‘Irreplaceable’

A four-decades-long employee of the Middlesex Community Pool who nows oversees its operations, is the latest honoree as one of the Pillars of Middlesex.

Jim Grimm, the pool’s current manager, received the award at the Tuesday, July 23 meeting of the mayor and Borough Council.

Grimm thanked the council for recognizing his work during a brief ceremony at the Ronald S. Dobies municipal building, and acknowledged the support of his family and past and present Pool Commission members.

He credited his predecessor, Bill Weigel, for teaching him pool operations, aquatics and safety. Grimm explained his commitment to the facility, saying, “I did it because of passion.”

Grimm and his family have been active members of the community pool since 1970, when his parents were one of the first members to join. He became a member of the facility’s swim team.

In 1984, Grimm started his employment with the swim pool as a lifeguard. He was later promoted to assistant manager in the late 1980’s. After Weigel’s retirement in 2003, Grimm was promoted to manager, a  recognition of his work ethic and commitment to the facility.

During his tenure, Grimm has overseen many projects, including: the design of the current filter system with Weigel’s help, removal of the 3-meter diving board, expansion of the original Kids Pool, installation of one of the first municipal pool water slides, and the resurfacing of the slide.

Grimm has directed the resurfacing of the main pool with Diamondbrite, a material which alleviated the need to repaint the pool each spring. That move eliminated countless redundant man-hours.

In recent years, Grimm designed the new lap pool, current kids pool and the new decks for the entire facility after the acquisition of the old tennis court property. He has undertaken nearly all of the maintenance himself or with other members of the pool staff, rarely using outside help.

“Jim Grimm throughout his career has demonstrated praiseworthy service, and commitment to the borough and residents by being an irreplaceable asset to the community pool,” reads a proclamation issued by the mayor and council.

Mayor Jack Mikołajczyk and the council began awarding Pillars of Middlesex recognition earlier this year, to honor those who’ve made an outstanding commitment to the municipality.

Mikolajczyk called Grimm “unsung,” the type of public servant who “go and do and keep us going.”

Former Mayor John Madden, who attended the ceremony, said of Grimm, “innovation and creativity – that’s his middle name.”

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