Your editorial and reporting on the latest Fairwood incorporation study got me to thinking about my own experience with a new city.

It has now been more than 15 years since Newcastle residents voted to incorporate our city. I have been serving as a Newcastle council member since the first (interim) City Council was elected in April 1994. For two years, I served as mayor. The challenge of helping to govern a city is just as exciting, just as trying and just as time-consuming today as it was 15 years ago.

For the effort at cityhood to succeed, it really takes the entire community to become involved —— both proponents and opponents of incorporation. Former opponents to incorporation are still around in our community. Some serve as naysayers and critics and some serve to advance the community’s interests. One erstwhile incorporation opponent was elected to a two-year term as mayor and continues even now to serve on the City Council.

This narrative is merely my way of showing that incorporating a city is an ongoing commitment by the members of its community. Fortunately, our community is constantly renewing itself with new and newly engaged residents, bringing creative ideas and fresh energy to the governance of the city. The challenges that we faced as an infant city are different now that the city is in its teenage years, but they require the same dedication to find viable solutions.

The desire to make Newcastle a better and more vibrant community still brings out residents interested in serving on our City Council, on our boards and commissions and on our volunteer projects and events.

Looking back, I can honestly say that it has been one of the best opportunities in my life to make a real difference in my community at all levels of engagement — city, county and state. Even after more than decade, serving our community remains extremely satisfying for me. It is truly a rewarding experience for those willing to serve.

The nascent City of Fairwood, if it does vote to incorporate, will need the best and brightest in that community to step forward as leaders. The success of the city will depend on their continuing commitment to that effort.

Sonny Putter

Newcastle