From the Council Chamber, Disappointedly

There are some moments when a comment made, even ostensibly in jest, illuminates an entire thought process on the part of the person making it. Such are three that were made to me recently, one by each of our County Council members (you get to guess which one made which remark). All point to a troubling failure, each in his own way, to seize the extraordinary opportunity handed to the Council when the voters of San Juan County – by a landslide – decided to dramatically change the way they wished to be governed.


Let's take them in order…..


"So I hear you are running for Council?"

Our representatives are obviously not used to a keen interest being displayed in their actions, so because I attend virtually all Council meetings and periodically make comments at the severely constrained time afforded for public access at these meetings, they assume I am running for office.

Politics generally attracts those who relish the power and trappings of governmental office, as well as a sandpit for exercising personal influence or ego stroking. Through such a lens, then, I suppose I should not be surprised that my close interest in their activities is interpreted as a desire to be "one of them". How sad that civic engagement solely to help further the civic good is simply too altruistic to be true for this politician.


"You're causing a ruckus."

This was the only response from this Council member to my last column expressing concern about recent Council activities. Was I surprised? No. Disappointed? Yes. After several in-depth attempts over the five months since the election to persuade this particular Council member to seize the unique career-building opportunity of being seen as a leader of a smooth and successful transition to Charter government, my expressions of concern at the current path being followed are judged not on their merits but rather as "causing a ruckus"?

It is a requirement of being in public office that one accepts critique as a measure of public response to one's actions. Indeed, the very concept of "public representation" is to welcome public contributions to the legislative debate so as to improve the quality of one's legislative efforts. It is not a signal to dig in heels and wear a thin skin.


"Why don't you people just back off? We're doing the best we can."

Just like the earlier response of "trust us", this repeated mantra persistently reflects an ostrich-like failure to recognize what should have been a blindingly obvious fact — the Commission form of government, with its overabundance of unseparated powers being vested in just three individuals, has been resoundingly rejected by the voters of San Juan County. For this Council member, his way is the only way. Whether he is right or not seems far less important than the need to oppose those who question him, almost solely because they do question. Political leaders unerringly convinced that their own view is the only acceptable view are many things, but "representative of the people" is not one of them.

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My take on these responses?

No, I am not running for Council. Even as one of the founders of the Charter government movement, my interest in the political arena throughout has been primarily its strategic objective rather than the day-to-day process. To the extent my background and abilities allow me to make a positive contribution, I shall continue to do so. There are many forms of civic contribution, however, and my preferred choice is to devote my time and resources to sustaining and developing the Pelindaba Project as a multifaceted positive force in our community. I am also interested in extending this concept on a broader scale, fostering and supporting other efforts that promote the healthy development and sustainability of our islands' community (I shall be writing more about this very shortly).

If my rejecting the inappropriate status quo causes a ruckus for those who would maintain it, either abandon the unhealthy behavior that engenders the ruckus or suck it up – much more will be on the way from many quarters if the behavior continues.

As for backing off, I intend doing so, but perhaps not in the manner or for the reasons that that council member might like to think. In the corporate stage of my life, I came to recognize all too well the distasteful readiness with which so many of those in power succumb to the seductive opportunity to pursue personal power, prestige or financial goals at the expense of the organizational good. When I see similar behavior in public servants abrogating their civic responsibilities, I will not stay silent, nor hopefully will others.

And as for this being the best the council members can do, how unfortunate if true. Granted, the office they now occupy may be more challenging than the one for which they ran. They were grandfathered into their current positions — a compromise decision that several Freeholders now regret having accepted when drafting the Charter. But if the present incumbents really are not up to fully embracing the challenge of transition to full Charter government implementation with its call for new attitudes of open-mindedness and public transparency, then the honorable thing to do, especially in the political world of public service, would be to step aside in favor of others who are.

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HELP WANTED! Those who can sing the tune of the Charter spirit rather than just mouth the words, please apply. The citizens of San Juan County need you badly. We need political leaders who see public service as just that. We need political leaders who look forward rather than backward. We need political leaders who are happy to leave day-to-day administration to professional administrators, and to devote their energies instead to shaping a legal and regulatory environment that nurtures the healthy development and sustainability of county environmental, economic and cultural health. We have a unique and potentially historic opportunity to cultivate and sustain a fresh political environment that fosters and, yes, welcomes the diversity, energy and commitment to place so extraordinarily represented among so many of our citizens.


How nice it would be, hopefully soon, to be able to write a column entitled, "From the Council Chamber, Admiringly."

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