After eight years of serving the city of Bozeman — the last two as mayor — Terry Cunningham has officially passed the baton.
Cunningham moved to Bozeman 28 years ago and quickly immersed himself in the community.
“I started volunteering. I started volunteering at the animal shelter, at the food bank, at Family Promise,” Cunningham said.
It wasn’t until he spearheaded some larger community projects — such as building dog parks and recreational climbing boulders — that he caught the attention of city leaders.
From animal shelter volunteer to mayor: Terry Cunningham's incredible 8-year journey serving Bozeman comes to an end
“One of the city commissioners asked me if I had an interest in running for office. And it wasn’t something I ever considered,” he said.
Cunningham was elected city commissioner eight years ago. Four years later, he became deputy mayor, and for the past two years, he has served as Bozeman’s mayor.
When asked what he’s most proud of from his tenure, Cunningham had more than one answer.
“The development of affordable housing, the protection of natural resources, and the improvement of our parks, our method of transportation — we’ve made some big gains where those are concerned, and I’m proud to have made those priorities,” he said.
Monday marked Cunningham’s final day as mayor. Although he wasn’t physically in Bozeman, he spent the day surrounded by community in Nashville.
“The amount of joy, the high fives, the sense of relief was just remarkable. So, we didn’t tear down the goalpost out of respect. But this outpouring of joy was 41 years in the making,” Cunningham said.
On Tuesday, he returned for his final city commission meeting, where he gave his final remarks.
“All too often we focus on areas of tension and controversy, and I’d like to remind ourselves of the positive steps we’ve taken together with our partners — and with you — to build a city we can be proud of,” he told those gathered.
Cunningham officially handed over the role to Bozeman’s new mayor, Joey Morrison, who will serve a two-year term.
Though retired from his mayoral duties, Cunningham plans to remain active in the community, helping with various projects and working part time at Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter.
“Eight years of service, and I can say without a doubt that it’s been the privilege of a lifetime to serve the city that I love,” Cunningham said.
