Some people ask me what it’s like to watch people campaign and debate to be your new boss. I’d have to admit that it can be a little unsettling. You never what you’re going to get out of the political process. The People have a way of telling you what they want from government. Sometimes what they tell you will surprise you. Sometimes it’s not what you want to hear. But if it comes from The People in an election, it must be taken seriously.
In my profession, it’s important to pay attention to elections, but it’s even more important to stay on the sidelines during the electoral process. City staff can offer information and answer questions from candidates, but we are to offer no special favors or advantages to candidates, and that includes incumbants.
Although I am accountable to the City Council, I also pay close attention to what voters say in elections. I pay close attention to what candidates say about the City and about each other. I do this because it provides me with insight into what education and training we should offer our new Councilmembers. I also do it because it provides me with insight on what direction I need to begin moving the City. The City government structure, like a big boat, can take awhile to turn in a new direction. Elections give me a head start.
Councilmembers are the key ingredient to a successful City government. They keep the apparatus of government responsive and headed in a direction that is responsive to what The People have told them they want. And that’s worth paying attention to.
For more information on the candidates for Eden Prairie City Council, see the City’s election page at our website.
