For the last time, DD Patterson responded “here,” for the roll call and stood for the Pledge of Allegiance as City Councilman Ward IV Tuesday night. The prayer for the City of Seminole that night sounded different compared to the other prayers in city council meetings. “Thanks for our city of Seminole, for DD Patterson and his 20 years of service, and for all our people.”

The meeting continued and Patterson served with the same caring eyes that he served with on his first meeting as city councilman 20 years ago. He listened to every concern and voted for what he thought would be best for the city. He guided and mentored everyone that came across his path with his best discernment.

The closing thoughts of the night centered around thankful comments towards Patterson. Many commented with their appreciation that Patterson was not only a fellow city councilman, but a mentor that guided them through processes and decisions.

Cory Crabtree reminisced when he was first elected for city council, Patterson was the first person in his office giving advice. “Always read the material before the meetings. If you have any questions, you can always call me.”

MayorJeff Griffin also considered Patterson a mentor and commended Patterson “on the consistency and dedication DD has shown through the years.” Patterson laughed in response, “If I get credit for your training, I have trained you well.” Patterson also encouraged citizens that “Mayor Griffin is one of the strongest mayors Seminole has had, yet.”

City Manager Steve Saxon also stated his appreciation. “DD Patterson has been a pillar that we have leaned upon for decades. He is a beautiful mind. He has been an integral part of all the advancements in Seminole, such as golf course expansion, fire department expansion, landing Bar-S factory, building a softball quad, build-ing a wellness center and saving the hospital. He will be missed on the council, but we expect him to continue leadership.”

DD Patterson’s final words at the council meeting last night were encouraging to Seminole citizens: “Well, first off I would like to thank the ward for allowing me to represent them for 20 years. It’s been my pleasure, and everything has been positive. We’ve never had a negative thing on this council that we’ve walked out of here with. Think about it. That’s a plus. Steve, I can’t say enough about you and your staff. I appreciate you. I appreciate your staff. You always put the right people in the right place. I have served with seven different mayors. They have all been sincere and try to do the best they could. We have a strong mayor now, and I am real proud of you Jeff. I have served with 30-plus council members, too many to count really. When I started, we had a budget of $6 million. Today, our budget is $23 million. I think that’s a credit to not only this council, but also to the City of Seminole. You got a bright future ahead of you. Stand strong. Don’t look back, only ahead of you. Good things are going to happen, and they are going to happen in Seminole. I love Seminole. It’s my home. I am very, very pleased to have been a part of this council and this organization we call City of Seminole. Believe me, it’s a city now, not a town. Steve [Saxon] brought us from a town to a city, and I appreciate that. Thank you very much. It’s been my pleasure.