This is the first in a series of articles about the upcoming election of borough councilors in Columbia.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

A few weeks ago after posting a copy of a letter we mailed to the candidates for the upcoming election of borough councilors, “non noisy”asked this question: “Can you please encourage an electoral debate. I think it would benefit many of us Columbia folks who need to be aware of whom will represent us in the future. I also feel that the debate will clarify their strengths and weaknesses. I truly believe we need change in the borough. I just hope with the ones running, it gets done!”

Since the election is now a few short weeks away, it is time to follow up to this question and to the letter sent to the candidates.

Within the next several days, Columbia news, view & reviews will publish a series of articles relative to the coming election. The articles will include some review of issues posted here before; we will also post the responses from the candidates who responded to the request for information.

As stated in the letter, we hoped there would be an open forum in which citizens would have the opportunity to watch and hear the candidates respond to issues and questions. Normally, that kind of forum is orchestrated by a community organization; there is no precedent for this in Columbia.

It is commonplace for media to ask candidates to respond to a set of questions.

In a March 2011 posting the following points were considered:

Who should run for borough council?

• “A person who has lived in the community for a while, maybe for a lifetime, and cares about the people and what goes on.
• “One who has time and is willing to get involved. There are many materials to read, meetings to attend, and public events to visit. If your schedule allows it and you would like to participate in many community events, then council may be for you.
• “A team player. Council members are one of many. They never decide issues on their own; rather, they work with others to build consensus, or at least a majority. Potential candidates must decide if they are willing to take that role.
• “Someone with an eye to the future. Solving current problems by ignoring what the action will mean 10 years from now is the signature of a bad elected official.
• “A well-intentioned person who doesn’t really care whether or not he or she is reelected usually makes a good borough council member. People who are always worried about the next election sometimes do the wrong thing on big issues.
• “Those who bring a special expertise. Much of borough council is about building: building and repairing roads, water and sewer lines, street lights, cell phone towers – you name it. And council members must understand the budget and be able to monitor it carefully, so financial knowledge is always welcome.
• “People with expertise in those areas are very helpful. But others can do a good job too; logical thinkers of any experience are needed.

Who should not run for borough council?

• “The one issue person. A council member who has run because he or she wanted get that pothole on Main Street fixed right, once and for all! may not be the best. So the pothole gets fixed. Then what? Three more years on the borough council, wandering around, looking for something else to do. One issue people should just keep after current borough council members or borough staff until the pothole gets fixed and declare victory.
• “Anyone who is planning to line his or her pockets on borough contracts should obviously not run, but many do run and win. If that’s your idea, my wish for you is that you go to jail sooner rather than later.
• “The indecisive. Council members have to vote, out loud, sometimes in front of unhappy neighbors on many issues. If the idea of making a tough decision in public is more than you can stand, think twice about running.
• “And glamour seekers should look elsewhere. Running so that you can be in the annual borough parade or be on the stage at the town picnic is a pretty icky reason to take a seat from someone who could actually help. And anyone who thinks serving on borough council will be like The West Wing will be heartbroken to learn how much time is spent talking about drainage ponds.

“Borough council members represent all the citizens of the borough on issues big and small. They hire the borough manager and oversee his or her work. They respond to citizen problems and find out how the borough or other governmental agencies can help. Council members initiate ideas for the betterment of the borough; some ideas are their own, some are brought to them by residents.

“And they balance. They balance the rights of individuals against the demands of the greater good. So the most important quality of a borough council member is an open mind, a sense of fairness, logical thinking, and a willingness to work. Does that describe you? Yes? Then run!”

This series will continue tomorrow.