Keep Politics out of our Council/Commission Governance

Commission members for the City of Highland Park should not be asked if they will endorse a Candidate for Mayor or the City Council. Commissioners should be appointed on their merits and abilities to contribute to policy rather on than being politically committed to the Mayor or Councilman.

As the City Council has talked about protocols designed for the City Council and our Commissions to be ethically clear of interests that might be interpreted as influential decision making, I would ask us politicians not ask Commissioners to politically endorse any member that runs for political office in the City of Highland Park.

By enacting this protocol, Commissioners would not feel obligated to endorse incumbents because of a concern they might not be re-appointed to the commission or not be considered for Chairman. These appointments should be solely based on merit and not politics.

There is plenty of politics going on in Highland Park as candidates will be spending between $20,000 to $100,000 in the 2011 races to get their positions out to the citizens. There is every reason to keep politics away from our Commission system and let our appointed citizens make their recommendations on the facts of petitions and not allow politics to cast a influential shadow on their work.