Wilmington’s first three-term mayor offered his parting thoughts Wednesday night.
Highlights from Mayor James Baker's farewell speech.
Highlights from Mayor James Baker's farewell speech.
[flashvideo file=http://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/baker-farewell.flv image="none"/]
James Baker called his 12 years in office and his 40 years as a Wilmington public servant a “grand adventure” in a farewell address in City Council chambers.
He spoke for just over 20 minutes on a variety of topics, including his “stubborn and outspoken” persona that often earned him criticism.
“I’ve never seen myself doing the politically safe thing or whatever the polls say. My job was never to just tell people what they wanted to hear or the politically correct thing, but rather what is the right thing to do,” said Baker.
Baker also tackled the issue of crime, calling “black on black” violence a genocide that must be addressed with solutions beyond the police.
“Arresting people only provides temporary relief and will not stop the madness," said Baker. "The only way to stop it is to begin raising our children properly. We’ve got to properly educate our children and instill in them the best and most noble of values. The highest among them is that violence, which is a learned behavior, must stop.”
Baker added his goal as mayor was always to offer a vision of Wilmington as a world-class city.
[audio:http://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/baker-full.mp3|titles=Listen to Mayor James Baker's entire farewell address.]
"We were not trying to be Paris, Rome or London, but a city whose uniqueness would cause people to want to live, work and be entertained and visit," said Baker. "Let's continue to enjoy the beauty of our city, the history of our city, the neighborhoods of our city, the waters of our city, the great educational institutions of our city, the unique businesses of our city, and the people of our city who are the ones that make all of these sectors of Wilmington work and flourish."
Former State Rep. Dennis P. Williams (D) will succeed Baker as mayor.