Finally, "Council Run" is getting back to issues, again. As I campaign for office, several people have expressed concern about security within Federal Way, so my plan is for the city to hire 40 more police officers over a 4 year period, e.g., 10 a year starting in 2016. Also, we need to pressure our school board officials to start some ethics courses in the schools, because apparently morality and ethics training outside of school is lacking in too many places. Moreover, the city can provide an ethics outline through a brochure in a relatively non-controversial form for those parents and guardians who would like some guideposts, although what especially needs to be emphasized is unsavory influences in the entertainment society. We need to get back to old-fashioned rigorous moral training.
One of the most important jobs of a politician is to listen to what their constituents, or the people that may elect them to office, are saying, and listening, generally, instead of pontificating on their own ideas and polishing up their speeches. So I have been listening. Keep in mind that these points are coming directly from the people of Federal Way, and that I may or may not agree with particular points, here, but I do realize that if I'm elected to the Council, my job is to represent what the majority of the people want, and sometimes to persuade and vote from my own point of view if there is a fairly close divide amongst the people. My apology if I didn't list something that you told me, but Feedback from the People is going basically by recollection right now as I didn't write down anything, though hoping to be more comprehensive as time goes by.
[Revised on 8/31/15.]
- A citizen of Federal Way says that the city needs to work on an evacuation plan in case of a large-scale civil emergency, such as an earthquake. The gentleman said he recently spoke in front of the Council, and wanted to speak longer about this concern, but was cut off after 3 minutes, the usual time for the public to speak apparently. This man isn't the first person to tell me fairly recently that politicians and officials spend too much time congratulating each other instead of focusing on getting stuff done. My suggestion: less self-congratulatory spiels by officials and more minutes for constituents to speak. I have a hunch the time factor would come out about even.
One of the most important jobs of a politician is to listen to what their constituents, or the people that may elect them to office, are saying, and listening, generally, instead of pontificating on their own ideas and polishing up their speeches. So I have been listening. Keep in mind that these points are coming directly from the people of Federal Way, and that I may or may not agree with particular points, here, but I do realize that if I'm elected to the Council, my job is to represent what the majority of the people want, and sometimes to persuade and vote from my own point of view if there is a fairly close divide amongst the people. My apology if I didn't list something that you told me, but Feedback from the People is going basically by recollection right now as I didn't write down anything, though hoping to be more comprehensive as time goes by.
[Revised on 8/31/15.]
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