Dear reader, I am back again. I hope you didn’t spend too many sleepless nights wondering if I had truly left my post at the Journal. As it turns out, my brief stint as a Dwight Yoakam groupie came to a quick end. Laundering a bedazzled shirt will do that. Once the rhinestones fell off, so did the magic, and Britton started looking pretty good again. In any case, I hope you enjoyed the April Fools fun.
Now, back to reality. I hope you had a wonderful Easter. This time of year always feels like a sprint toward summer, with school plays, graduations and a full calendar of events just around the corner. And before we know it, the June 2 primary election will be here. In recent editions, I’ve outlined some of the local races, or in some cases the lack thereof, but we do have several contested spots on the ballot. That is always a good thing. It means people are engaged.
Which brings me to a bit of unsolicited advice for candidates and also for those who may be stepping into positions without a contest. If you are running for, or will soon serve on, a school board, city council, county commission or any other local body, start attending meetings now.
I am always a little surprised when I see names on a ballot of folks who have not been to a meeting of the board they hope to join. I do not attend every meeting of every entity. That would be impossible and honestly a little overwhelming. But I do attend quite a few and read through minutes for others. Even with that, there is no substitute for being in the room.
If you have never been to one of these meetings, you might not realize how much there is to learn. And that is perfectly fine. Most people do not need to know the ins and outs of local government. But if you are planning to step into one of these roles, it is worth taking the time to understand how things work. Ideally, that starts before you even sign a petition. Go to a meeting or two. See how it runs. Ask yourself if it is something you truly want to be part of and where you feel you can contribute.
I will be the first to admit I did not have that knowledge when I started out. When I began my newspaper career in north central Iowa, I was sent to a county supervisors meeting on my very first day, their version of a county commission. I had no idea what was going on. Robert’s Rules of Order, parliamentary procedure, motions, ordinances and public comment were all new to me, and I was trying to keep up as best I could.
Fortunately, I had a front row seat to a great learning experience. Around that same time, a new supervisor had just won a primary and was essentially set to take office. Instead of waiting until he was sworn in, he showed up to every single meeting in the months leading up to it. And I mean every meeting. He asked questions, good ones, about procedures, about decisions and about how things worked. The board took the time to answer, and in the process I learned a great deal just by listening.
Not everyone will have that exact opportunity, but the point stands. Simply being present goes a long way. Even attending one meeting can teach you quite a bit. You will see how agendas are structured, how discussions unfold and how decisions are made.
You will also discover something else. Most meetings are pretty ordinary, maybe even a little boring. And that is not a bad thing. Despite what it might seem like from time to time, local government is not usually about dramatic showdowns. It is about steady, routine work, reviewing information, discussing options and making decisions that keep things running.
If you have not seen that process firsthand, I would encourage you to do so before you are sworn in. It will make that first meeting on the other side of the table a lot less overwhelming.
At the end of the day, congratulations to those who are stepping up to serve, whether through a contested race or by filling an open seat. Communities need people willing to give their time and energy in these roles. Consider this one last nudge. Dip your toe in now before you cannonball into the pool later.
