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A MAN from Cam has been ordered to pay almost £1,077 for failing to clean up after his dog.
Ben Richards, of Brunel Road, was prosecuted after neighbourhood wardens observed an unsupervised dog owned by the defendant fouling.
The wardens had conducted the patrol in the Brunel Road area following a complaint concerning a dog regularly fouling in the area.
After receiving a tip off from a member of the public, Stroud District Council's dog wardens Alex Myrie and Josie Oak patrolled the area on 14 March where they witnessed an unaccompanied fawn-coloured lurcher foul the green.
The officers followed the dog to the home of Ben Richards of Brunel Road, Cam, where they advised him what they had seen.
Mr Richards responded by saying that he was not prepared to accompany his dog and clean up any fouling immediately, adding that they would "just have to keep fining him."
When asked why he didn't let his dog use his own back garden, Mr Richards said that it was muddy and he didn't want that mud being tracked back through his house.
The officers noted that Mr Richards had previously been issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for the same offence and concluded that as that warning had clearly not been heeded, it would be appropriate to prosecute on this occasion.
On 29th July 2019, Stroud District Council successfully prosecuted Mr Richards on 29 July 2019 for failing to pick up dog faeces from land subject to a Public Spaces Protection Order.
Mr Richards did not attend the hearing at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court and was found guilty in his absence.
He was fined £440 for the offence and ordered to pay £593 costs and a victim surcharge of £44, a total penalty of £1,077.
The Court found that the previous Fixed Penalty Notice for the same offence and Mr Richards' non-attendance and lack of co-operation had been factors in determining the appropriate sentence.
Stroud District Council has a Public Spaces Protection Order in place covering all areas of the district that are open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access, requiring that when their dog defecates then the faeces must be removed forthwith.
The Chair of Stroud District Council's Environment Committee, Cllr Simon Pickering said: "Every councillor gets complaints about dog muck. Not only is it horrible to step in but it presents a significant health risk, particularly to children. Our dog wardens are real heroes in helping to keep our streets and play areas clean.
"This latest prosecution should send a very clear message that the council will continue to pursue irresponsible dog owners who fail to clean up after their dogs."
Dave Jackson, the Council's Environmental Protection Manager, added: "If you own or look after a dog, you take on full responsibility for cleaning up after it so that other people in the community should not have to put up with the mess.
"If the council has sufficient evidence then appropriate action will be taken against those that fail to clear up. The potential financial consequences should be clear from the results of this prosecution.
"Some remarkably public-spirited and dedicated people actually go out and pick up the mess that has not been cleared by irresponsible dog owners but they should not have to do this. We also hear of dog owners picking up their dog's faeces in a bag and then leaving that bag hanging on bushes or discarded over the hedge. This is equally unacceptable, constitutes littering and could be harmful to livestock.
"While officers do undertake patrols in reported hotspots, including outside normal working hours, we would encourage members of the public to inform us of fouling issues. Indeed, if they are prepared to provide witness statements of unlawful incidents then we will consider enforcement action using that evidence alone."


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Northland Inc is the agency tasked with supporting businesses in Tai Tokerau Northland, and driving, developing or being involved with projects and initiatives that help to grow Northland's economy. We are a council-controlled organisation that incorporates both the Regional Economic Development Agency and the Regional Tourism Organisation. While we work across a diverse range of work programmes, we are all passionate about Northland as a place to visit, live, study, and do business in. If you would like to be part of a hard-working team that has the interests of this region at the heart of everything we do, we invite you to apply for any of the following vacancies.
Current vacancies
Expressions of Interest - Northland Farmers
The Extension 350 (E350) team is currently seeking Northland dairy farmers to be part of our final clusters – at target, mentor and associate level.
Farmers involved have the opportunity to gain access to specialist support, mentoring and advice as well as being provided with a forum for knowledge and information sharing.
These final clusters are located in the Dargaville/West coast, Bay of Islands and the southern Northland (Brynderwyns to Auckland) regions.
Opportunity still remains for a limited number of associate farmers across some of our earlier dairy and sheep and beef clusters.
E350 is a Northland initiative based on farmer to farmer learning aimed at lifting farm profitability, environmental sustainability and farmer wellbeing. The project commenced in 2017 and these final dairy clusters will be engaged for 3.5 years. The farmer-focused initiative aims to assist you in achieving your goals and objectives and having open and honest conversations with your farming peers.
If you'd like to discuss this opportunity further or register your interest, please contact the E350 team:
Luke Beehre - Project Lead
027 544 7839
Liz Campbell - Project Manager
021 367 549
Chris Neill - E350 y NZ Rep
027 249 1186
The project is a multi-entity enterprise with the Ministry for Primary Industries, Northland Regional Council, DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ, Northland Inc and target farmers all contributing towards resourcing.

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Group Booking Terms and Conditions
Because you are making a Group Booking, there are additional Terms and Conditions that apply. Please read them and click 'I Accept' below to continue with your booking
General Group Booking Terms
By making a group reservation through Hostelworld.com you agree to the following terms and conditions as set by Hostelworld.com and as set by the hostel in question.
- In order to make a group reservation on Hostelworld.com it is necessary to pay a deposit. The balance is due directly to the hostel according to their payment conditions.
- The booking deposit is non-refundable.
- Please note that any cancellations must be notified directly to the hostel at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled arrival date, unless otherwise stated in the hostel's conditions.
- Hostelworld.com are not responsible for changes or amendments to your reservation once it has been processed. All correspondence with regard to changes to your booking need to be dealt with directly with the hostel.
- Cancellations for reservations must be made directly with the hostel and must conform with the individual hostels cancellation policy (see below)
- It is your responsibility to pay the balance of your accommodation cost to the hostel in accordance with their payment conditions (see below). Failure to do so may result in your reservation being cancelled by the hostel.
- Individual hostels may have special booking conditions relating to group stays, please read the hostel booking conditions carefully before making your reservation.
Hostel Specific Terms & Conditions
The remainder of the amount due will be charged to your credit card ???? Should numbers or room selection change, the per person deposit times the number of people who actually travelled will be deducted from the total accommodation charge levvied by the hostel.
The following group types are not accepted by this hostel: Holiday with Friends, Junior / Primary School, High / Secondary School, College / University, Business Trip, Stag/Hen/Bachelor Party, Sports Group, Cultural Group If you have misrepresented the type of group you are booking for, your booking may be cancelled by the hostel."
Any cancellations resulting from agreement to these terms and conditions under false pretences will result in loss of deposit.
Você deve aceitar os termos e condições para que possamos confirmar sua reserva.
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pequeno-almoço grátis
Met A Space Pod @ Chinatown
Descrição do alojamento
Our uniquely designed capsule pods are equipped with air-ventilation systems, a personal flat screen TV, international power socket, mirror and USB charging ports. Each guest will have their own locker. Towels and shower essentials are provided. Our Space Pods provides you with more security than a conventional bunk bed would with sliding doors that is key card accessible and features two different style of entryway- front or side entry.
Met A Space Pod @ Chinatown welcome you in Singapore.
***Property Policies & Conditions:
1. Please note that the reception counter only operates from 10:00hrs to 22:00hrs. Kindly inform the property via email if you are arriving outside of operation hours for late check-in arrangements.
2. Check in Time: from 15:00hrs
3. Check out Time: till 12:00 noon.
5. Both cash and credit card payments are accepted in hostel.
6. Full payment for the balance due will be charged to credit card anytime after booking.
7. Failure to process full balance due from payment method provided might result in cancellation of reservation
8. The following government taxes are excluded in the prices: 10% Service Charge and 7% Government Tax.
9. All security deposits paid are non-refundable.
10. Any cancellation or amendment must be made no later than 12pm local time (SGT), 7 days prior to confirmed booking(s). Failure to provide sufficient notice will incur full cost of reservation.
11. For group-bookings of 6 beds and above, 50% of balance due to property will be charged upon confirmation of reservation.
12. No smoking is allowed in the property.
13. Age Restriction: 18+. Ver as Regras da Casa
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The next inductee has served as president of the three statewide associations for municipal finance professionals. In addition, he has been president of a national association and recognized with major honors from two national associations. But for many Oklahoma municipal Clerks and Treasurers, he is known simply as "my mentor."
In 2002, A. G. "Tony" Davenport became the first Oklahoma municipal official to earn the "Master Municipal Clerk" designation, the highest offered by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. This stellar achievement is only one of the many ways in which he has applied himself, his skills and talents in the past 26 years to advance the professionalism and opportunities for excellence in local government services.
His municipal service began on February 1, 1977 as City Clerk/Treasurer and Finance Director for the City of Coalgate, and continued until October 1982 when he took the same position at the City of Weatherford. He continues in that position today. In addition, he is the municipal government appointee to the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System and has served for over ten years as Chair of the Clerks/Treasurers Certification Committee for Oklahoma State University.
