Special to the Leader & Times

Guymon, Okla. Mayor Kim Peterson was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame for City and Town Officials during the recent Oklahoma Municipal League Annual Conference in Tulsa, bringing together municipal leaders from across the State of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Hall of Fame recognizes public officials who have made significant contributions to municipal government in Oklahoma.

“As City Manager, and more importantly as someone who has had the privilege of working alongside Mayor Peterson, I am especially proud to see him receive this recognition,” Gyumon City Manager Michael Shannon said. “Mayor Peterson has given a great deal of himself to the City of Guymon. Public service is not always easy. It requires time away from family, long meetings, difficult decisions, countless conversations with citizens, and the willingness to sometimes make decisions knowing that not everyone will agree. But that is what local government is about. It is about showing up. It is about caring about your community. It is about being willing to sit at the table, listen to different opinions, work through difficult issues, and continue moving forward because you know the community is counting on you. Kim Peterson has done that for Guymon.”

And the praise did not stop there.

“Throughout my more than four decades in municipal government, I have learnedsomething very important about leadership and local government: if you are not in the room, you are not in the game. That has always been one of my beliefs about municipal leadership,” Shannon said. “You must be willing to show up. You must be willing to participate. You must be willing to speak for your community and make sure your community has a voice when important decisions are being discussed. He has been willing to be in the room – whether that room is in Guymon, at the Oklahoma Municipal League, Oklahoma State Capitol, or wherever decisions affecting municipal government and the future of our communities are being discussed. And when he is in that room, he doesn’t just represent himself. He represents Guymon. That is something I appreciate about Mayor Peterson. He understands that being Mayor is not simply a title. It is a responsibility to carry the voice, hopes, and concerns of the people of this community wherever you go.”

Shannon said there have been many other opportunities when Peterson has shown good leadership.

“I have also had the opportunity to see firsthand the importance of the relationship between a mayor and a professional city manager. It requires trust, communication, honesty, and, at times, the ability to have difficult conversations,” Shannon said. “Mayor Peterson has allowed me to do my job as City Manager while also challenging me to look at issues from the perspective of our citizens and the elected leadership of our community. That relationship is important to me personally, and I am grateful for it. Mayor Peterson’s service has also extended beyond Guymon. His involvement in municipal government at the state level has helped ensure that the Oklahoma Panhandle has a voice in conversations that affect cities and towns throughout Oklahoma. And that matters. Guymon may be located in the far northwest corner of Oklahoma, but our community has never been afraid to show up, participate, and make sure our voice is heard. Mayor Peterson is part of that tradition.”

Peterson’s record of service will stand the test of time, Shannon said.

“This honor is not simply about a plaque, a ceremony, or having his name added to a distinguished list of municipal leaders. It is about recognizing the years of service behind the name. It is about recognizing the meetings attended, the conversations held, the difficult decisions made, the people listened to, and the countless hours given to a community. It is about recognizing a man who has chosen to serve,” Shannon said. “I have been fortunate during my career to work with many elected officials. I can honestly say that it is a privilege to serve alongside Mayor Kim Peterson. Kim, congratulations on this tremendous honor. You have devoted many years to serving Guymon, and I know that your service has not always been easy. But I also know how much you care about this community. On behalf of the City of Guymon, our employees, and personally from me, thank you for your service, your friendship, your leadership, and, most importantly, your commitment to Guymon. This honor is well deserved. I am proud to call you my Mayor, proud to work alongside you, and proud that the name Kim Peterson – Mayor of Guymon, Okla. – is now part of the Oklahoma municipal history that recognizes those who have devoted themselves to the service of their communities. Congratulations, Mayor Peterson. Guymon is proud of you. And thank you for always being willing to be in the room—because when Guymon has a seat at the table, Guymon has a voice in the game.”