And we are fortunate to have three of our legislative representatives with us tonight.

Representative Golick.

Ankles, I believe.

There you are.

And Arfred.

And I believe they have some presentations.

So I'm Representative Cheryl Golick.

I represent all of Harpswell on and part of Brunswick.

And today I am here to honor David Watson on the occasion of his retirement.

Mr.

Watson has left an indelible mark on our community through his steadfast commitment, leadership, and integrity.

Mr.

Watson's devotion to Brunswick began long before his tenure on the town council.

For 35 years, he served as a Brunswick police officer, protecting his neighbors and upholding the safety of all residents.

His career in law enforcement was characterized by courage, compassion, and an unwavering sense of duty.

Throughout his career, first as a police officer and later as a council member, Mr.

Watson exemplified the very best qualities of a public servant.

His actions were always guided by the needs and interests of his the community.

And his legacy will forever be remembered for generations to come.

Colleagues, neighbors, and friends alike have looked to him as a model of dedication and integrity.

From the state of Maine, uh members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which I will read uh briefly.

We join in recognizing David Watson of Brunswick on his retirement from the Brunswick Town Council after 23 years of public service.

Prior to his time on the council, Mr.

Watson protected his community as Brunswick Police Officer for 35 years.

We extend our congratulations and best wishes, and it ordered that this official expression of sentiment be sent for with on behalf of the hundred and thirty-second legislature and the people of the state of Maine.

As you are back in your retirement, David, I wish you a heartfelt congratulations and best wishes.

Your extraordinary contributions have made Brunswick a better, safer, and stronger town.

May this new chapter bring you the happiness and familiar fulfillment you so richly deserve.

Thank you, David Watson, for your dedades of selfless service.

Your legacy will continue to inspire all who follow in your footsteps.

Thank you.

But I started serving, I I spent five years with Councillor Watson on the on the council.

I don't think I comprehended just the magnitude of the quality of service that he's provided to this community until I was face to face with it in person.

And I remember one of the first things we did together in 2019 was we got the Brunswick High School track taken care of and upgraded and that had been that had been one of his babies.

Um and uh former counselor king and I would joke because um we once heard Dave say that he didn't have red blood or blue blood, his blood was black and orange and um that I I always love to call that back off and every time I'm at um one of the dragons games uh I think of Dave saying that, and um it's just it's just a wonderful man, and he's done wonderful things for this town for so long, and so um I wish you the best and um it's gonna be very strange looking over and and uh seeing someone else on that that end of the uh at that end of the uh table, but congratulations, this is so well deserved.

Yeah.

I am Representative Poppy Arford, I serve State House District 101, and I am here to present a sentiment to my constituent, my extremely highly valued constituent, town council chair Sandy Optograph, but I just have to say something that I just remembered about Councillor Watson that others may not know, and that his dedication, not just to the post, but to people who are experiencing homeless, especially vets who are experiencing homelessness in our state and community, drove him to work with myself and others on a van for vets program, which brought, which is in the process of bringing one of these vans for vets, which is temporary safe housing for van for vets to Brunswick.

And the thing that's exceptional about it isn't just that, it's that he was very he wanted to make sure these this housing would these vans would be safe, and he went further than anybody else had in this whole program that's statewide in insisting that it be, I don't know if certified is the correct word, but that the state of Maine actually put their stamp of approval through the fire department on these on the heating units that they had in these vans, and it's because of him that eventually a state law was passed, and now the state does have a mechanism for overseeing them and ensuring their safety.

So I just wanted to recognize him for that as well, because I'm not sure everybody knows about that.

I actually was asked to present the um to David.

Um everybody has stolen all my thunder.

I called a whole bunch of people, I got a whole list of stuff that he has done, and you've many of you have mentioned all of the things um he's done so much for the town, so much for the I've known him since I don't know, we went to Hawthorne school, I'm older though.

We went to Hawthorne school, I think at the same time, and we began to know each other back then, so we go back a ways.

Um but he's been very worked so hard on anything to do with the uh at the at the I call it the base, I'm sorry, um, but for Mira for for the um for Tom Farrell working with Tom on on the recreation parts and all this stuff.

He's you were very important for getting the new track at the high school.

Uh what you've done for the American Legion is almost beyond recognition.

I know one of the things I was most excited about was when you got behind and moved the whole big rock in front of the high school to the new high school because that rock was our rock.

Um I I don't there's just a whole list of things he's done um working and and yes, he was a cop, weren't you?

I sometimes forget.

He was a police officer here for a while.

Every now and then we forget about that, but um so Dave for 23 years I can't even imagine uh I've I've been about 10 and I'm so David, come on up here and let me give you this.

And we so appreciate everything you've done, and please don't go away.

No, I get to speak.

No, I had I went to the restroom the other day, and I had a little list to create.

But you all know I can't go by a list.

It has been my honor to serve the town of Brunswick, the citizens of Brunswick, to help the town council for 23 years, and being a police officer before that.

It's been my honor.

As you all know, not only did we go to Brunswick, excuse me, to Hawthorne school together, but we were also born in the same nursing home.

She was first.

She led the way.