He has been recognized widely for his contributions to local government operations with the "Quill Award" in 1991 from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks; and in 1998, the "Dr. Jackson R. E. Phillips Award", the highest honor given by the Municipal Treasurers Association of the United States and Canada. Tony is the only Oklahoman to serve as President of this association, a post to which he was elected in 1992. His expertise continues to be tapped by MTA as a National Reviewer for the association's Investment Policy Certification Commission. He also earned the Certified Municipal Finance Administrator designation from the treasurers' association.
Two of the most significant impacts he has made directly affecting Oklahoma local government include revision of state finance and budget laws and development of a new training manual for clerks and treasurers. These were accomplished through his work on the OML Municipal Budget and Finance Committee that resulted in major legislative enactments in 1991 and 2002; and in chairing and coordinating preparation of a new Oklahoma Clerk/Treasurer Training Manual.
"Mentor", "innovator", "leader", "scholar" and "all around great guy" are terms often used in reference to this inductee.
Albert (Buddy) Veltema retired in 2002 as City Manager of the City of Walters after 27 years of services as manager or Treasurer. During that time he also served in 1981as the first chairman of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority, where he continues to serve today as Vice Chair. The OMPA headquarters building in Edmond is named in his honor. In addition, he was instrumental in formation of the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma, including serving as Board President. He has also beenn a board member for the American Public Power Association and President of the Southwestern Power Resources Association. In retirement he continues to serve Walters as an advisor on electric system issues.
He was named "Citizen Emeritus" in 2002 by the Walters Chamber of Commerce and has been cited for his municipal service with the Larry Hobart Seven Hats Award from the APPA, the Ray Duffy Personal Service Award from MESO, a citation of appreciation from the Oklahoma State Senate and with a proclamation from SPRA recognizing him as a state, regional and national leader the public power movement.
Tony Rivera retired at the end of July after a 46 year career with municipal governments in Oklahoma, Texas and Alabama. He began his municipal government career in 1971 as city electrician for the City of Okmulgee, advancing through several positions until appointed as City-Clerk-Treasurer in 1978. He later served as an Assistant City Manager in Greenville, TX and Del City, OK; as well as City Manager in Seminole, Ada and El Reno, OK and in Gulf Shores, AL. He also served for 19 months as an Administrative Consultant for both the City of Alabaster and Tallapoosa County in Alabama.
Multi-talented only begins to describe Anthony Francisco. This City of Norman official has distinguished himself as a performer as well as a local government treasury officer. He has traveled extensively on behalf of the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada, serving as a critical link to the success of the organization's educational programs. Many in the state acknowledge him as THE driving force that in 2010 brought to Oklahoma City the Public Treasurers national conference. Anthony also serves on boards for the Norman Arts Council and Norman Music Alliance - as well as the Oklahoma City Ambassadors Concert Choir - and in Oklahoma City for the Northeast Academy of Health Science and Engineering Enterprise.
As an employee of the city of Shawnee for 51 years, Bertha Ann Young achieved an unprecedented career of integrity, leadership, professional development and support for the appointed and elected officials and staff involved in municipal government. She began employment with the city as a cashier in the water department on August 1948 and retired as the City Treasurer/Finance Director in August 1999. During that time she earned virtually all professional certifications available for clerks and treasurers, as well as served as a president of the Oklahoma Municipal Treasurers Association, the Governmental Finance Officers Association of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Municipal Clerks, Treasurers & Finance Officials.
She was elected as a Trustee to the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund in 1978. She is credited with leading numerous efforts at OMRF for plan enhancements, especially those involving survivor benefits.
Through the Oklahoma Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Institutes she became a champion for professional development and a mentor to hundreds of officials across the state. Although officially retired, she continued to serve as Vice Chair of the Shawnee Urban Renewal Authority and as Treasurer of the Shawnee Sister Cities Council.
Carl Reherman will be the first person inducted to have served as mayor of two communities. He was mayor of Edmond from 1978 until 1989 and in 2005 was elected mayor in his hometown of Chandler. He now resides in Edmond where a park at Arcadia Lake bears his name. Reherman was appointed in 1975 to the Edmond Planning Commission in 1976 elected as a councilmember.
While mayor of Edmond he served as Chair of the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments from 1982 to 1988, and on the board of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority from 1981 to 1989. He retired in 1997 from the University of Oklahoma as a professor of political science and Director of the Nigh Institute of State Government.
Charles Lamb was elected to the Edmond City Council in 1993 and has served as Mayor Pro Tem since 2001. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority in 1993 and has served as Assistant Treasurer, Secretary and since October 2001 as Chair of the Board. At OMPA he is credited with instituting numerous board governance improvements and being the person who conceived of the "Competitive Utility Program" which encourages members to undertake an extensive self evaluation to assess their operations as an efficient and effective utility in their community.
He earned a master's degree in Urban Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma and has been recognized by the university as a Distinguished Former Student Honoree for Community Service. Prior to being elected to the Edmond council he served for six years on the city's Board of Adjustment and Appeals, Industrial Development Authority or Planning Commission.
Honors for his public service have included being the first elected official to receive the Ray Duffy Personal Service Award from the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma, Edmond's 1999 Citizen of the Year, the Edmond Historical Society Preservation Award for Community Service and the Arts Alive Award for Continuous Service to the Arts.
It's been stated that Craig Stephenson is thoughtful, fair-minded and his character above reproach. He strives to make a meaningful contribution with every task he undertakes.
Her career began in 1979 after graduation from Oklahoma State University when she was hired as a clerk in the trust department at what was then known as Liberty National Bank and Trust. Bank officers had helped officials from OML and several cities to establish the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund. Her community spirit, can-do-attitude and compassion helped her advance quickly through promotions at the bank. Then in August 2001 she was selected by OMRF Trustees as their first CEO/Executive Director. OMRF now has 10 employees and manages assets exceeding 650 million dollars for 13,000 city, town or public trust employees. She has announced her December 31 retirement as CEO/Executive Director of the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund, with whom she has been affiliated for over 34 years, since June 1, 1979.
Dan Galloway has served as the City Manager of five (5) Oklahoma cities over his more than 30-year career in municipal government. He is a recipient of the Gerald Wilkins award and in 2013 received a governor's appointment to the OK Water 2060 Advisory Council. And it's very possible that you've attended one or more of the sessions he's presented at the Oklahoma Municipal League Conferences.
It is said that David Weatherford is the most unique municipal attorney in the state of this generation. His service and influence spans state-wide and is changing communities not only for today but also for the next generation of municipal leaders. He is truly committed to his profession as city attorney for the betterment of communities across Oklahoma.
Mr. Morgan, following service in the United States Army, took his first municipal position as Acting City Manager of Norman, Oklahoma and held that position until 1957. From there he served in several capacities for the cities of Oklahoma City and Yukon.
In addition to his municipal contributions, Mr. Morgan has occupied a variety of positions at the University of Oklahoma, including professor of Political Science, director of the Bureau of Government Research, Graduate Advisor and Henry Bellmon Chair of Public Service. His areas of expertise are urban management and politics, state politics and intergovernmental relations. He served as director for a number of projects for the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, including Oklahoma Drivers Survey, Survey of Attitudes Toward DUI and Occupant Protection, and Impact Evaluation of Occupant Protection Program. His reviews of numerous articles and books dealing with local government were published in national magazines.
He is recipient of the Donald C. Stone Award for Outstanding Academic and Research Contributions, is on the Board of Editors for both the American Journal of Political Science and Social Science Quarterly. Mr. Morgan is also the past Chair of the editorial policy board for Social Science Quarterly.
Other public services provided by Mr. Morgan include being a member of Norman Utilities Commission, Plan Forum Committee for Norman 2000, and Norman City Finance Advisory Committee. He also served as the chairman for the Norman City Planning Commission.
Mr. Morgan is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the University of Oklahoma.
As City Manager of Woodward for the past 13 years, he was recognized in 2004 by the Intermational City-County Management Association (ICMA) as a Credentialed City Manager; and then in 2008 he graduated from the ICMA Gettsburg Leadership Institute. He began his municipal career as a firefighter in Anadarko, where he later served as City Manager for seven years.
When Don Rider arrived in Oklahoma in 1972 from New Mexico where he had been the municipal league director for 12 years, he was challenged by the Board of Directors of the municipal league to strengthen the organization so it could more effectively serve the interests of municipal government. During the next 16 years, prior to his sudden death at age 59 on April 16, 1988, the Oklahoma Municipal League and cities and towns achieved more progress than perhaps in the history of Oklahoma to that point. His legacy is memorialized in the Don Rider Board Room built during his term at the OML Headquarters near the state capitol.
A native of Hanover, Pennsylvania, Mr. Rider began his more than 36-year municipal career on the staff of the Michigan Municipal League in 1952. His service also included the Colorado Municipal League and being City Manager of Rangely, Colorado before becoming the Executive Director of the New Mexico league. He also served two terms on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities and was active in forming the NLC State League Planning Group.
