Get to know your city council members

I have been very disappointed by comments I have seen online. Local residents have shared unkind words about our elected city council men and women, dragging their character through the mud, suggesting that they must be lining their pockets and xyz. They talk as if city leaders have defied the will of the entire city by voting to pursue negotiations with and now approve a contract with EMS Unlimited.
The will of the people is not always what is yelled the loudest or typed the fastest and most emotionally online. In fact, the silent majority is called the “silent” for a reason.
Some of the most disdain-filled comments are even coming from people who do not live in Aurora, let alone Hamilton County, but they are there expressing their opinions oh so boldly. They act as though they speak “for” our community, but in reality are only adding fuel to the fire.
In a town of nearly 5,000, it is unfair to say that the city council is going against the wishes of the people. In general, I see the same 15-20 names lashing out, complaining, and talking as if the downfall of Aurora is exclusively tied to having a privately-run EMS team. It is not. It is a small drop in the bucket of financial decisions that are and will be made to try and resurrect an over-expended, broken budget.
What infuriates me the most is the mud throwing I’ve seen at the character of the city council members. It makes me realize that even in our small-town, close-knit community so many people are still strangers to one another.
I personally know multiple city council members. I know their spouses and children, their hobbies and interests, where they go to church, etc. Those are the things you learn when you truly get to know someone.
I don’t know ALL of the city council members, but the ones I do know are kind, intelligent and have a heart for the people of our community. Just because you do not understand WHY a decision was made, does not make it the wrong decision. You not liking a decision also does not make it the wrong decision.
The City of Aurora is made up of three wards. I have a personal friendship with half of the council members in my ward. At minimum, can you say the same? If your ward representatives walked past you on the sidewalk, would you even know? If the Aurora population is split evenly, there are approximately 1,667 constituents per city ward. With two elected members per ward that is still around 800 constituents per city council member.
Yes, it is a city council member’s role to try and know the thoughts and opinions of the people in their ward and vote on agenda items accordingly. But, and this is a big BUT, it is equally the role of us constituents to know our elected council members.
It is so easy to critically judge the decisions of strangers. It is much harder to publicly criticize the decisions of people you know and trust. Personal conversations with someone you know have more impact than the online chatter of strangers.
Look up your ward and personally get to know your city council members.
BEKAH MEAD can be reached at advertising@ hamilton.net