Submitted by City of Westfield
Westfield Mayor Andy Cook has announced that he will not seek reelection, ending four terms as mayor in 2023.
Cook
“I’m in my 16th year as Mayor of the city that I love,” Cook said. “I’ve been Westfield’s first and only Mayor as we have grown from a small farming community into a city of over 50,000, listed by national publications as one of the safest and most desirable places to live in America. I’m very proud of the progress that we’ve made, but we’ve got a good field of younger people, and it’s time for the next generation to lead Westfield into the future.”
Under Mayor Cook’s administration, Westfield experienced tremendous population growth and saw significant developments championed during his tenure in office. He spearheaded the creation of the over 400-acre Grand Park Sports Campus, which has helped to attract $1.5 billion in economic development. He also led the charge for a downtown park to become the anchor for future growth. That led to the six-acre, award-winning Grand Junction Plaza with several mixed-use development projects planned nearby.
“Andy represents the best in public service,” said Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard. “A compassionate leader who understands that great cities aren’t just made of bricks and mortar. They are places that help educate, nurture, and enrich the lives of their citizens. He’s been a valued colleague, and I know his commitment and dedication to Westfield will be greatly missed.”
Among his proudest accomplishments is creating the Westfield Youth Assistance Program in 2009. WYAP serves as an early intervention advocate for youth ages 3 to 17 who face challenging life circumstances. The program has helped reduce the number of kids entering the judicial system by half.
“We face some important challenges, including managing our future growth while continuing to attract top companies to our city,” Cook said. “I believe we helped lay the groundwork for the next administration to continue this important work on behalf of our current and future citizens.”
Mayor Cook will remain in office through the end of 2023.