It really does feel like an “End of an Era” now that St. Joseph Mayor Rick Schultz will no longer be the city’s mayor as of this January.
Schultz led and represented the city as mayor for 14 consecutive years – seven two-year terms. And before that he had been a member of the St. Joseph City Council.
On May 6 of this year, Mayor Schultz announced to the council that he had decided not to file for re-election.
Humble to a fault, Schultz said this to the Newsleaders at that time:
“The city is in a good place,” he said. “And my personal opinion is tomorrow’s young leaders will make a more lasting impact and have a better understanding of what is needed for growth and our city culture than I will. There are some solid citizens within our community whom I believe will consider making the step into public service and be difference-makers.”
Yes, the city is in a good place, and Schultz had a big hand in making it so. During his tenure, there were major infrastructure improvements; park and recreational opportunities added; developments to the city’s Government Center; police department upgrades; ongoing downtown revitalization and new business openings; major additions to the Industrial Park; extensions of trails; expansion of recreational activities for people of all ages; outreach efforts to the colleges and to other cities; a laborious but determined effort to (finally) get a community center/YMCA built in the city; and much more.
For years Schultz encouraged efforts to make the Government Center a venue for social activities, arts-and-crafts gatherings, special events, public-information sessions, recreation and other programs. In that way, it became an extension of a pedestrian-friendly downtown ambience of the city.
Schultz is a no-nonsense, utterly unpretentious leader who knows how to listen. At so many public meetings, he was always keenly interested in hearing every voice in the room, why they favored this or that or the other thing. He was always deeply interested in what his constituents, his fellow residents as well as city council members, want and need in the city. And he would formulate his recommendations and proposals based on that information. Then he would roll up his sleeves and get to work, along with others, to make those dreams come true.
In September 2022, Schultz said the following in an interview with the Newsleaders:
“Public service is a public trust,” he said. “I serve at the pleasure of the people. Being mayor is humbling, yet an honor and privilege. In my mind, there is no better job in America than being mayor of St. Joseph.”
And that paragraph perfectly evokes Mayor Rick Schultz, that no-nonsense, pragmatic, down-to-earth city leader.
On behalf of all St. Joseph residents, we at the Newsleaders want to thank Schultz for his dynamic leadership of this very special city. We also want to wish him, Tammy and their three grown daughters and two grandchildren the very best in the coming years.