During his tenure as OML Executive, the staff grew from two full-time and two part-time to twelve full-time and one part-time employees. Membership grew from under 300 to 385 cities and towns. Under his stewardship numerous pieces of legislation advantageous to municipalities and their citizens were passed, and many deemed harmful were defeated. The most significant legislative achievement during his term was the 1977 Oklahoma Municipal Code, a complete modernization and recodification of statutes related to cities and towns. Besides his masterful orchestration of legislation, Rider also implemented new initiatives such as the Labor Service Program, municipal credit union, legal services program, a municipal risk and employee benefits pool and training programs to bring additional resources and skills to aid elected and appointed officials to conduct the local government of their respective communities.
Don Bown retired as City Manager of Oklahoma City in 1998 after having achieved the longest tenure of any person in that office. He became City Manager in 1991 after having served the prior 14 years as either the General Services or Finance Director. He previously served as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Crime Commission and as City Manager of Bartlesville and Seminole. He began his career as an assistant city manager in Springfield, Missouri. He has served as President of four statewide municipal associations - the Oklahoma Municipal League, the City Management Association of Oklahoma, the Clerks, Treasurers and Finance Officers of Oklahoma and the Government Finance Officers Association of Oklahoma. He received the Gerald Wilkins Award from CMAO.
In addition, Mr. Bown was a member of the Oklahoma County Home Finance Authority and the state firefighter's pension board, a vice president of the International City/County Management Association, and member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regional Councils. After retirement, he also served as a consultant to the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments and as Chairman of the Oklahoma City Airport Trust.
Born on a farm in Randolph County, Arkansas in 1904, Charles Spencer came to Oklahoma in 1916 and then moved in 1925 to his beloved City of Ada as an elementary school principal. Three years later he earned his BachelorÕs degree from East Central State College, a MasterÕs degree one year later from the University of Oklahoma, and then his doctorate 10 years later from the University of Wisconsin. He joined the East Central faculty in 1929, and became President of the school in 1949, until he retired in 1969.
Dr. Spencer was Chairman of the Board of Freeholders that drafted the Ada City Charter in 1946 and was elected the first Mayor under the new form of government. In 1947, he was elected President of the Oklahoma Municipal League. He was elected Mayor of Ada again in 1948 and was appointed by the Governor to the Oklahoma Constitutional Revision Committee. Other municipal officials called upon him to use his educational and practical experience to write city charters throughout the United States.
In 1949, he was asked to draft House Bill 209 that created in Oklahoma State Statutes the Council-Manager form of government. Later, in 1957, he was also called upon to draft legislation that is now codified as the Statutory Strong Mayor-Council form of city government in Oklahoma. He was the first Chairman of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority in 1953 and served on the OETA Board until 1973. The OETA Board Room is named in his honor.
For more than forty years Drake Rice has consistently demonstrated a servant's heart in local government management in three (3) Oklahoma communities and as Director of Member Services of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA). Drake has been a mentor to more than two generations of elected and appointed city officials. It does not matter if these officials represented a community which owned its own municipal electric distribution utility or not, Drake has been a steady, calm, knowledgeable, creative source of encouragement and insight on a multitude of issues for a host of municipal officials across Oklahoma. At the same time Drake is a strong proponent of local control who provided outstanding insight without seeking to impose his ideas or will on any community.
Edward Leonard Smith of Seminole has served in seven Oklahoma municipal police departments, and as Chief of Police in six of them, during the past 35 years. The Shawnee native began his career with the Oklahoma City Police department in 1973 and served there until in 1982 when he was named Chief of Police in Nichols Hills. He has also served a police chief in Chickasha, Bethany, Owasso, Blackwell, Clinton and as interim chief in Piedmont before moving to Seminole in 2007. While at Bethany and Blackwell they became the first and second Oklahoma police departments to achieve accreditation from the national Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc (CALEA).
Widely recognized for his leadership in professional development for law enforcement, Smith, he was a member of the 2006-07 class for Leadership Oklahoma and has served as a gubernatorial appointee to the board of directors for the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs and the board of commissioners of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. In 2007 he was inducted into the Seminole State College Alumni Hall of Fame.
Elaine Carr was first asked to run for West Siloam Springs town council in 1998 so after much thought, she filed for the Ward 4 position and won. She's served on the town council for 19 years and was appointed mayor in 2003, a position she continues to hold. Elaine has been the longest mayor to ever server West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, where she strives daily to make a great place to live. She loves what she does to help bring jobs and economic development to the community. She has a passion to help the residents and businesses have all the resources they need to be successful. She has never taken the mayor position for granted and regularly attends workshops to become knowledgeable on how to be a better mayor.
Ernest Dirks was born in Greenwood, Kansas and reared in Goltry, Oklahoma. While attending Oklahoma A & M, he was drafted by the Army and sent to Germany, where he received a unit citation prior to being wounded.
After his military service, Mr. Dirks graduated from Blackwood-Davis Business College, and then moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma in 1951 where he held positions of Bookkeeper, Accountant and Office Manager for various businesses until 1965. Mr. Dirks then held the position of City Clerk and Finance Director for the City of Ardmore for 10 years.
His next assignment was as State Training Director for the Oklahoma Commission for Training Municipal Clerks and Treasurers, a position he held until retirement in 1994. Under Mr. Dirks' leadership, training materials were created for municipal clerks and treasurers and over 50 cities and towns. As a result, over 1000 municipal clerks, treasurers and deputies were trained annually in ever-changing legal, administrative, accounting and budgetary requirements.
The need for additional advanced educational programs arose during his tenure, and Mr. Dirks responded by overseeing the development of a program to offer international certification to clerks and treasurers.
In retirement, Mr. Dirks remains active in developing, marketing and maintaining computer software for small municipalities while also dabbling in oil painting as a hobby.
Tragedy, it is said, brings out the best or worst in people. And our final inductee showed the world that in Oklahoma, tragedy brings out the finest and best in the dedicated municipal employees who labor in our 580 plus communities every day. "The Oklahoma Standard" was emblazoned in the world's psyche in the moments, hours, days and weeks following 9:02 AM on April 19, 1995. And the epitome of this Standard is a very humble and quiet man who sought only to serve his community as best he could.
Gary Marrs followed in the steps, or should I say gear, of his grandfather who in 1921 became an Oklahoma City Firefighter, followed by Gary's dad in 1947. He hadn't really decided on a career when he first went to OSU, and then spent four years in the Air Force, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. But after his military service and at his grandfather's urging, he became a rookie firefighter in 1972, rising 20 years later to the post of Interim and then later permanent Fire Chief.
To help prepare for the opportunity to advance in the department, Gary earned degrees in Fire Protection Technology and Municipal Fire Protection from Oklahoma State University and graduated from the Executive Fire Officer program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
During his tenure as Fire Chief, he was widely respected as an innovative and visionary leader who knew that fire departments must prepare for whatever might come their way. He was instrumental in the formation of the Special Operations and Emergency Medical Services work sections in the Oklahoma City Department. During his watch, firefighters also helped to increase citizen awareness of fire dangers and prevention methods. These initiatives have become models for many other departments that share the Department's vision statement - "To Provide Excellence through a Unified Fire Department that is Consistent, Accountable, Loyal and Safe." While no longer in the fire service, Gary continues to be a part of the City in his new role as Assistant to the Mayor.
Responding to the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was instinctive. Serving as Incident Commander required courage, ingenuity and self-assurance. Gary's personal commitment to the safety of all emergency workers and victims is his legacy. As people around the world watched him, they recognized that a new standard was being set in Oklahoma for all those responsible for terrorism and disaster emergency response and rescue. Gary Marrs, and the thousands of other municipal and private sector employees who worked under his command, demonstrated to the world that in Oklahoma, the worst brings out the best in people.
Gary Dale Martin retired earlier this year after a 36-year career with the City of Ponca City. He joined the city in 1973 as Park Superintendent, and then served as Public Works Director from 1977 until 1993 when he was named City Manager. During this time, he served as President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Public Works Association in 1991 and in 2002 as President of the City Management Association of Oklahoma. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1973 from Oklahoma State University.
Martin also served on the Governor's Infrastructure Advisory Task Force in 1986, the state Department of Environmental Quality, Air Control Council from 2001 to 2007 and on the board of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority from 2005 until 2008. He is a recipient of the Solid Waste Association of North America Professional Achievement Award for 1994 and the 2000Don Rider Award from the Oklahoma Municipal League. The Ponca City Chamber of Commerce in 2007 created the "Gary Martin Outstanding City Employee Award" to honor annually a deserving city employee in that community.
Gary Pruett recently retired from the Municipal Utility Board in Pryor after serving his community in various utility capacities for more than 46 years. Gary is a true advocate for public service and over the years has worked diligently to protect the public interests of all communities across the state through his work with the Grand River Dam Authority, the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Gas Association.
In addition to his extensive involvement and leadership roles in Oklahoma local government, Sand Springs Mayor, Mike Burdge, has served as a volunteer high school cross-country running coach and as a board member for local Veterans International Outreach and Freedom Ministries organizations. In addition to the organizations listed in the brochure, Mayor Burdge also serves on the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Transportation Policy Committee.
