Dear Editor,
City Council.
I have been pondering this topic for some time, community leadership. Mainly the city council. I have lived in Sweet Home my entire life and have never witnessed the degree of decline of unprofessional behavior demonstrated by certain individuals. Why?
I read the City Council Handbook, especially the section, Code of Ethics. It clearly specifies how a councilor is to conduct themselves. But it would seem some either did not read it or need to go back and read it.
I am embarrassed that such leadership exists in our community. It is an insult to the good people that have served before them, for they put the interests of the community first and served with integrity. They may not have always agreed, but they respected one another, were humble, had a willingness to give when needed and didn’t go around spreading rumors, standing in lines at the grocery store or getting involved in lunchroom discussions talking about one another in the public sector.
Today, getting on Face Book or other social media sites seems to have become the norm for some to complain and talk about others. This is not my idea of professionalism or leadership.
How many times must Sweet Home show up on the front page of the newspaper in negative terms before inappropriate behavior from a councilor is addressed? Holding someone accountable is not one person’s responsibility, but everyone that observes it responsibility.
As the voting season is upon us, I encourage voters to take the time to really get to know the
candidates that they will be voting for. How are they perceived in the community, how much have they been involved in other service organizations or committees, do they listen before they speak and definitely not how loud they can bark, demonstrate arrogance, have personal agendas, make party affiliation their key point in hopes of garnering votes or have the attitude of being the new sheriff in town that is going to clean-up the streets and get rid of everyone that doesn’t think like or agree with them.
Just recently I read where a potential candidate didn’t like the addition of stops signs, which is
OK to have such an opinion. The problem is, you don’t threaten to go above someone’s head
because you don’t like the decision. You seek to understand, sit down, discuss and come up with the best solution. Candidates that threaten are not the kind of candidate I want representing me, nor should you.
I urge voters to look for candidates that have integrity, decency, and the willingness to make good
decisions that best serve the citizens of our community. If they don’t have these basic qualities, then they are not the candidate we need serving us. For those that are currently serving us, you need to do a self-check and ask if you are meeting these basic criteria’s and if not, correct it or step down and let someone else serve that puts Sweet Home back as the place we are proud to live.
Bob Dalton
Sweet Home