08/14/2026
Dear Willow Park,
There is a Greek proverb that states: “a society becomes great when men plant trees under which they will never sit.”
When I joined Willow Park my only instruction was to establish messaging to the city’s residents. I learned quickly that was just the beginning. What became clear was that our growing city needed a structure to tell our story and truly connect with the community.
I’ve had countless coffees, press meetings, town halls, calls and emails, and each one has brought me closer to you.
You’ve trusted me enough to come to me with questions, fears, ideas and concerns, and I’ve done my best to bring them to the table and establish a voice for our community. I’m the one who raises my hand to say “this is the question they’re going to ask, and I want to have that answer for them.” To the credit of our leadership, they’ve always given me a seat at the table to ask those questions. I now count some of my angry callers as friends.
I’ve been the PIO for the fire department, police department, and emergency management and I’ve done my best to make sure our community stays safe during difficult times, from ice storms to fires to tornadoes. Sometimes those calls come at 3 am and I’ve always been near the phone ready to answer; because this is so much more than a job. It’s truly a calling. What an honor it’s been to have such trust placed in me, and I hope I’ve taken good care of that privilege. I want you all to know I’ve never taken it lightly.
My other duties as assigned have been too many to list, but each one has taught me more about listening as a craft – not listening to answer, but listening to understand. I have made curiosity a priority over the years, attempting to be receptive to feedback and open to others’ experiences.
During these years, I’ve grown alongside the city - establishing channels, building relationships, and aggressively pursuing and sharing training to better serve our community. There is still so much work to be done. However, my time here has reached its conclusion as I move forward to my next adventure. I look forward to watching my seedlings grow in my role as a Willow Park resident and I hope one day we’re all sitting under those trees.
Our city has an amazing future ahead of it. I am so grateful to have been a small part.
Thank you, Willow Park, you’ll always be home.
Rose Hoffman, Director of Communications, 2018-2026
