The recent passing of Mayor Max II has left Idyllwild without canine leadership, but Phyllis Mueller, Max’s chief of staff, is doggedly seeking a successor.
Several readers have inquired as to the role of Animal Rescue Friends (ARF) regarding a new mayor, seeing as how ARF originated the idea of an animal mayor for our town in the first place by running a fundraiser photo contest soliciting votes from the public. Max won the contest, and Mueller oversaw the raising of the mayor concept to heights ARF never anticipated.
ARF recently sent Mueller a letter (see photo) expressing condolences on the passing of Mayor Max II and praising the mayoral program under Mueller’s guidance. ARF also reaffirmed that it had officially bow-wowed out of puppy politics on the passing of the first Mayor Max, and that ARF has left future mayorships entirely in Mueller’s capable hands.
Mayor Max, and his successor Mayor Max II, became regular celebrities in Idyllwild, greeting children of all ages from the “Max Mobile,” frequently parked near the Candy Cupboard on North Circle Drive downtown. But many folk may not be aware that the mayor also brightens schools, hospitals, hospices and other non-political events. Max also has an international following as far away as India, due in part to Mueller’s sending of thousands of Mayor Max calendars world wide.
Mueller recently informed the Town Crier that she is searching among breeders of golden retrievers hoping to find blood-line descendants similar to the first two mayors. She says she looks every day, and she is aware the search may take a while. But she hopes to resume Idyllwild’s town-hound tradition with as brief a “paws” as possible.
