Dear Neighbor:

            The election results are in and, though they are not what we hoped, I congratulate Mayor Sample on her victory.  I am, of course, saddened, not only for the fact that I will not have the opportunity to serve you as your Mayor over the coming term, but even more so for the many of you for whom this will represent a loss for truth, for transparency in our government and in our elections, for civility in our public discourse, and for the promotion of respect for residents’ concerns over politics and special interests.  In that regard, this is surely a dark day.  Nevertheless, for all our sakes, we must put aside the hurt of the moment and look to the future.  Thus, I wish Mayor Sample and the incoming council success over the coming two years in tackling the many issues, large and small, known and unknown, that they will face, and I offer them the following words of advice in the hope that they will take them to heart and let them be a guide in their service to you:

• Reach out more to those outside your immediate circle as they will broaden your perspective;
• Listen more to those with whom you disagree as they will provide you with valuable insight;
• Do more to bring us together and oppose those who would seek to divide us, whoever they may be; and
• Always remember that the respect that you show to an individual resident is the respect you are showing to the entire West U community.

            As for myself, it has been a privilege and the greatest honor of my life to serve you these past four years on City Council, during which I have made many new friends and we have accomplished amazing things together for the benefit of our City.  I am grateful beyond words to the many of you who have reached out to offer me words of support and otherwise bolstered me through this long and sometimes arduous journey that we have taken together over the past few months.  I will always treasure the memory of those kindnesses, and I will continue to pursue opportunities to serve our community and you, whenever and wherever they may present themselves.  I will take the first step on that new journey by fulfilling a pledge already made, by donating the sum of $997.37, which constitutes the remaining unspent funds donated to my campaign, to the Friends of West University Parks Fund, that they may use them to the betterment and beautification of our community.  God bless you all and may the sun always shine on our City, our Neighborhood, our Home.

Your Neighbor,

John Barnes