The fact that there are seven candidates for Mayor in Chestertown is encouraging. Local government is the government closest to the people. It affects everyday life and the environment in which they live.
Change is the only constant in life, it has been said. There will be a change in government as a result of the November election. This will result in a change in the office of Mayor in nearly twenty years in Chestertown. This change can make a significant impact on the future of Chestertown and the direction the town will take.
There are many challenges facing the town which need attention. Prioritization of these challenges will be a major task for the new Mayor. Simply debating priority issues in the City Council, meeting after meeting will not solve major issues nor will task force after task force, with their results collecting dust on the shelves of City Hall. The new Mayor will need to be action oriented and mission driven. The new Mayor will have to seek the collaboration and support of the major stakeholders in Chestertown, and the support of a majority of its citizens,
Leadership will be a prime function for the new mayor of Chestertown. Admiral Grace M. Hopper, one of the early computer geniuses, noted that “You manage things, you lead people”. This is true when leading a town or a corporation. Leaders need vision, discipline, forthrightness, and in many instances, a thick skin. Chestertown needs vision. Collective vision which is realistic, doable, sustainable and is built on the natural assets of the town. These issues have been discussed and discussed. The town election offers an opportunity to select the best ways to move forward and consider the lesser options for near future actual consideration.
Leadership also means getting the town council to work with the mayor and not just have a debating society which, perhaps, too often has been a rubber stamp
Thomas Jefferson observed that “a little rebellion now and then…is a medicine for the sound health of government”. Chestertown’s November 5th Change, like rebellion, is not always a frightening rebellious specter. Change, after twenty years of the same administration, should be invigorating and create a healthier environment for change and progress.
Between now and November 5th, The citizens of Chestertown should find in interesting and instructional to attend forums, ask questions, offer practical suggestions, meet candidates individually and study and understand the candidates’ positions.
It is encouraging that six good people have offered themselves to become the mayor of Chestertown. It will be a distinction to be mayor of a town founded in 1706, which has potential and attributes which can be successful and sustainable, as time marches on.
Local government, well managed, full of vision, and willing to change remains the glue of our democratic system of government. Chestertown can remain part of the glue with new faces inhabiting City Hall after November 5th.
Local elections can be exciting, and certainly vital to any community. This event reminds me of an old Eastern Shore saying, “ be sure to vote early and often.”
However, it is your duty to vote once on November 5th.
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