Over the course of the past few weeks of writing for The Charlotte Gazette, I have had the opportunity to sit in on more than a few local government board, committee or commission meetings. It is apparent that Charlotte County government is looking to and planning for the future with the intention of arriving there on purpose, with a purpose, and they are planning to bring its residents along as well. The Board of Supervisors is currently constructing what could be considered the County’s version of a constitution. The task of creating this document is challenging, even daunting if the designers are doing it right. Each person knows the responsibility they have. The process that is being used is one of the most collaborative I have seen. Each person to the last is an author to this plan. The work the Board of Supervisors is doing is for the future of the residents of the county. It represents the values and vision of the residents of Charlotte County. It is a big deal.
When they are finished writing the plan, each member of the board is going to publicly commit to what they have created and the residents of Charlotte County will be invited to watch. I plan on attending, especially since I saw them work on it. Today, a good portion of the mechanics of our Country’s political process seems to be hidden, not completely, but enough to keep it in the shade. There are investigations, cover-ups and indictments announced on a daily basis at the top of our federal government on every form of media.
I am watching something different happen in Charlotte County, in person.
More than once I have heard words like transparency, integrity and accountability spoken and written more than once recently with the intention of committing to it.
I am encouraged by it. I hope you are as well.
Noel Oliver is a staff writer at The Charlotte Gazette and Farmville Newsmedia, LLC. He can be reached at Noel.Oliver@TheCharlotteGazette.com.