Monday, February 07, 2011
Graceful Retirement from Politics, Chapter 1
It's about time people start announcing they want to run for council this year for a term in 2012-2015. There will be at least one open seat.
You know, the old Walter would have written thousands of words about my retirement, about the city, etc. Today you get the short version. "I was so much older then; I'm younger than that now," as Dylan wrote. I'll keep it simple.
Eight years is plenty. We've done great things as a city: Seen the right of initiative granted to citizens. Seen the birth of a police department that not only has done the city proud in umpteen ways, but also - with all Lakewood - survived everything the Seaven Seas of Hell threw at us in November 2009. Seen more businesses (while some went away; d*^# this economy) There's a tenuous appreciation of our unique history. We're much more focused on trying to create jobs in the town, because we want jobs for our youth and tax revenues to hire more police, strengthen the roads and maintain the parks.
More importantly, I've been around for the maturity of a city. Eight years ago, the new city was a nasty, bitter political mess, reflecting the early teenage years of cityhood. Very few people with any sort of positive outlook on life were going to run for office.
I still wonder what the heck I was doing out there in 2003, the first time I ran for office. Hey, I'm not naive. I don't flatter myself. The people who approached me about running in 2008 probably approached dozens of people before me. But few people wanted to run for office in 2003 because elections were full of smears and personal insults. That's what made me a great choice in 2003 and, to an extent, in 2007. I didn't mind the insults and the campaign. I rather enjoyed it. It really helps to remember that while leadership is sincere and important, and governing is a call to excellence, the stage of politics itself is partly theater. Somehow as your blood, muscle, brain and heart are called to leadership, you have to remember you're also playing a part on that big stage. If you take the acrimony and defeats personally, you catch fire and eventually burn out. That's not the right approach.
Our city is moving from those tumultuous teen years to adulthood. Now it's time for me to take my turn off the stage. Lakewood has matured gracefully. I have no doubt any number of fine people will announce for Position 7. I've no doubt it will be a campaign about qualifications and issues. This is the time for a two-term councilman to rotate off, and maybe join a citizens' advisory board if they will have me.
It is actually very important, as I look around at older cities, that we have the kind of city where some former City Council members stay involved. One should not burn out of the Lakewood City Council and never be heard from again. One should contribute what one can, and then return with lessons learned to other parts of civic engagement. At recent events in Federal Way and Auburn - two cities that have their act together - I was struck with how many former council members were around, playing various roles.
I have final words for the 6,000 people who voted for me in 2003 and the 6,500 who voted for me in 2007. Thank you. Imagine seeing your name on a ballot, and trying to imagine hundreds and hundreds of inner and external conversations about you. I am very humbled. Grateful. Honored.
I've done my best. Sometimes I made a huge difference for the better - changed a conversation, an outcome, a movement. Other times I failed. Sometimes I really knew better, and just didn't act appropriately. Other times, man, I never saw what hit me. All times, I did the best I could.
Thank you.
That said - the term ain't over yet. I'm here until Dec. 31. Bring on the next issue, please. I'll still have a few more words to write for my loyal readers, both of you.
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You know, the old Walter would have written thousands of words about my retirement, about the city, etc. Today you get the short version. "I was so much older then; I'm younger than that now," as Dylan wrote. I'll keep it simple.
Eight years is plenty. We've done great things as a city: Seen the right of initiative granted to citizens. Seen the birth of a police department that not only has done the city proud in umpteen ways, but also - with all Lakewood - survived everything the Seaven Seas of Hell threw at us in November 2009. Seen more businesses (while some went away; d*^# this economy) There's a tenuous appreciation of our unique history. We're much more focused on trying to create jobs in the town, because we want jobs for our youth and tax revenues to hire more police, strengthen the roads and maintain the parks.
More importantly, I've been around for the maturity of a city. Eight years ago, the new city was a nasty, bitter political mess, reflecting the early teenage years of cityhood. Very few people with any sort of positive outlook on life were going to run for office.
I still wonder what the heck I was doing out there in 2003, the first time I ran for office. Hey, I'm not naive. I don't flatter myself. The people who approached me about running in 2008 probably approached dozens of people before me. But few people wanted to run for office in 2003 because elections were full of smears and personal insults. That's what made me a great choice in 2003 and, to an extent, in 2007. I didn't mind the insults and the campaign. I rather enjoyed it. It really helps to remember that while leadership is sincere and important, and governing is a call to excellence, the stage of politics itself is partly theater. Somehow as your blood, muscle, brain and heart are called to leadership, you have to remember you're also playing a part on that big stage. If you take the acrimony and defeats personally, you catch fire and eventually burn out. That's not the right approach.
Our city is moving from those tumultuous teen years to adulthood. Now it's time for me to take my turn off the stage. Lakewood has matured gracefully. I have no doubt any number of fine people will announce for Position 7. I've no doubt it will be a campaign about qualifications and issues. This is the time for a two-term councilman to rotate off, and maybe join a citizens' advisory board if they will have me.
It is actually very important, as I look around at older cities, that we have the kind of city where some former City Council members stay involved. One should not burn out of the Lakewood City Council and never be heard from again. One should contribute what one can, and then return with lessons learned to other parts of civic engagement. At recent events in Federal Way and Auburn - two cities that have their act together - I was struck with how many former council members were around, playing various roles.
I have final words for the 6,000 people who voted for me in 2003 and the 6,500 who voted for me in 2007. Thank you. Imagine seeing your name on a ballot, and trying to imagine hundreds and hundreds of inner and external conversations about you. I am very humbled. Grateful. Honored.
I've done my best. Sometimes I made a huge difference for the better - changed a conversation, an outcome, a movement. Other times I failed. Sometimes I really knew better, and just didn't act appropriately. Other times, man, I never saw what hit me. All times, I did the best I could.
Thank you.
That said - the term ain't over yet. I'm here until Dec. 31. Bring on the next issue, please. I'll still have a few more words to write for my loyal readers, both of you.
