Councilmember Roscoe to retire

ROSCOE

Fife City Council-member Kim Roscoe will be retiring from her position after eight years of service to the city. Roscoe’s term will end Dec. 31, when councilmember-elect Donald Alveshere will take over Position 7.

To honor Roscoe, fellow council members presented her with a plaque at their Dec. 8 meeting.

“I will miss Kim’s level head and discerning voice on the council, as we all will,” Mayor Barry Johnson said as he recalled memories about Roscoe at the meeting.

“I hope she remains true to her often-stated thought about growing old in her house in Fife.”

Roscoe says she has decided to take a break from local politics to spend more time with her husband and their three sons.

“I just need more at-home time,” Roscoe said. “I’m also weary of being a public servant. Because I take the job so seriously, it can be really stressful.”

As Roscoe reflects on time spent as a public servant, she has learned many lessons from her community and colleagues.

“I will be taking away a definite understanding of local politics,” Roscoe said. “I wish I had been able to wrap my mind around national politics more, but on a local level I feel well informed and knowledgeable.”

As for her fellow remaining council members, Roscoe says she was proud to have had the opportunity to serve alongside them. She also says that she will not take credit for any specific accomplishment made by the entire council.

“I don’t feel responsible for any one thing that was accomplished,” Roscoe said. “After eight years of successfully working with this group of seven people, we were definitely divided on issues sometimes, but we knew it was never personal. We could be completely split on one topic but we could always move on and move forward.”

Although she has no plans to make a bid for a state or national political seat anytime soon, Roscoe wants the public to know that she is not fully closing the door on politics in Fife and that she might decide to serve again someday.

In the future, Roscoe plans to continue volunteering throughout the city and will focus on working with seven young community members – a Cub Scout den of 6-year-olds.

“If it becomes necessary, I think I would enter the 9-to-5 workforce, but for now I don’t think I’m done. I just need a break. I want to say thanks to the city staff, council and Fife citizens for allowing me to serve you.”

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