It's Time to Speak Up Again

If you followed United Lakewood when it began, you may remember that I wasn't particularly shy about expressing my opinions.

I wrote with emotion. I wrote with passion. And when I thought someone wasn't doing their job, I wasn't always especially diplomatic about saying so.

Sometimes I made things personal. Looking back, I don't think that made my arguments stronger.

I still have strong opinions. I still care deeply about this Village. But I have no desire to return to the mudslinging.

So why am I speaking up now?

I thought working within the system would work.

When I became a trustee, I made a deliberate choice to approach Village issues differently.

Rather than writing publicly about every frustration, I tried to work through the established processes. I asked questions during meetings. I requested additional information. I followed up when answers were incomplete or didn't address the original question.

I believed that if I was patient, persistent, and willing to do the work, the process would eventually produce the information needed to make informed decisions.

Instead, I've found myself characterized as a micromanager.

That's frustrating, because I see a fundamental difference between managing Village employees and asking for the information necessary to oversee Village finances and decisions.

I have no interest in telling staff how to do their jobs. I do have an interest in understanding the work the Board is being asked to approve, the financial statements we're being asked to accept, and the obligations we're making on behalf of residents.

When an answer doesn't reconcile with the information presented, asking another question isn't automatically interference.

Sometimes it's simply the next question.

Silence shouldn't be mistaken for agreement.

I've been relatively quiet outside of Board meetings because I wanted to give the internal process an opportunity to work.

But I've reached a point where continuing to ask the same questions, without satisfactory answers, isn't enough. When the internal process doesn't resolve important questions, I believe residents deserve to know what remains unanswered.

And yes, I'm frustrated.

I know that frustration sometimes shows during Board meetings. I'm passionate about the issues we're discussing, and I won't pretend otherwise. But frustration with a process isn't the same as disrespect for the people involved.

Residents deserve to understand what questions remain unanswered, why those answers matter, and why the failure to get those answers is frustrating.

That doesn't mean every concern is evidence of wrongdoing. It doesn't mean every disagreement is a scandal.

It means unresolved questions shouldn't simply disappear because discussing them is uncomfortable.

Nothing should be off-limits for discussion.

I've recently asked the Board to discuss three things: the conduct we should expect from elected officials, whether residents should have a say in our form of government, and how trustees can get the financial records they need to do their jobs.

These are different subjects, but they share a principle.

There should be no subject so dangerous that it cannot be discussed openly by the people elected to represent this Village.

Putting an item on an agenda is not the same as deciding its outcome.

A discussion can lead to approval, rejection, revision, or the conclusion that more information is needed. That's how the process is supposed to work.

I don't expect every trustee to agree with me. I do expect that we should be able to examine difficult questions without treating the act of raising them as the problem.

What will be different this time?

United Lakewood is coming back, but I don't intend to recreate the way I wrote years ago.

I'll still have opinions. Some will be pointed. I may even occasionally be funny (maybe).

But I'm going to make a conscious effort to focus on decisions, policies, financial information, and the responsibilities of public office rather than personal attacks.

I'll share documents where I can. I'll explain what I believe they show, what remains uncertain, and where my interpretation begins.

And when I get something wrong, I'll correct it.

Serving as a trustee doesn't mean I have all the answers. In some ways, it's made me more aware of how many questions deserve better answers.

I didn't run for office to stop asking questions.

And I don't intend to stop now.