City Council honors Janku, welcomes Thornhill

In the formal meeting, the council created a deputy police chief.

By Ryan Schmitz

Published April 20, 2009

City Council welcomed a new member Tuesday, as newly elected Second Ward Councilman Jason Thornhill attended his first meeting following the retirement of Chris Janku.

"I am very proud to sit on the council with you," Thornhill said to the other council members. "I hope we can work together to make the city of Columbia better."

Before City Clerk Sheela Amin and City Manager Bill Watkins administered the oath of office to Thornhill, as well as re-elected Sixth Ward Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe, Janku offered his thanks to his family, the constituents of the Second Ward, his other council colleagues and the two mayors under whom he served. He also voiced optimism about Columbia's future.

"I'm sure Jason will continue to serve the citizens of the Second Ward well," said Janku, who served on the council for a record 18 years. "We do hard work and make tough decisions, but in the end we work for the benefit of the community. I do think Columbia will do well because of the way the council works together."

Janku said he will undergo several lifestyle changes during his retirement.

"Our family budget will go up, since I won't be getting free dinners on Monday nights at City Hall," he said jokingly. "My wardrobe will change, and I'll be able to spend more time with my family."

Watkins and Mayor Darwin Hindman presented Janku with a resolution from the other representatives, Janku's office nameplate, two commemorative plaques, a framed aerial photograph of the Second Ward, a silver plate commemorating his service as mayor pro tempore and a gift certificate from the city staff. Additionally, they will plant a heritage tree in a park of Janku's choice.

"Chris Janku represented his ward beautifully," Hindman said. "But he always looked after the welfare of the city as a whole. It will take some getting used to for me to look to my right and not see Chris in the Second Ward seat."

Hoppe, whose ward covers East Campus and is home to many MU students, said she appreciates her position on the council and acknowledged the obstacles Columbia will face in the coming term.

"I've enjoyed working with every person here, including Chris Janku," she said. "I know we have big challenges ahead in terms of our budget, but I look forward to helping to put Columbia in a stable financial position."

The council also unanimously elected Fifth Ward Councilwoman Laura Nauser as mayor pro tempore, who takes on the duties of the mayor in the result of an absence or a disability and holds the job for a year. During his tenure, Janku held the position three times.

The representatives also recognized the leaders of each city department.

"They are the ones who do the real work for me," Watkins said. "They make all of us look good, and you will get to know them well."

During its formal meeting later that evening, the council, in a blanket motion, established the position of deputy police chief and upgraded the title of assistant fire chief to deputy fire chief. Both of these actions required amending the city's budget and pay plan to accommodate the salary increases.