The Lakewood Township today is in shock over the sudden passing of longtime head building inspector Michael Saccomanno.
”Together with the Township Committee, with a heavy heart, we are sad to announce the sudden passing of Michael Saccomanno, the head of our Inspections Department,” the Township announced. “As funeral information comes available, we will pass it along. Please keep Mike’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
Saccomanno, a well-respected figure throughout the Township Departments and throughout the Lakewood community, has been serving in the Department for many years before taking over as head inspector in 2009.
“Personally this is very devastating to me,” Mayor Ray Coles told TLS. “Mike is a good friend, I’ve known him for most of the time I’ve been serving Lakewood Township. He’s going to be very difficult to replace, in our hearts as well as in work. There aren’t many people who knew how Lakewood operated. He worked hard for people to get into their homes and people to get into their schools as quickly as possible. It’s going to be very difficult to replace him, and we will never really replace him.”
“Mike was always seen with a smile, and never losing his cool,” a developer in Lakewood said. “He was the perfect man for the job in such a busy town. We will all miss him dearly.”
“The passing of Mike is a loss of epic proportion to the family, the department, and the entire Lakewood,” Committeeman Isaac Akerman, liaison to the Inspection Department told TLS.
”I just learned of the passing of Mike, who I have known and worked with for many many years,” said Police Chief Greg Meyer. “He always had a smile on his face and was quick to act whenever he was asked to do something for the well being of the township.”
“Mike has been there for all the schools of Lakewood for the past 20 years,” Rabbi Moshe Ehrman, a school director and Lakewood Police Chaplain told TLS. “He literally put everything aside to help every single school of this town, whether it be moving into a new building, or moving into a temporary building, he made sure to be there from beginning to the end of the process to ensure everything went smoothly. He will be sorely missed by all.”
His love for the Township ran in the family.
In 2015, his then-nine-year-old daughter Nicolina Saccomanno anonymously left a note on the counter of the Inspection Department stating that she’s holding a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Day after day, and week after week, visitors dropped a penny or two into the cup, slowly filling up the cup, and cups. She then sent all the money saved up, $55, to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia stating she had saved up this money to make a donation in honor of a Lakewood child who was undergoing a series of operations.
Last year, his son Nino saw a fire coming from a school bus, and ran outside with a fire extinguisher to help before the fire department arrived.
Nino Saccomanno, who works nearby, saw the fire and grabbed a fire extinguisher to secure the scene before the fire department arrived. https://t.co/8q0Kx9rH3x
— The Lakewood Scoop (@LakewoodScoop) June 22, 2022
“This was the type of family they were,” a friend at the Township said. “Always caring for others.”
“Mike was a warm-hearted and generous individual,” said Eliyahu Langer of CJAB (Central Jersey Association of Builders). “He was always super friendly and always with his trademark smile. His goal was always to get the best for the customer while making it work for the contractors. He took the time out of his busy schedule to meet with us and address our concerns. Mike OB”M you will be missed. RIP”
Mike recently suffered from a health issue, and was rushed to the hospital this week. He passed away a short time ago with family at his bedside. He was 62.
Funeral details will be published when available.
Very sad! Mike was a caring, kind-hearted, and fair minded person. He was always a pleasure to deal with.
This is a big tragedy for his family and for all residents and employees of Lakewood township. Mike will be sorely missed may he rest in peace and may his family find consolation and these difficult times.
Mike We will miss you ! You were a amazing individual ! Despite the enormous pressure of your job you treated everyone who walk into your department with respect and wit . You understood our needs and tried to accommodate all of us in a timely matter weather at the desk or via email Mike you went way beyond the duty of your position .
May your family be comforted knowing that you were a true mench
May All your dedicated employees who will miss you be comforted knowing that they worked along such rare individual
I can not fathom that you will be gone
RIP Mike you will be missed
Yitzy Unique
Aa a builder in town I can attest – Mike had a job that most people in this world would not be able to handle (other towns have a few people doing what he was capable of doing himself).
Mike did it all so graciously and always with a smile.
Mike created such a pleasant working environment on 4th Street for everyone behind the counter and for everyone that walked in.
He really had the communities back!
