YOU'VE BEEN ELECTED! NOW WHAT?
Some Tips for Newly Elected Officials
By William B. Morris
Regardless of the size of your government, serving
in public office is a major responsibility. Looking back.
more than 200 years, most would agree that holding
local office is truly the foundation of representative
democracy. Some people come into local office
through appointment or a non-contested election. Others are elected after weeks of door-to-door campaigning ranging from a simple introduction to a "down and
dirty" battle with another individual or two.
It doesn't really matter much how you got there
once you are sworn in, because the issues and problems
will continue to roll in during your term of office. After
the first few weeks that major issue or concern that
motivated you to seek public office will be resolved
and you will face as many as twenty decisions a week to
keep the wheels of government rolling.
Here is a list of tips, by no means complete, that may
make your service to your local government a little
easier on you and your family.
• As quickly as possible begin to learn the day-to-day
workings of your government. Set aside two to
three hours a week for the first two months to visit
the various departments, review each department's
budget and discuss goals with the department head.
This information will help you make good decisions
in the future.
• Get a copy of Roberts Rules of Order to learn the
rules of operation for the council or board. This will
also let you know the limits of your power.
• Get to know your colleagues on the board or council. Make a point to visit with each to get to know
each as an individual. You will be spending literally
hundreds of hours with them over the next few
years.
• Get in the habit of reviewing the meeting agenda as
soon as you receive it. Set aside one hour or so to call
key department heads, the manager or whomever
to get any additional information you need to be
ready for a vote at the meeting. ALWAYS BE PREPARED WHEN YOU GO TO A COMMITTEE
OR COUNCIL MEETING. If you are scrambling
during the meeting or always holding things up
because you didn't do your homework, your colleagues, who have done their homework, will become resentful.
• Realize discussions and debates at meetings are for
the public record and always be respectful of your
colleagues even when you disagree on an issue. It is
best to refer to your colleagues during meetings as
Alderperson, Commissioner or Board Member.
First names are too informal.
• Always debate issues, not personalities. The member on the other side of a vote today may be a key
ally on the next vote. If each discussion becomes
personal the process of government will breakdown. For years Senators Barry Goldwater, a leader
of the conservative movement in the U.S. Senate,
and Edward Kennedy, a spokesperson for the liberal movement, managed to maintain a close personal friendship even though they disagreed on
many important issues.
• Never embarrass a colleague or municipal official in
a meeting. If you feel you received bad information
or misinformation from a colleague, it is much better to ask that the matter be tabled or held over until
the next meeting to get your information rather than
embarrass someone in public.
• No one likes surprises. Touch base with your colleagues prior to a meeting to explain a proposal you
plan to make, answer their questions and seek their
support. A surprise, especially something that is
controversial or seen as grandstanding may get your
name in the newspaper or score points with a special
interest group, but in the end can permanently sour
your relationship with your colleagues.
• Don't over discuss or over talk every issue. Meetings
get long enough with the routine business. However, if an issue is important to you and your constituants, make a good sound argument or ask good
questions.
• Look to outside sources for general information.
Your best bet is the Illinois Municipal League.
There are numerous other cities and villages dealing
with similar problems and the League can help you
find answers. Other good sources of information are
your area's community college, the state universi-
In 1974 Bill Morris was elected to the Illinois Senate to represent a
portion of Lake County. At the time he was the youngest member of
the Senate. In 1977 he was elected Mayor of Waukegan and served
two terms. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration and
has taught local government and budgeting courses at Loyola University, Lake Forest College and the College of Lake County. He is
currently Senior Vice President and manager of the Illinois office for
the Public Finance firm of Dougherty Dawkins.
July 1995 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 5
ties, a local council of government and the State of
Illinois.
• Make sure you keep in touch with the people who
elected you to office. Set aside one hour each day to
return calls and follow up on your residents' concerns.
• Educate your public. You will not always vote the
way all the people want you to vote, so you need to
make sure you keep them informed as to the reason
for your position or decision.
• DON'T FORGET YOUR FAMILY. MAKE
TIME FOR THEM AND DON'T DISCUSS
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS AT THE DINNER
TABLE.
There are three roles to being an elected official.
First you are a decision maker for your community.
Second you are an ombudsman for your neighbors in
dealing with government. Third you are an educator
learning the issues and educating the community as to
why controversial decisions are made. A good local
official will excel at all three. •
EDWARDSVILLE OPENS
NEW CITY HALL
For the first time in many years Edwardsville city
offices are in one location. The new Edwardsville City
Hall is located at 118 Hillsboro Avenue in a 50 year-old
building commonly known as the "old Sears building."
Originally built as a grocery store, the facility became a Sears store and more recently, provided office
space for Madison County.
The new city hall has a stone facade and a redesigned interior. The outside of the building was designed to compliment the nearby courthouse complex
and other buildings in downtown Edwardsville.
Tan stone panels form archways over the entrance.
Original brick was painted to compliment the stone.
The new facility contains 18,000 square feet, almost
double the size of the old city hall. Located on the
ground floor are the city clerk's office, cable television
office, city council chambers and a meeting room. The
second floor houses the mayor's office, the public
works department, parks and recreation, department
of development and an aldermanic office. •
Page 6 / Illinois Municipal Review / July 1995
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