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“I believe the best type of mayor is one who seeks to uplift people and make their life better and sometimes that requires tough decisions.”
- Francis X. Suarez
Over the course of my five years as Mayor of Darien, I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with leaders at every level of government. I have spent time discussing issues with Illinois State Representatives and Senators, met with Governor Pritzker, and shared concerns with Representatives Casten and Foster, along with Senator Tammy Duckworth. While I have enjoyed having the privilege of having access to these elected officials, the group I enjoy being with and for whom I have the greatest respect for and confidence in are my fellow mayors. When I have discussions with residents, I often remark to them that the level of government that is most responsive to their needs is our local government. If you ask any mayor, they will tell you that their neighbors are their constituents, and when they call or email, you answer the phone or call them back because their issues and concerns are our responsibility to address and to work toward resolving.
While all of us have certain political philosophies and beliefs, I know few mayors, who let their political beliefs impact their leadership of their communities. I know this because as Past President of the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference, I interacted with thirty-four other DuPage Mayors on a regular basis, and the bottom line, whether it was our lobbying in Springfield or discussing local issues, we always focused on what was best for our constituents. Thomas Mesino states: “the true privilege of being a mayor is that I have the opportunity to be everyone’s neighbor,” and to expand on that, my neighbor’s needs become the first and foremost item on my agenda.
If I polled my fellow mayors, they would each tell you the same thing; they love their role as mayor, and despite how difficult the task can be, their reward is in knowing intrinsically, that they have the ability to touch lives in a positive way, and enhance the living standard of their communities. I thank you for the opportunity to serve as your mayor, and I assure you that keeping Darien a nice place to live will always be my foremost task.
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