It’s that time of year when we give thanks to our friends, family, and those that have served us in some way. The holiday season and the coming of the new year has a way of making us appreciate all that we have and assisting others that may have not. Our small, close-knit community has an uncanny way of coming together in the service of others.

Mike Curry is someone that has served us for 25 years and the time has come for us to be thankful for what he has done for this community.

Mike Curry is a bonafide Clinton Countian. Born and raised on Mt. Pleasant Road, Mike cut his teeth plowing fields working the family farm. He garnered the respect of his peers by raising an amazing family and being someone that others could rely on.

That respect allowed him to spend the first nine years of his political career serving Liberty Township as their trustee. Plowing snow, maintaining the roads, and balancing the budget, Mike never shied away from a difficult task.

From there he took his experience and moved to the county commissioners’ office, where he has served 16 years. Building the bypass, navigating through the sale of the hospital, and renovating our historical courthouse so that generations to come can enjoy it are just a few of the highlights. There are countless other duties that would take this entire paper to describe, but rather than talk about what he has done, let us talk about how he has done it.

Mike has had a “serve others first” attitude, a willingness to listen, and an uncanny ability to bring others to the table to make a decision — whether they were kicking or screaming or willing partners — those are a few of the qualities Mike embodies.

I can attest to that fact because I have had the pleasure of sitting next to him for the last four years. There were many times when we have been on different sides of an issue, yet we found common ground and were able to move forward.

As of January 2, 2017 Mike will start a new chapter as a community member. Mike has retired from the commissioners’ office and will be focusing 100 percent of his time on the two things most important to him — his farm and his family.

As many of you know, retiring doesn’t mean sitting on the porch rocking the time away. His points of view will still matter, his work will still produce evidence of his thoughtfulness to those around him, and his influence will still be present for years to come.

Congratulations and thank you.

Kerry Steed is a Clinton County Commissioner.