Residents of Rochester's East Side will have a new representative in City Council next year.
"There are times when you say to yourself, 'Twelve years, the city deserves fresh, new ideas,' " said longtime council member Elaine Spaull as she explained her decision to not run for re-election in November.
The Democrat, who was first elected in 2007, has sometimes cast a dissenting vote on Council. She views herself as an independent thinker but not an obstructionist.
"I hope that whoever succeeds me will understand the independent role Council must take,” she said. “This is not an arm of city government; we are not a department of city government. A strong council and a strong mayor, which is what we have now, is the best form of government for our city."
Spaull says she’s not done with public service. She wants to devote more of her time to the Center for Youth, where she is executive director. The center provides education, counseling, and emergency shelter. According to Spaull, a perfect storm is threatening young, homeless people: A growing need despite closed programs and uncertain government funding.
The Center for Youth wants to resurrect an old program that allows families, certified by the state, to open their homes to homeless young people.
"A young mother, let's say a 17 year old trying to finish school, with a five month old, can go and be about three months with a family who can show them really what it means to be a family, how you care for a child, " Spaull explained.
Click on the LISTEN link above to hear an interview with Elaine Spaull.