My Point of View

By Ken Sandberg

Why I am running for City Council

I am not a politician, but just a person trying to make a difference. This is why I have spoken at the planning commission meeetings and at the City Council meetings on topics which I do not have a personal agenda, but which I feel the right thing needs to be done. One aspect of politics that amazes me is the number of signs that are up for candidates. Signs are not free, so it is clear to me that there is a lot of money being spent on trying to get some people elected. I have to wonder what those who donate money expect to get for their money. I highly doubt that they don't expect anything in return.

Do you know what the City Council has been doing? I know that I don't know all of what they have been doing, but most of what I have seen I don't like. I know it is not easy to find out what is going on. There is no email notification, no web pages which are easy to see what they have done. There is no newsletter informing people what laws they have passed. Most of what I hear about is because I see it in the local newspaper. I was shocked to discover that the City Council banned wood fences in an article which talked about allowing it for residences. The City Council should provide essential services and not try to get involved in every aspect of a resident's life.

I personally feel that we should not have to have term limits as the people who run should do the job and then go back to what they were doing. Unfortunately, that is not what happens. Many of the members on the City Council have been there for years and it does not seem to me that they are doing the will of all the people, but instead doing what serves their own interests and the interests of those who support them. Due to this, I think that term limits are a good idea in order to keep fresh people in the positions. After two terms, the incumbent could run a write-in campaign, so that if people really want the person, then can still elect them.