As a writer for the Patriot, I get many weeks notice for when it will be my turn to write the weekly editorial column. Personally, this gives me a long time to think about topics and to try and craft a piece that might be of interest to our readers. About a month ago, I decided I would attempt to pen an essay that was political in nature, thought-provoking and yet not controversial.
A political piece that could accomplish all these goals? I ultimately decided it was not likely to happen in today’s climate so I switched gears and wrote about something different.
However, after covering three township meetings within the past week, I decided it was possible - or at least it’s worth a try. What’s the worst that can happen? Seventeen letters to the editor? It’s late evening and I threw out my other column. So here it is. A political column. Read it. Think about it. Find something you agree with and you can reflect upon. Disagree if you must.
After covering local government off and on for the past twenty years, I’m convinced the most important politics happen at the local levels, such as townships. There’s usually few actual politicians serving on the board, as you’re more likely to run into a farmer or a self-employed businesswoman who paid the $2 filing fee and agreed to serve because no one else (or very few) wanted the job. No party affiliations. Very little, if any, grandstanding. Sometimes it’s just me in the audience and sometimes there’s one local resident. Or two. Or on a really busy night a dozen.
There’s instant access. Questions from the audience. Sometimes a bit of a back and forth, but usually a healthy dose of respect. Frustration? Sure. But often times there is laughter. What a wonderful sound. The meetings are filled with real people trying their best to solve real world problems.
Last week, I witnessed frustration at the Santiago township board meeting. Vandals continue to assail the community, but the real outrage was financially based. Bottom line is that it costs a lot of money to clean up after these people and their graffiti, spinning donuts in the road (we called them something different when I was a kid), and replacing stolen stop signs. It’s been 10 years and still it continues so the board decided to try something new. Leave it as it is. Let people see the damage. “Call out” the vandals so maybe they will think twice. And what was the result? For board chair Stu Nelson, the result this week was his mailbox getting smashed to smithereens. Yes, last week he referred to the vandals as “clowns”. I reported on that and he was wrong. The people responsible for the damage are actually cowards and criminals.
In Palmer township this week, I sat at a meeting and watched the board culminate several months worth of work with a resolution to fix the boiler system at the town hall (which also serves as the fire department). Chairman Mike Ganz and his cohorts spent countless hours trying to get by with spending the least amount of money yet ensuring that there would be heat in the building. It wasn’t glamorous by any means, but what struck me was their attention to detail when it came to their fiduciary responsibility. They pinched the taxpayer’s pennies, did their due diligence and awarded the work to a local contractor.
It was a similar story in Clear Lake this week, as the township board is getting ready to move into their new township hall. Which, by the way, chairman Gary Gray and his team built without raising taxes and in the coming weeks will fill with used furniture from a surplus store. Supervisor Bud Stimmler ensured it will be surrounded by native plantings that require very little maintenance (or funding) in the future. They represent a fine example of public servants working together for the common good.
In the spirit of transparency, I should note that I know a good number of these local officials on a personal level. Stu Nelson was my former teacher and is a friend and colleague, while I’ve known Mike Ganz since high school. I’ve known Gary Gray as a fabulous pitcher for the Clear Lake amateur baseball team (he probably struck me out a few times) and Bud Stimmler was one of my dad’s best friends probably since before I was born.
This is not an endorsement for any of them, but instead a tip of the hat to all of them and many others. Most of these local officials (I won’t call them politicians) probably spend more of their own money performing the duties of the job than the pittance they make every year serving the citizens. They certainly answer cranky emails and listen to crabby complaints much more often than they receive a compliment.
So here it is - “Thank you” to all of them for their service. It’s often times a thankless job, but it’s gratifying to watch local people solve local problems.
