I’ve waited a couple of weeks before mentioning New Year resolutions. Personally I don’t care to make resolutions because I always fail miserably. Why would I set myself up to fail? There’s enough failing going on in this country – why should I contribute to it.?
I did a little survey - asking both women and men around the area what was their New Year’s resolution. The majority promised to hit the gym to shed a few (or a bunch of) pounds off.  That’s typical. Most of us could benefit from a leaner physique, not to mention a healthier lifestyle. According to a December NPR-Thomson Reuters Health telephone poll of 3,000 adults across the country, over half surveyed said they’ll resolve to exercise more. More than a third will resolve to lose weight. I’d be ok if I could just get past the marshmallow cream…and the Red Velvet Cake ice cream (don’t tell anybody about the ice cream – its SO hard to find).
Have you ever noticed the menacing undertone one engages when talking about his or her resolution? Do I need to threaten myself into accomplishing a goal?  Is that in itself an unhealthy approach? What happens if I don’t reach my goal? Am I going to put myself in the corner? The good news for me is weight loss is at the penultimate of my list of New Year vows.
I have an idea. How about resolve to attend the meetings that relate to our County, Town, and School District business? If everyone dedicated on average three evenings per month we would be one super-informed group of citizens.
I’ll have to warn you: it takes a while to figure out how things work – like how many readings it takes before a council can vote on an ordinance or how to approach a council or a board (its not appropriate to simply stand up and yell at a council during a regular meeting). At first you will hear about things that seem to come out of the blue, such as our County being part of industrial parks located in other Counties but topics such as this have been ongoing, sometimes for years.
There’s also a lot a miss-information out there in regards to who is doing what and why. I cannot afford to rely on second-hand news and neither should our citizens. The only way to do that is to get it from the horse’s mouth…let me rephrase that. The only way to do that is to attend the meetings so you can form your own opinion.

I’ve been making a point to attend Magistrate and Circuit Court. The judicial system can be daunting to say the least.  My visits in the courtroom, however brief, have been educating and at times amusing. I’ve learned a lot but will ‘resolve’ to further my knowledge of the process. However, one thing I have gathered from my experience is I hope never to have to stand before a judge and explain my actions.
So, lets resolve to make a difference in our Town and County by being informed. After a few meetings, you’ll have it down pat and you’ll know your council and board members a little better. And that’s one resolution that you can’t fail.