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June 21, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels May 12, 2004 Our View DeBoer's actions show his true grit After all the fussin' was done, it was the mayor who truly came out on top. Of course, more fussin' is still to come, but somehow Alan DeBoer rose above the din and made his presence known in a way that will overshadow the rest of the issue at hand. To recap: Per his duties as the mayor, DeBoer nominated three new members to the planning commission to fill two soon-to-be-open seats. The third nominee was DeBoer's choice over sitting commissioner Colin Swales. DeBoer knew this decision would cause an uproar, but he stuck to his conviction and did it anyway. DeBoer was concerned that Swales' community activism on many issues of growth and planning created a conflict of interest. He tried to meet with Swales to discuss it, which Swales couldn't, or wouldn't, do. So in the end, DeBoer openly said he preferred a new commissioner. Three members of the city council disapproved, throwing it back to DeBoer. DeBoer made some alterations, but still left Swales off the list. Again the council dissented. But this time, DeBoer could have cast the tie-breaking vote and pushed his appointee through. He didn't. He voted down his own nominee and threw it back open for the council to help find someone else, a new compromise to the problem. DeBoer said that he can't support Swales any longer as a commissioner, but he also did not want to force his will on a divided council, thus staying true to both his decision and his conviction. Rest assured, this is not showmanship or political machinations. This is DeBoer working exactly as he promised to do when elected. His tenure has been marked by his willingness to bring diverse views under a common umbrella of compromise and consensus. DeBoer gets rankled when people say is he is playing the political game. To him, "politics" is somewhat of a dirty word. He candidly says he ran for office to do it differently. To not be "political" in the derogatory way that has become the norm in our culture. To not do his own agenda, but to work to influence the consensus with his goals. In this way, he has been extremely effective, allowing the diverse members of council to exercise their will and work harder for consensus. It is not always reached. The council, like the community it represents, is often divided. But nobody can say this mayor hasn't worked very hard, often with success, to minimize those divisions. The entire city council should be applauded for the many times they find consensus, despite their different views. This latest move is just one of many that genuinely express what type of political leader Alan DeBoer is. While we may not agree on every position he takes, we enthusiastically endorse his method of leadership. DeBoer's leadership gives politics a good name. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams