Behuniak Says ‘Thank You, Seymour’

On Tuesday, November 19th, I served at my final Board of Selectmen meeting and it reminded me of all of the good times I had and important votes I participated in. 

The thoughts that this meeting elicited compelled me to write a thank you to the people of Seymour who gave me such a humbling and incredible opportunity back in 2015 and again in 2017.

Over the past four years I have enjoyed deeply the relationships that I have built. I have been lucky enough to have thousands of conversations with my fellow community members; Democrats, Republicans, and Unaffiliated voters alike. I am proud that in all of those conversations, I cannot remember more than a small handful of negative interactions. 

I am thankful that my fellow Selectmen, current and former, were always gracious with their time and advice. Not once did I ever leave a meeting hating one of my colleagues which I think is something that many people might find surprising in today’s political climate. The people serving on the Board are all decent people and I wish them a lot of luck in the next two years. I will be following their progress closely. 

I am proud that I was able to lend my voice on so many of the issues that came before us and had ideas that were always taken seriously. Rarely did I ever feel strongly enough about something that I had to vote no. 

That is not because I didn’t put thought in, but because the board worked really well together and we were almost always able to come to a consensus when there was disagreement. I truly hope that this spirit of collaboration continues far into the future. It is good for everyone’s mental health, and it is good for Seymour. 

The last 4 years have made me a better person and given me experience and an education that I could never pay for. For that I need to express my humble and sincere thanks once more to the people of Seymour who gave me that opportunity. I hope that I have served in a way that makes my friends and neighbors proud. 

Though I am no longer an elected official in my hometown, I will continue to remain heavily involved in the future and prosperity of Seymour. You will continue to see me at community events and out at our local businesses. I am still more than happy to sit with anyone who has concerns and find ways to work through them. 

In that spirit I will be hosting my final Sitdown with a Selectman” on Monday, November 25th at 7 p.m. at Pub 67. Come share a drink and let’s talk about Seymour, life, or anything else that you’d like. 

All my best,

Stephan Behuniak

The writer is an elected member of the Seymour Board of Selectman who did not run for re-election to that position.

Keep local reporting alive. Donate.ValleyIndy.org