The path forward is rarely a straight line. Ask Arnold Schwarzenegger if his journey to Mr. Universe was straightforward. It wasn't. He said, "What we face may look insurmountable, but I learned something from all those years of training and competing. I learned something from all those sets and reps when I didn't think I could lift another ounce of weight. What I learned is that we are always stronger than we know."
City-building isn't a straight line either.
This week, we accepted the resignation of our City Manager. Mike was one of the good ones—a leader who tackled challenges head-on and kept pushing, even in the face of real adversity. I would expect no less from the U.S. Army Officer trained at West Point.
Most people didn't get to see the Mike I came to know. Since July of last year, I've had the privilege of getting to know Mike and his wife Lisa—they are "salt of the earth" people. The kind you want on your team, and even more, as your friends.
As Shakespeare said, "Parting is such sweet sorrow."
Yukon now finds itself at an inflection point—one more turn in the winding road. But I'm more excited than ever for the future of our city.
Why? Two reasons:
(1) What's behind us.
(2) What lies ahead.
Behind us? With our Council and Mike's efforts, we've brought a new era of leadership to Yukon, putting an end to decades of mismanagement. We've rooted out corruption, realigned our finances, and set a new course for infrastructure renewal. That chapter is closed.
What lies ahead? A fresh focus on economic development. Renewed investments in parks, sports, the library, aquatics, and community centers. Continued excellence in public safety. And an unwavering commitment to water, wastewater, and transportation improvements.
This week's events mark another milestone in what has been a transformative year for Yukon.
We're on the rise. We are always stronger than we know. As C.S. Lewis said through his character Mr. Tumnus, "Further up and further in."