Brady bids commission farewell

Editor's note: On Dec. 22, amid his final meeting as a city commissioner, Dick Brady addressed those in attendance. Here are his remarks. I have had 13 remarkable years at this table, including the last 12 consecutively. It has been over 300 appearances with 150 of them as the commission president and ex officio mayor. Looking back, I am filled with gratitude for the historic renaissance we have witnessed in Sandusky. For so many years, I have said we truly had the wind at our backs — an unbelievable momentum of progress, revitalization and community spirit that has transformed our city in ways we once could only dream of. None of this would have been possible without the tireless work of our 248 city staff members, who serve with professionalism and heart every single day. Thank you, all of you, for your commitment to Sandusky. And thanks to our city manager, John Orzech, for your steady leadership and partnership. For the last few years, you have been exactly what Sandusky needed. Over these 12 years, I have had the privilege of serving alongside eighteen different commissioners and four city managers. Each of those individuals brought a unique perspective and passion, and together we moved this city forward. Most importantly, I want to thank my family for allowing me to devote these 12 years to public service. And I mean my entire family. My three adult children and their spouses have six grandchildren and brother- and sister-in-laws. My granddaughter and grandson, Ella and David Richard Mack, never miss a chance to tell whoever is listening that his grandpa is the mayor. For the past 12 years, there have been two extraordinary women in my life. I hope that doesn't come as too much of a surprise to my wife, Debe. A few of you know that I have relied heavily on our daughter, Christine Mack, to take my thoughts and ideas and turn them into eloquent words. Both written and spoken. She has been my voice. It has been my vision, expressed through her gift with language and composition. Thank you, Christine. The other woman, of course, is my wife, Debe. Twelve years ago, we began parallel journeys in service to our community: myself on the city commission and she on the state theater board. The deal was that we would spend four years on our passions. She kept her part of the bargain. Me, not so much. The price of public service is paid for by your spouse. All of those phone calls at very odd hours. All of those late-night dinners after commission meetings. All of those groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings. And so many sleepless nights. They take their toll. But life unfolds as it does, and I am grateful for her support through it all. I have often quoted one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost, and it has been very appropriate for our city these past 12 years: "We have miles to go before we sleep." Sandusky still has miles to go. In 2013 at Kids Fest, I pitched the idea of running for this office to the guy sitting next to me. I told him that with a little luck we could change the trajectory of this city for the next 100 years. He laughed. But that is exactly we did with a lot of help from a lot of people. In recent weeks, so many have asked me, "What comes next?" For the longest time, I struggled to answer that question. Because I never got this far in my dream.