Monroe City Council honors longtime public servant

Members of the Monroe City Council, city staff and Mayor Geoffrey Thomas honored long-time public servant Wayne Rodland during the regular business meeting of the Monroe City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Rodland was presented with a commemorative plaque, honoring him for his 17 years of public service in Monroe, including nearly 12 years on the Monroe City Council and five years on the Monroe Planning Commission.

"That is a tremendous amount of service to our community,GÇ¥ Thomas said. "It is truly from a grateful heart that our community will be presenting you with this plaque here tonight.GÇ¥

Rodland and his wife moved to Monroe in 1961, where they raised three children. He founded Rodland Auto Service in 1970, which is located on West Main Street and remains family-owned. During the 1960s he was an active member of the Monroe Jaycees Club, a service organization also known as the Monroe Junior Chamber of Commerce.

He was unanimously appointed to the city council in May 1989, after former councilmember Bob Wieneke resigned his post. Rodland beat out several other candidates, including Ken Berger, Ross McPherson, Duane Skillen and Kirk Pearson. He was sworn into office that June in front of Mayor Gordon Tjerne, and served on the council through December 2001.

In March 2010, former mayor Robert Zimmerman recommended Rodland for appointment to the Monroe Planning Commission, where he served until this August. He is an active member of the Monroe Lions Club, where he has served since the formation of the Blueberry Lane Children's Park in 1989.

Councilmembers Jim Kamp, Kurt Goering, Kevin Hanford, Patsy Cudaback and Ed Davis thanked Rodland for his service to the city. Kamp and Davis acknowledged him for his political guidance as they ventured into planning commission positions and seats on the city council.

"I first met Wayne on the planning commission,GÇ¥ Davis said. "He helped me considerably there; there was so much going on and so much to learn. I was only there for a year and my head still spins thinking about it.GÇ¥

Cudaback acknowledged Rodland's direct approach to communication.

"I have always appreciated your tell-it-like-it-is attitude,GÇ¥ Cudaback said. "Thank you.GÇ¥

The role of the planning commission is to make recommendations to the Monroe City Council regarding land use issues like zoning, municipal code revisions and updates to the city's Comprehensive Plan.

The Monroe City Council will be asked to confirm the mayor's candidate for a planning commission appointment on Tuesday, Sept. 22.