Open Forum

By Stella Y. Edwards
Secretary, Responsible Growth Alliance of Chesterfield
Executive Committee, Virginia PTA

I found the Chesterfield Candidates Forum very informative and well received by those in attendance. Each of the five candidates was present, seemingly well-informed, prepared to engage citizens, and quite neighborly. It may be unprecedented to have such a large number of citizens willing to step up to the plate and campaign for the honor of serving their community in an elected leadership position. Because of the Candidates Forum, the citizens of the Dale District are in a better position to elect the best person to represent them on the county school board.

Those citizens who were torn between attending the Chesterfield Candidates Forum and attending a meeting to reveal the plans for building a new Meadowdale Library, were placed at a terrible disadvantage and missed a fundamental opportunity to take part in the process of making democracy work in their district, and ultimately, in the county. Coordinators for that library-focused meeting might have asked:

How often do we have a special election? How often does any local government have five citizens running for one position? Might we attempt to co-locate the meetings as to provide the best opportunity for all the Dale District residents?

A recommendation made by one citizen via email to Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Kelly Miller (R-Dale) received no response. These are just a sampling of questions that should not have been ignored if the current leaders of the Dale District were primarily interested in having well-informed citizens as we prepare for the November 7 election, as well as, providing a question and answer session on the new library.

I am grateful for the work of the Chesterfield Candidates Forum and its community organization co-sponsors – Responsible Growth Alliance of Chesterfield, Chesterfield County Council of PTAs/PSAs, Meadowbrook Community Council and the Chesterfield Chamber of Commence. Democracy only works when citizens are informed engaged and committed as team members in leading the community. Chesterfield County residents now have the power to meet the challenge of beginning the process of creating the best local government in the country, beginning on November 7, 2006 and completing the process on November 2007. To schedule Forums for 2007, email us at chesterfieldcandidatesforum@comcast.net