Gene Brown is a native of Winnsboro, Louisiana who first came to Oklahoma as a soldier and later moved to Duncan with Sun Oil Company. There he met and married his wife, Mary. After 18 years Sun Oil closed the Duncan refinery and the Brown's were faced with the decision of whether to stay with the company and move to Los Angeles, California, or to remain in Duncan, where Gene had recently been elected to the City Council. They chose Duncan as the place to raise their two children, and he served on the council for 22 of the past 28 years.
Twice losing reelection bids, he bounced back each time to reclaim his seat after a term on the sidelines. In February of 2006 he was elected Mayor of Duncan, garnering 54% of the vote in a four-candidate primary.
During his municipal career Brown served as an original board member for the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority and the Stephens County Youth Services; as well as serving with Leadership Duncan, Crime Stoppers of Duncan, Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma and the Stephens County Historical Association. In addition, he has been active with the local Boy Scouts, serving as Leadership Committee Chairman, and as a founder and board member for the Douglass Community Center and Elm Terrace Apartment. The Stephens County Bar Association presented him their Liberty Bell Award which recognizes individuals for their quest to insure smooth working relationships within the criminal justice system.
George Fina's municipal career began in 1962 with the Oklahoma City Fire Department and lasted for twenty-two years during which he earned the rank of Captain.
George was also a racing professional. In 1969 he won the NHRA World Championship for dragster racing and was recognized as one of Oklahoma's Sportsman of the Month in 1969.
George Wilkinson is one of the few people who serve first as an elected official before becoming an appointed official in their community. He served for five years as a City Commissioner and Vice Mayor for Weatherford before becoming the City Administrator in 1968, a position he held for 30 years until his retirement in 1998. The meeting room at the Weatherford City Hall is named in his honor. He served on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund since 1982 and was the board chairman in 2004.
Mr. Wilkinson has served on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Municipal League, the Southwestern Oklahoma Development Authority, the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce, including three terms as President, and the Weatherford Lions Club. He is a recipient of the Don Rider Award from the OML and was inducted in the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame and the Cushing High School Alumni Hall of Fame. He also served as a member of the Advisory Board for the OSU Center for Local Government Technology and on the Water and Sewer Certification Board for the state Department of Health.
Gerald passed away in 1988, long before this hall of fame was organized. He is the 6th person to be inducted posthumously. The following is an example of how Gerald Wilkins' induction in the Hall of Fame epitomizes the values, principles and integrity that this honor embodies and why the Gerald Wilkins Award, the sole professional achievement award presented by the City Management Association of Oklahoma, is so significant in Oklahoma city management.
Glendene (Smith) Goucher was born in Rocky, Oklahoma. In 1954 she married Wayne Goucher and they remained in Clinton where they raised their children Mark and Taunia (Bozarth). She initially intended to work for one year when she became secretary to the first city manager of the City of Clinton on May 1, 1963. She retired 35 years later, on April 30, 1998.
When elected in 1981 to the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks she was the only one of 21 board members who did not hold the Certified Municipal Clerk designation. But, in 1983 she became the first City Clerk from Oklahoma to receive the designation by attendance at a formal institute (at the University of Kansas) recognized by the IIMC. She was then instrumental in working with others municipal officials and Oklahoma State University to gain IIMC recognition in 1984 for the Oklahoma Municipal Clerks Institute, a project she initiated in 1979. IIMC honored her in 1988 with the Quill Award for significant and exemplary contribution to community and state, IIMC and peers. She is the first of only three Oklahomans to have received this award since it was established in 1987.
Mrs. Goucher held all elective offices of the Municipal Clerks, Treasurers & Finance Officials Association of Oklahoma and in 1984 received the association's Outstanding Service Award. She was appointed to two three-year terms on the Oklahoma Advisory Committee for Municipal Clerks & Treasurers State Training Division from `984 through 1990. Her service has been recognized with the 1975 "Woman of the Year" award from the Clinton Business & Professional Women's Club, the 1984 "First Lady of the Year" designation by Beta Sigma Phi International and in 1992 as a member of the IIMC Academy for Advanced Education.
Harold Pumford is a native of Ponca City where he became Administrative Assistant to the City Manager in 1969. He graduated in 1967 from Central State College, now the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), in Edmond, where he earned degrees in Journalism and Political Science. In 1972, he received his Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma. Prior to his municipal service, he was a reporter for the Oklahoma Publishing Company.
His career also included service as City Manager of Guymon, Oklahoma and Union City, Tennessee, during which time he served on the Board of Directors of the state municipal leagues in both venues. He served two stints on the staff of the Oklahoma Municipal League where he developed the Labor Relations Service Program and the first state-wide municipal insurance purchasing cooperative. At OML he was assigned, in 1979, to staff the fledgling OML Municipal Assurance Group which eventually became the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group, where he served as CEO for over 20 years until February 2000. He then became the first Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Governmental Risk Pools.
During Mr. Pumford's career, he also served as an adjunct college professor at Midwest Christian College in Oklahoma City and UCO as a labor arbitrator. He served on numerous state and national boards of public entity organizations, including the Public Risk Management Association, and the Public Risk Database Project; and as a consultant on projects for several federal agencies, the National Science Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation, and the Southern Growth Policies Board.
As the longest serving Mayor of Ponca City he is involved in many roles at the state and national levels that affect local governments in Oklahoma and across the country. Among these are his service on the Oklahoma Homeland Security Advisory Council and the Oklahoma Pipeline Safety Task Force; and previously on the Governor's Task Force on Collection, Distribution & Enforcement of Municipal Sales Tax and the Governor's Council on Workforce and Economic Development.
It could be said that Shane Woolbright stopped in Oklahoma for 30 years on his way from Arkansas to New Mexico. And Oklahoma cities and towns have been the beneficiaries of that sojourn. Shane was born in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Since retiring earlier this year, he has moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He received his Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Arkansas in 1978, while working for the City of Jenks. In addition to the numerous municipal government accomplishments, Shane has also served as Chair of the Audubon Society of Central Oklahoma, president of his neighborhood association and as a member of numerous environmental groups.
James Gail Hamill served 34 years in the Municipal Counselor's Office for the City of Oklahoma City, the last five and a half as Municipal Counselor from July 1, 1989 to February 10, 1995 when he retired to return to private practice. However, in retirement, this Oklahoma City native continues his affiliation with Oklahoma municipal government, marking his 40th consecutive year in 2009 as a speaker at conferences of the Oklahoma Association of Municipal Attorneys. He served as Chairman of the Real Property Section and as Vice Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Oklahoma Bar Association and as a Director of the Oklahoma Association of Municipal Attorneys.
In addition, he served for a number of years as a member of the Advisory Board for the Municipal Legal Studies Center of the Southwestern Legal Foundation. Upon retirement, the Oklahoma State Senate gave him a Citation of Commendation for serving with distinction and sharing his expertise as a member of numerous legislative study committees. Hamill also served in combat in Korea and retired as a Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
He was born March 28, 1929 in Oklahoma City, OK, the 5th and last child of Claude D. and May K. Hamill. Hamill graduated from Oklahoma A & M College (now OSU) in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing; and in 1955 from the University of Oklahoma, College of Law, with a Juris Doctor degree. He married Dorothy Ann Jones in Oklahoma City on September 19, 1953. They had two daughters, Susan and Gail.
Jim Couch has served in three municipalities in the past 25 years, beginning as Public Works Director in Casper, WY in 1982. He has been the City Manager of Oklahoma City since 2000. He was named the Oklahoma City Water and Wastewater Utilities Director in 1987. Prior to then he served for 18 months as the Assistant City Manager in Edmond.
In 1996 he received the Fuller Award, which is the highest honor bestowed by the American Water Works Association (AWWA). He later served a three year terms on the AWA National Board of Directors. He was also honored in 2002 by Downtown Oklahoma City Inc.'s Dean A. McGee Awards as the first recipient of the Stanley Draper Award for Community Excellence.
Not many in Oklahoma can say that their community grew nearly six fold in population while they were in office. But if you have been on the Broken Arrow City Council since 1975, you can. However, people are not selected for this Hall of Fame only for their leadership or accomplishments in their community. In addition to numerous local achievements during the more than 27 years James Reynolds has served as a Councilman and Mayor in Broken Arrow, he also has been a vital force for municipal government in other arenas.
This Vian native developed an early love for basketball and education, which lead him first to Connors Junior College on a basketball scholarship. He transferred to Northeastern State College in Tahlequah where he earned his Bachelor's degree. His pursuit of education later lead to stints at OSU, OU, UCO and eventually to a Master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis through a National Science Foundation Grant. Over the years he has taught, coached or been a principal (on occasion fulfilling all three roles at the same time). His teaching career involved the school systems at Webbers Falls, Alluwe, Vian and Broken Arrow. During this time he also served a two-year hitch with the Army Corps of Engineers.
