The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

In the past weeks, we have had a few city council meetings and committee meetings at the local cities. As usual, sometimes things are said that have been taken wrong. Remember, most of these people on the local city councils, city committee are working as a volunteer, and if they are getting paid it is way below minimum wage. The important word is VOLUNTEER. These dedicated people are people that are dedicated and have a love for their communities.

At a couple of the meetings in the past weeks, citizens who have only been to two or three meetings in the past year are criticizing the local government people for some of the decisions that have been made in the past and present. Look in the mirror and ask where were you when the registration was open for one of these city positions. Where were you when the cities were asking for people to serve on some of these committees? Were you too busy fishing, water skiing, hunting, watching the Seahawks, etc?

Remember that your local government people have a 12-month or more commitment to make laws for EVERYONE in the committee. They are not just making laws for hotel motel tax, oversize buildings, additional taxes for the police. They have to figure out how to get the wastewater improvement paid for, how to plow the snow, how to fix the pot holes in the streets, how to buy new vehicles to replace the older ones for city employees, health benefits for employees, fence law, tree law, lighting, fire department equipment, shoreline management and keep within all the government rules and much, much more. You might want a large building, your neighbor might want a dog kennel, or a tall hedge, or a bunch of chickens for fresh eggs, RV parking, and on and on. The rules have to be written for all.

Some have day jobs and work on city business after hours. You want meetings in the evening because you work all days. Well, so do a lot of your city volunteers, and they would like to have their free time to spend with their family. Citizens can take time off from work to go fishing, or skiing, or etc., so why not take a few hours off to attend a meeting for something that affects your life.

Remember, your city officials represent ALL citizens, your city officials represent ALL community problems, your city officials have to work toward regulations for ALL citizens and ALL government regulations.

Birdie Hensley