Friday marks a turning point at Auburn's city hall of gigantic proportions - possibly more important than any inauguration day. That is the day that Jane Smith Westlake officially retires as the secretary to City Manager Mark Palesh.

Unless you have served in local government or have regular dealings with city hall, you may not know her name, but she leads any list of the most influential and important people in city government.

Jane Westlake has served 11 city managers - yes, 11! Starting with Bruce Clifford and continuing on with interim and permanent managers. After Bruce Clifford, there was Vijay Mital, Michael Oropallo, Joseph Braun, James Moochler, James Malone, Alfred Emmi, Jeff Towery, Bruce Clifford (again), John Salomone, Michael Long and now Mark Palesh. For nearly two decades she has been at the heart of the action at city hall. Good, bad or indifferent, she has seen it all - whether she wanted to or not.

Changes through elections, firings and hirings of managers, consent orders, petty private feuds and very public controversies have all seen her as the gatekeeper to numerous city managers and she has done a fantastic job. If she hadn't, there is little doubt that some of her bosses would not have had any compunction but to move her on. The reason - a basic equanimity to the firestorms that usually swirl around the first and second floors of Memorial City Hall.

Anyone who has ever run an office or been part of a large organization knows that the most important post is usually that of the leader's secretary - they can make or break you. Jane Westlake clearly helped keep the level of sanity at city hall higher than it could have been. She often was the intermediary between managers and mayors who would snap at each other, but never with her present - a big plus for taxpayers. To this day, it is unlikely than many know what political party she is registered in, if any. Her institutional memory is irreplaceable.

More important than any of what has been written above - Jane Westlake is a genuinely nice person whose quiet demeanor and unparalleled patient attitude may be the greatest loss to city hall.

So, as someone who was lucky enough to be at city hall with her for just four years of her service - congratulations and good luck with the next phase of your life. You will be missed more than you will ever know. Your retirement is well-deserved and your public service often under-appreciated.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com.