WARREN, Mich. – Portraits of seven Warren mayors dating back to 1957 will be unveiled at Warren City Hall on Wednesday, October 17th.
Warren Mayor Jim Fouts initiated the idea of placing the portraits in the new City Hall when he realized that the portraits formerly displayed in the old City Hall were missing.
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"We found them stored somewhere and Patrick Photographic Studios in Warren updated them," said Fouts, who said the mayors date back to the day Warren became a city.
The mayors were Arthur Miller, Sr. (1957-1961); Louis Kelsey (1961); William Shaw (1961-1967); Ted Bates (1967 - 1981); James Randlett (1981 - 1985); Ron Bonkowski (1985 - 1995) and Mark Steenbergh (1995 - 2007).
"Each mayor had a unique management style and personality, and each contributed in some way to Warren becoming Michigan's third largest city in population and the dynamic city it is today," said Fouts, who was elected mayor in 2007 and re-elected in 2011.
"I had the honor of serving on the City Council with three of the mayors (Randlett, Bonkowski and Steenbergh)," said Fouts. "I learned something about leadership from each of them." Fouts said family and friends of the mayors have been invited to the ceremony in the atrium.
"Some of the mayors were adversaries, but I am sure the atmosphere will be friendly as they recall their fond memories of their service to Warren," said Fouts.