By: Karen Graham
I am probably in the wrong business. I dislike confrontation. I want people to just get along, but controversies sell papers, so I should embrace them. This week at two events I attended, it became clear to me that there are two camps in most disagreements in this community. On one side are those for whom history, beauty and ideals are paramount, and on the other are thosewho are more practical- their primary concerns areeconomic. People in these camps don’t speak the same language, so there is little hope of them forming a mutual understanding, but this is an objective worth pursuing.
It reminds me of observations that Craig and I made while scouring rural back roads searching for a home 30 years ago. Many of the locations showed a stark contrast between the condition of the barn and the house. We joked that you could tell who controlled the purse strings in those households- the husband or the wife. Of course it really wasn’t that straightforward then nor is it now. As representatives of the entire community, Council has to navigate between these two solitudes. Rest assured,none of them came to Officewith a plan to knock down the Mill and fill in the pond. They came with noble intentions to serve the community and to leave a legacy that includes beauty and economic sustainability. Occasionally they ask for help, a “Plan B”, as it were, to indicate a way to address both sides of a situation. Sometimes just admitting that a “Plan B” could exist opens up the possibility of further discussion. It is not anadmission of defeat, but a gesture of respect that demonstrates a willingness to work together to find a solution. I’m not saying we should not dream big and envisage grand plans to realize the potential of our local assets. Let’s also be practical and use our combined ingenuity to find ways to do so. Creativeplans don’t always require substantial government grants.Remember, in the end, we are all paying.
When government funding does arrive, we will expect our municipal leaders to continue to be good stewards of the funds at their disposal. They may even ask for our input. Wemight start putting together plans C, D and E so we’re ready. Are you in?
