Hill praised the council’s work and thanked city staff for their hard work and dedication, but also said she wished the council could do more.
“This small town has carried a lot on its shoulders and I believe these challenges impacted the work Council and staff were able to accomplish. I recognize that there have been missteps, and I have been part of them and take responsibility for them. They are all going to weigh heavily on me. And there is a lot more that I hoped we could have done by the end of this term of the board that I would have had the opportunity to be a part of, ”said Hill.
Hill, who announced earlier this year that she would not be running for re-election, said she had mixed emotions about leaving.
“Come to think of it, there is so much about this job that has energized me,” she said, adding that there was still a lot of work to be done. “I would love to be a part of it in that capacity, but at the same time, it took its toll in a way I could never have predicted,” Hill said.
Walker read a passage written by author and activist Bell Hooks, who died last week.
“Visionary progressive leaders have always known that any action that liberates and renews oppressed and exploited blacks strengthens the nation as a whole. Not only do these actions provide a blueprint for ending racism, but they provide strategies for America’s overall healing, ”Walker read in Hooks’ book Salvation.
