Former and present Cherry Creek Town Board members gathered to honor Carl Dean “Pete” Smallback with a place commemorating 35 years of continuous service. Pictured are Mia Abbey, Amy Jo Burroughs, Luke Smallback, Tom Smallback, Carolyn Smallback, Mark Smallback, Pete Smallback, Brenda Hendricks, Bruce Hendricks, Jim Abbey, Ryan Aleppo, Ken Chase, Cathy Chase, Bill Young, Sharon Sweeting, Janie Wash and Tom Wash. Photo by Sue Ann Fish

CHERRY CREEK — Former and present members of the Cherry Creek Town Board gathered in the Ballpark on Main Street recently to honor one of their peers who is retiring following 35 years of service.

Carl Dean Smallback, better known as “Pete” to his friends and neighbors, was given a plaque commemorating his 35 continuous years of service to the town of Cherry Creek. “Pete has served on the board during my entire tenure as town supervisor,” said Bill Young, prior to the ceremony. “It has been a privilege to serve with him, and I appreciate his work.”

Letters from Joseph Gerace Sr. and Democratic Party Chairman Norm Green were read during the brief ceremony in which Smallback was presented a plaque which reads “Congratulations, Carl ‘Pete’ Smallback, for 35 years of service on the Cherry Creek Town Board.”

“I enjoyed serving on the board,” Smallback said. “I got to see folks once a month and keep up on all the village happenings.”

Though he makes light of his service, Smallback was part of many developments during his tenure on the town board, such as the improvement to many roads in the town, the dissolution of the village and the watershed project that resolved many of Cherry Creek’s flooding issues.

Community service ran strong in the Smallback family. His father, Bill Smallback, served as town supervisor while Pete was growing up. And his mother, June, served as town clerk.

When asked why he stayed on the board for so many years, Smallback answered very simply: “I wanted to give something back. Cherry Creek is a good place to live.”