Dana Labar Appointed to City Council--City Council Service

At a special City Council meeting last evening, Dana Labar was appointed to fill the vacancy on the Council created by a recent resignation.  Please join me in congratulating Dana and thanking him for volunteering for this important position.   Also, thanks to all who expressed interest in this position.  Service on the City Council and other appointed positions such as Planning Commission, the Community Development Authority, and the Parks and Recreation Commission is an on-going need, so please continue to step up to the challenge.  Let Mayor Hall know if you are interested in serving.

City Council members are the front line of democracy at the local level.  They put in a great deal of time to read and understand Council packages and other important documents.  On average, Council has about 30 meetings per year.  They attend dozens of hours of training and conferences.  They talk to citizens, probably every day, including at the grocery store and at Church on Sunday.  Council members are expected to lobby state and federal officials to obtain help for our community.   They have to make difficult decisions which often will not please all parties.  Sometimes, they receive undeserved criticism and hostility from citizens who are frustrated by things beyond Council's control.   As long as they serve, they never escape their important role.  Council compensation is a token, considering all the work and burden they bear. 

In effect, the City Council are the Board of Directors for a multi-million dollar corporation and in the public eye at the same time.  Due to modern standards of visibility and accountability, they don't receive any special favors as may once have been the case in some communities.  In my experience, they are generally kind, thoughtful, and self-giving people.

Next time you see one of them, you should thank your City Council members for their service.