The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Councilman reflects on serving community
Takacs takes time during final meeting to thank legislators, administrators, department heads, employees
Anyone who has regularly attended Madison Village Council meetings in recent years knows that Councilman Ken Takacs has never been bashful about expressing his opinions.
So perhaps it came as no surprise that Takacs covered a lot of ground during his farewell remarks at the most recent Village Council meeting.
Council’s Dec. 16 meeting marked the conclusion of Takacs’ 12 years of service on the village panel. After winning three consecutive four-year terms, he chose not to run in the Nov. 5 General Election. In January, Takacs’ seat will be filled by Dan Donaldson, who previously served on council. Donaldson and incumbent Councilman Mark Vest faced no opposition for two seats that were up for grabs on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Takacs, as he reminisced about his dozen years of service as a village legislator, recalled that prior to being elected, he had been regularly attending council meetings as an interested citizen.
“So from the approach of 15 years ago when I was in the audience and I was looking at this and going, ‘I need to see if I can make a difference,’ ” he said. “I think everyone here runs with the intent of saying, ‘I think I can make it better.’ And when I leave tonight after my last meeting, I’d like to believe in my own little way that I was able to make it better and leave it better than I have found it.”
Takacs was commended for his service by several leaders at the meeting, including village Administrator Dwayne Bailey.
“I sincerely appreciate (Takacs’) support and working with him over the few years that I did,” Bailey said. “He’s a true professional. It’s one thing to sit back and watch what happens in your community. It’s quite another thing to roll your sleeves up … and be responsible for things that go on in your community.”
Also offering words of praise was Madison Township Trustee Max Anderson Jr.
“Mr. Takacs, I just want to thank you for what an outstanding job you have done for the village, and I want to thank you also for reaching out and working with us in the township and I want to wish you the best of luck,” Anderson said. “It’s been a good 10 years working with you, and I was honored and you helped me out a lot and I appreciate what you have done.”
Takacs described himself as a “fiscally responsible, budget-hawk kind of guy.”
“I like the numbers,” he said.
Coincidentally, he often inquired at council meetings about village expenditures and other items related to the community’s annual budget.
“There’s nothing we do in government that’s free,” Takacs said. “We always have to pay for something. And so, if you follow the trail of where the money is being spent, it pretty much gives you a real world view of what the services are and what the priorities are in the community.”
He expressed gratitude to all of the village administrators, department heads and employees who fulfilled his requests for more detailed information.
“You guys have been great in answering all the questions I have had,” Takacs said. “I know I’ve caused a lot more work for people here just by the questions I’ve asked. So taking that time to do that and showing that diligence really shows the respect that you have for this council and I appreciate that.”
One of the administrators singled out by Takacs for doing exemplary work was village Fiscal Officer Kristie Crockett.
Takacs said that Crockett’s expertise at making the village’s financial picture “very clear to the common person and making that attempt to actually educate (council) has really helped.”
Addressing his four fellow councilmen, Takacs acknowledged that although they sometimes engaged in lively debates, they stuck to the issues and never resorted to personal attacks.
“The reality is we have come to, I think, a relationship position where we can respectfully disagree with each other,” Takacs said. “You gave me the opportunity to express myself pro and con, and still we have this bond and this friendship. And I appreciate that.”