Date: 9/2/2021
Obviously in any political situation, such as a city, there will be both positive and negative views. In my opinion this is a time for some positive comments. I was born and raised in the North End of Springfield and also in East Springfield, many, many years ago. I have seen our city go through many transitions, both positive and negative. In my opinion, under Mayor Sarno's leadership Springfield has come alive again.
This transition can be seen in the building of new schools; the redevelopment of the areas of the city that were so badly damaged by the tornadoes; the renovations that were made to Union Station; the investment that MGM has made in the city and the various new businesses that have come to Springfield in the past few years. Recently the Republican reported that the population of Springfield has increased.
All of these things take place when a city has a leadership team that has a real interest in seeing such developments. That leadership team has had and hopefully will continue to have a mayor who is dedicated to this city and to its image in every respect. This does not mean that everyone must agree to the actions that have been taken, but once discussion ends and a decision is made our leaders and citizens should support it for the good of Springfield.
My favorite definition of leadership is that “leadership is attitude not position and leadership is persuasion, not command.” That definition fits Mayor Sarno in every respect. He has consistently demonstrated his commitment to and his belief in the positive image of Springfield and the citizens of the city and we should thank him for what he has accomplished.
Allen G. Zippin
Longmeadow
