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There is a vacancy on Council due to Ron Nixon’s resignation.

I won’t lie to you and tell you that you have a chance of being appointed to the Council seat left open by Ron’s resignation, if you apply today. There are people who have already put in a letter of interest. There are those running for election who are likely to apply for the vacancy, but here’s why you should submit a letter of interest of your own, even if nobody knows you.

If you truly want to be involved in bettering your community and taking an active role in its future, submitting a letter of interest gives those of us on Council the ability to know who you are and that you want to be involved.

While it may not result in your being appointed to a Council seat, you will be the first considered for the Zoning Hearing Board, Appeals Board, Committees, or even Sub-committees. These often lead to Council, either by appointment, or should you decide to run in an election down the road. Your involvement in the community, showing you are active in improving it, demonstrates to voters that you care about it.

Often in small towns like ours it is difficult to fill many positions needed, or create committees that are useful. The reasons for the difficulty are numerous.

• There is a relatively small number of residents in the community.
• Older residents believe themselves “too old.”
• Younger residents are already juggling family and work time.
• New homeowners are given an impression that they haven’t lived in the community long enough.
• Non-homeowners are given an impression that they are less important than those that own.
• Residents don’t want themselves or family subjected to mudslinging, innuendo, and accusations.
• Complete apathy.

West Easton suffers from all of this and I know firsthand a few of the reasons I gave above. Some people also don’t want to be in the most publicly visible and time consuming position of Councilmember. A position that requires much more than attending a meeting once a month, if it is an active working Council.

The biggest problem may be the last two reasons. While Council meetings are usually subdued and civil, when one candidate shows up, it becomes a political forum for that person. This is an election year and a Council member can be a target. One candidate has made accusations and rages during public comments, as was done again at Monday’s Council meeting.

While little can be done about one resident running on a vendetta platform, rather than one of making West Easton a better community, I would hope that the apathy in our Borough can be reversed.

I have met residents that bitch and piss and moan about a number of things. I expect that and do plenty of it myself, but when I ask them if they want to be part of a Board or Committee that can address their particular problem and assist Council in finding a solution, they aren’t interested. When I ask them if they are registered to vote if they aren’t happy with a particular person on Council, many tell me they are not. “I don’t want to be called for Jury Duty,” or “My one vote won’t make a difference,” I’m told.

News Flash! If you have a driver’s license you may be called for Jury Duty, so you might as well register to vote. If you live in a town where often less than 300 voters turn out for local elections, your one vote could very well make a difference.

Some of that apathy might be turning around. There is a field of Democrat candidates outnumbering available seats. Council meetings appear to have a few more seats being filled, which is a good sign. Hopefully, it continues.

So, let Council know who you are. If you want to do something for West Easton, participate in a positive way.

Even if it just attending Council meetings.