Reynolds moved his family to Broken Arrow in 1966 when he began a 20-year career in the Exploration Department of Amoco Production. He retired from Amoco in 1986 and taught math in Broken Arrow schools until 1990, the year he first became "Mr. Mayor." During this time this personable public official also worked with Rainbow Girls and DeMolay clubs, coached youth baseball and softball, taught Adult Sunday School classes and the many, many other activities in which committed leaders become involved. All the while, rapid growth continued in Broken Arrow. Jim Reynolds was at the helm as the citizens supported major improvement after major improvement to build the type of community they desired.
But, Jim's impact has reached far beyond the boundaries of Broken Arrow. He has been a regional leader through his service on the Tulsa County Criminal Justice Authority, the Indian Nations Council of Government Board and its General Assembly, and the Regional Metropolitan Utility Authority. In addition, he has distinguished himself for his service on the Boards of Directors of the Oklahoma Municipal League and the Oklahoma Conference of Mayors. He is cited by many as a significant force in development of the Creek Turnpike Extension and in gaining support from the citizens of Broken Arrow and others to develop a Broken Arrow campus for Northeastern State University that will serve the metro area and beyond.
In 1994, Jim was recipient of the George Nigh State Mayor's Award for Arts & Humanities. Jim is the first elected official still in office to be selected for induction into this Hall of Fame.
Jeff Shockley served as a public servant to his community for 26 years and is a recipient of an Oklahoma Mayor of the Year award presented by the Oklahoma Conference of Mayors. Over the years he has actively participated in his community through involvement in local associations and business group events and activities, all in an effort to improve the quality of life for citizens of all ages.
Jerry Johnston's more than 20 years as mayor of Braman followed the path of his father who served as mayor of this Kay County community for more than 40 years. And his service extended far beyond the bounds of his hometown. When President of the Oklahoma Municipal League from 1994-1996, he often observed that it seemed incongruent to be the leader of an organization of 439 cities and towns when his own community only had a population of 267!
In 1981, the Johnston family sold the Ed Johnston Grain Company founded by his father. The then 47 year old former company president and CEO set out on a career of public service involving not only his community and municipal government, but also his church, his alma mater, communication services, medical services, education and a myriad of other issues and causes. This great volunteer service was one of many reasons he was selected in 1989 as a Distinguished Alumnus at Oklahoma State University.
His contributions to the enhancement of municipal government service included not only his two terms as OML President, but also service on a state Senate/House Joint Task Force on Rural Water, chairman of the Statewide E911 Committee, chairmanship of the OML Telecommunications Committee, more than seven years on the Board of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (including serving as Chairman), and serving on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Small Community Advisory Sub-Committee. During this time, much progress was also achieved in Braman in respect to public facilities, utilities, streets and equipment.
Jessie Nelson served on the Guymon City Council for 28 years, the last 14 as Mayor, ending in 2005 when he did not seek re-election. An elementary school principal in Guymon for 24 years, Mr. Nelson also spent 18 summers, early in his teaching and coaching career, as a "smoke jumper" parachuting into forest fires along the Rocky Mountain range.
During his long municipal career, he served on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Municipal League for 11 years, including a term as President which began in 1999, and followed his term as President of the Oklahoma Conference of Mayors. He also represented Oklahoma for three years on the Board of Directors for the Southern Municipal Conference. In 1995, he became the first and only official ever to receive both the Mayor of the Year and Don Rider awards from the Oklahoma Municipal League.
His municipal service also earned him the Donna Nigh Award for Community Service from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the Governor Nigh Mayor Award for the Arts, Leadership Oklahoma Distinguished Graduate Award, the Oklahoma Transit Association Award, the National Hometown Leadership Award, and in 2002, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Society of Public Administrators. In 2001, the Guymon Chamber of Commerce created the "Jess Nelson Community Leadership Award" to honor his career.
Joe Edward Williams has been a member of the Bixby City Council since 1989. Fellow council members elected him Mayor for terms running from 1989 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 2006. In 1994, 1997 and 2000 he was recognized by the Bixby Chamber of Commerce with the Progressive Leadership in City Government award. He has also served on the boards of the Indian Nations Council of Government and the Regional Metropolitan Utility Authority.
Youth Services of Tulsa honored him for his services to Project Safe Place. Williams was active in the effort to establish a 35 mile radius long distance calling zone in the Tulsa metropolitan areas and in organizing the Tri-Cities Economic Development Association. He was instrumental in development and passage of the Tulsa County Vision 2025 program and in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Fry Creek Project to reduce severe flooding in south Tulsa County.
He retired in May 2015, for the third time, after a nearly 45 year career that began in the fire service, then as a City Clerk and finally as a City Manager and Town Administrator. He is the only inductee to serve as the chief official over two municipal departments, as well as the executive officer of both a city and a town; and as president of two-statewide professional associations.
In addition to other professional positions, Kevin McCullough assisted the Town of Earlsboro to establish a Police Department, serving as Chief of Police for over 2 years. He is a member of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police, Association of Public Safety Communication Officials, American Jailer Association, Oklahoma Code Enforcement Association, Association of Law Enforcement Response Trainers International, Oklahoma Association of Public Safety Communications Officers and the International Conference of Police Chaplains.
Larry Joseph Shelton is one of the few individuals to receive the highest awards granted by two municipal organizations in Oklahoma, the Don Rider Award from the Oklahoma Municipal League (OML) and the Gerald Wilkins Award from the City Management Association of Oklahoma. Shelton, who now resides in Norman, retired June 30???? He served as a city manager for over 30 years with stints in Maumelle, AR and Chandler and Guthrie, OK followed by nearly 20 years at Chickasha.
He served as president of the state city manager associations in Arkansas and Oklahoma as well as a board member for the OML, the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group, including as chairman, and the Oklahoma Municipal Services Corporation. His service also included terms on the Grady County Community Sentencing Task Force, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Fee Review Committee and as one of only ten members to serve on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Small Cities Review Committee on Sanitary Sewer Overflows.
Lawrence Oliver Hansen was born in Sheldon, IA, but come to Oklahoma at the age of 10, growing up in Oklahoma City. He moved to Stillwater in 1949 to work with the Veterans Agricultural Training Program. He retired in 1984 after a 35 year career as an administrator. In addition to serving 13 years on the Stillwater City Commission, including eight years as mayor from 1964-1970, he also served as chairman of the Grand River Dam Authority and on the first board of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority. He played a leading role in development of the Kaw Reservoir as a source of energy and potable water for communities in northern Oklahoma.
He was an original trustee of the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund when it was created in 1966 and served as the Representative for House District 34 in the Oklahoma Legislature in 1992. As an assistant director for the Oklahoma Department of Vocational and Technical Education, he served for 15 years as the chairman or vice chairman of the Oklahoma Commission for Training Municipal Clerks, Treasurers and Finance Offices.
The Hall of Fame for City and Town Officials may induct one person posthumously each year. For 2002, an individual was selected not only for the changes he helped to bring about in Oklahoma, but also for international leadership in his profession. Lawrence Lee (Larry) Gish is another Kansan, like Ernest Dirks, who created legacies in his adopted state. Born at home during a near blizzard in Little River, Kansas, Larry learned early from his parents the value of autonomy, warm support and humor as fundamental life tools. Hallmarks of his career were commitment to the needs of the weak and relatively powerless, a sense of social justice and listening to those often ignored by others.
Larry graduated from high school in Kingman, Kansas, then entered Topeka's Washburn University in 1948. His quest was to become a lawyer and eventually a state legislator. However, he became enthralled with the field of city management and decided to make that his career. He transferred to KU where he received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. His public service began as the Assistant City Manager of Hutchinson, Kansas. Later he was City Manager of Marceline, Missouri and Arkansas City, Kansas. He was selected, in 1966, as City Manager for Stillwater, which became his home for the next 25 years.
During his tenure at Stillwater, Larry served as chairman of the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma, the Kaw Reservoir Authority and the Central Oklahoma Economic Development District. He was also on the board of the Oklahoma Municipal League. In each organization, he became recognized as a deft negotiator with disarming humor. He led his profession as president of both the Kansas and Oklahoma city manager associations. His influence was also tapped for international service. As such, he served as a member of the International City Management Association's, Academy of Urban Management, its Future Horizons Committee, the PIN Steering Committee and a European Task Force. In 1978, he was elected as the association's President. Larry is the only Oklahoman to serve as ICMA President.
In 1983, the year following his resignation as City Manager, Larry was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives where he served until his death on September 13, 1991. During his eight years in the legislature he was the principle author of several measures relating to cities and towns. One was the 1990 constitutional amendment that allows municipalities to issue bonds to finance the purchase, construction or improvement of any public utility. Senator Cal Hobson recently observed that Larry was a highly persuasive legislator since he understood perfectly the phrase, "It's amazing what you can get done in politics if you don't care who gets the credit."
Profoundly honest, totally ethical, extremely intelligent and committed always to doing the right things for citizens are his legacy.
