Mayor's Report for June 2002
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Thanking Our Departing Colleagues
By Mayor Michael Herman
At the May 2002 town council meeting, the councilmembers from Wards 2 and 6 tendered their resignations from the town council. Ward 2 Councilmember Cynthia Blaschke and Ward 6 Councilmember Lissa Scott will be rejoining the world of private citizens. The town council unanimously adopted a resolution to thank them for their dedicated service and to declare two vacancies. A special election will be held on June 13 at the town hall to replace them. The newly-elected council-members will be sworn in immediately.
Councilmember Scott served on the council for two years. She was elected in a special election in 2000 to fill a vacancy created by the departure of Patricia Romero. In her two years of service to the town, she was instrumental in getting the council to establish pedestrian access along Greenway Drive as a federal grant priority project. The project's funding has been secured, and work will commence in the coming weeks. In her departure, Ms. Scott indicated her new job responsibilities since her promotion have made it difficult to assume both responsibilities. We wish her well in her new position. She has indicated a willingness to continue serving on the Traffic Study Committee. We are grateful for her continued service.
Councilmember Blaschke was elected in 2001 to council. During her brief tenure on the council, serving as the legislative committee chair, she drafted numerous pieces of legislation including ordinances and general resolutions. She played a pivotal role in establishing satellite bus service into the community with TheBus. She helped resolve some long-standing problems in the Madison Hill community concerning the storm water pond. Ms. Blaschke has been in North Dakota for the past few months caring for elderly parents. Her mother passed a couple of months ago and her father remains ill. Because she could not be certain when she would be returning, she felt it was best to allow another resident who is here to assume the council-member role. A two-page letter was sent to the council outlining her reasons for stepping down. It is available upon request. In addition to extending our condolences to her and her extended family, we wish her well in this caretaking role and pray for a speedy return to our community.
It is with great personal sacrifice that our elected officials serve this community. While it is an honor and privilege to serve, work on behalf of constituents causes missed dinners with families, sleep deprivation from long meetings, and a hectic schedule in personal and professional lives. We recognize that we undertake these responsibilities with great pride and commitment. At times, these conflicts with personal and professional responsibilities make governance difficult. For example, until these vacancies are filled, certain actions of the town council cannot occur unless there is universal participation to establish a quorum and unanimous approval of certain actions. For example, it requires four councilmembers to support any budget adoption, ordinance change or charter amendment. Indeed, the actions of the council are potentially hampered until a full council is once again established. This will occur by mid-June.
It is my sincere hope that each and every registered voter in Wards 2 and 6 come and voice their opinion on June 13 when we hold our special election. There are many projects going on in our community that need immediate action by the full council. While the election is on a Thursday, it was the first available date meeting the legal requirements of advance notice. Please take a few minutes and exercise this all-important right.
It is with great sadness that I report the recent loss of residents in our town. In April, long-standing resident George Howard of Nicholson street passed. We extend our condolences to the family, especially to his wife Betty, daughter Karyn, and son Greg, who remain residents in our town. In May, Oglethorpe Street resident James Chapman passed. He had lived here for nearly two decades. He is survived by his long-time companion Evelyn Gatling. We want to wish these families comfort as they go through this difficult period of mourning.
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