“Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring to your own life.” ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Last week, the Town of Saratoga began advertising for the vacancy on the Saratoga Town Council.
The seat, previously held by Jacob Fluty, will be on the ballot as a two-year unexpired term this year. Whoever is appointed to the vacancy will only serve until December 2024. This would mean, assuming the vacancy is filled in May, someone would have approximately nine to 10 months on the council before—presumably—someone else takes the seat.
At first, this may seem like a limited amount of time, especially when a full term on the council is four years. Yet, considering the council meets twice a month, this gives someone 18 to 20 opportunities to be a public servant. Make no mistake, though someone would be appointed by the mayor to fill the vacancy, they are just as accountable to the public as those who put their name on the ballot.
This is the perfect opportunity for anyone who has had an interest in serving their community in local government. Specifically, I’d make a point to those of my generation—millennials—to step up and serve their community. The eldest of our generation are more than 40 years old and the youngest are approaching 30.
That being said, I don’t want anyone to think my encouraging millennials, or even Gen Z, to get involved in their local government process is meant to discount the contributions of older generations. Many of them bring, often, a historical knowledge to the position and—in many cases—a maturity. However, if it’s not now that the younger generations get involved in their local government, then when?
I tend to look at any vacancy on a governing body like an election. Sue Jones, chairwoman of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners, is fond of saying there shouldn’t be any uncontested races in an election. I believe the same could and should be said of a vacancy. There should be enough letters of interest for a vacancy the governing body making the appointment will need to interview and narrow down the applicants.
The deadline for letters of interest is April 29, 2024 and can be sent to the Town of Saratoga at P.O. Box 486, Saratoga, WY 82331.
Get involved, even if it’s only for a short time.
Reader Comments(0)