Council and staff honor outgoing Mayor Laura Vitak and city clerk Nancy Garrison

The Saint Charles City Council used the May 5 meeting to recognize long-serving city clerk Nancy Garrison and to hear farewell remarks from Mayor Laura Vitak as she concluded her term.

City Clerk Nancy Garrison, who served 17 years as city clerk and briefly returned from retirement, was honored by the mayor and council. Garrison told the chamber she had returned from retirement at the mayor’s request and reflected on the responsibilities of the clerk’s role, saying in part that “words can last forever” and urging people to “choose them well.”

Council members also paid tribute to Mayor Vitak’s tenure. Speakers praised projects and initiatives cited as accomplishments during Vitak’s service, including renewed attention to the city’s east side, downtown development progress and completion of First Street Plaza. A council member said the mayor’s leadership helped move long-stalled projects forward and thanked her for “putting the city on a trajectory” for future success.

Mayor Vitak thanked residents, family, city staff and council colleagues and urged future officials to “embrace your differences of opinion” and to make decisions guided by the best interest of residents and businesses. She closed her remarks with a motion to adjourn, which the council approved by roll call.

These items were ceremonial; no legislative or budget actions were adopted as part of the recognitions.