Wasting Our Time

A small item shared locally over Facebook focused on the local park board beginning its meetings with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and standing for it. One of the board members disagreed with this added ritual as unnecessary. All board members take an oath to support the constitutions of both the nation and the state of Illinois.

Seems there are those in the community that take umbrage at this stance. Seems that one of the new board members pressed the pledge on the board and being polite they accommodated her request. When the lone board member resisted, she took to the public via Facebook and her hot headed father.

Now the agenda gets murky at this point. But her dad once was a major troublemaker on the city council of the same city. He has a short temper and has trouble containing it. And he loves to spark controversy, especially where there isn’t any.

Instead of discussing issues of importance, he distracts with topics of non-importance. If you don’t agree with him you are a traitor, or worse. Of course most of his distractions are based on personal attacks.

All a colossal waste of time.

After he left the city council, a lot of good work was accomplished. Good solid organization work, organizational development, economic development, etc. It takes an open mind, cooperation and collaboration with others to make good things happen. 

Think about this: does your city have…

            -excellent road surfaces

            -good street lighting

            -timely and professional police services

            -excellent fire protection

            -park district that continually reinvents itself and its services to meet the public’s

 needs

            -effective flood controls with those who have authority to control storm water

            -excellent public school system

            -open and transparent local government units

            -broad involvement of citizens in every step of local governance

            -continual work on social and cultural issues of importance

            -continual work on economic development within our borders

If you think most or all of the above are working pretty damn well, then, stop complaining and work on topics that need our attention. That’s the way effective government works.

It begins with you. Dealing with issues that really matter.

Pledging allegiance to the flag is not a local concern. Or agreeing that God belongs in the pledge. Or any of a dozen other knee jerk issues that you can come up with.

What matters is if the governing board is paying attention to the needs of the people and addressing them within a timely manner with the resources available.

Now that’s governance. Last time I checks, Warrenville is in very good hands.

Thanks to those willing to step forward and do the work. And put up with nonsense from the politically ignorant. And thanks to the voters who do right in the ballot box.

We are all stronger because of them.

July 21, 2015