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Farmington honors long-serving mechanic Ron Lay and bids farewell to City Administrator Lynn Gorski
Summary
The Farmington City Council recognized Ron Lay for 24 years in the city's fleet shop and heard departing City Administrator Lynn Gorski thank council and staff for four years of service.
Farmington City Council members recognized two long-serving employees on Monday night: fleet mechanic Ron Lay, who retires July 3 after 24 years with the city, and City Administrator Lynn Gorski, who announced she will leave after four years in the role.
The council’s public remarks and staff presentations highlighted the local operational impact of both employees and the institutional changes accompanying Gorski’s tenure.
Public Works Superintendent Eric Witmer noted Ron Lay’s long service in Fleet, saying Ron “has served the city for 24 years as the mechanic and then lead mechanic” and that “there's not a single piece, vehicle that he has not maintained.” Witmer added that Lay “upfitted every police cruiser in service” since 2002 and received the Chief’s Award of Merit in October 2024. The council and staff wished Lay “a happy and long retirement.”
City Administrator Lynn Gorski addressed the council and community in a prepared statement, calling her work in Farmington “one of the greatest honors of my professional life” and thanking council and staff for their support. Multiple council members and department heads praised Gorski’s leadership, citing staff development, operational changes to the city’s development-review process, and culture-building across departments. One council member noted Gorski’s role in selecting a new senior leadership team within 15 months of her appointment and said that she had “started a culture transformation within the city.”
Council members also used the occasion to briefly summarize Gorski’s achievements: the development-review initiative that sought to identify bottlenecks for residential and commercial development; staff reorganization and recruitment; and expanded community partnerships with local organizations. Several speakers emphasized that Gorski’s work combined technical initiatives with attention to personnel and organizational culture.
City staff confirmed succession and operational continuity: the council approved the internal promotion of Damon to lead mechanic effective July 4 to succeed Lay in a supervisory role; and staff discussed the city’s ongoing process for filling other administrative and operations positions.
The ceremony concluded with council members, department heads and community representatives offering thanks and best wishes to Lay and Gorski. Council members said the city will continue pending projects and maintain the staffing and development changes begun during Gorski’s administration.
Looking ahead, the council did not take formal policy action on staffing related to these recognitions; the remarks and personnel acknowledgments were ceremonial and informational only.
