A new year can offer new beginnings and fresh starts. It can mean a reboot for those derailed from diets or kick start for those on wanting to be more physically fit. It is an opportunity to begin anew the things we planned to do last year.
For Calhoun County the new year begins with new faces on the Quorum Court and the (Hampton & Thornton) City Councils. Most of them were sworn in on New Year's Day. New members could mean different things to different people and the result may not be to everyone's liking.
Whether city or county, state or federal, leadership change is always taking place. It is impossible to predict what people will do or say in politics, but one thing is sure, the public better be watching. We vote for people to represent us at the city council or quorum court. We send representatives to Little Rock or Washington to protect our interests.
A perfect world would be where our representatives actual so what they say they would do. But we all know we don’t live in a perfect world and our representatives can forget who they represent and be lead by others. It is a good idea to hold them accountable.
Holding them accountable is as simple as keeping up with what they’re doing. This can be as simple as attending public meetings or following blogs or other communication methods like email. Responding to actions directly lets them know you appreciate their service and that you are aware of what they are doing.
Most public meetings are recorded and some even streamed live or can be accessed later for review. Minutes are always taken and can be requested for any meeting. The most effective means, of course, is personally showing up at meetings. It is also a great way to see how the process of governing actually takes place.
I will admit that some meetings are pretty boring and can be laborious. But then there are those times that make sitcoms look mundane. In any given meeting group it seems there are people of all types, opinions and levels of cognitive abilities. It can be fun and frustrating to watch. CSPAN allows us to watch the federal meetings in Washington. Just a few minutes is better than counting sheep to sleep. Unless you’ve been watching the election of the Speaker of the House, third in line for the Presidency, for which has been a circus and historical event. It has been over a hundred years since voting has been as it has been this week. Congress has been a circus for awhile.
Talk to your representative, if possible, email concerns, let them know you’re watching. This will be the most effective way of holding them accountable.
See you at the next (city council, quorum court, school board) meeting. Bring your own popcorn.
