BE KIND. The big block billboard letters sparkled on his chest, before the handshake, before I thanked him for meeting with me.

“I like your shirt,” I told Oak Harbor Mayor Ronnie Wright.

“This? Thanks, sorry, I just came from the gym.”

Then the small print soaked in. The bright multicolor message: In a world where you can be anything, BE KIND.

A year removed from a contentious campaign and just months beyond headline-grabbing city staff terminations, Mayor Wright knows some might see irony in the message. He understands.

“I try to avoid knee-jerk decisions. I hear and respect people. I try to think about the issues before I take action.”

But he still has to take action. And it’s not always popular, even if he’s convinced it’s the right thing to do.

Wright is not a politician. Navy service brought him to Whidbey in the ’90s, and he stayed. He earned a degree on the GI Bill, then an MBA at night school while working full time. He put 20 years of energy into his local business.

“I didn’t plan on being mayor. But a group of people I respect approached me, worried about where the city was heading. They thought I could create a new direction.”

It made sense. Wright saw his city losing its way, unfocused on the future, embroiled in controversies over everything from public art to a too-expensive sewage treatment plant. He thought he could help. His friends said he could bring people together and lead the city forward. He paused to consider his options, and found another compelling reason to serve.

“There is so much beauty here,” Wright says, his face suddenly serious.

Green trees, blue water, pink sunsets? Sure, but it’s more than that for Ronnie Wright.

“Beauty and love. This community has been so supportive, in the midst of my own struggles.”

Wright’s wife Peggy suffered a catastrophic stroke in 2019. She still needs 24/7 assisted-living care. Through his efforts to be with Peggy during her ICU stay, to comfort their two adult daughters, and to care for Peggy when she moved home, friends rallied. He names two in particular.

“I was sleeping in a chair in Peggy’s room at Swedish, not showering, barely eating. Jason McFadyen insisted I move into his Seattle condo. Josh Blackmer drove down once a week for dinner. And when Peggy came home…”

Wright found endless hugs, encouragement and kindness, sometimes from near-strangers. A giant Oak Harbor human circle wrapped him and his family up and cared for them. Wright feels indebted.

His motivation to serve has even deeper roots, from 30-plus years ago, on a trip to aid a village in South Korea as a young sailor. He still sees their faces, kids living in poverty who nevertheless found joy and hope in a bunch of American servicemen.

“I’ve had opportunities those kids will never have. I can’t take it for granted. I’ve got to make the most of it. Thinking about that, it was an easy decision to run for office.”

Six months in, Wright has no regrets.

“We have a beautiful team at City Hall. Everyone works their butts off. I’ve worked hard, sure, but this is my reward, a team that does real work every day, getting things done that really matter.”

It isn’t always easy. Wright has found government moves painfully slow, unlike owning a business. But he still has a vision for the future.

“For instance, this town has talked for years about a community rec center, improvements to park programs and creating things for our young people to do. We need to get moving. And we need to bring the Navy back to the negotiating table about sharing the sewage plant.”

Party affiliation, and the polarization that goes with it, doesn’t enter Oak Harbor politics.

“We’re not Republicans and Democrats; our issues aren’t that divisive. We have conservatives and liberals, but we work it out. We don’t agree on everything, but we’re all looking for validation. Compromise is crucial. We have to keep educating ourselves, and keep getting better at what we do.”

Wright has been publicly cursed as MAGA, which he’s not. He’s been criticized as too liberal, which is strange given the politician whose style he most admires: Ronald Reagan. Wright says the 40th President had staunch beliefs but “an open mind and open ears. He was genuine. He believed we could disagree and still be friends.”

Wright bypasses politicians when asked about a local leader he looks up to. He doesn’t hesitate. He goes straight to Cynthia Mason. Wright says Mason, the News-Times’ 2023 Volunteer of the Year, embodies community leadership: passion, energy, attitude, respect.

At Wright’s compliments, Mason says she’s blushing. She met Wright on the Chamber board and saw his dedication first hand. “He demonstrates professionalism and consistency. He wears his heart on his sleeve when speaking of his love for Oak Harbor. Ronnie fosters dialogue, promotes empathy, emphasizes common values, all with great fiscal responsibility. We’re fortunate he raised his hand to serve as Mayor.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Wright keeps learning, moving forward. He wants to govern with more than platitudes. An effective leader “has to walk the walk, has to have courage to get advice from people who are experts.” He wants to meet regularly with citizens over a meal or coffee to inform them about what’s happening and listen to their concerns.

“When you break bread with people, look them in the eye and listen, you’re guaranteed to have better communication.”

Wright recently turned 50. That birthday, and Peggy’s ongoing struggles, gave him a new perspective.

“Hear people. Respect people. Be responsible, but live. Live every day.”

Solid advice. And Mayor Ronnie Wright is grateful for the chance to lead.

William Walker’s monthly “Take a Breath” column seeks paths to unity on Whidbey Island in a time of polarization. Walker lives near Oak Harbor and is an amateur author of four unpublished novels, hundreds of poems and a stage play. He blogs occasionally at www.playininthedirt.com.