Now is the time to think about public office

Pssst. Pssst. Hey you.

Yeah, you sitting in your lawn chair in the park sipping a chilled beverage.

The fireworks were good, weren’t they? We couldn’t help but overhear you talking about how you think something needs to be done about those geese and what they are doing to the walking paths and boat landings along the waterfront. We also heard you making observations about the choices of road projects this year and the need for the community to be forwardthinking if the powers that be want the area to have continued economic health.

Have you ever thought about doing something about it? Something like being able to influence the future of your community for years to come?

No, no, don’t turn away. We aren’t trying to push you into doing anything you would regret later.

What we are suggesting is not only perfectly legal, but vitally necessary for the health of our nation at all levels.

We think you should consider running for local office.

You’d probably be pretty good at it, especially with how much you were talking about how your tax dollars were being spent and how you think your local government should be spending them. Really, we mean it. You would probably do well in working with others to shape the future of your community.

We’ll let you in on a little secret. There is nothing preventing you from running for public office, provided of course you are a citizen who is otherwise eligible to vote. You do vote, right? If you don’t that would probably be the place to start.

As a newspaper reader you are already ahead of the game.

Studies by the Pew Research Center in association with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation reveal a strong correlation between those who are civically engaged and those who read their community newspapers. As the saying goes, “Knowledge is power,” and knowing what is going on in and to your community empowers you to make changes and help set the course for your community’s future.

We know this is a lot to take in. After all, you just came down to the park today because you saw that piece in the paper about what was going on down here.

We are not asking you to act now. Just do us a favor and think about it.

You don’t have to make a decision for a few more months. But, let’s say you were interested, the process is pretty easy. In early December — you know, about the time you get your property tax bill — you go to your local municipal clerk and fill out some paperwork. You then go around to your neighbors and get them to sign your nomination forms. That gets your name on the ballot for next April’s elections.

Yeah, we know that seems far away right now, but do us a favor and think about it.

Democracy is strongest when people are engaged at all levels of government from the town board to the nation’s capital.