The race for Whitesboro City Council is more heated than I’ve ever seen it. And that’s saying something because I’ve seen a few of them over the years.
Yard signs are popping up like wildflowers, and that’s okay. Folks have the right to campaign for whomever they choose.
Ads are all over in the newspaper, and that’s okay. I am a firm believer that the community newspaper is the tried-and-true place for campaign advertisements.
Some candidates are producing their own campaign commercials, and that’s okay. It’s amazing the strides we’ve made in do-it-yourself video editing.
Candidate forums have been held, and that’s great. There is nothing better than face-to-face interactions with folks who are on the ballot.
And social media is filled with false, backhanded and snide comments about candidates. That is not okay.
And, quite frankly, it’s exhausting.
To this point, we’ve stayed above the fray at the News-Record. We don’t report about social media blather because it’s not news.
But this isn’t a news piece. This is my weekly opinion column.
And my opinion, this week, is that folks need to grow up.
I’ve reported on two-decades worth of largely uncontested local elections. Last year, multiple appointments had to be made to various local governing bodies because of apathy.
Seats were empty with no one elected to fill them.
It’s amazing the difference a year can make.
We now have eight people vying for four different seats and the Whitesboro City Council and there have been clear distinctions drawn.
Folks are split into two different camps and social media is littered with trash talk.
I won’t dignify the rhetoric by repeating it here, but if you are at least half dialed into Whitesboro community Facebook groups— you have, no doubt, seen the mudslinging.
If you are not dialed into social media, consider yourself lucky.
I’m not penning this to offer an endorsement of any one candidate. I don’t do that.
In fact, far from it.
But I do have some insight about each of the eight people in the race and here it is: they are all good people.
Each one of them has the best interest of our community at heart. They all want what they think is best for Whitesboro.
The difference is in the policy and their opinions of the best path forward.
Seriously, they are all upstanding folks.
Challenger Johnny Carnes is a career municipal employee. The insight he would bring to office is unparallel.
Incumbent Ben Edwards has proven he is passionate about his vision for the City of Whitesboro. He’s logged countless hours outside of regular meetings on new projects and ideas.
Challenger Ronnie Fielder is a lifelong Whitesboro resident and former city councilman. He would bring a further degree of experience to the council along with a knowledge of our storied past.
Incumbent Colby Meals is another lifelong resident. His background in real estate and finance has been an asset to the council.
Incumbent Stacey Miles is a successful business owner. Her multiple endeavors have bolstered the quality of life in Western Grayson County.
Incumbent John Moore has deep-seeded family roots in Whitesboro. He is a hometown boy, done-well who has returned to the place of his raising and invested personally in the preservation of our historic district.
Challenger Mike Pack is another experienced voice who has spent much of his life in public service. He has been a city councilman, Chamber of Commerce volunteer and dedicated employee at Whitesboro Independent School District.
Challenger Su Welch has, likewise, been a dedicated public servant. She is a lifelong educator and previously served on the Whitesboro Board of Trustees.
Beyond the professional backgrounds each of these folks bring to the job, they are all just good people.
I consider each of them friends and I look forward to the next conversation I’ll have with each of them.
That’s the key word— conversation.
Social media is not conducive to having a true conversation, and that is a shame.
At the end of the day, we should count ourselves blessed that we have such a talented group of people willing to volunteer their time for our community.
Apathy surely does not abound this year, and that is a wonderful thing.
Democracy works when folks are willing to work it. I’m grateful there are those among us who are willing to do the work.
At the end of the day, it just becomes a question of values, priorities, policy and a vision for our future.
These are always worthy of discussion.
So, discuss them. Don’t get bogged down in the ridiculousness of social media.
I’m willing to wager that— the more we discuss our differences— the more we’ll discover we have in common.