New Lov mayor, council sworn - Reporter-Herald
Thomas Clayton
Pat McFall and 5 new councilors took their oaths Tuesday as 4 departing members reflected on service, lessons and challenges
After a term marked by heated debate, special-prosecutor investigations, lawsuits and the departure of top city officials, the 2023-25 Loveland City Council ended on a surprisingly warm note Tuesday as four members said their goodbyes.
“Even though we disagree, you and I have always been able to do that in a very calm fashion, and I think that’s amazing,” new Mayor Pat McFall said to his predecessor, Jacki Marsh, who did not seek reelection this year after four terms as mayor. “You’ve shown how to hold up under fire, and you’ve done it extremely well. I appreciate that, and the city of Loveland appreciates that.”
The remarks followed the official swearing in of McFall and five new ward representatives — Geoff Frahm (Ward 1), Sarah Rothberg (Ward 2), Caitlin Wyrick (Ward 3), Kalina Middleton (Ward 3) and Zeke Cortez (Ward 4) — who were joined by friends and family as Municipal Judge Jennifer Edgley administered their oaths.
Departing Tuesday along with Marsh were Ward 2 representative Dana Foley and Ward 4 representative Jon Mallo, who both lost their reelection bids, as well as Ward 3 representative Steve Olson, who also stepped away after eight and a half years of service.
McFall went on to offer personalized goodbyes to each departing member, joking that Foley “probably has more bruises on his shins from me kicking him under the dais,” and praising Olson for being a steadying force during tense debates.
The four ending their council service took turns remembering their former colleagues or reflecting on their accomplishments. Marsh also took the time to thank staff in the clerk’s office for their support of the City Council behind the scenes.
“They have the job of getting us ready every week for these meetings, putting together — I think the biggest packet I had was about 1,900 pages — and they assemble it all,” the former mayor said. “Isn’t it amazing? It’s week in and week out that they do this.”
The departing members also had advice for their successors, along with some words of warning.
“Sitting up here is not easy,” said Foley, drawing laughter from the crowd. “I describe it as tough as woodpecker lips.”
On a more serious note, Olson read a passage from Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena,” urging the new council to focus on service rather than criticism.
“You can’t please everybody all the time. It just doesn’t work,” he said.
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Along those same lines, Marsh urged the newcomers to remember that they are public servants first and have a duty to remember all of their constituents, even those that didn’t vote for them.
“You are not better than the people that you represent. You are not above them. You work for them,” she said. “…So stand your ground, honor the people that voted for you, and honor the people that can vote for you and earn their trust.”
The departing members were then honored for their service with plaques. Afterward, Marsh called for a brief recess and stepped down from the dais for the final time.
 | Tom Clayton Communication and Media Specialist, Public Affairs |
| Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St, Fort Collins, 80522 | 2nd Floor W: (970) 498-7005 tcla...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org |