From Where I Sit

As appearing on www.radioowensound.com

So who is getting excited this fall's municipal elections?

I doubt too many of you are, just look at voter turnout rates.

Sometimes I think that's because these elections don't make it easy for us to vote down party lines. We have to actually... learn about who we're voting for.

I know, that's a heck of a lot of work, but I think we can do it.

I can guarantee you that we at Bayshore Broadcasting will be doing everything we can to help you learn about the candidates in your region.

Maybe I'm just a political junkie, but I actually am looking forward to this.

In three of those races on my beat - Town of the Blue Mountains, Collingwood and Georgian Bluffs - we have people who've been sitting at council together going head to head for the top job.

We've been watching them work, watching their decision making over at least this term if not longer; and now they step up to the plate and have to show us where they want to help take their municipality.

Here's another reason I bring this up; I've been covering councils here for almost a year, and in that time I've really come to appreciate the work these dedicated citizens do.

I promise you they aren't doing this for the money.

These supposedly part time gigs take up hours and hours of research, phone calls and meetings.

Our councillors and mayors give a whole lot more than they get,

While it's our right to voice our opinions when we think they've taken a wrong turn, I also think it's about time we started giving them a pat on the back.

It's for that reason and many others that it is only fair we do them and everyone who lives in this area the service of educating ourselves come election time.

Make an informed choice, so these men and women aren't dedicating all this time and passion in vain.

I'm telling you I can barely read some of the motions they have on their agendas, let alone the hundreds of pages councillors have to go through.

From where I sit, I'm Shawn Mullin - and I'm glad most things I do at my job are only a couple of minutes at a time.