Every December, something important happens in democracies that we rarely pause to appreciate.
Across the country, leaders step down. Seats change hands. New voices arrive as experienced ones quietly exit stage left. Budgets close, calendars turn over and government keeps moving. In stable systems, transitions are so routine that we forget how fragile, and how remarkable, they really are.
Here in Thurston County and across the South Sound, we’re experiencing that familiar but meaningful moment again. Several longtime public servants are closing the chapter on years, sometimes decades, of elected service. And before the year ends, I want to do something simple and overdue: say thank you.
Public service isn’t glamorous. It’s long nights, thick agendas, emails you can’t ignore, and meetings where no one applauds the vote you just took. It’s sacrifice that rarely makes headlines and decisions that are often only noticed when something goes wrong. But it matters and so do the people who show up, year after year, to do it.
One of those people is John O’Callahan, who is stepping away after a remarkable run on the Tenino City Council dating back to the mid-1990s. I sat alongside John for a decade, first as a councilmember and later as his mayor, but I knew him long before that, growing up as one of my friends’ stepdads. John has always been a fierce defender of conservative principles, local jurisdiction, and fiscal responsibility, especially when it came to what he lovingly called “his great City of Tenino.”
But labels don’t tell the whole story. What mattered more was that John showed up. He served not only on council, but on regional boards like the Transportation Policy Board, he also volunteered as a firefighter, served as a Navy veteran, and simultaneously held elected office as a fire commissioner. Love him or debate him, you always knew where John stood, and you always knew he’d be there. Communities are steadier because of people like that.
In Tumwater, Mayor Debbie Sullivan is closing a chapter defined by resilience, warmth, and grace under pressure. Debbie served through tremendous personal loss, with the death of her husband, while never allowing her grief to derail her responsibilities to the city. That takes a kind of strength you don’t learn in policy manuals.
She led during difficult debates, including emotionally charged conversations around public safety and heritage preservation, and she did so with an inviting demeanor and a steady presence. I always appreciated having Debbie in the room. Even in the tensest moments, she managed to keep a genuine smile and a reminder that disagreement doesn’t have to mean disrespect.
At the Port of Olympia, we’re saying thank you to Bob Iyall, a public servant I deeply respect. Bob joined the Port Commission at a time when the agency was locked in what can fairly be described as a toxic spiral, internal conflict, fractured trust, and a mission that was losing clarity. While it may carry the Olympia name, the Port serves all 300,000 residents of Thurston County and provides critical economic and emergency-response infrastructure, from trade and jobs to Airlift Northwest, fire attack helicopters, and Washington State Patrol aircraft.
Bob arrived as a no-nonsense, fiscally disciplined, mission-focused commissioner. Alongside a new generation of thoughtful leaders, he helped stabilize the Port, refocus it on its core purpose, and bring an end to damaging infighting. Just as important, Bob was one of the few countywide elected officials from a local Tribal nation. That representation matters. For a community so often excluded from seats of power, Bob’s leadership helped break a barrier and for that, we owe him particular gratitude.
I also want to say thank you to Port Commissioner Amy Evans Harding, who is concluding her first and only term after an impressive run of dedicated service. Amy stepped into the role at a time when the Port was rebuilding trust and direction, and she quickly became one of its most steadying voices. She brought sharp analytical skill, a calm and collaborative approach, and a clear commitment to fiscal responsibility and open government. Amy asked the tough questions, listened carefully, and consistently kept her focus on what would benefit all residents of Thurston County not just the loudest voices in the room. For a first-term commissioner, she made an outsized impact, and her thoughtful leadership will be felt long after she steps away.
Another Port colleague worth recognizing is Maggie Sanders, who is also stepping away from her role as commissioner. Maggie never misses a meeting or an event, which in public service is no small thing. As a proud member of the Makah Tribe, she carried herself with integrity, thoughtfulness, and deep connection to her heritage. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her, now count her as a friend, and hope to keep leaning on her wisdom as we pursue big, forward-looking ideas for this region.
In Lacey, Michael Steadman is wrapping up many years of service on the City Council. Michael played a key role in securing a long-term, countywide solid waste contract that resulted in very favorable rates, a fact worth remembering each time the bill arrives. He was also instrumental in creating the Lacey Gold Star Memorial, a deeply personal project reflecting his service as a Marine and his respect for families who have sacrificed so much. The results of that work will last well beyond his time in office.
Olympia is also bidding farewell to Jim Cooper, which still somehow surprises me. Jim, with his signature Stetson hat, sharp wit, and unapologetic love of policy has been a voice not just in the Olympia council chamber but across the region. Coming from a family steeped in public service (his father, Mike Cooper, served in the state Legislature), Jim carried that legacy thoughtfully and fearlessly.
Jim is a self-described policy nerd, and I say that with affection. He’s helped me see complex issues from angles my simple firefighter brain might otherwise miss, and he’s never been shy about pressing an argument he believes in. I’ll miss the debates, the insights, and the tremendous institutional knowledge he brought to the table.
And finally, no year-end reflection would be complete without acknowledging Debbie Edwards, likely one of the longest-serving elected officials in Thurston County history. Her decades of service on the Yelm Community Schools Board of Directors defy easy summary. Combined with the extraordinary public career of her husband, former Sheriff and County Commissioner Gary Edwards, their legacy of service is unmatched and likely never will be. I sincerely hope retirement brings them joy and that I continue to see them at community events.
Transitions matter. They’re how institutions endure. None of us own these seats; we borrow them for a time, do the work we can, and then pass them on. That’s not weakness, that’s democracy functioning as intended.
To those stepping away: thank you for the time you gave, the families who sacrificed, and the steady hands you provided when things got hard.
To those stepping in: welcome, listen first, ask questions and remember, the work is bigger than any one of us.
As the year turns, I’m grateful to serve alongside people who understand that public service isn’t about being remembered — it’s about leaving your community stronger than you found it. That work continues. But today, let’s pause and say thank you.
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Wayne Fournier is a Thurston County commissioner, former Tenino mayor, firefighter and lifelong community advocate. His column appears in The Chronicle every two weeks.
