Q & A with the Mayor

The Q&A series continues with this week's spotlight on Natalie McNish, Mayor of Marshfield.

1. What is your favorite sport?

Mayor McNish: Anything my boys are playing! I have the athletic ability of a sack of flour. Still, I enjoy watching them play football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling.

2. What is your favorite song?

Mayor McNish: This question is impossible because music is my mojo! I like a beat that matches my mood, a lyric that I can understand and relate to, and anything I have tied to a memory. So, a few favorites would include: The hymn "In the Garden", "Boom Boom" by Big Head Todd & The Monsters, "Breakfast" by Newsboys, "I Love a Rainy Night" by Eddie Rabbit, "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and "It's a Great Day to be Alive" by Travis Tritt, also anything Metallica, Beatles, or Johnny Cash.

3. What is something that made you happy this past year?

Mayor McNish: I've been blessed with many happy memories of 2022, but the best ones are those I made with family and friends while traveling. I love seeing my husband relax and cut up with the boys, seeing my boys experience new things and learn from new people, and soaking up the sounds and sights of both man and nature.

4. Do you have any pets?

Mayor McNish: We have three dogs and two cats. A 17-year-old beagle/boxer mix named "Peanut." He's old and cranky, but we raised him from a very tiny pup, and he's our very good boy! A 3-year-old mountain cur named "Chief." He is obsessed with squirrels, and if you drive by our house, you will likely find him pointing at the bottom of the large oak in the front yard or the pecan tree at the back. A 1-year-old welsh corgi named "Remington" or "Remi" for short. He is a very active potato who is always ready to play. Then we have one 5-year-old outside cat named "Cooper" who likes the large pasture land behind our home and only stops by the house once a week or so during the winter. Then we have an 8-month-old inside cat named "Cali." She is learning to be queen kitty and was gracious enough to deal with my Christmas Tree obsession without too many incidents.

5. What is your dream vacation destination?

Mayor McNish: If I'm going to rest and rejuvenate, I want a house with a porch and/or deck in the woods. Mountains, plains, or beaches are optional. Still, the rustling of leaves and swaying of branches in the breeze are essential ingredients to the medicine that soothes my mind and soul.

If I'm going to see new things, the answer is anywhere I haven't been before and with family and/or friends.

6. Do you have any new year's resolutions or goals?

Mayor McNish: I always have goals, but they seldom have anything to do with the new year.

For my family, my goal is to raise young men who have deep roots in this town. We chose to make their home and have confidence in ourselves to set and achieve their goals.

Professionally, I am migrating my university office to real-time auditing, which provides better value to the institution. I am also building my knowledge of cyber security and crimes to protect better the organizations I serve, intending to become certified in cybercrime auditing.

Finally, for my community, the Alderman and I have many goals we have been working on and hope to see come to fruition for our community in 2023. Those probably need their article, but I genuinely enjoy working with this team of community members. I can't wait to see what we can accomplish.

7. Pick three words to describe this past year.

Mayor McNish: Adventure, Learning, Community.

8. Do you have a life motto or favorite quote?

 Mayor McNish: So many people more intelligent than I have left words of wisdom I use from time to time.

Some examples are:

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." - John F. Kennedy

"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." - Ronald Reagan

"Keep moving forward." Walt Disney

9. Name something on your bucket list

Mayor McNish: Visit Denali National Park and see as much of it as many ways possible.

10. What is something you enjoy about Marshfield?

Mayor McNish: The people. The people of this community make Marshfield the place we love.

11. What was the most significant thing you learned this past year?

Mayor McNish: I don't know that I learned this in 2022, but one thing I saw reaffirmed repeatedly was that one person rarely achieves greatness on their own. Those we surround ourselves with are the ingredients to success. I'm so blessed to have my husband, boys, mom, and countless friends nearby and supporting my family and me at home. I'm blessed again for the teams of people at the city and the University. We did some important things in 2022, not through the works of any particular person but through collaboration and teamwork.

12. What is something you look forward to in the new year?

Mayor McNish: The new things I will learn, places I will go, and people I will meet.