12/15/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

We have improved the delivery of safety services within this City with the opening of new facilities and the acquisition of state-of--the-art equipment that includes improved cameras and patrol rifles for our police and infra-red scopes for our fire service. As we look back it is clear that we have done great things for our community, and we have much to be proud of as this Administration concludes in two weeks. But more important than the look back is the look forward. My eazliest inspiration in government service was my father. Thomas P. O'Grady had the courage to serve our nation during the Korean conflict, and I was proud to follow in his footsteps during my career in the United States Army. I also followed in his footsteps in government. My father was a Councilman in this City while I was studying at Harvard. As I studied US and foreign governmental systems, my father spoke to me of local government. He spoke of the courage and dedication needed to serve the people. My father rejected the notion that his vote belonged to the controlling faction of Council at that time. For that reason, he was often attacked by others in his own party who believed that he should be part of their voting block. He told me that he called these others the `long knives.' Although it didn't occur to me at the time, I found some humor on reflecting back to my comments during our meeting of March 15 of this year when I made reference to the `Ides of March.' Whether it was the time of Caesaz, or the mid- 1980s or today, it seems that the `long knives' are a recurring theme in government service, and to that point, I will now address my final comments. I now join with all the citizens of this community and look to you who will continue to serve in public office, and I ask you to do just that, to serve. Remember that the office you hold and the vote you cast does not belong to you. It belongs to our citizens. I encourage you not to trade your vote for some future benefit, but rather to cast it with courage and conviction. Shine the light of openness on your actions and reject those opportunities for private meetings and closed sessions. I finally encourage you to reject the notion that all is fair in love, waz, and politics. It is not. Hang on to the virtues of honesty, loyalty, integrity, and courage. Do this and you will indeed be following the path that brings the greatest benefit for the greatest number of our citizens. You will then be serving the common good. Thank you.