Mike Will surely be missed by all of us!
Saddened – Dovid Gottlieb | D&G Builders
We are all in shock, such a loss. Rest in Peace Mike you will be missed by all who knew you.
So sad he loved kids every time I came in with them he loved talking to them and now my daughter who has a baby just went last week to show him off he was a kind sole
As a builder in town, I can attest to how Mike always had a smile, and was always a pleasure to deal with always went the extra mile to try to help in the process of moving construction projects along above and beyond the call of duty.
Regardless of if it was just a simple question that you needed, answered or help with getting your paperwork done correctly and much more Mike was always there to help.
You will be missed RIP
As a contractor i can attest to Mikes warm heart and helping hand whenever needed. He was there for everyone
No Words…..
Such a caring & helpful person. Always smiling & going the extra mile for our town, even while under so much pressure.
Mike will sorely be missed.
As a local builder I can say that he will surely be missed by homeowners, builders, and the community at large.
RIP
-Moshe K. Clearbrook Builders LLC
Just at a loss for words!
Mike was an amazing individual who will never be replaced!
Mike, your contagious laugh and upbeat personality with the forever smile will always be etched in our memories.
Thank you for all you have done for us as contractors and us individually as residents of Lakewood Township.
I am in complete shock. I worked with Michael from the time David Simpson was still the Construction Official, up until I retired in 2010. He was always a phone call, email or text message away. Hadn’t seen him in a while, and as I passed the department on Monday, he was standing outside and we chatted briefly. He was a great boss, friend, father and husband to his family, and was all about family. Rest easy dear friend.
Mike will be missed.
The work he did behind the scenes to help everyone in town will never be fully comprehend it.
As a contractor who worked with Mike for many years, I can attest that he truly cared for this town.
wishing our condolences to the family, Lakewood Building Department and anyone that was close him.
May his soul rest in peace.
Chaim Silver
Sterling Construction Services
@lakewoodscoop please keep us informed on the funeral arrangements.
Very sad really no words . Mike you will be sorely missed . Always a smile a laugh and kind word . Always came up with reasonable solutions to all problems . Never looking for respect but rather trying to help the everyone around you .
Rest in Peace
This one hurts. I worked in construction and I have some rentals in town. Mike was the greatest Head Inspector you can even dream of.
Fair and firm in upholding building code, yet with a personal touch and a certain mentchlechkeit & gentleness. He helped Tens of Mosdos around town in many, MANY ways.
May thevfanily find strength and comfort during this difficult time.
Mike was a great guy. He loved everyone, and always did his best to help out our community. He made everyone happy while at the same time, keeping to the letter of the law. Mike will not be able to be replaced. We all loved him & appreciated his hard work. His family should take comfort in knowing that Mike was an honest & honorable person. RIP.
Matt – Matt’s Construction
What a mentch! So sad
A good man. My deepest sympathies to his family
A good man. Deepest sympathies to his family.
Very sad. May he rest in peace.
Why did you aerate the picture ? It was a child.
Chill Hashem.
Maybe because like all major news sites, the norm is to not post pictures of minors without parent consent.
Mike was what we call a real MENTCH, gonna be very hard to find a replacement
Mike was the man with solutions. always smiling but always working…he was a doer.
Dave from Mold cure
We are pained and saddened upon hearing the news of the untimely passing of the beloved Michael Saccomanno. Mike always went out of his way to help others and be there for everyone with genuine care. We are left with a tremendous void. Our deepest sympathies are with you and his wonderful family. May you all have strength during this difficult time and may we know no more sorrow.
Wow what a blow. I was speechless when I heard. Mike was always so friendly always so happy even with his immense workload. He was very firm upholding the law but never lost the human touch. I just spoke to him Thursday. What a loss. May God comfort his grieving family and all his employees he held so dear
A true loss for the entire town indeed. As an architect working in many jurisdictions, Mike was a unique head inspector in many ways. Understanding project importance, timelines and unique challenges and needs, Mike was always working to help out when he could within the framework of code and law. Case in point, when a critical project was hung up on a code issue, he would reach out to us directly to discuss and resolve the issue so the project shouldn’t get bogged down in red tape. Pleasant, fair yet firm are attributes that come to mind when thinking of Mike. He will be sorely missed.
