I have had some people tell me that the Town Council and its members/candidates need to stay away from divisive or controversial topics. I personally believe that is a serious mistake. Ignoring issues in the hopes that they will simply go away is not #SmartGov4Herndon.

Government is about controversial and potentially divisive topics. Things that are not controversial seldom need government intervention. It is the job of elected officials to give a fair hearing to different viewpoints and then try to find the best overall approach for those that they are elected to represent.

Most things do not get better by ignoring them. Get the issues out in the open, hold hearings, get feedback from experts and the community, and then make intelligent, informed decisions on how to move forward. Yes that is hard work and sometimes painful, but it is also how you tackle issues and grow as individuals, families, organizations, neighborhoods, and as an overall community.

Steve