February 2, 2022Newsletter Reporter: Gail Lyman
WELCOME & TRADITIONS
President Catrina VanAtta opened the hybrid meeting with the Four Way Test read in unison by all.
Catrina then read the February birthdays and Rotary anniversaries. Loralyn Light led us in singing “Happy Birthday.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Geoff Dunn congratulated Coltivare for being named “Member of the Week” by the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce for being an Ithaca Downtown “culinary center, event venue, and farm-to-table restaurant of TC.
- From District 7170, Geoff Dunn announced the Annual District Community & International Grants Seminar to be held virtually on February 5, 10-11 AM on Zoom
- Geoff also announced the Annual District Conference: “Rotary and Our Environment,” April 29-May 1 at the Woodcliff Hotel & Spa in Fairport, NY. More info here.
PRESENTATION
Jack Roscoe introduced Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, who is wrapping up his final week as Ithaca’s longest serving mayor.
Summing up his tenure, Myrick acknowledged that his “service has made a difference and, clearly, it has made a difference” to him. However, based upon his concerns for the “state of our national politics,” he felt a calling for a national service advocacy position as the executive director of People for the American Way.
Myrick gave a streamlined overview of his laudable mayoral accomplishments that included the rebuilding of the Commons, adding the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, the building of new medical facilities within the city limits, the rebuilding of the downtown infrastructure, and turning the tide against affordable housing. For more information on these topics see “The Myrick Years,” Ithaca Times, January 26, 2022.
There are projects and plans that Myrick stated were left for the new acting mayor, Laura Lewis. These signature projects include the Reimagining Public Safety plan, a new city project for confronting homelessness, the Green New Deal toward sustainability, and Guaranteed Income Project for Caregivers.
Myrick’s honest refection of his time in Ithaca City government included this statement of appreciation to the citizens of Ithaca: “This community took a chance on a 20-year-old kid.” It “not only welcomed him,” but helped to make him feel “that he belonged here.”
THANK YOU ROTARIANS
Newsletter Reporter: Gail Lyman
Photographer: Mike Brown
Newsletter Facilitator: Loralyn Light
Set-up: Brad Carruth and Juliet Gibbs, as well as the Coltivare staff
Club Service Facilitators: Beverly Baker & June Losurdo
Sunshine Chair: Kellyann O’Mara
