First, thank you to all the business owners and concerned citizens who came to our city council meeting on November 13.
I am constantly edified by the care our town members show and how involved they are with civic issues. I have seen this time and again over this past year as mayor. I was glad to address the frustrations of business owners regarding the destruction from the tornado.
It was an opportunity for all to have their voices heard. Over the last 100 days it has been frustrating for me as mayor to learn how much mine, and the city councils’ hands, were tied in this process, as well as the many insurance roadblocks that were faced. At the meeting, our town lawyer was able to help everyone understand it is illegal for the city to be more involved than it has been.
At the conclusion of our meeting I was so grateful to hear the positive support offered by many of the attendees and the overall commitment to future improvements. In all of my communication with the owners over the past few months, and it has been regular, it occurs to me that the general public was not made aware of these legal issues, or insurance issues that were out of our hands.
I intend to communicate better in the future on a monthly basis, to ensure there are less misunderstandings.
As mayor I am committed to doing everything within my legal power to better our city and support all of our local businesses.
I know that as we all move forward together we are all committed to making Sutton be the special place to live that it is.
