One Councilor Says Goodbye, Another to Seek New Seat
By: Melissa Foy
Updated: January 24, 2013
It's a word that's certainly not at the forefront of Dorothy Roberts-Burns mind, and it never has been.
"Me. Me time. M.E.," Roberts-Burns says.
But it's the very word that helped her make a tough decision: to not seek re-election as city councilor at large.
"To not have to say to my husband, 'No, we can't do this today because I have council stuff. My daughter wants to do more vacation time and I need to do that," Roberts-Burns says.
She served as district two councilor for six years and after reaching the term limit, was elected to the councilor at large position.
She could serve one more term before her overall term limit is up, but she thinks fellow councilor Michael Smith is now the person for the job.
"I see this now as an opportunity to continue to serve the citizens not just of District One, but of the entire city," Smith says.
Smith is in his third term on council, which is the term limit, so the only way he could stay on council is as the new councilor at-large.
"Now that I'm embarking on this new position, I look back over the six years I've served. We've accomplished a lot. We've opened some new facilities like the fire station out on Southwest Parkway and the animal services facility out on Hatton Road," he says.
And as for Roberts-Burns, she says just because she's leaving the council doesn't mean she'll be a stranger around town.
"I'm going to serve doing the [MLK] Prayer Breakfast. I serve on several boards for the city and other community boards such as Patsy's House and Habitat for Humanity, and I can devote more time to them."
Smith says his experience on council will be valuable, especially with the growing water crisis.
"Me. Me time. M.E.," Roberts-Burns says.
But it's the very word that helped her make a tough decision: to not seek re-election as city councilor at large.
"To not have to say to my husband, 'No, we can't do this today because I have council stuff. My daughter wants to do more vacation time and I need to do that," Roberts-Burns says.
She served as district two councilor for six years and after reaching the term limit, was elected to the councilor at large position.
She could serve one more term before her overall term limit is up, but she thinks fellow councilor Michael Smith is now the person for the job.
"I see this now as an opportunity to continue to serve the citizens not just of District One, but of the entire city," Smith says.
Smith is in his third term on council, which is the term limit, so the only way he could stay on council is as the new councilor at-large.
"Now that I'm embarking on this new position, I look back over the six years I've served. We've accomplished a lot. We've opened some new facilities like the fire station out on Southwest Parkway and the animal services facility out on Hatton Road," he says.
And as for Roberts-Burns, she says just because she's leaving the council doesn't mean she'll be a stranger around town.
"I'm going to serve doing the [MLK] Prayer Breakfast. I serve on several boards for the city and other community boards such as Patsy's House and Habitat for Humanity, and I can devote more time to them."
Smith says his experience on council will be valuable, especially with the growing water crisis.
