On the Mayor's mind - a new column from Shoreline Mayor Shari Winstead

Mayor Shari Winstead

On the Mayor's mind  . . .  Welcome to a semi-monthly article where I share my thoughts and ideas on being Mayor of the Great City of Shoreline!

On January 6, 2014, I was honored to be selected by my Council colleagues to be the next Mayor of Shoreline. Our Council is comprised of seven elected councilmembers, and every two years they elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. To be selected unanimously to represent our Council is a tremendous honor. Shoreline has had many great mayors, and I am proud to be the next person to hold the gavel.

And speaking of honor  . . . when I was elected as a Councilmember in 2009, it was the first time in my life I had been entrusted with “honor.” We are all familiar with the saying “with great honor comes great responsibility” and I’ve had a great amount of responsibility for most of my life, having raised my teenage brother, and then as a single mom for most of my son’s life. I totally get what being responsible means. When I was elected it felt like my family grew to over 53,000 people. My world of responsibility had just changed to include all of Shoreline’s citizens - all with different opinions, perspectives and values.  

Everyday I work hard to hear your concerns and questions. As some of you know, we have a Council email address (reach me anytime at swinstead@shorelinewa.gov).  I welcome your emails, phone calls and personal visits. It is so interesting to learn about new issues, and to hear how people feel about any particular issue, their concerns and new ideas. Sometimes the solution seems clear - and then I have a conversation with someone on the bus or in the grocery store, and I hear a completely different perspective. This is what makes our City so great - healthy, respectful differences of opinion. It gives us balance.  

One of my personal goals is to do more listening than talking. I invite you to send me an email or give me a call. I do work another full-time job and have a family, so I always appreciate your patience in waiting for my response, but I look forward to hearing from you! 

Yours in our love of Shoreline!  

Mayor Shari Winstead