Column – City council moving in the right direction
A big part of being a journalist is holding various government agencies to account. I have viewed my role over the years as a reporter, editor and news director as mainly a servant of the people who matter the most — you, the reader.
As a journalist, it has been my job to be a channel through which information flows and it is incumbent of me to be an interpreter of events, policies and decisions made by those who govern our daily lives. This recognition, paired with the desire to influence, does result in my role as being a “watchdog” for the ordinary man or woman.
Often, I have been ready to champion a cause of the underdog and expose corruption and abuses of office. This is a vital role in any democratic process. And because of that role, I have spent many years being critical of decisions, when warranted, by those who have abused their power, either wilfully, or through ignorance.
And over the years, I have learned that it is often municipal politics that have the greatest influence on the day-to-day lives of those I serve, which is, again, you the reader. Municipal decisions can determine the taxes you pay, the roads you drive upon, the safety in your community, the economic health of the area at large and much more.