When I arrived at the Herald in October 1998, my then-editor Chris Case introduced me to a nice fella named Mayor Mitch Mitchusson, who dropped by our old offices to say “hi” one day.

“He’s a good guy,” she explained.

Not knowing diddly about the city at the time, my first articles about the guy — who did turn out to be good after all — I referred to him as Mayor Richard “Mitch” Mitchusson. The “mayor” portion of his title abruptly dropped during what I believe was my very first city council meeting. (Did my reputation from the Whitman County Gazette in Colfax preceded me? Who knows?) Citing the need to spend more time with his wife, a “good lady” named Barb, Mitch dropped what Councilman Ed Stern called “a bombshell” at the Nov. 4, 1998 session.

A teary-eyed Mitch, who called an executive session from which he did not return, also recommended that then-deputy mayor Donna Jean Bruce take the reins at the city’s helm.

I cornered “DJ,” as folks called her, after the meeting and asked if she was excited about the prospect of serving as mayor.

“Is excited the right word?” she asked. “I guess I am excited because it’s going to be a challenge.”

True to her word that night, DJ did her best in the ensuing years as mayor. I’ve sat at enough city council meetings to know that. She kept a pretty even keel throughout her tenure, which should be noted for its progress. Far reaching transportation improvements, new parks, finalization of Olhava and a start to a new city municipal campus are among the feathers she can wear proudly in her retirement cap. The city got a lot done under Mayor Bruce, no one can question that.

While I’ve not always been a fan, I can honestly say I respect what she accomplished during her time as mayor. It was considerable and admirable. Politics is a rough road and not for the meek, DJ knew this and walked it anyway — mud and potholes be damned. She did her best and for this I thank her.

JOE IRWIN

Editor