I was late to the party of fans that enjoyed the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation” when it aired from 2009-2015. I started watching the political satire just this past April after looking for something lighthearted.
Although it received a lukewarm reception in its first season, it went on to win Emmy and Golden Globe Awards, and halfway through its run was named Time Magazine’s television series of the year.
It was a show about civil servants working in a fictional Indiana town, humorously depicting the bureaucratic hurdles encountered by government officials and council members as they tried to get things done. Mountains of paperwork, endless rules and regulations, and disgruntled citizens at every turn provided a lot of fodder. Getting anything accomplished in City Hall was a triumph, getting thanked for anything was a surprise.
One of the more curmudgeonly characters remarked, “You choose a thankless job, you can’t be upset when nobody thanks you. Don’t start chasing applause and acclaim. That way lies madness.” I can only imagine the extent to which many of our elected officials echo the statement. It is thankless indeed, but oh…so very, very important.
We often talk about the spirit of small town Saskatchewan. We point to shared values, increased generosity, and the sense that things can happen only if people work together. That’s one side of the coin, but it is often followed up by concerns questioning the very future of those communities.
There’s no doubt a wide variety of factors impact community health and vitality, but the work of a professor studying small towns is noteworthy because he looked at factors not typically considered when discussing growth. Here is what he found.
In towns that grow, discussion is key. Differences are expected since it demonstrates participation.
In towns that grow, people take stands on issues and policies and do not take sides based on alliances or social interactions.
In towns that grow, a place is made for new people, new ideas and new ways of doing things.
In other words, beyond revenue and expenses, attracting businesses, or even access to services, what appears equally significant is the role of each citizen and their willingness to speak…and their need to be heard.
In his State of the Union Address on January 6, 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt set out staggering goals for American factories. His targets for the production of planes, tanks and merchant ships could be considered astronomical and unachievable. But he remarked, “Let no man say it cannot be done. It must be done--and we have undertaken to do it.” Bold goals. Necessary vision.
Let’s go back even further and head into the pages of this newspaper. The year was 1910 and it was reported that with a new school, flour mill, waterworks system and bridge, the future was “very bright” and that these investments would make it “one of the busiest and most important towns in the west.” Few places had progressed as rapidly as Outlook but it was felt more was still to come. “The citizens of Outlook are not even satisfied with improvements to the extent of over $800,000, but will keep right on until they are a city of 10,000.” That was 1910. We can dismiss those citizens as idealistic and unrealistic, or we can applaud their vision and dreams for the future.
The Call for Nominations for town council positions has gone out. Have you considered running for a seat? Have you been asked to consider it? If someone has approached you encouraging you to run, please give it due consideration. They see something in you. Don’t dismiss them too quickly. We know the task of public service is challenging, but the things that are most important usually are.
It’s true that not many pats on the back will come your way—likely little applause or acclaim. But those committed to creating a strong community will find greater fulfillment in knowing they were part of shaping the future. To those who are filing nomination papers—thank you. We ask that you would, on our behalf, dream bold. That’s my outlook.
