As many people recall, Kenneth Reuter, police officer, councilman and businessman, always called the men he met “Unk” and all the women “Gorgeous.” This was such a consistent habit that it sometimes drove people who knew him a long time crazy, yet after his death on May 14, it is one of those things many people remember best. “I remember when he said good-bye to you, he’d say: ‘See you in a bounce,'” said Library Director Katherine Steffens. On May 15, Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto hadn’t heard about Reuter’s death when he ran into the man’s wife, Pat Scherotto, on line at the Edwards supermarket. She seemed quiet when he asked how she and Reuter were doing. Impreveduto had served with Reuter on the Town Council from 1980 to 1990, and had helped bring the New Democratic organization to power. News of the death shocked and saddened Impreveduto, just as it has many of the other significant political figures. While Reuter was a force to be reckoned with, he also rarely made enemies, one of those “nice guys” rarely found in contemporary political circles. “Kenny was uncomplicated person,” Impreveduto said last week. “What you saw is what you got. He was a good, honest and caring person who loved to have a good time.” Reuter was in his 80s at the time of his death, but the funeral home would not give an exact age. Richard Steffens, who ran for council with Reuter in the 1980s, called Reuter “a grass roots kind of councilman.” “He wasn’t a councilman who did a lot of legislation, but if he saw your trash can on the curb, he’d bring it in for you,” Steffens said. Around the holidays, Reuter made a point of looking up the needy people in town to make sure they got a food basket. “I remember one year, a woman on Minnie Place didn’t have any heat,” Steffens recalled. “We went down there, brought in a professional and got it fixed for free. Kenny was always doing things like that.” He made no enemies In 1990, Reuter, then an incumbent councilman, came a dead heat for the 1st Ward election race with Michael Lari. “We told each other right then that whatever happened in the runoff, we would remain friends,” said Lari, one of the many people who recently sang Reuter’s praises. Reuter and Lari had clashed over the circumstances surrounding the 1989 Secaucus Municipal Utilities Authority scandal, in which the executive director and the chairman were later charged with bid-rigging. “Kenny got me fired off sewerage authority,” Lari said. “He later apologized, but I told him I had to do what I had to do, and ran against him for the council. The first election was a tie. We vowed after first election that no matter what happened during the runoff, we would remain friends, and we did. We never became enemies. In fact, after he lost, he ran around telling people I did him a favor by beating him.” Almost no one had a bad word for Reuter. Even Tom Troyer, whose political antics have often outraged town officials, found Reuter a noble opponent. “He was a nice guy,” Troyer said. “I used to trade barbs with him, but we never took it seriously.” Over the years, Lari saw Reuter at various functions, but recently was surprised to get a telephone call. “Last week called me from hospital and said he wanted to be my campaign manager,” said Lari, who is running for the council this year as an Independent. “He still had a lot of friends in the senior buildings. Kenny was still well-liked. Many people loved him. It is devastating that he died.” Before losing his seat to Lari in 1990, Reuter had beaten Gerald Marra to become councilman. “They were political rivals, but they got along as men,” said Town Administrator Michael Marra, Gerald’s son. Former Mayor Anthony Just, whose service as councilman overlapped Reuter’s, called Reuter “a gentleman.” Impreveduto, who served with Reuter on the council for 10 years, called him “a hard-working, caring councilman.” “He loved people and he would talk to everybody,” Impreveduto said. “He was a people person personified.” Reuter loved senior citizens Until his loss in 1990, Reuter served on the town council for 14 years, during which he expanded many of the town’s health and social programs. He also successfully pushed for more extensive inspection, a broad range of free health examinations and vaccinations, and was generally recognized as the senior citizen’s advocate. “Kenny was always there to help, whenever needed,” said Mary Waller, a commissioner on the Secaucus Housing Authority. “He was well-known for his work with the seniors.” William Snyder, director of the Secaucus Housing Authority, said Reuter served on the Leased Housing Board for many years and was “an excellent friend and very supportive of the housing program.” “Kenny was instrumental in helping to develop many of our programs and was involved in the maintenance of the Elms building,” Snyder said. Reuter’s record stressed care for seniors and for children. He led the fight on the town council in the late 1980s to restore busing to local children, busing that had been cut back by the Board of Education as a budget cutting measure. Reuter has also been a consistent advocate of honest and economy in local government, and led the fight in 1988 to establish a tough conflict of interest law that covers all municipal workers. Reuter was a life long resident of Secaucus, and was involved in various political and civic functions over the years. He was the former president of New Democratic Organization, a member of the American Legion post 118 and VFW Post 3776 and a member of the Marine Corps Night Fighter Association. He was also a member of the Snipes Boat Club in Carlstadt and a member of the Secaucus Chapter of the Deborah Heart foundation. Will be remembered for other roles Reuter has won praise not just for his work on the council, but in his role as a police officer and a local businessman. Reuter served as a police officer for eight years, and according to Snyder was particularly well liked. Impreveduto said many people remember seeing Reuter around town. “Kenny was always one of those happy policemen,” Impreveduto said. “He was always smiling and had a laugh that made you feel comfortable. He always spoke nicely to the kids, even when he was chasing us off a street corner.” Reuter gave up police work to start Town Beverage, a soda delivery company that he ran for 18 years until his retirement in 1982. “People would call in their orders during the week and he would deliver on Saturday,” Impreveduto said. “But he was so friendly, you could see him waving out the truck window to everybody he knew as he drove.” Paul Amico, the man who served as Mayor during Reuter’s entire council service, said although he and Reuter sometimes had opposing opinions on issues, they rarely let this get in the way of being neighborly. “I’ve known Kenny for years and years,” Amico said. “Our families once lived on the same block. I even knew his parents. I found Kenny to be a very fine person. Although we didn’t always agree politically, I think he tried to do what he felt was right.” Amico said he had met Reuter only three or four months ago, and had shared “a friendly chat.” “I was saddened to learn of his sudden death,” Amico said.
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