I tended to pass things on to her because she would find that answer so much quicker than I would have."

Danny McKnight stated, "She was a very special person who will be sadly missed here at City Hall."

Sandra Thompson summed it up by saying, "The people and families she has helped over the years probably run into the thousands, but how could she see what was around the corner with the Covid 19 virus."

Sylvia said, "This time last year I would not have believed this was going to happen to me. I caught the Covid 19 virus with flu symptoms going into both lungs and was hospitalized for two weeks. Then I was released and for the rest of the time quarantined at home. It was a very bad time, and I thought I might not live, but by God's grace, I did. But because I am on oxygen and the virus has really got into my feet and I am unable to walk much except with a walker, I was forced to take an early retirement from a job I loved."

With tears filling her eyes, she went on to say, "I so miss my co-workers, I love them so much. I loved my job, I loved speaking with people, both on the phone and in my office, trying to solve problems and seeing smiles on their faces. All of this because of Covid 19, but I pray that my feet don't hurt so much, they get a little better and that maybe I can come back part-time. We'll see."

We will see Sylvia, and we thank you for your amazing service to the people of Hohenwald and Lewis County. You are much loved, and always will be.