Running For Office

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To serve its citizens well, local government needs the ablest of its people serving it. Be it running for a seat or the board of selectmen or the city council, it's a good idea to attend the meetings over a period of time to see if the reality of the job matches your idea of it before taking out nomination papers.

Recently, some veterans of elected office offered some thoughts about the job and some advice for those seeking it:

It's about work and long hours and putting out brush fires.

Opinion matters much less in this job than you think it does.

It's more like being an indoor dog catcher in that you may have a prescribed job, but you have no regular hours and you never know where your work is.

It's not about money or glory or your future, it's about serving the greater good of the community.

You want to be viewed as a statesman, not a politician.

Be open and willing to learn. Check your preconceived notions at the door. Seek to understand why things are done the way they are done before jumping in to change them.

Let tradition fly in the face of the wind if tradition is wrong and you are right. If it is an uphill battle to get it done right, be prepared for the climb.

Do not be afraid to ask questions. You are not expected to know all of the answers your first year. So enjoy the learning experience but do not use your newness as a dodge.

Keep your sense of humor; if you don't, you are dead in the water.