Note From Northfield Mayor: Change Happens At The Speed Of Trust

Press release from the City of Northfield:

December 3, 2020

"This past Tuesday, December 1 was exactly 12 years ago that I was first sworn in as a City Council member. If you would have asked me then whether I would still be here today, I would have thought that you were crazy.

However, driven by my sense of responsibility and love for my community I am so thankful for the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of many other public servants. I have learned a lot over these past 12 years, not only about local government but also our community.

Even as the first eight years as a City Councilor formed and shaped how I led as mayor, these last four years have reaffirmed for me what I took into my first term as mayor and how I will be leading during my next term.

Leading with civility; honoring, respecting, and celebrating people; championing a relentless positive attitude; holding space for differences of perspective; celebrating what we’ve accomplished; engaging the community in the work of the city…together along with remaining focused on implementing our plans are non-negotiables for me. Our plans are the vision for what we want to be. How we get there is just as important.

One of the lessons that I’ve learned over the last 12 years is the realization that moving forward policy at the local level is a marathon not a sprint. This African proverb says it best: if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. When we have the mindset of going far together, we build a much stronger community through one interaction and decision at a time. Change happens at the speed of trust which is why it’s important to go slow, build relationships, and seek input.

For the most part, we’ve done that successfully and I’m looking forward to how we can improve even more over the next four years in this area. Part of this includes utilizing all media forms in our communications early on in the process.

For Northfield to work, we need your knowledge, and your perspectives. There are many ways to do that, from weighing in on staff and Council decisions to volunteering to serve on boards and commissions. You also don’t need to wait to be asked; if you see a need, or have an idea, we are always eager to hear from you.

We also have responsibilities. These include doing our best to seek your input, in ways that work for you; and equipping you to participate. That means sharing information, including genuinely describing the pros and cons of various options. Many cities have developed new ways to enable and support genuine conversation even during COVID. We will continue to learn from these and implement ways that work for Northfield. If you have suggestions for how we can do this better, please let us know.

I look forward to forming and shaping this community together with you in 2021. I wish you all the best during this unusual holiday season!"

This press release was produced by the City of Northfield. The views expressed here are the author’s own.