Manuel Drumm was one tough man. Rarely at a loss with a sense of humor and never at a loss with a strong, informed opinion, Drumm died Saturday. It will be difficult to gauge the loss of his keen insight and vast knowledge of our community.
I well remember reporting on city council meetings as a cub reporter over 30 years ago when city hall was located on South Kingshighway. Drumm was city attorney then and it was clear whose voice the council listened to when it came to making a tough decision. A question would be raised and all heads would turn in his direction to listen closely to the advice of the young, aggressive attorney. More often than not, Manuel got it right.
Fast forward 20 years and I had the good fortune to serve on the Board of Municipal Utilities. Again it was Manuel Drumm who guided that Board for two and a half decades. Rest assured, without the vision and persistence of Manuel Drumm, Sikeston would not have a power plant today.
An obituary in yesterday's newspaper included a long list of accomplishments and honors that Manuel Drumm had earned during his lifetime. The list included his vast legal experience and his service to this county and this community. But a list of this sort often fails to capture the spirit of a man. That was true in this instance as well.
Manuel Drumm above all else was a man of conviction. He would carefully examine a topic and consider all aspects. And then he would come to a reasoned conclusion. Once arrived, it was nearly impossible to sway him in any other direction. Stubborn, some would call it. Immovable might be appropriate as well. I'd rather think it a matter of honest conviction and determination.
People often talk of institutional memory - the understanding that comes only from having worked and fought in the trenches. Cities of all shapes and sizes are often pushed forward by visionaries who look beyond today. But accomplishments come only when someone holds that institutional memory to remember past successes and failures. That knowledge assures that bad history does not repeat itself. Its value cannot be underestimated.
Manuel Drumm held the institutional memory for our community. His understanding of what it takes to make a community work would rival anyone, anywhere, anytime. And unfortunately, you cannot replace institutional memory.
And you can't replace Manuel Drumm.