Leon Nelson left the U.S. Navy in 1955 intent on a career in commerce that was delayed for over 21 years through service first as a summer intern to legendary City Manager Gerald Wilkins in Enid and then as Assistant City Manager in Ponca City in 1959. One year later, the OSU graduate with a degree in Commerce became City Manager of Ponca City, a position he held until 1978. During that time he held leadership positions in numerous organizations, including President of the Oklahoma Municipal League. He also participated in an intensive Program for Urban Executives at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A native of Perry, Mr. Nelson later became Executive Vice President of the Savings & Loan Association of Oklahoma, and for the 16 years prior to his retirement in 1998, he managed Student Lending Departments at major Oklahoma City financial institutions.
In retirement he continued to invest his talents and energies as a Docent for the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, a volunteer for the Governor's Mansion Gift Shop, and in local and state political campaigns. He was a member of the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Heritage Association and President of the Indian Territory Posse of the Oklahoma Westerners.
Leroy Herman Lage was born, February 17, 1937, in Watonga, Oklahoma to Dora and Herman Lage. He has one brother, Alvin. He graduated from Watonga High School where he was active in football, basketball and track. He attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, Oklahoma. He and his wife Ruth, a retired teacher, have been married since 1957. Leroy enjoys golfing with his son Stephen and grandchildren Jerrod, Jonathan, and Lindsey.
Lage has been a Watonga municipal government official for the past 48 years beginning in 1959, including 41 years as Light and Water Commissioner and Finance Director, and as an elected City Treasurer since 1994. He has been recognized as a leader among Oklahoma municipal power communities with both the 1993 Outstanding Service Award and the 1994 Ray Duffy Personal Service Award from the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma. Leroy has received many awards and recognition for his public service on local, state and national levels.
Leroy has been active in the Oklahoma Municipal League Board beginning in 1998, the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund Board beginning in 2002, Northwest Oklahoma Development Association Board beginning in 1995 and the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma, 1998-2001. In 2007 Governor Brad Henry appointed him to serve on the State Geographic Information Council.
Leroy has served as trustee on the Pioneer Telephone Cooperative representing Watonga, Geary and Calumet for 29 years – president for five years. He has served as an Elder at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church.
Marilyn served as the first women mayor of Ponca City a position she held for two terms, but that was only one of her firsts. Serving as the Chairman of Ponca City's 911 Advisory Board, Ponca City became the first city in Oklahoma to provide enhanced 911 services to its citizens. She also served as one of the founders of the Ponca City Main Street Program and was instrumental in starting dental assistance education at the Pioneer Technology Center.
Marilyn was named the Oklahoma Mayor of the Year for 1996, and the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce recognized her many years of service to the community by naming her the Citizen of the year for 2001.
Rupp has an extensive list of involvement in various organizations, local, county and statewide, that relate to her positions with Stillwater and Perry. These organizations aid both local government and communities in working together to address the needs of local youth, assist in strengthening neighborhoods, promoting economic development and service response and delivery.
While perhaps best known for her unequaled service as full-time city attorney in three Oklahoma communities, Mary Ann Karns also has been a significant influence in other ways on Oklahoma local government. For one, she is credited by many as being a key influence on the educational programs offered for municipal counsel throughout the state. And perhaps most significantly, others recognize her as a singular stabilizing influence in the mid-1970's after municipal collective bargaining turmoil wracked the state. One support letter extolled her professionalism as a negotiator and as one who trained and educated many municipal administrators and union representatives alike.
Mike Vanderburg has been the city attorney for many communities throughout Oklahoma as well as worked as a consultant for many others. He has been recognized many times through his involvement both professionally and personally in various local, state and national organizations, from a community playhouse to homeless shelter support to helping out scouts of America, and that's just the beginning of the list.
He is the sole recipient of the President's Gold Award from the Oklahoma Municipal League, which was created in 2011 to recognize service to Oklahoma local governments and officials, by a non-public official. Mike worked for the City of Edmond for 2 years prior to going into private practice as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). That, along with experience gained from auditing cities and towns "hooked" him on local government.
Elected first as a Weatherford City Commissioner in April 1996, and then as Mayor in January 2004 of this strong mayor form of government community, he is now the longest serving mayor in the history of Weatherford. In addition, he is the only sittng Oklahoma Municipal League President to be inducted into this hall of fame.
Mike is best known and recognized for his tireless advancement and promotion of public administration in our state. Building on his success in Granite and Mannford, Mike has attended over 70 city council meetings throughout the state, speaking on topics such as "How to Hire a City Manager", "Understanding the Role of Elected Officials" and his "Out of the Box" series on economic development and financial success for municipal operations. Mike has traveled the state as an evangelist for innovative thinking and practices for public administrators and elected officials. In promoting the economy of the community he looks for win-win strategies which suit the needs of the business as well as the Town. These travels and lectures have been at no charge to the cities and towns receiving this training - Mike charges neither honorarium, nor mileage to these communities. Mike has also appeared in two training DVDs produced by OMAG, "Understanding the Role of Elected Officials" and "Mayor!".
The son of postal worker and school teacher, Mick Cornett is a fifth-generation Oklahoman. Today, Mayor Cornett is in the final months of a successful 14-year run as Oklahoma City's first four-term Mayor.
He's considered one of the most honored mayors in U.S. history – top mayor in the state, top mayor in the country – and an international panel selected him as the No. 2 mayor in the world. Newsweek magazine called him one of the "five most innovative Mayors in the United States." Governing named him "Public Official of the Year" in 2010. Politico placed him on the publication's Politico 50 list of "thinkers, doers and visionaries transforming American politics in 2015."
He recently completed a successful term as the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Pamela Polk is a Gerald Wilkins Award recipient and has been City Manager for the City of Collinsville since 2005. She began her professional career in municipal government as a city clerk for the City of Mangum. Pam has received may honors over the years, both from local and state organizations and is currently the only female city manager in Oklahoma to attain the ICMA Certified City Manager designation.
A native of Texhoma who graduated high school in Oklahoma City, Patience Latting began her distinguished public service career as a member of the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters and in various leadership capacities with local and state Parent Teacher Association chapters. She earned a degree in mathematics from the University of Oklahoma and a Master's in economics and statistics from Columbia University. In 1964, when the Oklahoma Legislature failed to reapportion itself equitably, she was appointed Master of the Court by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma with responsibility for redistricting the state legislature based on the 1960 Census.
Her municipal service began on April 11, 1967 when she became the first woman elected to the City Council for Oklahoma City. Four years later she again made history, this time on the national scene, as the first woman to be elected Mayor of a major American city. During the next 12 years as Mayor of Oklahoma City, she became only the second person to ever serve three terms in this position. Following her service in Oklahoma City, she served a five-year term as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma City Banks on the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
Mrs. Latting was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1983, the street east of the Oklahoma City Municipal Building was named Patience Latting Circle in her honor.
When the person nominating Robert Johnston for the Hall of Fame was asked to describe what may distinguish him from others holding similar positions that person wrote, "Leadership in statewide policy and advisory organizations". And that has indeed been a hallmark of his career. Robert has consistently provided leadership to make lives safer and especially to make government services more reliable. This has been true in all facets of his life, whether at work, in civic endeavors or at church; which is why current Frederick Mayor Eddie Whitworth describes Robert as "a real community man". And, he will always make you feel welcome, even if you are just passing through from Arkansas to New Mexico.
Bob Hicks began his more than 40-year career in law enforcement as a member of the U.S. Army Military Police in 1960. He joined the Oklahoma City Police Department on January 1, 1963 and held numerous command positions before retiring with the rank of Captain on January 3, 1983. His last command was as Chief Ranger on loan to the city's Parks Department with responsibilities parallel to that of a Chief of Police. He was responsible for a Ranger Force of 41 full-time and 16 part-time summer Rangers for 149 parks, 4 golf courses and 3 lakes.
He next served for five years as the Chief of Police for El Reno and then Chickasha before being tapped in 1989 to become Director of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
He left the OSBI in 1995 and became Director of the Corporate Investigation Division of Safety & Security Services company; but returned to public law enforcement in July 1997, again in his second term as Chief of Police in Chickasha, which puts him near his boyhood roots in Rush Springs. He was a member of the governing body for the state Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training and on the Boards of Directors of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police and the Oklahoma Police Chiefs Training Foundation.
Chief Hicks graduated from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha and the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy at the University of Virginia. While at the OSBI he served as Chairman of the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies.
Being inducted into a hall of fame is nothing new to Robert J. LaFortune. This legendary public official was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1975, the University of Tulsa Engineering Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1988.
After a successful career in petroleum related businesses, this native son served the City of Tulsa as Commissioner of Streets and Public Property from 1964 to 1970, then as Mayor until 1978. He believes it is important that Tulsa and Oklahoma City be active in the Oklahoma Municipal League. While Mayor, he was very involved as Tulsa's representative on the OML Board and served as the league President for the 1976-77 term. He was elected to the Board of Directors for the National League of Cities -- one of only two elected officials from Oklahoma to serve in this capacity in the past 40 years.
