Farewell and Thank You to Don Schmidt

While I voted for Karen Goldner in the 2nd district City Council race, that does not mean I don't appreciate all that Don Schmidt has done for the 2nd district and the city during his 36 year term. Being pretty new to the area, all I really knew is his record for the last 6 months or so, watching on CityTV. There is an excellent article in the Journal Gazette featuring his service on council. I particularly found this interesting:

Listing all the things Schmidt helped accomplish over his tenure would take a novel, but he was able to select a few things that brought him pride.

For example, during his first term on the council, then-Gov. Otis Bowen decided to build a regional jail at State Boulevard and Parnell Avenue, next to North Side High School.

Schmidt and a group of residents went to Indianapolis to meet personally with the governor to protest the location. The group was successful and Northside Park now sits where the jail was planned.

Those of you who are familiar with this area will be as appalled as I was to read this. A JAIL???
People say that state politics go nowhere outside of Indianapolis, that Indy is the entire state to those in state politics, and I would have had to agree on that point!
Anyway, thank you very much Mr. Schmidt, and like Mr. Crawford I hope to see you involved in continuing to make the city a better place just in a different capacity.