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We Need a Few Good Men and Women
By Steven A. Sedlack, Winsted
Steven A. Sedlack is Chairman of the Winchester Democratic Town Committee.
You worry about our democracy when you see such poor voter turnout in important elections. Barely 50% of the eligible voters in Winchester bothered to vote in the fall 2002 election. You also worry when it is difficult to get men and women to volunteer to serve on town boards and commissions. It is more difficult yet to get good men and women to try for elective office on the boards of Selectmen or Education.
So many good men and women have given their lives in wars so that our democracy can survive. Why are so many other people reluctant to give back so that democracy can endure and thrive?
Yes, volunteer public service is hard. There are long hours. There are difficult issues. There is constant criticism. The rewards are often elusive. Sometimes there is barely a thank you at the end of the tour.
Recently I was on a panel with members of the Democratic Town Committee and we shared our experiences, in a program cablecast on Channel 13, as volunteers in public service.
Natalie Attianese remembered the example set by her father, Emile Nalette, when he and an army of volunteers disassembled a set of grandstands in Springfield, MA, transported them to Winsted, and reassembled them at Walker Field, where they presently stand. Her father's dedication proved to be motivating for her; she, too, has given back to her community as a volunteer. Natalie described her work on the Laurel City Commission and the effort it takes to conduct the Laurel Festival each June. The reward? Seeing the candidates and their families and friends join in a project that has meaning for them and the community. Natalie also serves on the town's Redevelopment Agency while her husband, Rich, is a longtime member of the Recreation Board.
Nancy Eisenlohr was born and spent her early years in New York City. She said that it guaranteed she would have a tough skin, which has come in handy over the many years she has been a volunteer in public service in Winsted. She recalled serving on the Inland Wetlands Commission and her stint as a member of the Board of Selectmen. Later she served on the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Water and Sewer Board, and is currently a member of the Charter Revision Commission. The reward? Knowing you did your best and made a contribution to give something back to the community.
For my part, in eight years on the Board of Education and six years on the Planning and Zoning Commission, I truly enjoyed the camaraderie I felt with the other members of these groups. That feeling far overshadows the negatives that come with the territory.
Now it's your turn. We need the good men and women of Winchester to come forward. I am asking you to get involved in volunteer public service. If you are interested in more information about the local boards and commissions, contact any of the selectmen, or call the town manager's office at 738-6962.
As chairman of the Winchester Democratic Town Committee, I have the tasks of building a vital town committee and of getting people to run for the boards of Selectmen and Education. To show you who we local Democrats are and to give you an idea of the positions we take and plans we have regarding local political issues, I invite you to tune into our monthly show, Accent—Winchester Democrats, on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 9 p.m. on Channel 13.
If you are interested in running for elective office as a Democrat, contact me by phone at 379-5310, or by letter at 103 Indian Meadow Drive. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Democratic Town Committee, contact me as well.
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