Running for office

This is the time of year when individuals interested in serving their communities think seriously about becoming a candidate for city or school district offices. The official filing period has begun for most towns and districts. Incumbents whose terms are expiring also must consider whether or not they want to seek re-election.

It is a huge responsibility to serve in these elected positions. The rewards come from the satisfaction of knowing that the best interests of constituents or students or teachers are being served honestly and well, since these positions offer little or no compensation.

For anyone thinking about running for office, please remember that winning means making a commitment to attending meetings, being informed about current issues and making sound decisions even though you may be pulled in opposite directions by well-meaning individuals.

Hats off to anyone willing to step forward and place his or her name on a ballot for local office. Doing so is a generous offer of time and attention to the minutiae of budgets and policies. And good luck.