Choosing Growth, Cultivating Trust

When Marcie Husted, our Clerk, announced her resignation last week, it pushed me to think about where we’ve been and where we are headed.

I think it’s fair to say that for all of us it’s been a challenging year. There have been a lot of ups, downs, bumps, and bruises relative to Township matters and community involvement. These moments were layered with the complexities of life outside of Township Office walls as we juggle families, jobs, pandemic life, loss, ever changing guidelines/regulations, unforeseen health challenges and more.

Still, here we are, together. We live in the same community, as neighbors.

Here we are trying to learn how to work together, community and leadership.  

Things have been said. Mistakes have been made. Personal lives have been impacted.

But there are two words that keep coming to the front of my mind, and those words are growth & trust. Trust is something that must be cultivated and earned. Although I believe trust to be a work in progress that is very much moving a better direction, we all still have space to grow.

In an effort to grow, I’d like to publicly say to Marcie and our Township Board, that I personally apologize for any moment of contention in which anyone felt attacked personally through the FB page named after our nonprofit RCP. Our mission, volunteers, voices, and policies continue to evolve to be our best selves and I’m happy with where we are headed. We cannot achieve our mission of civic engagement without open dialogue.

Furthermore, Marcie, I’d like to thank you publicly and directly for second chances and an open mind. I’d like to thank you for your service to this community and for your help getting Curtis Elmore’s beautiful painting displayed in the Township Office lobby. It looks incredible. I’d like to thank you for the quilt you’ve donated and your interest in supporting our Historical Society. I want you to know that even though your life is taking a different path than what you had planned, you have made a positive difference as Tyrone Township Clerk. This is what community is all about, and I’m grateful for your service.

In fact, there’s not a single Tyrone Township Board member who hasn’t spent time working for good, contributing to fundraisers, suggesting helpful ideas, attending meetings, drafting documents, or making phone calls for the best interest of our community. Fair is fair. If we can question and complain when things are wrong, we certainly can celebrate the good.  I’ve seen a distinct change in recent weeks and months, and I feel compelled to recognize that change and thank all of you. Again, this is what community is all about.

We aren’t perfect, not one of us. We do better when we know better, and I choose growth. I choose growth hoping that it leads to earned, mutual trust that we are here to build a better community together, residents and those who step up to lead.

My best wishes to you Marcie in your future endeavors, and my sincere gratitude to every Board member choosing growth and focusing forward on the positive differences we can make.