We Must Be Thankful for Orange County

Leaving this area for seven years made me appreciate some of the special pleasures we enjoy in Orange County.  I can no longer take these things for granted.  But, too often in our zeal to make our community better, we forget how good we have it.

First and foremost, in this election year, we have accessible, responsive elected officials at every level in Orange County.  Sure, our representative makes decisions we don’t like.  You can’t please all of the people all of the time.  Fruitfully or not, however, we can reach our commissioners, aldermen, mayors, and town council members, bend their ears and be heard.

Now that I have lived and worked where that was not the case and in one place where political corruption was very close to the surface I treasure our ground level, participatory democracy in Orange County.

Second, we are blessed to have some terrific town and county employees.  Most of my interactions are with Carrboro staff and those people are top notch and honest.

Third, I cherish all of the volunteers that keep the wheels of government rolling.  Town and county commissioner and committee members, poll workers, campaign workers, regular citizens who take the time to attend meetings and to express their opinions, they are the life blood of what keeps our community special, even as they grow and change.

It is our responsibility as citizens to keep these three pillars of our community strong.

 

— Art Menius