WHAT NEEDS ATTENTION FROM LOCAL POLITICIANS
What our hometown requires is a critical approach to everything. We need elected officials who aren’t afraid to stand up and defend their opinions and position on municipal matters, refusing to be intimidated by those who are used to, and quite comfortable, bullying weaker councillors, to get their way. In order to represent their constituents properly, our elected officials need to circulate and associate after the election, with the folks who marked their names on the ballot. As tradition elected officials forget their support base the moment the election results are posted.
I have been watching the local press for candidate announcements and I’m greatly distressed by the talent pool so far. We need candidates with experience and a vigor to embrace the challenges of a struggling town, not glad-handers and big mouths who make a lot of claims but fail continually to inspire real and important change to a deserving hometown. I want to see candidates who are brave enough to insist on a vastly improved relationship with the business community, and who are willing to force-feed democracy on some pretty undemocratic activities that are impeding necessary improvements. I want to see a slate of candidates that is dynamic and ambitious..... not simply out to win popularity contests....... but are truly willing to fight for us at the municipal level, so that we feel our rights, our requests for their time, are just as significant as calls to attend ribbon cuttings and all other ridiculous photo ops of convenience.
I will consider the rookie candidate because we all have to start somewhere. But I will be quite discontent, and prolific in my criticism, if the elected novice doesn’t show moxy and determination to represent democracy.....not the selective approach we have seen all too often, but a generous appreciation that to win our ongoing respect, demands adherence to respectful conduct......and blowing us off, as is typical, isn’t going to fly in this most critical, pivotal, re-developing period of Gravenhurt’s history. Many significant changes are occurring that will drastically change the character of our hometown, and we need local elected representatives who appreciate that the next four years will be jammed full, of life and neighborhood-altering demands, and challenges, that will create controversy beyond anything we have experienced in our local history. We have a community facing a huge identity crisis and a mainstreet business corridor in disarray despite claims they might make otherwise. We have a debt load, well, a big one. If we have to face more problems with this lingering recession, and the ongoing shortfalls in our number one industry, tourism, we haven’t even touched the realm of shortfall and discontent.
If you think you’ve got what it takes, and have a keen interest in the dynamics and goodwill of our hometown, and understand the displeasure of being dismissed as a mere constituent after an election, please consider taking a shot at a local council seat.