Cathy Ann Viveiros Letter: A twist of fate leads to a new challenge

Saturday

Jan 25, 2014 at 9:00 AMJan 25, 2014 at 10:54 AM

It’s probably safe to say that each one of us, at some point in our life, has experienced an unexpected twist of fate. In November 2013, I received an overwhelming vote total as a candidate for Fall River City Council. I will always be grateful to the voters for such a strong vote of confidence. I was preparing to accept my new role with the same energy and determination that has always fueled my public service.

It’s probably safe to say that each one of us, at some point in our life, has experienced an unexpected twist of fate. In November 2013, I received an overwhelming vote total as a candidate for Fall River City Council. I will always be grateful to the voters for such a strong vote of confidence. I was preparing to accept my new role with the same energy and determination that has always fueled my public service.

No one was more surprised than me when, just two weeks before the inauguration, Mayor Will Flanagan offered me the position of city administrator. What first seemed like a difficult decision became clear as I realized that my goal has always been to serve my city to the best of my ability. I have always wanted what we all want: a safe community with good education for our children and economic prosperity for our working class residents.

Fall River has a “strong mayor” form of government. In seeking this position on numerous occasions, I never sought the power or the influence that came with the title of mayor. It was always about my unwavering belief that our city’s potential was yet to be unleashed. I ran for the office of mayor in hopes that the voters would grant me the leadership opportunity to direct our city’s future course.

Mayor Flanagan offered me this same opportunity. He was willing to bridge a deep political divide to allow my talent and skills to serve Fall River as its city administrator. It was a risk for both of us. However, after only a short time on the job, I can honestly say that he made the choice with our city’s best interests in mind. We share the same goals for our community.

He has embraced my thoughts and suggestions and, while I am certain we will not always agree on every decision, I believe that our differences will be ones of strategy and not end result. It will be our differences of opinion that will generate new ideas and positive changes; changes that are necessary for any organization to forge ahead.

While I will not be serving the people of Fall River as a city councilor, my commitment to our community has not changed. My integrity remains high and my determination is as strong as it has ever been. I remain optimistic about our city’s future and I believe that Fall River’s best days lie ahead.