Goodrich- The village council is about to celebrate its golden anniversary, and is inviting one of their founding members to help commemorate the occasion.
Richard ‘Dick? Horton,85, father of current council member Rick Horton served on the first Goodrich Village Council.
It is planned Horton and the rest of the original council will be recognized with a plaque at the June 11 council meeting.
Alongside him on the council were council president Sennet West, E.J. Pierson, Donald McKinnon and D.M. Seeley.
‘I was the young one of the bunch,? says Horton.
Horton says issues at the time ranged from simply establishing themselves as a form of local government to making improvements to the village and securing police and fire protection through a joint agreement with township.
‘Well, we just wanted to try and get organized,? says Horton. ‘One of the first things we did was get street lights installed.?
Additionally, Horton says the original village council worked to get the roads along the schools paved, and purchased the Mill Pond from the city of Flint.
Horton says that purchase was important because otherwise it was left to Flint officials to open the dam gates in situations of hard rain. It was a duty Horton himself took on.
‘I was the one who took care of the gates. I was the gatemaster. You had to have a strong back and a weak mind to do it,? Horton laughs.
Horton served one term on the council, which he says was a learning experience.
‘It was an education for me. For one thing, I learned how to handle a business meeting. I got involved in a budget and I’d never done anything like that before. That’s really a fun thing to do you? find out how the other half lives,? said Horton.
Since his time on the council and the birth of the village, Horton has seen many changes in the community including the start-up of Department of Public Works and the recently added administration building.
‘The area’s grown so much more (as a) a tax base? (the current council) handles a whole lot more than we ever did,? says Horton.
Horton adds that in his opinion, the current council on which his son serves is doing just fine.
‘I think they’re doing a good job. I can’t find fault in anything they’ve ever done,? said Horton.
As the current council prepares to honor its founding members, Horton says he is still surprised it’s been 50 years since he served.
‘It’s hard for me to believe it’s been 50 years,? said Horton. ‘Fifty years have gone so fast in my life.?
And while he enjoyed his time on the council, Horton seems quite content with civilian life.
‘I might say,? says Horton with a laugh, ‘I have no desire to run again.?