These questions really hit me hard, but if these impressions of me exist in the community the must be addressed. My nature is one of cooperation in achieving worthwhile goals. I learned and exercised this value when I was appointed by Governor of Kansas to Serve on a technical review committee, spending three years working for Environmental Protection Agency subcontractor ironing out issues between Federal and state agencies, serving as President of Delmont Rotary Club serving as President of Greensburg Toastmaster's Club, and leading to the Distinguished President Award. I have a very long history of relationship building with diverse groups. The adversarial position was thrown at me and I will explain the short history in a minute.
In fact it is my goal to borrow Rotary International's Four Way Test and apply it to the most practical extent possible.
THE FOUR-WAY TEST
Of the things we think, say or do
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it fair to all concerned?
* Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
Clearly an Adversarial position violates point two. At least on the surface. So how did we get there? It all started before I took office. I had an interest in filling the Mayor's seat when Gail Senchez left our town. I consulted Jim Davis a former councilman and Mayor of Delmont. He told me that the council wouldn't appoint me to mayor, but should start out on council to see if I liked it. I had another friend tell me that in a borough setting that Mayor was sort of the public persona of the community and that real legislation and borough operations where via Council. I confided in the President of the council my interest, he lead me to believe that it was a democratic process and there was nothing he could do. In other words he lied to me. I mentioned in another post how there was no candidate of interest for the longest time and all of a sudden at the meeting where I thought they were going to interview and hear from interested persons they already had a person present with affidavit in hand to be sworn in. Then there was the primary election where they used every means possible to keep me out of office. There was all day campaigning and even a magnet was made who to vote for, obviously I wasn't on it. In the 35 years that I have lived in this area I never witnessed such a thing, but everyone has the right to express their opinions. You the public voted me in anyways. These actions did not encourage my adversarial approach it just taught me that my chances of getting anything down are slim and none.
So what actions have ignited my emotion and passion to confront the issues head on?
1) In council meeting before I was elected I observed how citizens with concerns were treated. In my opinion there concerns were not even validated much less listened to. I am basing this on body language I observed: a) not making eye contact b) leaning back instead of forward. c) arms clasped behind head while sucking on a lollipop. The majority of council members looking at each other instead of speaker.
2) Talking to citizens to feel that it is a waste of time to attend meetings because the representatives that they elected will no longer listen to them anyway.
3) Individual citizens loosing property materially and/or aesthetically by highly questionable processes. These three points go against everything I believe in as to what a democratic society should be.and how a government of the people, by the people, and for the people ought to function. And this fellow Delmontians is what gets the patriotic part of my blood boiling thus producing what may be perceived as a frontal aggressive (adversarial) attack on fellow members of council.
Believe it or not there is one benefit in using an adversarial tone with any individual that may have narcissistic tendencies wherever you may find one. A perceived adversarial attack is interpreted as a direct threat to power and the response will be more emotive than logical and the responses will not be filtered. Consequently, information intended to kept may accidentally be released.
The short answer is an adversarial environment is not one that I chose to be in but is what is presented to me so I will make the best use of it I can for the good of the borough, and I have no desire in making a name for myself. I just want a community where all the citizens can enjoy the Rights and Duties of a democratic society equally. I place where my kids can grow up safe and participate as active citizens in the governmental process.
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