Practice electoral awareness

To the Editor: 

Cities, towns, and all other forms of community organizations depend upon their elected officials to guide their futures through good and bad times. Residents expect competent leadership, practical solutions to ordinary issues, and the development and promotion of cultural and philosophical attitudes that define the quality of life which they seek for themselves and their families.

Over the many years that Cleveland Heights transitioned from a bucolic suburb just up the hill from Cleveland to "an inner-ring suburb," with all the connotations that phrase infers, our city has had to deal with a variety of significant social and economic issues. It has done so successfully primarily because its voters have chosen sensitive, thinking, and intelligent members of the community to lead and guide the destiny of their city.

This November, we voters of Cleveland Heights again will be afforded the opportunity to have a voice in the future of our town as we are asked to elect members of city council and judge of our municipal court. Incumbents and newcomers to the political scene will be seeking our votes. They will present us with varying degrees of the qualities of leadership needed to help govern, and they will express their desire and determination to add their energies to the forward progress Cleveland Heights is making.

Yes, it's only August, and the election is three months away, but electoral awareness and motivation need stirring early. The beginning of a new school year, the opening of our grand new high school, intervening holidays, the beauty of the coming fall season, relegate voting issues to the back shelves of our daily lives. But it's time to begin thinking about the elections scheduled for November 7. Candidates will be knocking at our doors; campaign literature will be dropped; signs of varying colors bearing their names will begin to proliferate lawns and shop windows, and candidate forums will be scheduled. Be informed.

Russell Z. Baron

Russell Z. Baron
Cleveland Heights

Read More on Letters To The Editor
Volume 10, Issue 9, Posted 1:23 PM, 08.07.2017