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Nancy Murray’s legacy lives on

To the editor:

It’s been said that true leaders plant seeds for trees they’ll never sit under. In Wellsville, Ohio, the roots of recovery and resilience bear the unmistakable mark of Nancy Murray–a determined public servant whose impact still echoes through the streets of our village.

I’ll never forget the moment I walked into her office in East Liverpool, petition for councilman in hand, asking her to be the first to sign after I decided to drop out of the mayor’s race. Without hesitation, she did. What followed was a long, hot summer filled with strategy talks and hopes for a better future. I remember sitting with Nancy and our friend Mike Shepherd at the VFW that July, sipping cold drinks and dreaming big.

The last thing I ever said to Mike was, “Someday we’ll be fishing with our grandkids, telling them the story about the time we saved the town.” Mike didn’t live to see that dream fulfilled.

Nancy Murray, alongside a committed council and the quiet brilliance of fiscal officer Hoi Wah Yu, deserves the credit for leading Wellsville out of darkness. It began when she was still a council member and discovered the village’s dire financial state: depleted accounts, insurance cancellations looming, and missed payments piling up. Rather than cover it up, Nancy rolled up her sleeves.

She partnered with the Ohio Auditor’s office, demanded transparency, and exposed the truth. For that, she drew ire from those in power–but she never flinched. When she was elected mayor, she brought order to village hall, took control of the budget, and appointed a police chief. Then came the official declaration: Wellsville was in fiscal emergency.

That didn’t scare Nancy–it inspired her.

She streamlined government operations, slashed unnecessary spending, and worked hand-in-hand with the state auditor to set a new course. Her leadership pulled Wellsville out of its third fiscal emergency in record time. Even state officials remarked on how quickly the turnaround came. But perhaps more importantly, Nancy restored public faith in the mayor’s office. Levies began to pass again–because residents finally believed their money would be handled responsibly.

This year, as I drove through town during the All-Class Reunion, I couldn’t help but reflect on what her leadership helped build: two new fire engines, a full fleet of new police cruisers, and small pocket parks springing up, funded by grants.

I took a moment to think of Nancy and Shep, then I looked toward the heavens, smiled, and thought to myself, “You did it, Nancy.”

Her legacy is not just a chapter in Wellsville’s story–it’s the foundation of its future.

John R. Morrow,

Former Councilman,

Wellsville

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