No matter how large or small the agency, elected officials have plenty of responsibility

If you look over the list of elected positions in Adams County that appear on the ballot this November, they are numerous. The vast majority of those are individuals seeking election in uncontested races. There are a few contested races, most notably the Mayor and two council positions for the Town of Lind.

These positions serve great purpose and come with significant responsibilities that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Whether you are a commissioner of a cemetery district or a parks and recreation district, a city council member or a mayor, you will be elected to fill a position on behalf of the voters in the area your agency serves.

It seems some are running for positions without being clear how important that role is. Others have yet to attend a meeting of the agency they now seek to be elected to. How can they possibly know what the issues are and if they are capable of doing a good job?

These elected positions are often thankless but absolutely necessary jobs. Since they are public/government entities, elected officials need to recognize the role they have accepted and what is expected of them legally.

If you have heard about glass houses, then you know an elected official lives in one. No matter how large or small their role as an elected official, they can and should be held accountable by the public for their actions and the decisions they make.

We think some candidates and incumbents are unclear or unaware of how important their role is and that they can and should be monitored by the public. As the November election approaches, we have some thoughts and suggestions for elected officials.

• Please remember that you have volunteered to serve as a public servant. This is a job with great responsibility that does not award you with great power. Rather, the voters expect you to take your role seriously and to make well-informed decisions that best serve them and the entity you represent.

• Check your ego at the door and remember the work you do as a commissioner or council member carries great responsibility. Be respectful of those who question your decisions and listen closely to those with differing points of view. Ultimately you must make the decision you feel is best. But others will respect you more if you are willing to hear all sides, carefully weigh the options and vote with integrity.

• Be diligent on behalf of the citizens you represent. Do your homework. Read your meeting materials before your meeting. Ask thoughtful questions. Don’t rubberstamp something with your approval just because your peers say you should. If you have questions about a pending decision, there’s a good chance other citizens do as well. Remember, the voters trust you to represent them and their best interests.

• Make sure you take this seriously, that you commit the time necessary to do a good job and stay well informed of the issues. If you can’t fulfill the basic meeting requirements, then you likely should not seek the position. The voters expect you to be present to do the job they elected you to do.

• Become familiar with the legal expectations of a person holding your position. Attend trainings for newly-elected officials whenever possible. There are numerous state laws that govern what elected officials can and can’t do.

• Be educated about the Public Records Act and the Open Public Meetings laws. They are in place to ensure that government remains transparent. That means anything you do as it relates to the agency you serve is subject to public scrutiny. Your emails and anything you write regarding public matters for the agency you serve are considered public documents. The public and the news media are entitled to ask for those documents.

• The best approach to serving your constituents is to make sure you do your work and make your decisions in the light of day. In Washington, government is expected to be open to the public. The Journal respectfully requests that you abide by that. Secret meetings and decisions made away from the formal, publicized meetings are inappropriate and a violation of state law. Don’t participate in those. Advocate that your agency does business properly in the open for the public to witness.

• Along the way, remember that you cannot retract what you say or what you do. Be thoughtful and careful about what you say and how you treat people. Yes, sometimes citizens can be harsh and inconsiderate in a manner in which they question your decisions or actions.

Take the high road, treat them with respect and don’t respond in derogatory manners. Mean words and statements don’t look good in print or sound good when repeated at community gatherings or dissected on Facebook.

Please take this role seriously. It is a commitment of time and energy. The citizens you serve have put their trust in you to do a good job. That should be enough to demonstrate just how important your role is and the work you will be asked to do.