We are in the midst of an election in Gainesville for the City Commission. At least one friend is running and her candidacy caused me to reflect on the many elected officials I met while working on the Lake Apopka project. They included Members of Congress, Governors, Cabinet officials, legislators, city/county commissioners, and mayors from all parties, political persuasions, and walks of life.
The following is an list of attributes culled from my observations of those men and women that might might be ones to look for when choosing a candidate to support:
Intelligence
Honesty
Big picture vision
Commitment to public service
Loves country, state, region, and locale
Skill at math (or better yet accounting)
Writes well and clearly
Knows when to talk and when to listen
Has high tolerance for excessive verbage and detail without being consumed/romanced by it. Can reach into those details and distill their essence
Makes decisions after careful examination of the facts and options. Is not afraid to make decisions
Able to forge alliances with adversaries
Able to maintain relations with all stakeholders regardless of compatibility with ones own views
Has LOTS of time for meetings and constituent service
Able to speak softly and slowly. Takes breaths and pauses when speaking
Is both charming as a campaigner and smart as a bookworm
Avoids being wishy-washy
Looks people in the eye
Articles about the regional cuisine of North Central Florida from swamp cabbage to delicately fried shrimp. Recipes, restaurant reviews, ruminations, photos, and video from the Gainesville, FL area and the food world beyond. SCROLL THROUGH MY ARCHIVES. LOTS OF GOOD STUFF TO DISCOVER.
No comments:
Post a Comment