Commentary
By: Gary Kopycinski
Re-election plans for one former trustee in Park Forest have just been released.
He will not run in the spring election of 2017.
That former trustee would be me.
About a year-and-a-half ago, I ran for re-election to the Park Forest Village Board. As I said at my last board meeting, I worked to get myself on the ballot, but did not have a campaign in me at the time. Needed a break.
So I did not campaign.
I showed up for forums. I continued to serve on the board — and served well, I believe.
I asked questions.
I offered my opinions on policy, during televised meetings, as well as the numerous meetings off-camera held in Park Forest.
Really don’t understand how trustees can sit there and ask no questions. Attended many board meetings over the past year-and-a-half, on camera and off. Don’t understand how elected officials can sit there, for hours at a time, sometimes, and say nothing.
Heard them comment at subsequent on-camera board meetings words to this effect: “The staff presented the issues so well, I had no questions.”
Wanted to scream.
How can an elected official sit through a lengthy meeting and say nothing?
Yes, the presentations by staff are often excellent, often in depth. But, to sit through budget meeting after budget meeting after budget meeting and say nothing? Ask no questions? Essentially contribute nothing?
But, don’t forget to get up and go back to the breakfast, lunch, or dinner spread for more food.
Sorry. There’s no excuse for that.
So, why not run? Why not use this space to announce re-election plans?
Still don’t have a campaign in me. Would rather sit at the press table at this time, and vow to you, reader, to cover Park Forest board meetings more closely. To cover Village government as it should be covered. To cover the upcoming local election season as it should be covered.
And continue to build and further establish eNews Park Forest.
This publication is over 10 years old now. We’ve been around since the spring and summer of 2006.
You deserve comprehensive coverage of local government. I’ve been lacking in that.
So, going to recommit to better coverage of local government.
Recommitting, also, to local, liberal journalism in general.
We need that now more than ever. Especially after the last national election.
And let’s get to know our business community better. There are businesses in Park Forest I’ll bet you never heard of.
You should hear about them.
We’re going to tell their stories too.
We do very well telling you what’s going to happen. We do very well informing the local community about the tireless work our public safety officials do.
Let’s explore local government in more depth — both from a reporting and editorial perspective.
So, my re-election plans came together the past couple of weeks as I thought about all of this. How can we improve at eNews Park Forest? How can we grow? How can we hire more freelancers? How can we build our advertising base? How can we grow our already impressive Business Directory?
We’re going to do all that, and more.
You deserve no less.
Join us for the next ten years … and more.
Gary Kopycinski is editor and publisher of eNews Park Forest. Follow him on Twitter at @GaryKopycinski and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FrodoJRR, or email him at [email protected]. He served as a village trustee in Park Forest from 2003-2006, and then again from 2007-2015. eNews Park Forest, Inc. is an independent media company and is not affiliated with the Village of Park Forest in any way.
