Mayor Rick Schultz
“When the burdens of the presidency seem unusually heavy, I always remind myself it could be worse. I could be a mayor.” — President Lyndon Johnson
Serving as Mayor of St. Joseph is one of the great honors of my life so far. St. Joseph is an incredible community and being mayor gives me a unique insight into a town that has more vitality than cities many times its size. Representing St. Joseph may be the best job that I may ever hold.
As one might guess, serving as mayor of St. Joseph, while a great job, is not easy even in the simplest of times. We are a vocal, engaged and committed community. There is also a notable increased passion and engagement of residents with the city. Our residents have an expectation of needing to be more involved, to know more and have continued say and debate on issues which affect the entire community. All expect to see and be heard by our representatives. There are not many residents who are shy about telling their mayor what they think in City Council chambers, the supermarket, through email or anywhere at any time for that matter. We expect our mayor to be a grievance counselor, liaison, cheerleader, facilitator, policy-maker, spokesperson and the public face for our community.
As we leave 2013, I recognize there is much work ahead.
I’ve said before – we do more together than alone. St. Joseph is a community where people care for one another. It is a great strength of our city. It is a strength we must draw upon in deciding what services we want, how best to deliver them, and how to pay for them, while meeting our existing obligations. Cities across Minnesota, particularly older cities, like St. Joseph, face structural challenges in the years ahead. To meet these challenges, we must grow our economic base and deliver services in new, creative and collaborative ways. We must build our future by working together.
Thank you for allowing me the privilege to serve as your mayor.
