DeMarco's First Remarks as Councilman

Editor's Note: Read the swear-in story . Check out Mayor Scott Silverthorne's remarks .

I have been blessed in so many ways over my lifetime. I was raised in a loving home, with wonderful parents and siblings, who collectively taught me the importance of faith, family and service and the significance of education, compassion and laughter, all to nourish the mind and the soul. My wife Joanne and I have created a home for our 3 children based on these same values; a new blessing, of a wonderful woman, with whom I can share a lifetime, raising a great family in ever-challenging times.

My most recent blessing is a place I call home, a city that has embraced me and calls me one of their own, and a city that has asked me to serve them in such a meaningful way. And I will have the great privilege over these next two years to work with great people, a Mayor, Council, School Board, Elected, Appointed and Staff, who have the same desire to serve, for the benefit of us all.

And I promise that I will serve in whatever capacity, to pursue those objectives that I have stated and been true to over the past several years. To build and implement strategies and plans that will include targeted and appropriate sustainable development and re-development, small and medium sized business support, continued high quality and right-sized schools, residential and commercial property revitalization programs, a mix of housing choices, a city-wide aging-in-place program, metro-area transportation solutions and effective leadership to build an active partnership with all regional and community stakeholders.

Mayor Silverthorne has already reminded me that I’m the freshman on this team. So he’s probably saying that this is an exhaustive list of opportunities and that I only have 1 more minute to speak and there’s only 2 years in a term. I’m a dreamer, but a realist, and I know it’s impossible to accomplish such a list in such a short period of time. So I believe our immediate focus must be on those components of economic growth that will support and pay for the quality of life characteristics that we all hold so dear. The economic strength of the city is what balances budgets, educates children, pays for parks and the arts, makes us safe and secure, provides for those in need, upgrades aging infrastructure and pays for transportation projects.

And if our vision is to create a community, and a destination, where people want to live and visit, where we can equally support a successful business and living environment, then we’ll be closer to the kind of place we want all our children and grandchildren to live in.

Public service is a blessing. I won’t take it lightly and I promise that I will always work hard to serve you with honesty, integrity, fairness and to the best of my ability. My God, my family and I would ask no less of me, and neither should you.

Thank you and I look forward to serving, with and for you, over the next two years.

Councilman Michael DeMarco
June 27, 2012