As I write my final “Mayor’s Corner” I wish to express my eternal gratitude to each of you in our great community who have given me the honor and privilege to serve in this humbling office as your mayor and councilor for over a quarter of a century. In those years we have always considered two things; “people and place”. We have built “place” in order to serve people. Place include parks and bridges, roads and trails, buildings and water lines, websites and art. “People”, are, of course, you who choose to make Tualatin your home, and those who build businesses here to provide our jobs and services. As I gaze through mind’s eye and marvel over how this special place named Tualatin has materialized during these years, it is with combined feelings of pride and humility. I am proud of our partnerships with those who have contributed to our lovely neighborhoods, businesses, and public spaces; and I am humbled that I have had the opportunity to participate with so many truly wonderful people in that endeavor.
As I have served on the Tualatin City Council for nearly one fourth of our city’s incorporated existence, many names come to mind with whom I have shared the yoke of moving our community forward. While risking the error of omission by naming a few, I believe they illustrate the progress of the many. Names like Rhodes, and Wheeler; Boss, McKillip, Young, Braden, Matthias, Rux, McDonald, Wilson, and Hennon; Winegar, Barker, Braaksma, and Norrigon. Those who represent the dedicated staff of the City of Tualatin, and have passed the torch to the likes of Lombos, Hudson, Brady, Steele, Fuchs, Reynolds, Hurd-Ravich, Russel, and Hoover.
Our partners at the Chamber of Commerce including Pratt, McMahon, Clark, Dorman, Moholt, Knight, O’Malley, and Moore. Business leaders like Anderson, Snell, Sitton, Nicoli, Helser, Newbegin, Grimm, Carney, and Hussa. Those who have developed and built here, like Reeves, Gray, Silvey, Durgan, Bechen, Bruning, and Peterson. Our neighbors who manage our history and guard our future, like Martinazzi, Addington, McClure, Baker, Sasaki, Potts, Murray, Jordan, Hillier, Noack, and Casey.
Our service providers over the years like Johnson and Duyck, Fuiten, Ness, Tobias, McFarlane, Cotugno, Gaffi, Piro, LaBar, Goodman, Lonergan, and Anderson. Our Government partners, without whom we would have been unable to achieve our successes, like Hatfield, Wyden, Smith, Kitzhaber, Devlin, Parrish, Brian, Rogers, Duyck, Terry, and many fellow mayors across our region. Most importantly, our Tualatin City Councilors, including Mayor Stolze, Weller, Cain, Sarazin, Hager, Green, Chrisman, Bergstrom, Barhyte, Harris, Truax, and those with whom I share the dais today. Together we have imagined a shared community vision, debated and even sparred over implementing that vision, and embraced it to assure that everyone who makes their home and business in Tualatin is valued, respected, and above all, honored and served.
To all of you, everyone with whom I have shared this incredible journey, and all those who continue to serve, lead, build, and maintain our wonderful community, my deepest heart-felt thanks and best wishes for you and your families during this holiday season. I will always cheer you on as we behold the Best City South of the North Pole!
