Should You Run for Director?

 Opinion by Dave Griffin

   Anyone who has been around the Meadow's of St. Patrick for a year has seen quite a lot of drama on our Home Owner's Association Board of Directors.  Each of the board members, the "old" and the "new," have been good hearted people who wanted to help lead our neighborhood up from a scattering of a dozen homes to a full fledged community we could all enjoy.  Many of our officers were able to help toward that goal. 

   Anyone thinking of running for the office of Director in the upcoming election should be forewarned it's not an easy job.  It won't take up all your days and nights, but you'll need some people skills and you'll certainly need patience.  You should have some idea of what you think is best for the community and how you will try to implement that plan as a member of the board.  But you'll also have to be honest with yourself and admit that you don't have all the answers, that  your job will often be to seek better answers from the suggestions of those who you will represent.  That's what makes the job difficult: being a leader by not always putting your own ideas first.

   So if you want to be a director who represents your constituents instead of coercing them, and you feel you can listen to community members, explain your ideas to them, come to an agreement and then work to implement a shared set of goals .... then maybe you should think about running for the office.