To the voters of the area

Soon there will be two important days coming up. One is fun for kids and adults – Halloween; the other is for adults – Election Day.

We have several big problems to address. Among them are the planning and building of a new waste-water treatment plant, streets and sidewalks that need attention; an aging infrastructure; public safety; trees that need attention; our relations with our neighboring communities; and the Colville Confederated Tribes, just to mention a few.

Therefore, it seems logical to elect the most capable people we can. In considering the various candidates, I would suggest you look for the following qualifications:

We need people who know the community and its special problems. They must consider issues that involve Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam and Elmer City. Add to that, we are involved with those sometimes from county governments. Now add to that list the state and national governments.

Often any actions we take involve the USBR, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the state and national Departments of Transportation. The Colville Confederated Tribe is considered a sovereign nation. I am sure there are others, but this list is long enough already to make governing this area a unique problem.

Another quality to be considered is service to the community in the past – outside of town government. Has the candidate spent their own time on projects such as the blood bank, the fire and ambulance service, the senior center, our schools, our parks and even our Christmas decorations?

Giving these kinds of service freely and willingly is a quality to be considered in choosing our council people.

Being a knowledgeable council person requires a great deal of time. If you have ever attended a council meeting, you would realize the wide range of issues to be considered and the time needed to gather such knowledge.

I can’t over-emphasize the importance of your voting for the people who make up your town council. Our responsibility is to consider, question and vote. These are the people who make many decisions affecting our daily lives. Their task is to carry out the wishes of the townspeople. It is the responsibility of the townspeople to let them know what those wishes are.

So, please, do your part by learning about the candidates and then, VOTING for your choice.

Carol Netzel