Hello Troutdale, I am writing this article on October 9, 2020. By the time this article reaches your home, our city may, or soon will, have a new mayor. I offer congratulations to whomever the city chooses to represent them as their mayor. I am confident that either candidate will serve and represent the city well.
It has been a pleasure serving as your mayor for the last four years. As I look back, I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday I was being sworn into office on a very cold and windy night in January. I am proud of the work that was accomplished, along with my fellow council members, these last four years. We took on some very challenging issues and had to make difficult decisions, but we always found ways to act in a civil manner towards each other. This is not always easy to do when passions are high, but I am of a firm belief that the city deserves to have a Council that acts in a civil and dignified manner. If I am remembered for anything as your mayor, I hope that I am remembered for leading a City Council the city could be proud of, and one that worked well together for your benefit.
I am also grateful to have worked with an outstanding leadership team at the city. It is not possible to have a functioning and successful City Council without a dedicated and competent team leading the city. The citizens of Troutdale are fortunate to have many great employees who work for their city. Thank you, employees of Troutdale, for all you do for our city!
As we end the year 2020, thank goodness it is almost over, I hope for a much better 2021. The year 2020 has been one of the most difficult years in so many ways. I am not going to bore you with my thoughts on the many things that have occurred over the course of the year, but I will leave with this: We are all Americans, and we live in the greatest country in the world. What makes us great is that we are a nation of diverse people who come from different backgrounds, and in many cases, different countries. This helps make us great but also presents many challenging issues that our country must work through. I ask that we keep our hearts and minds open to the needs of our neighbors. That we remember that no matter how different another person may see the world, the one thing that brings us together is that we are all Americans.
God Bless you all and thank you for the honor of serving as your mayor.
This column originally appeared in the November-December 2020 edition of The Troutdale Champion.