Long before I was elected to office I talked to a friend who has been involved with politics on the municipal level for many years. A suggestion he made to me was to donate any pay for the position to local charities to enforce the idea that you are giving your time to your community and you are not interested in any financial benefits the office may hold. In other words show your constituents that the only reason you took the office was to serve and make the community a better place to live. This was my original intent: in fact, I am going to donate a portion to the 200 club that Delmont Library is using for the building project. I am going to donate something to our Fire Department as well because they are an often overlooked major asset in our community.
I have since learned of an educational program for local officials through the Pennsylvania Association of Boroughs. I have decided to complete a program that ends with a designation as a Certified Borough Official (CBO). I believe that completing this program is the least that I can do to serve you to the best of my ability and truly serve with knowledge in addition to fidelity. I estimate this will cost $1250 in fees and approximately $700 in traveling. I want the citizens of the borough to know that this money is going to come from my personal funds and no requests for reimbursement will be made of council although local governments often pay for these types of activities. The reason I made this decision is as follows: 1) This investment is small compared to the duties the citizens of Delmont have entrusted to me. 2) Opponents may try to twist my wanting to attend these classes and conferences as being a fiscally irresponsible spend thrift. 3) I will have totally control over what activities I attend. 4) Ignorance enjoys company so even if I should have considered seeking reimbursement the vote would be 6-0 since I would have to abstain from voting since this would be perceived as benefiting me only.
The overall effectiveness of training and education depends on mindset of those who attending them. When a person pays to attend these activities they have 100% of their own skin in the game. You will be able to judge the effectiveness of the training based on my performance in office. You will have to judge leniently for the first year as I am starting my term as a lame-duck because I will vote and act with fidelity toward the people of Delmont and not the "ruling cliche".
An interesting note for those of you who missed October 2015 Council meeting. The total amount that I am willing to personally invest is still less than the $2500 you paid to have exhaust systems fixed on police vehicles because some officers find it inconvenient to drive around to a road where the cars will not scrape bottom.
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