Bubba Signs Off

Michael J. MacCall, known affectionately as “Bubba,” began working as a laborer for the Nether Providence Township Public Works (Highway) Department at 18 in 1976. Between 2018 and 2023, he served as the assistant director for five years. For the past 18 months, he has held the position of department director, responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the community.

Today, March 28, 2025, Bubba is retiring after an impressive 48 and a half years of service.

“It’s the perfect time,” he said, reflecting on his extensive career.

“If you say Mike MacCall, most people will ask, ‘Who?'” Bubba joked, explaining that a former colleague, John Ellis, gave him his nickname in the early 1980s. An endearing acknowledgment of his impressive stature and larger-than-life personality, the name stuck both on and off the job. “I always liked it,” he added with a smile. “I thought it was cool.”

Monday began what Bubba called his professional “farewell” tour. He likened himself to one of the “Agents of Fortune,” inspired by the title of the most popular album from his favorite rock band, Blue Oyster Cult. He had a lengthy list of vendors and acquaintances to call or visit.

On Wednesday, his township “family” gathered for a Misson BBQ-catered luncheon, topped off with a scrumptious chocolate chip cake from Kaked by Kara, adorned with an image of a township highway truck.

Early this morning, he was surprised by an escort from his highway colleagues and township firefighters and police, who accompanied him from his home in Ridley Township to work on his last day, complete with horn honks, flashing lights, and sirens.

“I feel like I’m going out on top,” Bubba recently shared.

Looking back on his career, Bubba expressed gratitude for every person, opportunity, and experience the job provided. “I may now live in Ridley, but my home has always been Nether Providence,” he said with pride.

Bubba and his siblings, sister, Janice Beahan of Brookhaven, and brother, the late James Bruce MacCall, grew up in the township’s Garden City section, just like his parents, the late Jack and Barbara MacCall. He recalls when Putnam Village was merely a cornfield playground.

His wife, Janet, and her family also have roots in Garden City. The couple met at the Creekside Swim Club in the late 1960s, married in 1981, and welcomed their son, Michael A. MacCall, in 1988. Bubba is thankful for his family’s support, especially given the demands of his on-call job. “When the phone rang in the middle of the night, I wasn’t the only one who was awakened,” he reminded.

An alum of the Nether Providence High School Class of 1976, Bubba graduated in June, turned 18 on August 21, and started working for the township on September 13. His plans to enlist in the U.S. Navy changed when a former commissioner offered him a labor job at $5.50 an hour, a significant increase from the $2.50 an hour he made at a plastics company where he worked six weeks after high school.

A fun fact: Bubba participated in an NPPD cadet program during his senior year of high school with the encouragement of his uncle, the late Detective Sgt. Raymond White. He later turned down an opportunity to join the force because he knew he had found his niche.

“I liked the highway work because it was primarily outside,” he said.

For Bubba, bad days were a rarity.

He was about seven years in his job when his uncle suffered a heart attack while collecting evidence at a homicide scene and passed away days later. He described his uncle’s death and years later, the sudden death of longtime beloved Public Works Director Darryl Dixon in 2023, as the two low points of his career.

Bubba considers Dixon to be among the best bosses he has ever had. He never expected to lead the highway department; he thought he would retire as Dixon’s trusted assistant.

“But I believe I earned it, and I am happy the township gave me the opportunity,” Bubba said. “I learned a lot from the job. It reminded me to treat everyone with respect.”

After being named Dixon’s successor, Bubba sought ways to uplift department morale. This led to the creation of his “Quote of the Day,” a series of inspirational and reflective statements that he posted on a whiteboard in the highway garage.

Bubba takes extraordinary pride in his team of nine men who serve the township’s 4.4 square miles.

“It’s a very physical job,” he said. “Most people see us in the trucks and think we spend all our time just driving around. We are driving to a job site.”

Bubba said he knows every inch of the township, including the locations of the sometimes-obscured manhole covers. It is a “skill” he recognizes that no one really thinks about until there is a sewer problem.

Describing his management style as easygoing, Bubba remarked, “I was once told I’m too nice. I took it as a compliment.” He always wanted to treat people the way he wanted to be treated.

Throughout his career, he particularly enjoyed snow removal, especially at night. “Working the plow was so peaceful, watching the foxes and deer,” he reflected. His plowing duties included areas like Pine Ridge, Oak Valley, and Park Ridge, often alongside his late partner, Robert Brooks, who taught him how to operate the machinery many years ago.

Bubba was always eager to help police whenever a situation called for it, whether it was providing barricades, removing fallen trees, or preparing speed monitors.

“I truly like the residents of this township,” he said, noting that over the years, they often approached him with problems that he resolved before township leaders were even aware of them.

Township Manager Maureen Feyas commented on Bubba’s departure: “Your unwavering commitment, hard work, and invaluable contributions have left a lasting impact on our organization and the countless colleagues you have worked alongside. We will miss your expertise, kindness, and leadership.”

Though Bubba said he will turn off the work phone for good at 2:59 p.m. today, he will still have his cell phone.

“After almost 49 years, I can’t just cut everyone off,” he said.

Bubba is looking forward to relaxing for at least a month. After that, he plans to keep busy with a new puppy, a Beagle named Darla, and woodworking, one of his hobbies. Janet already has her heart set on new outdoor plant boxes.

He will also have more time to devote to Garden City Fire Co., where this master of longevity has been a member since he was 16.

“I feel great and I’m looking forward,” said Bubba. “I leave knowing that the future will be bright for the guys in the department.”

His departing quote for today, in part: Live for today, cherish it. Tomorrow is not promised.

By Rose Quinn