Nancy Backus is the calming oil that is sometimes needed by independently minded councilmembers.

In her role as deputy mayor, Nancy is the one who makes sure all are heard and all have equal opportunity to present opinion. Nancy is not the leader who monopolizes, pushes, or craves the power derived from her position. She is a true, respectful leader who avoids the spotlight while making sure all voices are heard.

Listen to her speak, it is an insight into her makeup and character. She is much more likely to give credit and praise to others than to claim personal recognition.

Nancy is a leader not because she has a title or position but because others want to follow her. That is the strongest type of leader.

All of us have strengths and weaknesses. Nancy is the type of leader who makes sure that we build on each other’s strengths and assist one another in areas of deficit. This is not a leader who takes advantage of natural human differences for political gain.

We all have recently witnessed national and regional examples of politicians publicly defaming one another for self-promotion only to achieve government stalemate. Nancy is the influence that maintains focus on the needs of Auburn rather than the individual. She finds compromises and produces results, all the while never belittling any individual.

Nancy is the leader who builds consensus in the council, which balances the power of the executive branch of City government. Her leadership style is service orientated not positional or authoritarian. Yes, we will miss Nancy as a council colleague, but her management skill set will be put to good use as mayor.

She is a very smart person with a great background in professional finance and human resources. In the mayor–council form of City government these are arguably the mayor’s most important job requirements. In our form of government the separation of powers dictates that the mayor proposes a budget, manages the budget and directs the employees of the City. The City Council balances this executive power by being the only authority to approve the budget and set city policy and direction.

There is one other mayoral obligation that needs to be addressed. When things go wrong, when emergencies occur, when crisis erupts, the mayor is the point person. This is a duty a weak soul looks to send elsewhere. Remember the ice storm in 2012? The mayor was out of town. Many City employees were unable to get to work. Roads were blocked, electrical power lines were down and phones were out all over town. The airport was closed and the mayor was unable to return.

As deputy mayor, Nancy came into City Hall and began pulling the resources of the City together. For 24 hours, Nancy used radios, cell phones and what working land lines there were to begin coordinating the City’s first response to emergencies throughout Auburn. When citizens called into City Hall for help, the person answering the phone was often the deputy mayor, Nancy Backus.

Please join with us and elect Nancy Backus as the next mayor of Auburn.

– City Councilmembers John Holman, Largo Wales, Rich Wagner, Bill Peloza and Wayne Osborne