For the first time in a long time, the Rock County Board of Supervisors has garnered the attention of columnists, letter writers, and radio pundits. First came a very unfortunate slip of the tongue by a supervisor that resulted in a venomous attack led by none other than anonymous, the so-called subject matter expert and moral watchdog of all juicy and twistable things.
The second foray was directed at a supervisor who read the county board rules and decided to exercise his right to speak within the confines of those rules. That upset his colleagues enough that a few chose to walk out in the middle of a question-and-answer session in protest. Smart move that the supervisor read the rules. Being smart does not necessarily make you wise.
As past elected officials, my partners at the Rock County Civics Academy, DuWayne Severson and Paul Murphy, and I have learned by experience that effective service in non-partisan offices begins with having a genuine respect for that office, knowing your role, and most importantly, your scope of authority. We believe effective service is not possible without that respect. It is the difference between a side show and serving for the common good of your community.
The second thing we learned is simply stick to your knitting. That means advocating for what is possible within the scope of the role. It is one thing to know the rules. It is a wise and mature person who operates within those guides with genuine respect for their colleagues and their role and responsibilities. Use the rules for their intended purpose and not to create a divisive sideshow to satisfy a hidden agenda.
This reminds me the best way to affect change is to go to where the action is and advocate for your point of view. In this case, rather than sit on the sidelines and second and third guess the doings of the county board, any local government entity, why not take the leap and run for office?
Local governing boards are desperately in need of sincere and caring individuals who are willing to advocate for the common good of their community. We need wise public servants, not just smart ones. I am confident the community knows the difference between being smart and being wise. The support is there if you possess that wisdom. It is time to step up to the plate.
