Even though I’m not there anymore, I’ve got family members and friends there, people I know and care about, and I will always want to see Cottage Grove continue to prosper.”

Steve Dennis

Council member Steve Dennis officially stepped down from his position at the Oct. 4 Cottage Grove City Council meeting. It was an emotional sendoff, highlighted by comments from fellow members of the council, as well as Washington County Commissioner Karla Bigham. A long-time Cottage Grove resident, a member of the city council since 2017, mayor pro tem, and a mainstay in the local business community as owner of Dennis Brothers Liquor for 20 years, Dennis is now moving away to pursue other life goals.

Mayor Myron Bailey introduced the issue at the meeting by opening discussion to declare a vacancy in Dennis’ council seat, indicating he had received his official letter of resignation.

Dennis addressed the council with a statement, saying, “It has been my honor to serve the residents and investors of the City of Cottage Grove since January of 2015. I am extremely proud of the accomplishments made by our City Council, staff team, and those community members who have volunteered their time to make Cottage Grove a better place. I also carry tremendous appreciation toward the dignified way our council has approached our call to service, and the outstanding results we have achieved on behalf of the entire community.

“As you are aware, the past year has brought many changes for me. As a result, I’ve chosen to pursue aspirations that more closely align with my current and future goals, personally and professionally. And while I ultimately arrived at the decision to resign from my position on the City Council, it has been extremely difficult because of my consideration and dedication to a place that has been my home for over 34 years.”

Dennis went on to highlight some of the things he takes pride in achieving during his service to Cottage Grove, including attaining all-time records for the city’s economic development success, clean water supply goals, a AAA bond rating received this year, and having never missed a council meeting during his tenure.

“Please accept my sincere thanks for your partnership and friendship over the years,” he said. “It’s always been my honor to serve as your mayor pro tem and as vice president of our Economic Development Authority. I hereby resign all positions and appointments at the conclusion of this meeting, Oct. 4, 2023, with kindest regards and gratitude in knowing that we moved our goals very far.”

Council member Dave Thiede moved to accept Dennis’ resignation and declare the vacancy, and the motion was seconded by Council member Tony Khambata. The vote passed unanimously.

During the following council comments, Khambata said to Dennis, “I’d just like to say that you’ve been a mentor to me, and I’m a little heartbroken that you’re not going to be sitting next to me.”

Thiede followed by wishing Dennis good luck moving forward.

Council member Justin Olsen said, “It has been an honor and a privilege to be able to serve with Council member Dennis.” He continued, “I am an admirer of your work ethic, and your passion and dedication to fulfilling the obligations of the role of council member. It’s something that I think we all take extremely sincerely, and I know that you hold that responsibility in the highest regard, and stepping aside is a very difficult decision for you.”

Olsen added, “As a constituent, in other words, somebody that you represent, I’m very grateful for what you’ve done for our community and for being a good listener and somebody that has definitely put their heart and soul into the position of council member. I think that’s the only way you can do it well.”

He described how the council was going through a “challenging time” when Dennis came aboard, and that he brought a cohesive and comprehensive piece to bringing the city to where it stands today, making the community and the council better overall.

“Whether you’re moving away from our community, you’ll still call Cottage Grove home. It’ll still be a place for you, and you know you can always come back,” said Bailey. “You will be missed, big time.”

Dennis was presented with a framed proclamation from the council declaring Oct. 4 to be “Steve Dennis Day” in Cottage Grove.

Commissioner Bigham was noticeably teary as she wished Dennis well in the future, saying, “I just wanted to stop by and give you a Commissioner’s Service Award from a grateful county for your years of service on the Cottage Grove City Council, and wish you luck and happiness in your future adventures, and thank you for friendship which doesn’t go away.”

Asked about the outpouring at the council meeting, Dennis said, “I was very humbled by it. It was extremely difficult for me to leave the council. The years of dedication, all of the people that are there that I care about, and the community that I love.  All of the things we did, those are things that don’t leave a person.”

Regarding his time working with Commissioner Bigham, he said, “We have a long-term connection. She and I worked together on two of my three campaigns, where we happened to run on the same cycle. We worked together and supported one another. We wore out several pairs of shoes. Last year we charted almost 150 miles of walks that we did as we went out and supported one another. I’ve always liked to surround myself with people that I have been impressed with and knew that they had best interests of our community at heart.”

Asked why now is the right time to leave, Dennis said, “There comes a point in any person’s life where you have to take a look at things, because ultimately, at the end of all that we do, I think most people would want to say ‘I was good with the life I lived.’ I wanted to do some of the things that I have not been able to do in my life up to this point, and so I made a conscious choice.

“What I hope is that the things that I’ve learned in my life, the skill sets and knowledge, that I can take those pieces and put them to work. And to be able to do it in a way that will allow me to continue to find success in whatever I choose to do going forward, in the same way that I was fortunate enough to find success with the things I have done before.

“The thing people remember most about you is the last thing you did. I want to leave a message of hope and inspiration and good wishes for the community to continue on in the path that we have, because that path of dedication and hard work leads to results for the community.”

The vacancy will be filled by appointment by the council to continue the chain of leadership until the next election.

When asked his thoughts on that appointment, Dennis said, “I believe that the council will make the appropriate choice for the community in whoever they appoint. People like stability and they like to see good results. In the election last year, three of us ran unopposed. I think that’s a very strong statement that the community appreciates the direction and the results of what we’ve been able to bring together. It’s absolutely a partnership between the voter and the representatives of the people. I have full confidence that the council will continue to do that.

“I also want them to continue to keep the great leaders that we have on board with the staff team, our directors and our city administrator. As long as these people remain there, intact and engaged, I see no reason whatsoever that things won’t continue on the path that we’ve set forth. I wish there was a way to convey to the community how fortunate we are to have these people as public servants working for them.”

Upon leaving the city and his elected position, Dennis concluded, “Even though I’m not there anymore, I’ve got family members and friends there, people I know and care about, and I will always want to see Cottage Grove continue to prosper.”