KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Monday, Deputy City Manager Patsy Moore experienced her last meeting with the Kalamazoo City Commissioners before retirement.
During a virtual meeting Monday night, City Manager Jim Ritsema made the announcement, saying that Moore will be retiring in a few weeks.
Deputy City Manager Patsy Moore. (Photo via City of Kalamazoo YouTube channel).
Ritsema made the following statement during the meeting, calling it a “bittersweet” moment –
“Patsy has been with the city for over 26 years, and she has served as my deputy city manager since the end of 2013. She’s done a tremendous job in that role.
Her specialty is in operations and budgeting and finance, so she’s overseen management services, public safety, including my liaison to the Citizen-Public Safety Review and Appeals Board (CPSRAB).
She’s also overseen Human Resources and actually served as interim HR director at least a couple times during her tenure here.
She also was overseeing 3-1-1, our community call center. So Patsy has my complete respect, and I’m so sad to be losing her as a trusted employee and colleague. I wish her all the best in retirement.”
Following the statement from Manager Ritsema, Moore made a statement of her own.
“This is an exciting time for me, and I leave the city with so much respect for the work that all of you do, and all of the administration, all of the staff at the City of Kalamazoo.
I’ve had the honor and privilege of working with several administrations and commissions. I have observed, over this time, that these bodies, the City Commission and Administration, have the best interests of the citizens of Kalamazoo at heart.
We may not have always gotten it right, we probably could have some things differently, not done some things and done some other things, but overall, I think the goal of having the interests of the citizens of Kalamazoo, and the visitors of Kalamazoo, has been paramount, and it’s my pleasure to have been a part of that.
This is not because I’m tired of the work I’m doing – I wake up every day, and I have just joy at being afforded the opportunity to serve in this position. This caps almost 40 years in local government, 26 of those here in the City of Kalamazoo.
So I leave for the next phase in whatever that is, but I certainly leave with fond memories of the people at the City of Kalamazoo, those that I’ve worked with over these last 26 years, and I also leave knowing that as we move forward, the Commission and Administration will continue to strive to do what’s best for Kalamazoo.
Thank you all, and thank you for a beautiful journey.”
Some Commissioners, as well as Mayor David Anderson, spoke on Moore’s retirement, wishing her the best in the future. Mayor Anderson made the following statement, as well –
“If you look deep into any functioning body, an organization, you will find people who do not attract attention to themselves, but who are rivers that run very very deep, who are solid and consistent and foundational and smart and committed. Just pulling back that cover and looking in, you will see that that is what allows organizations to run and function.
Deputy City Manager Moore has been that force the entire time that I’ve been on the city commission, and the hard thing about this is I do not know how that will be replaced.
That has been a profound part of the work that the city has been doing, is your participation Deputy City Manager Moore. Everything you’ve put into it, leading with your heart every day, I really really appreciate it.”
Readers can view a recording of the meeting, starting at the announcement of Moore’s retirement, at this link.
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