In just a few short days, I will have completed one year as a Newberg city councilor!  Even though I spent a year just sitting in the audience before I even decided to run for the office, that year really didn’t give me the whole picture of what the responsibility would be like. (Still, I would encourage anyone who thinks that they want the job to sit out there as much as you possibly can.) There is a lot more to it—hours of reading, subcommittees, more invitations than you ever thought possible, and then some more meetings— but it really is very rewarding.  I also learned something about myself in this year. I hate public speaking. I do it, but my heart thumps so hard that I can almost feel it coming out of my chest, my mouth is dry, I can’t breathe, I shake all over, yet I do it anyway.  I believe that the work that gets done is more important than my fear. The other thing that really surprised me was that I expected more phone calls.  I have received only one call this year from a concerned citizen.  

Here is the thing though, I never called a city councilor either. Sure, I have written more than my fair share of letters to congressmen and senators, but not even once did I bother to call or write to anyone in local government, not in my city or even my county. Why is that? I guess I would have to say I have been pretty satisfied with the way that my town is run. What I never realized is how easy it is to be a part of the change, or to the voice that determines what your town is going to be in the future. If you think that your voice doesn’t count, you are wrong. Someone who takes the time to respectfully approach the council gets heard, and really can change the outcome of the decisions that are being made.

Back to my first year and what I have discovered—

We have a great city staff. These are people who care about their jobs, this city, and the people that live here. They really care, and given a chance, they go well above the call of duty to do the right thing. It is very impressive.

We have a great number of very involved citizens. If you see a person volunteering somewhere, the odds are you will see them volunteering somewhere else too. The people in this town that give (be it time or money), give a lot. I have had the opportunity to get to know some of these people, and they really put effort into making sure that we are all taken care of.

We have a great council that works together. Even when we don’t agree, we all work together. The balance is just about perfect and since we are respectful of each other it helps us to blend all of our thoughts into a workable action, that is for the good of everyone. My father sends me articles from my hometown newspaper about councilors throwing temper tantrums, getting up, and walking out during the meetings. I guess it might be fun to watch but no work ever gets done because everyone is so sure that they have to be right that they don’t listen to each other at all. I don’t think that I could work in an atmosphere like that, so I am very grateful for the others that I serve with.

This is a combination that will help Newberg prosper well into the future.

With that that being said,

I wish you all a happy, healthy, and peaceful NEW YEAR!