With more than a month before their official terms begin, two Ironton Board of Education members are already living up to the promises they made to their community this past November.

Friday, November 26, 1999

With more than a month before their official terms begin, two Ironton Board of Education members are already living up to the promises they made to their community this past November.

Prominent among the audience members at this past week’s Ironton board meeting were new members Robert Pleasant and Gary Neal.

They were not there for recognition or glory. They were there to get a handle on what is going on in their school district before they officially take office.

They did not interfere in the proceedings, and they did not make a fuss or critique the actions of current board members. All they did was listen – and learn.

There are some people who seem to think holding public office is their due. They do nothing above and beyond the call of duty to serve their constituents. They would never think to attend a meeting before they officially take office. That is not part of their duties.

Pleasant and Neal showed their community this week that they not only take their new jobs seriously, but are also determined to do them right.

That means Ironton voters made a good choice this past November.

There are probably other newly elected officeholders out there who aren’t bothering to attend meetings until they take office. That is a decision they should reconsider.

The best way for any new board member, council member or other public official to get a feel for what the job entails is to talk to those who are already doing it, to get familiar with the issues before taking the oath of office.

Attending a meeting might take an hour out of a new officeholder’s week, but what he or she will learn will be valuable – and his or her constituents deserve nothing less.