While he has been out of municipal government for more than a quarter of a century, Mayor LaFortune remains a vital voice and steward for local government and quality of life issues. He was the featured luncheon speaker for the largest civic convocation in the history of Tulsa the Mayor's Vision Summit Tulsa 2002 - organized by Mayor Bill LaFortune, his nephew. Earlier this year, a Tulsa weekly magazine included Bob in their list of 100 movers and shakers in the Tulsa area and noted the he "would probably beat his nephew if he ran again."
The development and operation of the Port of Catoosa, the largest port on our national inland waterway system, was of special interest to Mayor LaFortune. Former Tulsa Mayor James M. Hewgley, whom Bob appointed to serve on the City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority in 1974, credits him with persuading the first manufacturing concern to locate at the Port. The company is today the largest manufacturer at the Port.
LaFortune is the only mayor - and one of only four municipal officials - to be selected for the Administrator of the Year Award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration. He was further recognized in 1981 with the Distinguished Public Service Award from the OSU Center of Health Science, College of Osteopathic Medicine. Many other awards, too numerous to list, have been bestowed upon him for his leadership in local, state and national organizations or issues.
Bob LaFortune's legacy in local government circles was achieved, at least in part, by his approach to inclusiveness and consensus building long before those terms were in common vogue. His commitment and skill in these areas were most dramatically demonstrated in the early 70's when he went against the popular wisdom and politics of the time to take a lead in the formation of the Indian Nations Council of Governments.
Stanley Warren Alexander served nearly 32 years on The Village City Council, first for seven and a half years in the 1970's and then again for 24 years from May 1985 until he did not seek re-election this spring. During the intervening years, he served a two-year term in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Other municipal officials elected him to a record seven terms as a Trustee of the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG), following his June 20, 1986 appointment to that board. His OMAG tenure spanned 23 years. He served eight one-years terms as Mayor of The Village; and two terms as Chairman of the OMAG board.
Alexander is a founder of the Alexander and Strunk Insurance Agency. He served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and retired with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He also served in his community as President of the North Oklahoma City Rotary Club and as Chairman of the Board of the North Oklahoma City YMCA. In 2009, he became the first inductee in Hall of Fame for the City of The Village, and received a Citation from the state for a distinguished career as a public service.
A support letter for the nomination of Stephen Reel noted that while he may resist the title, his efforts qualify him as one of the early "pioneers" in building local government support organizations that now number in the hundreds throughout the USA, Canada, Australia and in Europe. In addition to his significant accomplishments he was also prevailing co-counsel in a landmark case that held unconstitutional an attempt by the state legislature to impose a fee on municipalities for autopsies performed by the State Medical Examiner. And, if you have ever attended a training session he presented you are well aware that the photo of him in the clown suit is not the only time he has used his sense of humor to help us feel good about what we do.
Susan Savage had a remarkable career of progressive advancement in municipal government before being appointed, in January 2003, as Oklahoma Secretary of State. Her municipal service began in 1974, as a pre-trial representative for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas following graduation from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Her career eventually led to becoming the first woman to serve as Mayor of Tulsa, a position she held for almost 10 years, the longest tenure of any mayor of that city.
She served for 10 years as the first Executive Director of the Metropolitan Tulsa Citizens Crime Commission. In May 1988, Mayor Rodger Randle tapped her to serve as his Chief of Staff and Mayor Pro Tem. She was then elected mayor during a 1992 special election, defeating 52 other candidates.
As Mayor, she was closely identified with efforts to promote gender and racial diversity in government. She served on the National Recreation Lakes Study Commission and as a Trustee and Executive Committee member for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. In 2002, the Oklahoma Legislature formally recognized her work of importance to the state as a whole on highway funding, airline service, water quality, historic preservation and municipal taxation.
The Hall of Fame for City and Town Officials may induct one person posthumously each year. The Foundation has selected, for 2004, an individual who served in Oklahoma local government for 34 years prior to his death earlier this year at age 60. Terry H. Powell served in three Oklahoma communities and on the international board for his profession. Throughout this service he was known for his compassion, integrity, dedication, respect for elected officials and, most of all, his passion for the communities he served.
And, he had a sense of humor! A very dry sense of humor!!! He is fondly remembered for how he could dissipate volatile issues or situations with his quick wit.
Terry retired as City Manager of Shawnee, where he had served since 1991, in February . Prior to that he spent 15 years as the City Manager of Guymon after having been the Assistant City Manager and head of urban renewal for Shawnee from 1971 to 1976. He began his local government career in 1970 as a rehabilitation specialist with the Tulsa Urban Renewal Authority.
An avid marathon bicyclist, swimmer and runner, Terry competed three times in the Boston Marathon -- after he turned 50.
While in Guymon, Terry's peers elected him as a regional vice president of the International City/County Management Association. He is one of only three Oklahomans to serve on the ICMA board in the past 40 years. During his career he was President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and the City Management Association of Oklahoma. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Municipal League and, throughout his time at Shawnee, was an active participant in the monthly breakfast roundtable discussions held by Oklahoma City area city managers. He was honored by OML with the Don Rider Award. The Shawnee Chamber of Commerce honored him with the Gordon Richards Award.
In addition to his local government service, he was President of the Shawnee and Guymon Chambers of Commerce, a District Governor for Rotary Club International and served on the Advisory Board for the Salvation Army. Terry was especially proud of his service as a U.S. Marine helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. He received more than 40 medals, including the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Thomas Welborne Talley is serving his eighth year on the Hobart City Council and as mayor for the past seven years. A private practice attorney in Hobart, he also serves on the boards of the Southwestern Oklahoma Development Authority and Hobart Main Street. He was recognized in 2007 as Mayor of the Year for a community of 5,000 or under by the Oklahoma Conference of Mayors and received the Excellence in Leadership in Oklahoma award from the Oklahoma Century Communities.
He is president of Hobart Industries and chairman of the Kiowa County Industrial Authority. A native of Hobart, he is a graduate of the Oklahoma University School of Law. He is a member of the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum. In 2007 he received the Award of Merit from the Hobart Chamber of Commerce; and the chamber again recognized him in 2008 with the Citizen of the Year award.
Tommy Leon Melton is only the fourth posthumous inductee into the hall of fame. He passed away on March 19. He began his municipal government service as a meter reader for the City of Dewey in 1956.
He "unofficially" took over the City Clerk's function in 1957 since he was less than 21 years old at the time and could not be "officially" appointed to the post. He served as both City Clerk and City Treasurer in Dewey before moving to Broken Arrow in 1973 for similar positions. In 1966 he was named City Clerk for the City of Midwest City where he served until he retired in December 1999.
While the record of service to Jenks of Victor Randolph Ewing is forever enshrined in the name of the Ewing-Perryman Fire Station, his nomination to this hall of fame noted that he "understands that cities and towns are not islands unto themselves, but are linked together in a collaborative spirit of providing public services". Many community leaders point to the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks as a shining example of Randy's efforts to improve and benefit the entire metropolitan region and the state. This is only one of many cited projects in the region which were identified as being largely initiated, encouraged and/or supported by Randy; and cited by peers as examples of his desire and ability to bring about quality solutions to local and regional challenges.
Wanda Jo Evaige, a career Tillman County educator, has served 26 years on the Frederick City Council, beginning in April 1983 when the city changed to the statutory city manager form of government. This Frederick native served two terms as Vice Mayor and one term as Mayor. During this time, she also served for 19 years on the board of trustees for the Association of South Central Oklahoma Government, including nine years on the executive committee where she became the first female president of the 39-member board.
She was the first Chairperson of the Tillman County E911 board, which implemented the first countywide 911 system in the ASCOG region. Her service also includes appointments to numerous committees of the Oklahoma Municipal League and a six-year term from 1993 to 1999 on the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Committee. Her community recognized her in 1990 as "Frederick's Most Useful Female Citizen" and again in 2004 as the Frederick Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year. She served a six-year term on the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission, which ended in 1999.
She is the daughter of Sam and Lenora Evaige. She graduated from Boyd High School in Frederick in 1951 and from Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, TX in 1955.
A graduate of Oklahoma State University, Pawhuska native Bill Moyer ended his over 40-year career in Oklahoma municipal government in 2000 after having served over 28 years with the Oklahoma Municipal League (OML). He recently received his 40-Year Service Award from the International City/County Management Association for a career that began on February 1, 1960 as Assistant City Manager of Bartlesville. He served a term as President of OML during his service as City Manager of Bartlesville from May 1968 until August 1972 when he became the LeagueÕs Associate Director. He succeeded Don Rider as OML Executive Director on May 1, 1988, a position he held continuously until he became Executive Director Emeritus on October 1, 1999.
Mr. Moyer served two terms on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities and was a Director of the Oklahoma Highway Users Association, the Oklahoma Community Institute, the Oklahoma Rural Development Council, the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce and President of the Oklahoma Association of Society Executives.
