One could ask how better for a new servant to emerge, by placing themselves before the voters in the fall or by being annointed by the remaining school board members now.
Let us assume the answer is the latter. Whom should they annoint? There are about 170,000 persons of voting age in St. Paul. If we eliminate on general principle the 50 or so experienced, genuinely dedicated, and potentially up-to-speed public servants. That leaves 169,950. If we let them serve consecutively between now and the election, each would have 94 seconds to prove themselves. That should be enough.
Jules Goldstein Mac Groveland
On 4/28/05, Mary <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Late Wednesday, I electronically filed my application for the 6 month
vacancy on the St Paul School Board. Thursday morning, the P Press announced
that Andy Dawkins has also tossed his hat in the ring, joining former Chief
Finney and Gilbert de la O. There were also three other citizens, whose
names weren't recognizable to me as public figures, listed.
My initial dismay over my own position quickly turned to curiosity over the real issue at hand: how to best serve the city and public schools through this temporary vacancy?
Questions for this list:
1. Will the schools be better served by having an experienced, genuinely
dedicated, and potentially up -to -speed public servant sit on the board, or
will we be better served by inviting someone new to offer their perspective
and other types of experience?
2. Another way to look at this issue could also be: is the community best
served by having a public servant who may be retiring or transitioning
return or by inviting a new servant to emerge?
As for how I would answer those 2 questions -- I'd have to say we would be
better served in the short-term by having a seasoned public servant sit on
the vacant seat and better served in the long-term by using the seat as a
means for a new servant to emerge.
Although I have applied for the spot, my own community involvement has
been guided by what may be an overly idealistic view: public service demands
that the greater civic good prevail over personal interest. I'm not certain
what the greater civic good would be in this instance.
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