What's logical?
Marion Mayor Mary Olson has written a summary of her first months in office. She has met with constituents, other mayors, and city employees. She's been seen at the city shop, asking questions, and learning the ropes of being a mayor.
She has found out about the inner workings, the "behind the scenes" stuff that the average city resident doesn't know or worry about.
For example, when we put our trash barrels in the alley, we expect that trash to be picked up. Flip a switch and a light comes on. Turn on the faucet and we get water. Call 911 and we'll get immediate attention from law enforcement.
From trash to tap water and electricity to law enforcement, as citizens we expect these things to be readily available. We don't necessarily need to know how they work, or why — we just assume they will.
These are the "behind the scenes" things that Mayor Olson is learning about. While it's true we don't need to know all the inner workings of the city, we occasionally have questions. That's where the mayor's open door policy comes in handy.
She wants the public to know she's available to hear concerns and answer questions. She can't promise overnight results for every issue, but she will listen. She will take your concerns seriously and she will get answers.
Don't be afraid to talk to Mayor Olson or other council members. They're people just like us. We've elected them to do a tough job. They need to know how they're doing and they need to hear from us. Good and bad.
In the same vein, Councilman Bill Holdeman made a recommendation at Monday's city council meeting that all department heads report directly to the council. If those department heads are appointed by the council, they should answer to the council. Isn't that logical?
— DONNA BERNHARDT