Mike was the man! With a contagious good energy we always looked foward to dealing with him. Never shyed away from dealing with whatever complications ever arose during the course of our projects. Especially nice to deal with and extremely accommodating when running against dealines.
The term ‘BE LIKE MIKE’ never applied more than for him! It’s a sad moment for all of us in the Industry. And i hope the entire town keeps strong in these hard times.
We all at Gefen Construction are still in shock and saddened by this tragedy.
Gefen construction would like to express our condolences to the entire building dept. and Mike’s family.
Mike is irreplaceable and a true loss to the entire community and will sorely be missed by all of us.
Despite being the head of one of the busiest building departments in the country he was able to carry the full responsibility of the job and at the same time be so courteous, caring and sensitive to anyone that walked into the building dept.
If a permit application was missing information or wasn’t filled out correctly he wouldn’t just reject it, he would call or email that your missing information and he would personally guide you thru to get it right.
Mike was a true Mentch!
Mike’s unique smile and greetings will be missed by all of us and always remain in our memories.
My his family and all at the building dept. find comfort and solace.
Pinny
Gefen Construction
Our dearest Mike:
If I would only be able to meet you one last time to thank you for all your help and devotion that you have helped me and the entire community with a smile on the face
My deepest condolences for the family of this very special person
RIP Mike
Mike had a really kean understanding of the Lakewood community and helped move along the important projects like schools and shuls. But never one to compromise on safety.
He had a heart for all and helped where he was able to.
When a building had an issue over a weekend, Mike was the one who went through all the issues and helped get it reopen by Sunday morning so school was able to continue uninterrupted, but only after making sure that there were no safety concerns.
It’s really difficult to comprehend how he was able to have the backs of Contractors, Homeowners, property managers and schools & shuls at the same time.
We know how in the summer when all are rushing to get schools finished in time for the school year to begin, all the inspectors make those the priority. All that was possible by having a leader like Mike.
And he also went above and beyond for houses and even small additions. When there was a rejection to a permit due to a misunderstanding, he was so cool and quick to approve once we explained what the plan was.
The magnitude of this loss is great!
Mike was a real good man.
RIP Mike.
Jack – Diamond Contractors
Great guy,always a pleasure to work with
Mike was unique in his ability to balance his responsibility to maintain safety and the letter of the law, while taking into account the sensitivities and challenges of the community whom he serviced so faithfully with heart and integrity.
He will be sorely missed by all the people he impacted over the course of his long and productive career.
May his family find comfort, knowing how highly regarded he was by all who came into contact with him.
We lost a very special individual yesterday! Mike was a special caring person with a heart of gold who always did his best to help the community any way he can with honesty and integrity for his job. He cannot be replaced!! Our hearts go out to his family, friends, coworkers, and all who knew him! He will be missed! May he rest in piece!
Ray builders
We lost a special person. Mike was special because he really cared and would go the extra mile for anyone. With his signature smile on his face and joke on his lips, he was everyone’s friend and he will truly be missed. May he rest in peace.
Moishe Eigner
Advanced Builders
A true mench. Always with a a smile. Always going the extra mile to help others. A true loss going to misses.
Mike was a really great guy. He really understood the needs of the community and helped us in anyway he was able to. May he rest in peace! He will really be missed!
Mike was an unusually good man. He dedicated himself to the community. He made things work, even if he didn’t have to , just because he wanted to get things done. It wasn’t an easy task in this fast moving pressurized city. But he made it happen. May all his good deeds serve him and his family in this difficult time.
Aaron ,
Nycon IH
Mike was such a happy , witty and caring man. Coming in to the office all the time and exchanging a couple of sharp one liners with mike is something i will never forget. He will be sorley missed by all who knew him well.
Yet at the same time he was able to accomplish so much. How one man was able to take so much responsibilty on his lone sholuders allways amazed me.
We as religious people believe that mike is in a much better place right now , surley he is being shown the gratitude and credit he so rightfully deserves . May he rest in peace.
Our prayers are with his family , his loyal co workers and all his freinds.
