Saying Thanks and Goodbye

When Novato Patch opened for business in November 2010, there was so much uncertainty about how it would be received and whether it would matter.

On a personal note, I remember feeling jittery about whether I had made a good decision to try something new and different in my journalism career.

More than two years later, I'm certain that it was, indeed, a good decision from both perspectives. What a learning experience for all of us, huh? Hungry for local news, you embraced this website and turned it into a huge success — one of the biggest successes among more than 900 Patch sites across the country.

I tried something new, and now I'm doing it again.

Wednesday is my last day at Patch. I have a fantastic opportunity coming up, working in communications with the County of Marin. I will work with the county's administrators, elected officials and existing communications team to make sure the constituency knows what's going on within the walls of the majestic Marin Civic Center in San Rafael. My task is to make sure you know what your county government is achieving for us all.

I am proud of getting Novato Patch off the ground thanks to your loyal readership. I already knew a lot of people in town when I started this adventure, having lived here 14 years and worked most of that time the Marin Independent Journal. But I met so many more dedicated and inspiring people in my time at Novato Patch. I remain pleasantly stunned by the commitment of the people who strive to make Novato the best place to live and work.

At first some of you thought Patch might be a drywall company, but soon this site became a forum for important debates about hyper-local topics and the go-to location for everything happening in town. It's an engrained part of our daily lives now.

There are too many people and organizations to thank as I bid farewell. You know who you are. I'm forever indebted not only to my Patch teammates but — no joke — thousands of people who helped launch this site and make it a must-read. The story tips were so appreciated, as were the corrections from an army of grammar nerds. Constructive and sometimes pointed criticism made the site better every day.

I will remain here in town, so I will get to watch Novato Patch continue to serve as a platform where readers discuss community issues, stir things up, hash them out and celebrate our victories.

You'll be in good hands. Starting Thursday, keep in touch with Novato Patch by e-mailing novato@patch.com.

It's been my pleasure and honor to serve you. Thankfully, I'll get to keep serving you in my new role.

Cheers.

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