Friends,

Last Thursday, Erik Gutshall passed away: "It is with a broken heart that I share this news.... today the sweetest, most amazing man has lost his battle with brain cancer..."

Erik was a brother and mentor to me and a good husband, father, friend, and public servant who we will miss dearly. Our hearts are broken.

On Saturday, the County Board members offered a few remarks you can watch below in our short, 20 minute meeting. Mine are also below in quotation marks.
[link removed]
Board Member statements regarding Erik, starting at 3 minutes 40 seconds.

"Erik was a wonderful leader and person: kind, funny, honest, focused on community, and always committed to the greater good.

"3 thoughts stand out."

"One was from his swearing in, where he spoke so passionately about how the GLUP--the General Land Use Plan--exemplified the collaborative leadership that he loved about Arlington. It takes a truly special person to make the GLUP visionary. Erik was that person."

"Another was from our debate on whether to consider taking a step to allow for additional broadband capacity at the end of one Board meeting. It was late and one Arlington resident spoke passionately about her concerns. After the debate, Erik found the resident, and was so focused on making sure her concerns were heard. He was deeply kind and compassionate.

Last, he said things that were funny and wise. First, he said again and again that he was focused on the future. Later, he encouraged us to level up. And, perhaps most of all, he'd say the word sweetie with a voice that sounded way more southern and deeply good than almost anything I have ever heard."

"Like so many of you, I will miss Erik very much; he was a brother and mentor and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have known him. I ask that we hold Erik’s wife Renee and his three daughters in our hearts and do all we can to support them."

"And I'd ask all of us to keep Erik with us as we grieve together and work through this terrible pandemic together. Erik led by asking the most important questions and encouraging us all to reach for the best in ourselves. I know that's what he would want us to do in this difficult moment."

Matt

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