By Carson Tucker
Powhatan County Supervisor

The idea of involving citizens in solving problems faced by our community has recently been criticized and dismissed. 

For instance, it has been suggested that chartering work teams or study groups is a way for individual Supervisors or the Board of Supervisors-as-a-whole to avoid accountability for making decisions or to excuse Supervisors from doing the hard work of government. Or more nefariously, that the Board can “stack the deck” of appointees in order to get a pre-ordained recommendation. 

I unequivocally reject all three of these accusations. I have neither seen or experienced in any way that my peers on the Board have co-opted any panel, work team, or study group in order to either avoid making decisions, or worse, pre-ordain a desired decision. Such a view is cynical and says something about the times in which we live and the attitudes about government.

Let us review. Our Comprehensive Plan is in the form it is because, to a large extent, of the four Citizens Working Groups (over 100 volunteers) which worked two years to study Land Use & Preservation, the Route 60 Corridor, Economic Development, and Infrastructure. The Huguenot Trail Advisory Committee, the Transportation Study Group, the Redistricting Advisory Panel, the Domestic Violence Task Force, the Stimulus Package Work Team, the informal Courthouse Study Team, the Recreation Advisory Group, the War Memorial Building Task Force, the Fair Association Task Force, and other groups have all done outstanding work in collecting data, holding public hearings, seeking out best practices, and coming up with new ideas.

Far from subtracting from the efficiency and effectiveness of Powhatan government, such task forces:
(1) Use Powhatan folks who bring to the problem-solving table other perspectives, smarts, experience, and passion;
(2) Save money and time by stretching what we can accomplish with the limited resources the County can bring to bear;
(3) Counter electorate passivity, cynicism, apathy, and nonparticipation; and
(4) Help fulfill our nation’s dream and commitment to participatory democracy.

These task forces and committees identify ideas and recommend solutions.  They do not make or execute decisions: clearly, of course, the final decisions rest with the Board of Supervisors.

On one hand, critics accuse the Board of avoiding accountability.  On the other hand, critics suggest task forces are “stacked” in order to get a pre-ordained recommendation.  You can’t have it both ways: are we avoiding or are we stacking?

But let us look at this another way. The community called Powhatan belongs to the people who live here.  We on the Board invite those residents (who care to) to participate in helping us solve problems. Along the way these volunteers begin to more fully understand the complexities and nuances of running a government. I believe (and I think my peers on the Board do, too) in the good faith, expertise, initiative, innovation, and thoughtfulness of the vast majority of our residents. Of course the buck stops with the Board of Supervisors. However, none of us in these leadership positions has a lock on the truth or a monopoly on answers.

It is not the private, jealously-guarded and closely-held perogative of only elected officials to do the work of studying and making decisions.

I hope that this Board, and future boards, continues to judiciously use work teams. I hope we continue to invite and involve citizens in solving problems. I hope we never back ourselves into a corner that claims sole responsibility and to “have it our way.” I know we as Supervisors will never abdicate our responsibility, in the final analysis, to make decisions (even unpleasant ones once in a while) and accept the consequences. But I also believe in and commit to inviting any interested resident to participate in helping us to determine how to make government smarter, fairer, more cost-conscious, and representative.

We are fortunate to live in a country where this is possible; we are even more fortunate to live in a community where large numbers of smart residents care enough to contribute.

Other organizational entities make large efforts to involve constituents. Corporate America calls it ownership, collaboration, and employee value-add. The military refers to esprit de corps and teamwork. New England townships call it town hall decision making. State government calls for community advisory groups. Our form of government in America calls is participatory democracy. My career employer named it “investment in excellence.” Henrico County calls it engagement. 

What they all have in common is respect for participants and a recognition of the richness residents (or soldiers, or corporate employees, etc.) bring to the table in making organizations more effective. I as a member of the Board acknowledge the collective wisdom of an educated and engaged citizenry and relish the contributions our citizens can and do make to help me and the Board make more considered decisions.

My Point of View welcomes submissions that pertain to life and issues in Powhatan County. The views expressed in the column are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the editorial views of the staff of Powhatan Today.