Prior to becoming Executive Director of the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) in 1978, Zack Taylor served in city management and council of government positions in Oklahoma and Oregon. Upon joining ACOG, he immersed himself in organizations and activities throughout the 34 cities, towns and counties in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Some of these include his involvement with the American Society for Public Administration, the Community Advisory Board of the Junior League of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City-County Criminal Justice Council, Central Oklahoma Citizens League, the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation, Community Council of Central Oklahoma, Allied Arts Foundation and the Central Oklahoma Volunteer Center.
At ACOG he also was Director of its groundwater association, the Garber-Wellington Association, as well at the regional 911 service. He was a corporate member of the International City/County Management Association and a member of the City Management Association of Oklahoma.
Mr. Taylor received in 1991 the Walter A. Scheiber Award from the National Association of Regional Councils and the Air Conservationist Award of the Oklahoma Wildlife Federation. One year later he received the Donald C. Stone national award for outstanding contributions to intergovernmental administration and management from the American Society for Public Administration, and in 1994, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Association for Community Leadership.


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5 Times Never to Ignore Tooth Pain
Get to the dentist if you experience any of these
For many people, tooth pain triggers a certain calculus (and we don't mean the technical term for tartar): Is the pain worse than the thought of going to the dentist?
Tight schedules, dread of the dentist and concern over of the bills that follow can lead to people to neglect tooth problems when they arise. "Most people are hesitant to see a dentist, period," said Mark Booth, DDS, group practice leader and assistant professor at the University of the Pacific's Arthur A. Dugani School of Dentistry. "When you add in a little fear and a little discomfort, it can be even more challenging."
But ignore the pain at our own risk. Even seemingly minor problems can lead to something worse down the road — think a root canal, a raging infection or a costly crown — before you know it.
Related: What to Do if Your Tooth Is Knocked Out or Broken
What your teeth are telling you
There's almost no kind of persistent tooth pain you should ignore, according to dental experts. Here are a five common types of pain and what you should know about each.
Pain from a cavity. If you have a small cavity, the dentist can easily fill it. But if it gets larger, he or she may have to drill out a large area of the tooth and perhaps crown the tooth, which can cost between $1,000 and $3,500 according to the Consumer Guide to Dentistry, an online dental health portal. If the damage is too extensive, you may even lose the tooth.
An untreated cavity also could develop into a raging infection. "If you let a cavity go untreated," said Maria Lopez Howell, a spokeswoman for the American Dental Association (ADA), "it could become an oral infection that could spread and, in very rare cases, be life threatening."
Pain from a tooth abscess. When a tooth is no longer able to fight off an infection, the bacteria may invade the root and cause an infection between the root and gum, resulting in a pocket of pus. You may experience swelling in your face or cheek, tender lymph nodes, a sensitivity to the pressure of chewing and persistent, throbbing pain that may keep you awake at night.
Wisdom teeth, which are harder to clean, are especially vulnerable to this type of infection.
An abscess can be extremely dangerous and even life-threatening. Consider the case of Kyle Willis, a 24-year-old Cincinnati man whose dentist advised him to have his wisdom tooth pulled. Because he was unemployed and uninsured, he put off the treatment. He was plagued by facial swelling and headaches and ended up in the emergency room, where he was prescribed antibiotics and pain medication, according to numerous press accounts. Unable to afford both, he skipped the antibiotics. His infection soon spread to his brain and he died.
Related: Oral Exam: How Much Do You Know About Dental Health?
Tooth and/or jaw pain. Pain in your teeth and jaw pain may result from grinding your teeth, or you could have an infected tooth that is causing pain to travel to the jaw. Conditions such as arthritis, gum disease and sinus infection are other possible culprits, according to the ADA. In rare cases, tooth and jaw pain might be a sign of mouth cancer (also called oral cancer) or heart disease. See your dentist to get to the root of the problem.
Tooth pain combined with bad breath. A garlic-laden meal might call for mints, but persistent bad breath can be a sign of gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss if it's severe. Bad breath is also linked to dry mouth, sinus and lung infections, diabetes and some liver or kidney diseases. "Bad breath can be the sign of a medical disorder," according to the ADA. "If you must constantly use a breath freshener to hide unpleasant mouth odor, see your dentist."
Pain from cracked teeth. Hairline fractures or tiny holes in your teeth may be barely visible, but they can be painful and create bigger problems if neglected. You may feel only a slight sensitivity or pain at first and may wonder why you should spend your money on such a small nuisance. The problem is that even the tiniest hole or crack may usher bacteria directly into your tooth, where they can cause an infection that can harm your tooth and even spread to the jawbone.
Don't let cost halt your treatment
If you don't have dental insurance and the cost of treatment seems overwhelming, work out a monthly payment plan with your dentist. If your dentist isn't amenable to that, ask your friends for a referral to a dentist who accepts payment plans. Or contact a teaching clinic at a nearby dental school. These often charge a much smaller fee for procedures.
"Unfortunately, our teeth don't tell us when they are healthy. They typically only tell us when something is wrong," says Booth. "Any sign of pain is not a good sign, and the sooner it's evaluated, the better off it will be for the patient and the treatment. The longer typically you delay treatment, the more difficult and complicated, as well as expensive, it becomes."
Related: Why Your Gums Are Receding


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Sometimes discovering a new country with new friends and a pint of beer can lead to great stories and unforgettable moments. As an avid beer lover and home brewer, our Flightie Ryan Phillips recently travelled through Italy with Cosmos tours in search of the best brews and shares his story with us:
When you go to a place like Italy what is the first thing you think about? Is it the sights like the Roman Colosseum? Maybe it's the fresh brick oven pizza or the complex wines of Tuscany? No matter which one you choose, I am sure the last thing to cross your mind is beer. But as an avid home brewer I decided to explore Italy in search of some of the best local beers. I had heard that the microbrewery market in Italy is still in its infancy and really wasn't sure if I would have any luck at all, but I gave it a go anyway.
My journey starts in Rome on a tour with Cosmos, and the planned road ahead would take us to Capri, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast with several detours along the way. Upon arriving at the hotel, a few of us decided to dive right in at the Hotel Parco Tirreno bar. My first beer is one that most of us are quite familiar with; Peroni. This is a beer which is exported worldwide and is a very basic lager. I was surprised to find that it did taste differently then what we are use to in North America, (maybe a bit fresher?). At the end of the day nothing spectacular, however it served its purpose after a long flight to Europe. After a few beers and some food, it became clear that the group which would join me on this adventure would be perfect.
After sleep, and an adventure of Rome's many different sites, my next unique beer wouldn't be Italian at all. Strange as it seems, but on the Island of Capri myself and the group found ourselves at a sports bar called 'Mister Billy'. The only sign that this was a sports bar were the TV's tuned into football (soccer for us North Americans) and oddly hung up sports memorabilia. With a big selection of UK beers I decided to try a Young's Double Chocolate Stout, a very dark rich chocolaty stout, absolutely delicious and what I was craving after all of the Peroni.
After giving advice on beer to some of my new found friends, we shared some drinks, jokes and fun. My next beer worth mentioning was 'Courage Best Bitter' also produced by Young's and was in fact not bitter at all, a very smooth but delicious Pale. Many drinks later and close to the end of the night it became clear that the game on TV was no longer what people came in to watch, it was the group of Canadians who came in for one drink and ended up staying for much more. We ended up staying so long that after the place cleared out it was nothing but us and the bar owners (Helena and her two sons) left enjoying the rest of the night.
Our next stop worth discussing was in Sorrento, one of my new friends happened to have a birthday while in Sorrento so the group got together and decided to celebrate. After scoping out the area near our hotel we found a little Irish Pub called Chaplin's down the road. Upon arrival, there were a few people from Puerto Rico, some people which appeared to be locals and a husband and wife who owned Chaplin's.
I started my night off with a 'Birra Moretti' similar to a Peroni except with a bit more flavour. It would do to fill my beer cravings. Soon after we arrived it was apparent that this was no ordinary pub, the owners so full of life and a real party starter. It didn't take long for all of us to get into the mood and before we knew it the word must have gone out because that place was packed and stayed that way all night.
This little pub without question was was a highlight of our bar experiences in Italy. If you ever have a chance to drop in and say hi have a look up to the roof where you will see a new staple, a Vancouver Canucks shirt which the owner let us hang up 😉
From Sorrento we made our way back to Rome in preparation for our trip back to Vancouver, although finding a great undiscovered beer in Italy would prove to be difficult, one thing is certain; discovering this beautiful country, with new friends and a pint of beer can lead to great stories and unforgettable moments. So although my journey didn't produce any hidden gems in the beer world, it did make me ponder; What makes a beer great? Sure there are some amazing characteristics in great beers, however with no one to share it or new friends to chat to while enjoying one, it somewhat looses its value don't you think? And so this blog would end in the same way it began, with a question.
Looking to experience Italy for yourself? You can get in touch with Ryan by connecting with him online, visiting him in-store, or calling 1-866-711-8800.