Coplay's public works director is settling into his new position.

Paul Boyle, hired Oct. 15 to supervise the five men on the crew, said he likes the job.

"My favorite part of the job is being able to serve the community I live in," Boyle said. "It was always one of my dreams to end up working for the borough."

He has been a borough resident since 1999. In 1990, he began working for Lehigh County's public works department where he served as a trades foreman in charge of 12 people who took care of city facilities.

He held the position until 2011, when tragedy struck. His daughter, Tacy, was killed in a car crash in Whitehall Sept. 30, 2011. Within a year, he also lost his father and his brother.

He retired from Lehigh County "to help my family go through the difficult times," he said.

"When you've had loss like I've had loss, you really take into consideration how short life is and how important family is," he added.

The pain never goes away but one must move forward, he said.

People have asked how he got through this experience.

"I always used to say, 'What is the alternative, crumble and fall?'" he said.

He also looks at things from a spiritual perspective.

"I lost a daughter and gained a guardian angel," he said.

Last summer, he felt it was time to get back into the working world. He was hired to fill a part-time summer help position on Coplay's public works crew, where he helped the sanitation department.

"I always had a lot of respect for the guys that work here and I thought it would be a good fit for me," he said.

The work was hard but it was good for Boyle, allowing him to continue to heal.

"I enjoyed slinging garbage. That's basically what we did. It's a very physical, demanding job. It's a great workout for you mentally and physically," he said.

When he learned the borough was looking for a full-time public works director, he decided to go after the position.

"As director, it's my responsibility to maintain the roads, all the facilities that the borough owns and coordinate any outside work with outside contractors that has to be done," he said. "The buck stops with me."

Boyle and his crew are responsible for maintaining the streets, pool, borough hall, parks, library and equipment, which includes two garbage trucks, two dump trucks, two pickup trucks, a utility truck and a John Deere loader.

"We have to be very versatile," he said.

At the city, he was responsible for all the facilities and grounds.

"Streets is kind of new to me so I'm learning that as I go," he said. "I think, for the size of our crew, the guys do a remarkable job."

He described every day as "a new adventure," saying it's difficult to plan because of emergencies and weather.

He likes being able to drive around the town and know he is responsible for it.

In short, he is glad to be back in the working world.

"I guess I just got tired of sitting around," he said, adding he likes being public works director.

"It gives you a reason to get up and go."