Yes, I mean you. The person who is reading these words. I want you to give some thought to doing something you’ve probably never considered. I’d like you to think about running for elected office.
Hey, I understand you’re not a politician and have no desire to become one. That’s okay, because our communities don’t need politicians and partisanship. They need citizens who care enough to step up and make the tough decisions that need to be made. People who are capable of putting the community’s best interest and common sense ahead of their own self-interest and personal politics. The kind of folks who understand that being a public servant is not about self-glorification, but truly all about service to the public.
I don’t care which party you prefer. Doesn’t matter to me whether you and I agree on a single issue. You might even be a St. Louis Cardinals fan. But if you’re interested and thoughtful enough to read this column regularly, you’re probably the kind of person I want to see making decisions about the future of these places we call home.
Serving won’t make you wealthy (if it does, you’ll probably end up as the government’s guest in one of those big buildings south of Terre Haute). You’re not likely to become famous or worshipped. You won’t get credit for most of the good things you do. At any given moment, lots of people will be mad at you, and sometimes you’ll even deserve their anger. You’ll spend much more time than you’d like agonizing over issues at 3:00 a.m. Oh, a handful of people will thank you. But if I’m right, you’re the kind of person who doesn’t need to be thanked for doing the right thing.
Becoming an elected official was never on my bucket list. I decided to run because people I trusted and respected asked me to. The voters granted me the privilege of representing them for 23 years, and it’s a responsibility I took seriously. There were a lot of wonderful moments, and plenty of terrible ones. I made decisions I felt bad about, but knew they were the right choice. I’m frequently asked if I miss it, and my completely candid answer is not at all. I miss working with most of my fellow board members and especially miss interacting with Plainfield’s extraordinary employees. But 23 years was plenty.
So why would I wish such a terrible job on you? Somebody has do it, and I’m pretty sure you’re capable of handling it and doing it well. Whatever role appeals to you, go to their next couple meetings and pay attention to the discussions and the decisions. See how they treat the community members who skipped Netflix that night to attend and possibly even speak. Could you do that … and maybe even do it better?
If running for office seems too overwhelming (it is emotionally and physically taxing), consider applying for one of the many appointed positions in the county or your town. Plan commissions, park boards, police commissions, liquor control boards – there’s a long list of roles local governments need to fill with nonelected members. While all these are appointed positions, they can have a significant long-term effect on the community by having to make recommendations like whether someone can build a data center. If you see a board or commission that interests you, find out who the appointing authorities are, and let them know you’d like to be considered for any future openings. Very few people do, so you’ll be remembered when the time comes.
There is personal satisfaction to be had from serving as a local official. Seeing decisions you made result in significant improvements to the community and benefits for the people who call it home reassures you that all those issues might have been worth losing sleep over.