Gandhi once said, “Be truthful, gentle, and fearless.”
I believe his advice is applicable in today’s environment. We cannot let fear dictate how we live our lives, but we should be willing to recognize there are truths in the situation we are facing with the Covid-19 pandemic. I recognize everyone has their own definition of what truth is, and many have not been shy about expressing their opinions on social media. This is where Gandhi’s third piece of advice comes in: being gentle. Although disagreements are inevitable, I encourage each of us to be gentle in how we respond. This will help us on our path of being ONE North Ogden.

Recently, the City Council has had to make some very difficult decisions, particularly pertaining to cancelling Cherry Day’s activities. These decisions were not made lightly and were made based upon information available from health care providers and State Officials. The City’s goal is to do everything we can to provide the opportunity for our citizens to be safe while balancing the economic effects on our local businesses. Additional tough decisions are on the horizon regarding the fiscal 2021 budget due to anticipated decreases in revenue. There doesn’t appear to be an easy answer to overcoming the $750,000 deficit projected in the general fund. It may take some sacrifice by everyone to resolve this issue. Every department head in the city has been asked to review their budgets for additional savings, and they are taking this request very seriously. I plead with our citizens to become involved in the budget process, so we can make sure we have addressed their suggestions. The final budget will be approved at the June 9th city council meeting. We really need your help!

Jim Rohn said, “The challenge of leadership is to
Be strong, but not rude
Be kind, but not weak
Be bold, but not a bully
Be thoughtful, but not lazy
Be humble, but not timid
Be proud, but not arrogant
Have humor, but without folly.”

As your elected officials, we will employ these challenges as we serve you. We will also be truthful with you and fearless in the decisions that lay before us. Of course, we will use gentleness when there are differences of opinions. However, we will continue to focus on keeping North Ogden a great place to live. Thanks for all the kind and considerate things you are doing to help those around you who are in need.
Please be safe as we work through these unprecedented times.
Neal Berube,
Mayor