Local Government: why you should get involved!

Guest Commentary by Kathleen Chandler

The Independence Institute has identified over 4,000 governing bodies in the state of Colorado. All governments have local boards and commissions that either advise the city council or other entities, conduct hearings, and/or create policy within their subject. They have by-laws and a charter of governing scope of their work. These boards or commissions may have rule-making authority but certainly do have an advisory capacity and budgetary implications. Most of these boards and commissions are appointed, not elected, positions.

Have you ever thought that your elected government official is not where government policy is always made or enforced?

Our Local Government Project address how the average citizen can stop complaining about government over-reach and become part of the solution. Is your liberty worth a few hours a month? Have you thought about volunteering to be the key to halting the ever-increasing reach of government into your life?

The Independence Institute started an educational project in 2015 and continues to build a coalition of liberty-minded citizens who provide balance in local governments and serve as a voice of reason. We have engaged citizens who want to stop the over-reach of their local government by applying for board and commission positions.

We have many success stories like Don Sheehan. Don attended one of our local government workshops. He saw how he could be an agent of change and applied to the Centennial Senior Commission. Don served faithfully for two years. During his service on this commission, he learned a great deal on how Centennial worked and who the players are; he worked hard and put in the time it takes to do a good job. After a few years, his seated Council Member came to him and asked him to consider running for office. Don put good thought into it and realized his experience on the Senior Commission had prepared him to be a Centennial City Council Member. He ran for office and is a Centennial City Council Member today.

We are expanding our network of local elected officials finding that liberty truly is a team sport. We continue to identify citizen-activists and lawyers willing to do pro-bono work at the city government level. This multi-level approach is moving the needle of civic engagement and holding elected officials accountable.

In addition, our Local Government Project continues to build a comprehensive database of boards and commissions across the Front Range so that people can easily identify positions for which they would be qualified. Our ultimate goal is to map the entire state of CO with boards and commissions associated with every citizen at every level of government. This part of the project is long-term in scope. It requires constant updating as boards and commissions are always being added and opening are always happening. Information is a key component to citizen’s ability to become involved. It can be daunting to wade through information just to become involved. We want to solve this problem by creating maps that can be easily navigated.

Would you like to join in and be part of the solution? You can! It only takes civic engagement, something we should have been doing for the last 50 years. Those who seek to restrict liberty have been involved for many years. It is time we got off the bench and joined in on the field of team liberty.

First step, go to your city council meeting or attend your county commissioner meeting. Meet your local officials. You can’t knock on the door of President Biden, but you can shake the hand of your mayor. Learn who represents you. Write them a letter and ask them how you can become involved. You will be amazed at their answer.

Here is a link to our list of the boards and commissions of the major counties on the front range. By no means is this exhaustive. This will give you a taste of what is out there. Remember, government is everywhere! (Click Here).

Next, give me a call. (Kathleen Chandler 720-621-3602 kathleen@i2i.org) We host classes often and I am more than willing to talk to you or your group! We want to change the culture by getting all people involved as you see yourself as the solution. Here is website: (www.thinkfreedom.org) We have many great resources. Visit it often!

I look forward to meeting you and helping you to stop complaining and take back your government by taking back your community one board or commission at a time.

Kathleen Chandler is the Coalitions Manager for the Independence Institute, a nonprofit Colorado based thinktank that works for personal and economic freedom.

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