Features

Ed FitzGerald - Lakewood's Newest Mayor

by Dan Slife, Managing Editor

Veteran Larry Faulhaber, stand next to Lakewoodâ€™s Mayor Elect Edward FitzGerald and Councilman Elect Mike Summers at the Veteran Day observance.

The Lakewood Observer congratulates the winners of the 2007 general election. It was a long, tough race. No doubt, all seats were won through intense, grass-roots campaigning. Now, it's time for the community to come together, connect with new representatives and support them in their work to imagine and realize a brighter present and future for our city.

Those elected have triumphed in some of the most hotly contested races in recent history. They will enter office at a critical time in the history of Lakewood. With budget deficits on the horizon, structural imbalances at city hall and issues of safety and civility shaking neighborhoods throughout the community, our elected representatives will have their work cut out for them. These are the issues to which the candidates had spoken; these are the issues to which the people of Lakewood responded with overwhelming margins of support in some races.

The road ahead is destined to be a tough one. At the same time, the community has never been so engaged and energized.

And energy we will need. De-industrialization and the general out-sourcing of middle-class prosperity in the United States has left our region with a number of challenges, not one of which can be separated from that fundamental transformation of the US economy. With erosion of both personal and civic resources, our community faces the prospects of either figuring out new ways to run our city and our lives, or fading away into extinction like the old industrial economy that created this wonderful place.

Candidates, you are faced with a great number of difficult and seemingly insurmountable challenges. May your efforts give discipline and

direction to Lakewood's civic energy, human potential and municipal

resources. With wise planning and competent execution, these challenges can be met and transformed into opportunities. It is possible that we might realize an altogether different, as of yet inconceivable civic life in Lakewood, one that sets the stage for future prosperity, despite the many challenges we face.

Good luck to everyone.

The results: