Attendance: Community leaders should keep promise to the people

It might have shocked you to learn that there are several members of the Goldsboro City Council who have been more than a little absent from their responsibilities on committees involving the city.

The excuse that has been given by one such member is that he is busy and "has a job."

And it is true, some of the men and women who serve on boards across the county have jobs and other responsibilities.

But that is no excuse.

Although the amount is not enormous, city officials and others are paid a stipend for their work. So, in essence, being a council member is, in fact, a job.

But set that aside.

There is another reason it is unacceptable for a sitting member of a public board to become a "no-show" on a regular basis.

It is called responsibility.

So here is the bottom line.

There is nothing wrong with having a job and serving as a member of the city council or any other public body.

But if you have one, you have to be able to manage the responsibilities of both commitments.

And if you can't, resign and concentrate on the job that pays your family's bills -- there is no one who would not understand the need for that choice.

But if you choose to stay, the excuse of being "too busy" is not acceptable. And, chronic lateness and non-attendance of meetings are also unacceptable -- just as both would be on a regular job.

Committee meetings and other responsibilities allow public officials to make decisions based on information -- and are part of the commitment to serve.

And we should say, although they go overboard quite often with marathon meetings and perhaps too many gatherings, the Wayne County commissioners are interested in hearing information about the county they serve -- and that is a commendable enterprise.

(And, thank goodness, they are finally starting to listen. Well, that is for another time.)

The same can be said for some of the members of the Board of Education who have jobs -- and who also devote many hours of service to their constituents above and beyond their monthly meetings.

It is not too much to ask to expect elected officials to keep their promises. And we should expect nothing less from anyone who is entrusted with the task of representing their fellow citizens.

Published in Editorials on June 10, 2014 10:51 AM