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I’m declaring my candidacy for West Easton Borough Council.

Over two years ago, I had filed to run for a seat on West Easton Council and then withdrew myself.

The problem was, I didn’t want to be elected with an assumption that I would be somehow obligated to the sitting council. After my Navy enlistment, I vowed to never again be a sycophant.

I was also fairly new to the community of West Easton, having purchased my home only 9 months previously. I knew little of the community and even less of how the borough was being run, or its problems. The more I got involved, the more I came to realize that I needed to cut myself loose from the perception that I would be a minion.

That had me catching some flak from blogger Bernie Ohare in a short post he wrote at that time.

In that blurb, he correctly quoted me in saying, “I won’t allow my ethics to be compromised by politics and the expectation that I’ll be a lap dog.” That still applies today.

In my own announcement of my withdrawal I promised that if I decided to run again I would not be beholden to anyone.

Numerous comments followed Mr. Ohare’s post back then. Most anonymously and suspect in their origin. Most of them stating it was reasonable for a borough to invoke the Right To know Law when I requested copies of some 6 previously approved borough meeting minutes and work permit applications already available to the public. Items that one would think doesn’t require paying an attorney to review and a wait of 35 days to receive.

Two years has given me a better perspective of West Easton. I’ve attended council meetings and asked questions. I’ve seen how business is conducted. There is a lack of transparency. I’ve had time to talk to residents and get opinions about our community and the direction they feel it is headed. There will be no withdrawal this time.

Like my neighbors, I’m not pleased with our course, but unlike my neighbors, I’m willing to run for a council seat and see if I can contribute in offering solutions to a troubled borough.

You will see my name on the ballot in the Democrat primary election. Like others up for election, I will be running for both the 2-year seat and a 4-year seat that will be available.

Unlike the others, who I suspect if elected to both will give up the 2-year seat for the council to appoint a replacement, I will take the 2-year seat and give up the 4-year seat, should I win both. If the residents are satisfied with my service, they will re-elect me. If not, they should have an opportunity in two years to replace me.

Should I have a vote in filling a vacancy I will judge an applicant on their merits, not their party membership, or their voting record. As I said often, this is a small borough that has borough concerns – not the concerns of party platforms.

Of course, that’s assuming I survive the primary election and win both seats in the general election. My candidacy will likely have 5 democrats vying for only 4 available seats, assuming those now sitting run again. If nothing else, it may give West Easton Democrats a field of candidates larger than seats available. Something they haven’t seen in a very long time.

I will be filing the necessary paperwork before the election deadline.

In a future post I will provide background on myself and goals I’d like to achieve for West Easton. In the meantime, I believe I’m considered a “super voter,” which should be enough for the sitting council not to object to my running.