By Michael Hannigan/HCN
The Athens City Council is facing tough decisions during a very tight budget year, according to officials.
There are a number of reasons the City finds itself in this place, but I have written about Athens city government off and on for more than 20 years and I believe there is one overriding issue. Our leaders and our citizens have never agreed on where we are going. There is no unifying vision on any level.
With that in mind, I have 5 thoughts about the current condition in Athens.
1. It is absolutely true that the members of the City Council are facing tough choices. But it is also true that every person on the council stepped forward and said they wanted to be responsible for being the community’s leaders. They asked for the honor of serving their fellow citizens in this way, which means:
- They deserve respect from the community for serving where others have not.
- They shouldn’t complain about being the decision makers because they asked to be in charge.
2. Bill Copeland said, “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” The City of Athens has no guiding vision. No vision or goal means there’s no basis for making decisions and every new member joining the City Council becomes an unknown factor that can sway long-term plans. Even something as simple as staffing at City Hall becomes a moving target when there isn’t a guiding vision.
3. This precept can be seen at work with the much-needed police department. One council bought land next to City Hall to build a police department and the next council says no. One council says it is going to put the police department with the Cain Center and the next council isn’t even sure there is going to be a Cain Center. In the meantime, the police sit in an old, moldering building and there’s less hope for change with every election.
4. This may sound repetitive, but I have to question the wisdom of making major decisions without a definitive goal in mind. The Texan is a beautiful facility, but through its actions the City has shown it has no idea what to do now that it is complete. At a recent City Council meeting, Forrest Elder pointed out there is no plan for The Texan. Because of this lack of vision, the council struggled over how to fund projects at the venue and, in the end, split the difference between fully funding and going to zero … which just seems to be the worst of both worlds to me.
5. We elect politicians to be leaders, not accountants. If the only thing a politician can do is add up a column of numbers and shrug then they should do us all a favor and hire someone who can work a calculator and step aside. I’m not saying they aren’t tasked with being fiscally responsible, but if the only thing a politician can do is vote according to the numbers then we can get a copy of QuickBooks to do their job.
Leading implies movement toward something. It is time for the Athens City Council to let us know where we are going because that is the only way we can really gauge how we are doing. Otherwise, all the noise I hear at budget time is nothing more than talk about what kind of gas mileage we are getting on the road to nowhere.
Michael, I share your thoughts and opinion. Having a vision and goals are important as is having a 1 year, 5 year and 10 year plan. Running a successful and progressive city or any organization, requires thoughtful planning and consideration. It is so much more than just collecting taxes, passing a balanced budget, and enacting or amending ordinances to solve problems. Each of us reside in the Athens area for many reasons. With leadership and a sense of vision the Athens’ Council and Mayor could do much to improve this nice little community.
Michael, the City of Athens Council could benefit from listening to the following Radio podcast which was featured on KERA this week – “How We Decide Stuff” | #Think – #KERA Radio – http://bit.ly/2McgxNk
Athens citizens can still benefit from the Cain center with the pool and community gym/event center upstairs. Are some members trying to “wait out” this issue where there will be less voices in favor of the Cain Center as it was first intended? It does seem hopeless as we read their negative comments …but these same people were against the Cain Center from the beginning. In my opinion, it has nothing to do with funding… (although there is less now), it’s what the few negative ones “want” to fund that’s holding up the process. It does seem like a futile fight but the members should complete what was proposed for the community at the Cain Center. It won’t be taken for granted that’s for sure!
Nicely written sir.
Thank you, Michael Hannigan for voicing what many, including myself have been thinking. Athens does indeed need a vision of herself and of her future. I have often asked What is the soul of this place I have lived for 3 years now? Who is Athens, and where exactly is she going.
I realize that our city council members are not paid and must be swamped with managing their own lives and the huge task of deciding critical direction, budget management and issues for all of us. I applaud all of you serving us in this capacity. I ask you, are you passionate about redefining Athens? What is Athens at her core? Who is she and what is she to morph into? Current and long range vision is crucial to our community’s survival. I read that Athens was founded as an artistic hub for East Texas. There is no other Art driven town/village between Dallas and Tyler. The Texan is a fabulous venue for musicians and the music scene all over Texas is one of the most prolific I have ever seen or heard about. You could capitalize on this great investment and have it feed you financially. The Texas should be showcasing talent at least once a month! How about promoting the Old Fiddler’s contest? This event has a rich heritage for Athens, yet it never seems to be advertised to bring in the crowds it could draw from all over Texas.
Creating a vision is not easy if you do not have visionary thinking to work with. Reach out to your community, enlist the visionaries to help you create. You are the managers, and all managers need help implementing directives. I can easily see Athens becoming a BEACON to other communities of what can be accomplished with focus, vision and total commitment to answering the simple question of who are we and where are we going? I believe you have all the tools to do this.
Deborah, are you willing to assist the Council with creating a vision for Athens?