EastWord asked local officials two questions for our special holiday issue. The first was to list their Christmas wishes and the second to tell us their New Year’s resolution for 2014.
Here are the responses we received:
Guy Henson, city manager of Midwest City
Christmas wishes: On behalf of the City of Midwest City, our staff and employees, we would like to wish all of our residents and business owners a wonderful holiday season. May the blessings of the season be yours.
Wish for New Year: My wish for the New Year is that our country experience more certainty at the federal level of government so that our residents and Tinker Air Force Base family will not have to deal with furloughs and economic challenges. Another wish is for our community to continue to successfully move forward with the projects and plans we have before us.
Jim McCharen, superintendent of Choctaw-Nicoma Park Schools
Christmas wishes: 1) A salary increase for under paid and underappreciated teachers in Oklahoma who have not had a state funded pay increase in eight years! 2) Adequate funding for public education in Oklahoma so we can give the children of this state the quality education they deserve!
New Year’s Resolution: Every day of 2014 give someone a compliment and make them feel good about themselves!
Mark Edwards, city manager of Del City
Christmas wishes: To end the year with a positive note and to assure the City of Del City is on a positive cash footing. To wish good will and good health on all my friends, associates and relatives, wife Lavonna, and my children throughout the metro.
New Year’s Resolution: To welcome my first grandchild, Luke Edwards, son of Amy and Aaron into the world; to continue helping my mother Pauline and mother-in-law Helen in their needs as they age; to welcome my new son-in-law Kyron into the family; to continue what I can to move the City of Del City forward with development of a new fire station, public works building, library, Women’s Veterans monument; and to look for other opportunities to make Del City a positive place to live and work
Damon Brown, CEO of Midwest Regional Medical Center
Thank you for your ongoing support of Midwest Regional this holiday season. Wishing each and every person in this community, our Associates, physicians and their families the happiest and healthiest of holidays and that 2014 will bring continual hope, prosperity and joy to this community.
Brandon Clabes, Midwest City police chief
My Christmas wish this year is simply that God allows me to stay in my position as police chief and continue to work daily with my "second family" who are the greatest men and women I know. They risk their lives every time they wear their uniform/badge and deal professionally with some of the worst in society. We are also rewarded by working together with a wonderful mayor and council, good city management and all other city employees who unselfishly commit daily to 56,000 citizens by delivering a variety of services in the highest standard.
My resolution is to focus on gratitude, the greatest of all virtues and character traits. Every day that I wake up on this earth, my resolution is to focus on the things in life that are blessings and be grateful for family, friends, health and a positive attitude. It will make my world go around a lot easier!
Randy Ross, mayor of Choctaw
My Christmas wish for Choctaw is for everyone to take time to enjoy family and friends while realizing the blessings we all have.
I don’t really have a resolution. We just look forward to new and exciting projects in our community and a great 2014.
