| Choosing
Mayor and Council |
| Of all the issues that come before the Herndon Town Council,
the ones that we hear more complaining about are the issues
that affect citizens in their everyday life. Most citizens
will leave the budgeting process to the experts, as long as
it doesn't impact their taxes too heavily, and they'll leave
the process of personnel to those who know what they're doing. |
| Citizens generally don't like to micro-manage town affairs,
but rather they want to make sure the trash is picked up on
the right day, the pot holes are repaired, that there are
enough ballfields for youth sports, that police are responsive
and that the snow is removed quickly from the streets. |
| What they want from their town council members are decisions
that are fair, well reasoned, financially responsible and
are for the greater good of the community. |
| On Tuesday, May 7, all registered voters in the Town of
Herndon have the opportunity--and the responsibility--to trot
on down to the Community Center to vote for the candidates
vying for six seats on the council, and for mayor, which for
the first time in several years is a contested race. |
| The success of any town council is in large part the result
of an open forum where robust and diverse opinions can be
heard and acted upon. A homogenized and calculated council
is likely to produce decisions based mainly on milquetoast
arguments. |
| During Monday night's candidates forum, where the eight
men and women running for the Herndon council and the two
men vying for mayor answered questions from the audience,
the press and the moderator, there was some diverse and opposing
opinions on a variety of subjects. |
| But not all. There was still plenty of agreement on most
subjects. |
| However, the perfect balance on the new town council will
not always be one of agreement, but a balance of new ideas,
new solutions, new tactics to tackle old problems, and a spirit
of cooperation when opposition fails. |
| Voters have the chance to pick the six of eight people who
will best do that, and the one mayor who will lead them. |
| The candidates for mayor--Richard C. Thoesen and Bill Tirrell
Sr.--are generally in agreement with what needs to be done.
How they get those results might be a different story. Their
differences are in priority and in their style of leadership.
|
| A story in today's Observer notes that the mayoral candidates
support many of the same positions, such as the new police
station. But their differing leadership styles became clearer,
especially when asked about coalition building. |
| "My style has always been to put people to work to create
an outstanding vision," Thoesen said. |
| Tirrell said he considers the mayor and council as the primary
coalition, and while there is a definite need for citizen
input, many organizations have formed in and of themselves
without government. |
| If voters watched the candidates' forum on Monday night
(and they have several chances to still see it on HCTV Channel
23 before election day) it is clear how Mr. Thoesen and Mr.
Tirrell differ on leadership style. Watch the debate and take
your pick. |
| It should be noted here that The Obsever will not endorse
candidates for office. |
| Choosing six candidates from the eight will not be easy.
It should be remembered, however, that you don't have to vote
for six. If only one appeals to you, vote for that candidate
alone. |
| But the most important job of Herndon citizens on May 7
is to vote, because if you don't, you relinquish your right
to participate in the future of Herndon. |
| You also relinquish your right to complain about snow removal.
Now that's something you don't want to lose. |
| And that's Our Town this week. |
