Mayor Norma Becker recaps years of service

Former Colfax Mayor Norma Becker, and City Clerk Connie Ellis share the rostrum near the end of last Thursday’s farewell appreciation banquet for the mayor’s 20 years in office.

Highlights and lowlights of the 20 years Norma Becker served as mayor of Colfax were recalled in limerick form last Thursday night in a farewell banquet at the library. The 1996 flood, fire station fire, the McDonald annexation, Mill Street lights and horse dropping episodes were among the topics.

Former city manager Emily Adams noted during her years of service she and Becker often found themselves in a “good cop-bad cop” mode with Becker taking the bad cop assignment. That was the introduction to a parody rendition by city staffers for a “The Wicked Witch” sing-along.

Becker was presented with a glass gavel and an engraved appreciation plaque. In her brief talk she credited city staffers and congratulated them on the program and banquet.

“It was better than I thought it was going to be,” she joked.

She also reported she turned over her keys to city hall to her successor, Todd Vanek, before departing. Becker noted when she began her first term in office 20 years ago she had to wait weeks before city staffers could come up with a key to get her into the building.

Program format followed a standard city council agenda with Mayor Vanek calling the session to order. Roll call included an introduction of Becker family members who were present at the head table.