Commentary: Use critical thinking skills on election claims

With the exception of the Wasco County Court, whose three members are compensated at a parttime rate for what can be a fulltime commitment, our locally elected board and council members receive no economic reimbursement for the hundreds of hours they put in to serve their community. Free unselfish service is being provided to: Mid Columbia Fire & Rescue, Columbia Gorge Community College, Port of The Dalles, Northern Wasco Parks and Recreation District, North Wasco School District 21 and others I’m sure I have missed by community minded men and women.

You may or may not agree with their decisions, but my experience has been that they are all doing what they believe is best for the community from the knowledge they have gained from their position or their experience and perspective. Those decisions may not be favorable to you and in fact may cost you money. When elected, often times unopposed, they are no longer charged with promoting their own agenda, but with providing the best stewardship possible for public assets.

I’m not addressing this to promote the election or re-election of any candidate. I am urging everyone to respect, not agree with, the efforts of all of our elected officials and candidates. The more personalized the arguments are against our people that serve, the fewer people we will have that are willing to serve. I am aware of several bright people that have declined to continue to serve or put themselves up for local election because they have no desire to deal with the personal attacks for trying to do what amounts to a volunteer job.

I’ve been there, I’ve done that (I make no claim to being one of the bright ones). I urge everyone to respect those who are now serving and those that are running for election.

All of them are committing significant time and emotional capital from their personal lives, unpaid, to guide our community to a bright future. Thank you local candidates for putting yourselves forward for the betterment of our community.

Thank you to the community for focusing on issues and leaving the character assassination to others now and in the future.

— Jim Wilcox is a former mayor of The Dalles.