Colfax City Council to name pocket park after mayor

Colfax Mayor David Mast is not one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, but if he did they would be short sleeves. Very short sleeves.

Perhaps his subdued emotions come from the few years he spent in the U.S. Army. No doubt he was trained to not show overtly strong emotions during basic training. Perhaps it comes from his service as a deacon and treasurer for Colfax First Baptist Church. Working in the church is serious business you know.

Perhaps it comes from his 30-year tenure as a high school math teacher in Colfax. His classroom surely had a few knuckleheads who tested his patience through the years. Whatever the case may be, Mast seems to keep his feelings in check most of the time. Only those with a keen eye can detect them.

When the Colfax City Council and outgoing city administrator Wade Wagoner presented and moved forward with the idea of naming the new pocket park after Mast, he did not jump for joy or try to hide his face in his hands or bark, “Bah humbug!” in the spirit of the holidays. Heck, he didn’t even blush.

But a small twitch of his brow and the faintest of playful smirks was all the sign officials needed to know. Indeed, Mast was speechless, but touched. The naming of the park represents all of his years of service. Whether it was for his country, his church, his students or his community, Mast is a proven serviceman.

While it may seem like a tiny project — and it was — the pocket park, for Wagoner, represents the staff, the council and the mayor. It was especially important for Wagoner as it was a project he helped complete while working from home after a MRSA infection put him on temporary disability.

For Wagoner, the naming of the pocket park was one of his final gifts to the mayor before he left the City of Colfax. The other was an updated state of the city document. Wagoner said he always appreciated Mast’s servant heart and his humor, which he admitted has begun to rub off on him.

Bryan Poulter, a member of the Colfax City Council, provided a list of names for the park to be called, which include: Mast Park, Mast Alley, Lois Lane (both a nod to Mast’s wife of 53 years and a reference to the fictional character from the Superman comics), Mast Square, Mast2 and Mast Square2.

“Obviously, these are only suggestions,” Poulter said. “We’d like you to be able to make the choice as to what you would like it to be named after.”

The motion to name the pocket park after Mast was approved in a 5-0 vote.

“I think this is a very worthy acknowledgement of our mayor and the things he brings to the service of our community,” Poulter said.