Mike will be sorely missed. He always greeted me with a smile. Mike was always calm, kind and helpful. His job was a stressful one, but he managed it all with integrity. RIP Mike.
Shlomo,
Prime Quality Builders
Unbelievable loss for the Lakewood Community and the Township.
Mike will be sorely missed.
RIP
Yitz Smith
Garnick Builders
This is such a huge loss, Mike was truly one of a kind ! He had a way of dealing with everyone and every situation so calmly, staying cool and collected.
I feel privileged to have known him.
RIP Mike.
Shawn -SMI Contracting
The Air Seal team has worked closely with many contractors in Lakewood. We have heard only good things about Mike and how he went above and beyond for the community at large.
He will be sorely missed by all those that worked with him.
May he rest in peace.
The Air Seal Team
Mike’s sense of humor made the lakewood building department, enjoyable to walk into.
He always had a good line and a smile.
The building department will not be the same without him.
Ben Ullman
Benz Construction
RIP
Mike’s warm heart and generourosity was legendary in this town.
He always had a smile and a helping hand. I only had good experiences with him on all my projects.
He will be sourly missed.
We already feel the void!
Building department is not the same without you.
Pinny Braun – Lagom Construction
We are devastated by the tragic loss of a dear friend.
Mike was loved by all for his huge heart, his positive spirit, his sense of humor, and his warmth. His professionalism, knowledge, and willingness to help created a better Lakewood.
He will be sorely missed and long remembered.
Wishing heartfelt condolences to his family
CP Weisz
Weisz Architects
So saddened by the tragic news.
Mike was a good, nice and caring person, a ‘mentch’ par excellence and he will be very missed.
Condolences to all who had the privilege to work with him, his coworkers and his family.
Lakewood has truly lost a hero.
May he rest in peace.
Danny Snyder
DS Builders
My deep Condolences Mike’s Family May He Rest In Peace and will be missed by everyone who knew Mike
To my dear friend Mike. For over a ¼ of a century, you were there for me and the rest of the Lakewood Community. We shared happy times & sad times (from your wedding at Winkelman’s with your beloved soulmate, the birth of your 2 amazing children that you cherished above all, to the passing of your dear mother last year) I was on a plane when I heard this dreadful news – from yitzy & apologize for not being there for your family. Lakewood community has lost a true “mentch” in the way you treated each and every builder with professionalism & dignity. You will truly be missed by all. May you Rest in Peace,
JB – MONARCH DEVELOPMENT
At Newlines we generally interact with the engineering department. When there are questions that went back-and-forth with the construction department, Mike was an absolute pleasure to deal with he was someone who earned everyone’s respect. Every time he interacted with them he will be sorely missed.
RIP
Josh Schmuckler
Newlines
Words can not describe the loss. He was a man that was there to help everyone that came by him. Always trying to find a way to help sort out someone else’s mess and bring everything to a good close. He will be sorely missed
May his family find condolence in the fact that he was loved and respected by all that came across him!
No was never an option for him. He was able to always find a way to make it easier and better for his associates and for the community.
He had a way of making everyone feel comfortable around him. He was a true servant of the township faithfully going above and beyond what would have been expected from his position and the trickle effect was palpable in the office he ran and the way they all served the clients that came in for services
Still cannot believe he’s gone can’t believe we won’t get to see his smile next time I walk into the office. A loss for all that knew him.
May his family have the strength to move past this huge tragedy by knowing that his legacy will never be forgotten
My heart breaks upon hearing this tragic news ! There was no one more fit for the job then Mike, I as someone who has been hired by Lakewood residents to fix up code violations and compliance issues with their property ,have experienced firsthand the sensitivity and kindness Mike has presented when dealing with complex situations. He once told me “ compliance and convenience, are not the same thing”. When resolving rejections or questions he would always give the proper respect and deal with code and law by understanding logic not looking to overburden homeowners and contractors. You will truly be missed by all of Lakewood. May the family be blessed to go through this rough period with ease. Best Regards Avi H.
I have had the pleasure of working with mike for over 8 years on many projects.
I can say his professional attitude mix with his humor made our relationship one of the best I have had with a building department.
He will be missed.
RIP
Shiggy Levovitz
Accurate Builders