Skip to content

Get involved in your city

Standing up in public and stating your opposition or support for something is not necessarily an easy thing to do.

Standing up in public and stating your opposition or support for something is not necessarily an easy thing to do.

Taking a stand one way or another opens you up to questions, criticism and, in some cases, flat out attacks on your position and your beliefs. In some cases, taking a stand has led to some significant consequences for those involved.

Let's face it, putting your name out there saying so-and-so is right or so-and-so is wrong takes some gumption, and those who do it are to be commended.

Too often nowadays, people hide behind the veil of anonymity when stating their position, or simply tell their concerns to anyone who will listen - except for the people who can actually do something about it. Still others watch from the sidelines, afraid to jump into the discussion because of possible repercussions, and then complain once the time to have a say has passed.

But making your voice heard, particularly to those who are elected to represent you, is a critical piece of making democracy work. If you don't like something elected officials are doing, you need to step up and let them know.

They work for you and your tax dollars pay their wages. They are accountable to you, not the other way around.

And so I will offer a tip of the hat to the Rowse, Warren and Kristmanson families. They found out something they didn't agree with was happening and they, for lack of a better term, mobilized. From meetings with the mayor and city manager to talking to the press to calling out the city at a public meeting of council, the group pulled no punches when it came to offering up their thoughts on the development of Westview Park.

It is something that I would like to see more people do when it comes to municipal affairs, because for too long council has been met with apathy. Seeing the benches of the council chambers filled and seeing people take to the mic to question council is something that should happen a lot more often than it does.